[SLBEL3]

For any of you that read my other post about now not getting the lotronex from my doc because after she told me that she got the stickers and everything come to find out she isn't even registered and didn't get the stickers I cant get it yet from her. Well Friday I called my GI doc to see if they had it, but he had left for the day and the nurse didn't know if he had the stuff or not. so they told me to call Monday and then the doc would let me know if he could give me an rx with the stickers or not. But not to expect to be seen until after the new year.So I figured I wasn't even going to call today and waste my time. But they called me at 8:30am this morning. I was still sleeping so my hubby was talking to them. The nurse told him that the doc is willing to write me a script for it. Hubby said great and asked if the doc had the stickers and he told the doc what happened friday with my primary doc and the mess that went on. So the nurse said yes the doc had the stickers and that I needed to call them back as soon as I got up so that they could give me an appt and the doc was going to squeeze me in between patients so that I could have it for xmas. So hubby told him to hang on and he woke me up. I got on the phone and the nurse told me to come in today at 3pm so that the doc can have me sign the papers and get the rx.I am so happy now. What a great way to wake up! Of course my stomach is absolutely killing me right now and I'm worried that I won't even be able to make the 45minute drive to the office to see him. Especially since there are no stops for bathrooms on the way! but like hubby said, bring extra clothes just in case and make it there at all costs. You better bet I will!!I can't wait to get my hands on those lovely blue pills!!! yay for me, it just may be a merry xmas after all!!

 

[JuliaNYC]

Oh, Sandi, I hope so. Let us know if you are successful.

 

[carolauren]

Yay!! Finally someone came through for you.

 

[SLBEL3]

yay!

Went to see my GI. we went over the paperwork, and he wrote the rx for 2mg a day (have to start with one but he gave me 60 and wrote it as needing 2 a day so the ins would only charge me one copay. Then he put those pretty blue sticker on it and sent me off to the pharmacy. they filled it no problem and I just took my first one. Yahoooo. Now maybe I'll feel good enough to go to my mom in laws house xmas day (hour a way) instead of staying home alone!!Have to now go make brownies and some other stuff for my xmas party tomorrow afternoon. I'm soooo happy now!!!

 

[JuliaNYC]

Merry Christmas Sandi!

 

[Nanci]

I think we need to be careful about what is said here. How in the world are people getting more than what is to be prescribed. My dr showed me his notebook (about 2-3 inches thick) on Lotronex and double checked everything before he gave me my prescription. It scares me to death that this is not being prescribed as it was supposed to be. That's all we need to have it given incorrectly and then pulled again, this time probably for good.

 

[SLBEL3]

nothing wrong here, the docs can under the program prescribe 1 mg taken 2 times a day. but he wants me to start at one. everything was done by the book according to glaxo.And yes merry xmas to me for that but then today I went ice skating at the town rink and while standing still telling kids it was time to go i lost my balance and fell backwards. I hit my head on the ice, luckilly had a hat on. but the worst part was that I broke my arm! unreal huh? when it rains it pours for me. I have what they called a 'Radial head fracture. fun!well need to get some food in me now. hope you all have a very merry xmas!!

 

[JuliaNYC]

Sandi, You poor thing! I hope your arm heals quickly. Nanci, I also worry when I see things posted that donn't meet the rules. The only way we can make this risk management program work is to follow the rules. I am going to repeat here somethign I posted to the LAG on the same topic:Now that we are past the one-month mark, pharmacists are going to be getting used to seeing the 60-pill (2 mg a day) prescriptions, so they are probably going to be less likely to question. I seem to remember Dr. Wolfe (Michael not Sid) being supportive of a more than 30 pill prescription because it would make it easier for those who have mail order prescription plans. I remember that the first time around, my doctor wrote me a 60-day prescription for Lotronex and the mail order (Medco) actually sent it back telling me to ask for 90-days. I remember thinking when I heard Dr. Wolfe bring this up that he must have had patients who�d had the same experience. This time around, I filled the 30-pill prescription at a retail pharmacy, so I don�t know yet what Medco�s position is about the smaller prescriptions. I do know when I queried Medco via e-mail for a price for Lotronex, they quoted me $35 (my usual co-pay for a branded drug) for up to 90 days worth. It will be nice if that turns out to be true, because it will be a real savings. However, looking at the medication guide that is dispensed with Lotronex and also given to us by our doctors as part of the risk management program, it does say: "Begin with one tablet a day for four weeks to see how Lotronex affects you. you.� It does not say that the prescription can only be 30 pills, but that the patient should take one a day for 4 weeks. The physician patient agreement that we signed says we will contact our doctors after 30 days of Lotronex. One way the doctor can guarantee that the contact actually occurs is to make the prescription for 30 pills (conveniently, GSK packages L in 30 pill bottles). So, not cast in stone that the prescription be for 30 pills but pretty concretely set out in the medication guide that the dose be one a day for the first four weeks. Sandi said she got 60 pills but was directed to take one a day at first. Don�t remember what the person who posted here (i.e, on the LAG) said about her dose. So it doesn�t seem to be breaking any rules to prescribe more pills at a time, as long as the initial dose meets the rules AND that the patient has contact with the doctor at the 4-week mark. I cannot stress enough the IMPORTANCE of the physician-patient contact. I am beginning to feel like a broken record on the subject.

 

[Kitty Kat]

Hi Sandi--you have my sympathies about the radial head fracture--been there, done that with a bike accident while riding with my son about 16yrs ago--except I also broke my pinkie finger, same arm, and it was fractured at the base, so to fix it they had a million pins sticking out--the worst part was not shaving under my arms, so my young daughter did it at the time--I was just desparate. Good luck with the healing process, you will do find. Happy about your Lotronex, I am in a holding pattern, my Dr has second thoughts and is now reviewing it with my GI, and may have him do it--I thought the info was all on its way since I asked my GP to do it 12/13--had all the paperwork in order, and he just told me yest he didn't....oh, well, I get satisfaction knowing you all are getting it, and I will, too. Happy New Year to all. Kitty