Posted on 02/08/2022 1:25:40 PM PST by Bogle
I've been advised to hold back one pill from each prescription refill in case of future supply disruption. This is particularly important because I have epilepsy. Is this "hoarding" legal? And is there a maximum number of pills that is legally safe to keep (for instance--accumulate one extra week of pills, accumulate one extra month of pills, etc.)? For the record--Internet searches haven't answered my question. Thank you a great deal for any information!
It is not legal but honestly what choice do you have? Sorry.
Who fills your scripts?
“Who fills your scripts?”
Are you going to be ok if you do that? I don’t know about epilepsy, but some conditions may require not cutting dosages.
I don’t see how it cloud be illegal—you have a prescription.
I don’t ever throw away leftover prescription meds and frankly DGAF about legality if it’s something I might need, who would know anyway?
Their your pills, why would it not be legal?
I’m probably not understanding the question, and I don’t understand epilepsy treatment. But why would it be illegal for you to have some pills in supply?
I simply forget to take mine sometimes, so I’m always ahead; and my pharmacy fills prescriptions automatically if there are refills left, and often does it long before I need the refill.
If you can, see if your prescriber will up your doses and you can cut your pills in half. Tell them why so they know you are dealing with the issue of the shortages. You will still have a decent supply at refill time. Keep on using the oldest first, rotate your spares.
We are talking meds for specific applications for you epilepsy here, not "pain pills" or mood altering psychiatric meds. Messing with those is playing with fire.
I really dislike the way prescription drugs are so tightly controlled. I think any recurring prescription, should come with an emergency reserve of 3 weeks.
What if you decide to travel. Yeah you can transfer the prescription but it’s a pain.
What if you’re sick with covid for 2 weeks and don’t want to go pick up a prescription. Some will mail it to you now, but it’s a pain.
What if you’re absent minded. Perhaps it’s a memory drug.
What if it’s birth control and boom, you missed that one dose.
Exactly!
I have pills I’ve had for a few years that I don’t take anymore, I just haven’t disposed of them yet. I can take them to a pharmacy, they will dispose of them.
Who advised you to do this? Your doc? Pharmacist?
And, as others have said.....how can keeping your own meds be considered hoarding?
Can you build a supply of your own medicine for your own use?
The answer is yes. Yes you can. And even if it is not legal, who is going to know? The cops are going to break down your doors because you have thirty extra pills.
If they are controlled, keep them safe.
Rotate your supply. Count out fresh incoming pills from new bottle to match amount in current hoard plus one. Then replace with current “hoard”. There should be one more pill hoarded every new bottle.
That way you will not be hoarding stale medicine.
Have heart meds that often need an extra dose during afib events. Trying to renew them at my pharmacy results in, “it’s too early to give you a refill”. WTF? And the script is for 90 days
Might be traveling or whatever.
I jokingly asked over the phone if their was a blackmarket need for cheap hypertension drugs....long pause, “I wouldn’t know about that”.
SMH
I have my recurring prescriptions filled 90 days at a time. I can refill them before the 90 days is up. I don’t know exactly how long before the 90 days, but it’s at least a week. If I wanted to hoard them, I could just pick them up at the earliest allowable date each time, and collect at least a week’s worth of pills each time.
Are you waiting until you run out before you refill? Find out how early you can refill, and do that.
Some refills can be a 3-month supply. But some are highly regulated - they only fill 30 days at a time. You could ask.
When I was on a monthly prescription the insurance company would let me refill at day 25 (don’t try it on day 24), but they never realized that I was doing it every month and got two months ahead by the end of the year. The big thing is to rotate stock so you use the older pills rather than letting them sit on the shelf while you use the new ones.
Thanks. I have SilverScripts prescription coverage through my ex-employer, New York State. They use CVS Caremark, and I use their mail delivery for my scripts. There are no CVS pharmacies where I live. The closest one is in the Target at the mall a half-hour away, which I would never use. We have Walgreen's and Rite Aid here. I use the Walgreen's near me if I need a script I have to start right away, like an antibiotic.
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