OP, I’ve been in the pain meds game for 25 years (I’m like the Terminator, made of metal).
Narcotics cannot be mail ordered. For most larger medical groups, the newer policy is also that narcotic prescriptions cannot have any refills — each month requires a new refill. I also have to have a 90 med check-in year round (sheer bullshit!!!).
A smaller pharmacy will likely treat you much much better. But the best way to handle this is to deal with your *doctor*. You need to tell your doctor what happened to you and that you cannot be put through that again. Ask the doctor what their policy is on pain meds — how do they handle people on blood thinners or diabetic meds? Do they make them wait like that? Of course not. So a very direct conversation with your doctor, do not sugar coat how awful the pharmacy was and poorly they treated you and disrespected you. Ask your doctor how you can be assured this will never happen you again — but not in an adversarial tone. The doctor is human, it could be a policy oversight and/or even more likely, one of the doctor’s nurses is acting as “gatekeeper” to your pain meds. That’s exactly what happens with my doctor, I’ve learned which nurses are awful and who want to make me wait. One time, she refused to help me and my doctor was on vacation. I told her that he told me this would not happen to me again and to have his staff contact him, even on vacation. So I demanded she contact him even though he was on vacation, I couldn’t wait until Monday. Guess what? My prescription magically showed up at Walgreens! But I knew my doctor would have my back beforehand, he is amazing about pain meds. So you need real clarity on how your doctor feels and what their approach is to managing pain med refills during their time-off.
As already suggested, I recommend you get on CBD too (both oral and topical). I use Penguin brand for an oil I ingest, their topical is okay, but I prefer Dr. Solomon’s for my topical. You can also take a *heavy* dose of ibuprofen when things are dire, I’ll take 4 pills (but only once per day at most). Same with Tylenol, I will even take 4 pills of each at the same time when very very desperate, I know it’s not ideal to take so much, but I figure that at least it’s not narcotics.
The nurse upthread told you to avoid surgery — that is correct. Finally, if you MUST have these pills to manage, just go to a pain clinic. If you have an excellent pain clinic by you, they will get you hooked up with meds and should offer you other treatments that don’t involve narcotics. My pain doctor literally saved my life.
Oh! One other trick. If you are near a major hospital, the hospital near me has a Walgreens inside — they have all narcotics in-stock 24/7. None of the “out of stock” bullshit even for the fun stuff, and they don’t get involved with questioning narcotics because they assume you’re a patient for one of their staffers in their facility, that you’ve just had a surgery or other treatment.
Best wishes to you, I’m sorry you’re going through it, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. The part that used to upset me the most was the stigma, they made me feel like a piece of shit at the pharmacy, they literally dehumanized me. But I try to give back to my community to help combat these broken systems. Hope this thread is helpful.
