Getting Prescriptions From 2 Different Doctors For Pain Meds But There Are Conditions

Well I just really need to know if what I am doing is considered doctor shopping. I fell at at department store and injured my knee. Now I have to go to the doctor the lawyer sent me to. He prescribes pain meds for me but the only thing he can treat is my knee. I started having back problems. My primary care doctor sent me to a different doctor and he also gives me meds. But the pharmacy said they would call the doctors and tell on me. So I went and ahead and told the doctors myself so that it would not look as bad. What do you think will happen to me? The pharmacy refused to give me back my prescription. Can they do that?

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REPORT

Yes, when you are getting medications from more than one doctor, regardless of the condition, that is the very definition of doctor shopping.

Logically, if one doctor is giving you are narcotic medication to treat the pain in your knee, that medication isn't isolated to just working in your knee, so there should be no need for another medication to treat back pain, unless it's a different medication of a different type.

For instance, if you were getting a narcotic from one doctor and the other one gave you a NSAID, it would be different.

And yes, the pharmacy can do that, if they have concerns about you doubling up on medications.


Are there any other questions or comments?

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the dr. could care less about how you feel.pay 250.00 abd he will wriye you anything you want.they do not take insurance either.

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Yes it's doctor shopping. I have written an article called "Welcome to Hell the Reality of Chronic Pain" that addresses just how easy it is to "doctor shop."

Here is what you need to know. You can see any doctor as many times as you wish within a month. What you must not do is accept prescriptions from 2 or more doctors within that month.

It's illegal and can land you in jail for 20yrs on first offense. [most meds are written for 28-30 day if written for less - say 5 days and you see a dif doctor after that and get prescribed that's **not** doctor shopping but it looks bad].
Also you are not bound by a contract to see the doctor your lawyer sent you to. In fact, you will probably be better off with the rec by your primary doctor.

The doctors that work closely with lawyers too often require more visits than necessary to rack up the charges. You *must* see a doctor to have a case and to make sure you get continued care and reimbursed for your pain/suffering but be very careful on who you see.
I chose my own doctor/s after a car accident that destroyed me. The first lawyer I had ran a real little racket with chiropractors, neurologists etc. I wanted real help not BS fees to the insurance company.

When looking for a doctor you need to let the admin staff know it's for an accident since it is charged differently. They may not charge your regular insurance, but if they have already - the insurance co must be paid back.

If you want care to continue uninterrupted do not under any circumstances take prescriptions from 2 different doctors.
Refuse if one attempts to hand you one. Sometimes they'll do it just to try and figure out if you are an addict.

Good luck and pray they don't arrest you. That last bit is serious ~ they can come down on your at any time.

A pharmacist just has to call the police or one of the doctors and you'll think you are waiting for your script or whatever but you'll walk out of the office in cuffs.

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They're right my friend, my cousin just got 15 years for the exact same thing and his gf of only a month got 5 just for not reporting him to authorities. The law states that if you have received any prescription pain medication in the past 28 days you're doctor shopping.. unless that law is delegated on a state by state basis not sure but here in ky they will put you UNDER the jail for that. On a lighter side, my cousin got by with it for over 2 years before he was caught and was selling so the cops had noticed the traffic for a while, he was asking for it. However, his doctors were both in different states so when each of them checked his filled scripts on the computer it didn't show up. If both docs are in the same state tho stop immediately, they are required to do periodic checks and if u filled 2 pain scripts in 1 month you will be destroyed in court my friend, unless your doc that checks you is REALLY cool. All tht being said, you should have had them both filled at different pharmacies, and did you disclose to the doctor ur primary care referred u to that u were getting narcotics already? If so and he wrote u something anyway that MAY put the liability on that doc and off of u if any legal action were taken against u. Anyway I'm rambling, other ppl were absolutely right anyway, that's just my two cents. Hope it helps, peace.

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Fixing a sentence in my post here, if u received more than one prescription in the past 28 days, not 100% sure that it applies if the script wasn't filled but since u attempted to I'm 99.9999999999 to infinity sure it does.

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I am located in the great state of Pennsylvania, I have been told by the DEA that you can have as many doctor's as you need to treat your medical issues. I still ran in to trouble with the doctors, but I was told that there was not law in the state of PA that it is illegal to have more then one doc treat you for pain.

Back doctor and Dentist? two different types of pain. there is no way a back doctor meds is going to treat a really badly infected tooth with puss coming out of it. I am pretty sure that if you are being treated for your self and not selling your meds for the reason to get money to by street drugs. I am pretty sure the DEA is really not interested in your as long as you have MRI's Cat scans, and other physical issues that require pain meds. Check with the DEA in your state, I Did, they were happy to talk to me, In fact more people should call there congressman and DEA Agents and let them know they are not being treated properly for there pain Condition and are looking to seek more then one doctor to fix the problem. see what they say. there should be a law for doctors that leave people in pain.

