8:39 p.m. | 2002-10-15 Did I Lose My Mind Or Did They Lose Their Mind? I take several different medications and, let me just say right now, that I thank every single star in the sky every night that I have good medical benefits. In fact, I can�t even begin to express how grateful I am that I have insurance. Really, I can�t. That said, I do have moments when I�d like to throttle my health care provider (HCP). Like tonight. When I came home from work, I had a message from my HCP telling me that they can�t refill one of my medications because I requested a refill too soon. Excuse me? What the fuck are you talking about and why did you call me at home when I left my work number as my daytime phone number? Now I only have 6 days worth of that medication left and it will take them 5 days to refill it and send me a new bottle. Now I have only 10 minutes until the pharmacy�s closed. I dial frantically and then (say it with me) I HOLD. So while I�m on hold, I go get my meds, check the date (seems fine) then I read the rest of the label. I don�t normally read the labels because I know what to take and when. Then I notice some doctor�s name on it that I don�t recognize. What the hell? Who is that guy and why is he prescribing my medication. Then I look at the dosage. What? That�s not my dosage. I take 2 a day not 1 a day. (HCP:) HCP, this is Missy Miss, what�s your HCP number? (CI:) (Recite number off the top of my head.) (HCP:) Are you Cruel-Irony? (CI:) (Thinking: �No, I�m Big Bird and I stole Cruel-Irony�s HCP number and I�m trying to get my hands on her drugs.�) Yes. (HCP:) What can I help you with? (CI:) I got a message saying I can�t have a refill because it�s not time yet but it IS time for a refill. (HCP:) Let me take a look. Oh yes, it says it�s not time yet. Your doctor�s Who the hell is that guy, right? (She didn�t actually say that; she said the same name as on my bottle.) (CI:) No it�s not. I have no idea who that person is. My doctor�s so-and-so. (HCP:) Oh. And, you�re supposed to take this once a day, right? (CI:) No. I don�t know who that doctor is and I�m supposed to take it twice a day. And, since I�ve been taking it, I�ve never seen a different doctor and I�ve always taken it twice a day. (HCP:) You probably need to call your doctor� (CI:) Wait, maybe I did see a different doctor once when my doctor was out but he didn�t change my prescription. I mean, not that I remember. Well, maybe it all happened and I just don�t remember. My memory�s starting to go, you know? (HCP:) (Laughs.) Yeah, mine�s starting to go too. (CI:) All I know is that my doctor�s so-and-so and I�m supposed to take this medicine twice a day. (Sigh.) It�s blood pressure medicine so it�s kind of important that I take it twice a day. (HCP:) Tell you what, I�ll call the pharmacist and explain it and next time you see your doctor, have him give you a new script. Okay? (CI:) THANK YOU! (Oh my god! What a lucky break! It�s never this easy!) (HCP:) No problem. Sorry for the confusion. (CI:) That�s okay; obviously I�m confused too. I have no idea what happened there. After I hung up, I realized that I had seen a different doctor once because my doctor was out, but that was my OBGYN, not my general doctor. And he didn�t prescribe anything. But, as you can see, it�s not hard to convince me that something that didn�t happen did. Shit, I�m gonna have to start going around quoting Ollie North and repeatedly saying, �I don�t recall.� (Now tell me why I can remember that from years and years ago and I can�t fucking remember if I�ve seen a different doctor in the last year.) Holy Shit! I better go check my other bottles. Phew, so-and-so doctor and the correct dosages. Sorry for the confusion. your thoughts? seed flower