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| - If you are taking an anti-anxiety medication, I highly recommend against this practice. They will not call it in to the pharmacy, but rather implied that it was, by law, a requirement that I pick up the written prescription from their office. It is not required but rather their policy. They will focus on your use more than anything else about you and drug screen you annually:
The doctor called me in 4 months after my annual to discuss my use of the anti-anxiety at which time I explained I had never increased my dose and in fact had reduced it by .5mg. He seemed comfortable with our discussion which was limited to talking only about this medication and did not express any concerns. Then I was told I had to come in for a urinalysis to screen for drugs and it was explained to me that a lot of people abuse these drugs and they also lie about other drugs they are taking. To pour salt in the wound of mistrust, they charged me for an office visit.
A few months after I had been called in to talk to the doctor, I received a call saying Dr. Hackenyos wanted to speak to me again about the anti-anxiety medication and reducing the dose. It could not wait until I was due for my annual in 2 months.
I called the office and spoke with the office manager. She implied that they had to have these policies and this approach due to DEA policies and the recommendations of overseeing bodies, but I pointed out to her that it was not required by anyone, but rather a choice by their office. She conceded that point. I pointed out that I had never been to an office with these policies and she said that they take abuse very seriously and if they stop even one case of abuse, they are successful.
I urged her to consider the down side of their policy, pointing out that perhaps the most fundamental building block in a good relationship is trust. I said I believed most doctors cared just as much about the welfare of their patients as their office but rely more on developing communication and connection with the patient rather rules, restrictions and drug testing.
On to an awesome new doctor who spent time talking to me, getting to know me and will be phoning in the prescription! No more feeling like a criminal. Such a relief.
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