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Ok, so I've been being treated for severe stomach paralysis from one dr for almost 2 yrs. she handles my pain management cuz I also have back issues. However, she was out of the office for a week and I ended up seeing a doctor in same office.he thought I should try Percocet and gave me a written prescription for 30 pills. My dr knows about it and just told me lets just stick with norco right now. I'm not having to much luck with the norco, is thee anyway she can find out if I fill the Percocet ? At different pharmacy ? I still have norco but was hoping to find something that helps a lil longer than 30 minutes... Thank you

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sorry but i disagree with that. ((if this is what you mean)), two different pains CAN be helped by the same medication given for a back issue or a dental issue. if you're talking about getting Percocet & Vicodin from 2 diff docs for 2 diff issues, it IS still illegal! one pain med can certainly help your mouth and your back at the same time. ((i know from experience)).

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Pizza Man , them being 2 different meds and possibly different strengths? And only going to 2 docs doesn't constitute doctor shopping, also you discussed it with your doc no??? Either way I think you are pretty safe.....THAT BEING SAID, in my state EVERYONE IN THE MED FIELD including E.R. and other docs WILL SEE exactly what you have received if you filled them, pharmacies as well. To the OP, I might blame it on the attorney and play super dense, like narcotics are not your forte. Just know they are jumping on the RX drugs now since their easing up on medical marijuana, and these people are attempting to keep them, family and friends employed as jailers. Big money industry!!! Not to mention the police!! Best of luck, and once you're a pebble on the beach, you can never go back to being the sand....

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First off i.live in pa and i have bulged discs herniated discs spinal stenosus and my family dr writes me oxycodone 15s 120 a month and they do not really do much and its half way through the minth and im out i finally got into a.pain management dr tomorrow and he will give me stronger meds but what im.wondering is.am i going to.have problems getting them.filled because of getting a script. 15 days ago i dont want to.do.something and not.have a dr at all

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Yes they can. State law is you can only get meds from 1 doctor what you did is illegal & the 2nd doctor should have seen your name pop up in the DEA web page. I'm on pain management 1 dr only. Every dr I see I give a list of meds I'm on. What you did is one if the reasons the DEA is all over people. You only add to the difficulty for people like myself with chronic pain. My spine is fused on 3 levels. Btw the lawyer cannot tell you who to see. Get your own lawyer. Their lawyer is lying your entitled to see & use your own doctor.

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Yes she can find out. Your name is put in a DEA main database. Your dr should let you try it. But understand this once you go stronger it's difficult to go back down. This applies to chronic pain. If your condition is acute you can go stronger but must ween down Lowe dosages & then every other day etcetera. If a dr gave it to you there's no reason not to try it but she might not want to see you & you'll have to see the other dr then. Good luck

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You can have as many doctors you want! You cannot get pain meds from each doctor! You can only get pain medication from ONE DR & ONE PHARMACY. The DEA main comp will have your name flagged if you get scripts from more than one doctor & the pharmacies send every name over to the DEA too. So you'll end up in trouble as will the doctors.

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Yes, all your Dr's should know what you are taking some things can cause interaction or seratonon syndrome!! My docs know EVERYTHING!!

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as long as it's a new script and you do NOT go back to the other dr. and get the old script again. just one dr. and one script at once. by the way, why won't your first dr. give you a new script that's stronger? just be honest with both and only get meds from one! =)

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What should I do if i've been actively dr. shopping for the past 3 to 4 yearsin Philadelphia. should I get a lawyer before I get caught. I never had a criminal record

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what?!? why? no, no lawyer, just STOP IT! NOW! a lawyer won't help you before hand. he'll just tell you the same thing, STOP NOW! only it won't be free advice like here =) If ya feel ya need an i crease in your meds, just explain to ONE of your dr's an he should increase or add on another med. i took methadone 10mg an percs 10mg for breakthru pain, for yrs b4 i had my back surgery, worked well!
good luck...... and STOP, NOW lol. seriously. 2 yrs ago i stopped as soon as my insurance informed me that all my doctors will know what i'm taking an who i'm
seeing for safety reasons. "i" also think they were trying to warn me, so i took advantage of it an got out while i still had a life ;-)

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no, it's not HER fault, it's mostly all the celebraties out there who are making headlines an seeking multiple doctors, "that are OD'ing"! that's made them take this warpath

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Where is that dr?

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I live in So. Cal. I went to my pain dr last week and he showed me a read out of 1precsription(Valium and 2nd prescription for from mr primary care dr and one from him. He just casually asked me which dr I would like to use and I said him. He subscribes the klonopin and subutex I take My primary care dr subscribes any other meds I may need. He said this report is from the DEA and I had to make a decision on which dr. Of course I choose pAin dr. Here's my deliama I have 1 refill left on the Valium. Do you know if the pharmacy also gets this report. I want to fill last refill but am scared don't wants go to jail

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Re: C Earle (# 6)

U Didn't No Plus I Pray Ur Not Going To dr in Florida

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Re: justin (# 4)

Heck I Was Told to urgent care because I don't get my meds to the first and I'm in a lot of pain right now and I can't read you in my eye or anything you said it'll give me an earlier today thank God I didn't go to urgent Care I Don't Need No Doctor on record

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

See That's Doctor $hoppimg. I Was Told if Mediy Has Payment Issues..I had To Go to My ,primary ,.pain Meds.Offrred To Pay 0fficeCost. She Told y !! Hell because ,Dr Wasn't getting paid. Not Seen wreck.MexicTe Said one Hand Don't No ???..

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Re: Sandy (# 3)

Not entirely doctor shopping. My orthopedist prescribes Ultram for knee pain. My GP orders Vicodin for back pain which is worse. That’s not doctor shopping. That’s following the advice of 2 different physicians.

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Re: C Earle (# 6)

I realize this is an old post, but I DETEST anyone blatantly giving false info as if it is fact! I do NOT care how many times you state you talked to the DEA; I DOUBT it, but that does NOT matter because YOU are so WRONG!!!! If I get narcotics from any Dr for my back pain, and then see a dentist for bad tooth; I better only get antibiotics filled because it IS Dr shopping. Really, that's just ignorant to tell someone that the DEA says it is ok and they are not concerned with them as long as they have MRI's, ect.. It does NOT matter if you have Stage 4 Cancer; the DEA cares about anyone that gets controlled drugs- PERIOD... If You get controlled drugs from 2 different sources, and they treat the same symptoms; Pain, ect.. it is only a matter of time before YOU REALLY get to talk to a DEA agent!!

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Re: justin (# 4)

It does no good to fill controlled pain drugs at different pharmacies as Pharmacists are required to check them all through a prescription monitoring system which will show that you had a prescription filled elsewhere. So it is very hard to get away with Dr. shopping unless you go out of state to a Dr. and fill in another State, as the system just checks statewide. But if you don’t live fairly close to the State line, red flags will go up as to why you are going out of State to see a doctor.

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Re: Sandy (# 3)

You are very knowledgeable about everything that you wrote. Praise The Living God for people like us who do know our facts vs. opinions. Have a blessed day. ( I know that I am writing this message a few years later but I just had to say thank you Sandy for your knowledge and the way you spoke per se to this question)

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Re: C Earle (# 6)

I agree, I live in the state of New York. And if I am reading a pain medication from one doctor. And then I break my arm two weeks later, I am told by the previous doctor that I must get a new prescription to treat the pain for the broken arm since that is acute pain. Vs. The pain management medication. They are two different types of pain and require two different treatments. New York State has very clear Laws on this. One doctor cannot tell you to take another doctors pain medication differently or at a different dosage because she broke a bone or had some other type of accident. You should definitely be upfront with both doctors and let me know what is going on and they can collaborate between the two of them. But it is not considered talk to shopping. If I break my arm I’m not gonna go to pain management when the Ulna is sticking out of my arm from falling down 16 steps. It was an open fracture. So I had to doctors writing my pain medication and it is not considered Dr. shopping. But you do need to be upfront with your doctor. It also depends on what you’re being treated for. If you have soft tissue injuries. One that you’re being treated with medication by your primary care in another soft tissue injury from an insurance doctor, then that’s kind of iffy and murky territory.

I say it really depends on the types of injury. Whether it’s chronic or acute onset.

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Re: C Earle (# 6)

You are so wrong, and telling people something that can actually cause them to be locked up! I do not care what state YOU live in; just as most everyone has stated, IT IS ILLEGAL TO DR SHOP & It doesn't matter what pain(s) you have or how many, you cannot get narcotic pain meds from 2 different docs- no DEA has told you this; if it wasn't so serious I would be cracking up; YOU talked to the DEA and they told you, you can ..... lol

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Re: myrtlesc01 (# 23)

Mind your own business.
That’s your sisters husband, not yours.
Chronic pain and illness changes people.
If you’re afraid of him stay away from him. Messing with his healthcare isn’t smart of kind.

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