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So this is a multi-layered question/statement and I'm hoping someone has a few words of wisdom or advice for me. This is a complicated situation I'm in, which I've never faced before.
I'm from far Northwestern Ontario, Canada; almost near Winnipeg. I'm currently visiting the US (about 75 miles west of Detroit) for a month which I usually try to do once a year. Normally I get my prescriptions filled the day before I leave, but pharmacy laws have changed since I was in this particular dilemma a few years ago...one, now they can't fill your prescriptions on, say, the day before you leave for vacation...it has to be exactly 30 days from the previous refill...sounds fair and I'm sure with all the pill addicts this was going to happen at some point. Another: they can't mail my prescription across an international border anymore (as of August 2013). So while I don't need my prescriptions immediately, I will need them in a week or so.
What they said they could do is this: FedEx them overnight to the FedEx Shipping Center in Windsor (Ontario) just across the bridge from Detroit, and that's what I agreed to do. It's the only way that I know for sure this will work. Now comes the part that has me feeling confused...I don't know what to say at customs? That I'm just visiting Windsor for the day or something? And what about when I come back? I don't have anything to hide nor do I feel I should have to lie, but I just feel like if I say what I was really doing they're going to rip all my stuff apart and go nuts. I'm sure this will be fine, I'm just not sure what to say.
Do you have a copy of your prescription signed by the doctor. Show them that along with your package. You need to declare your pills or you could get into trouble by looking like you're hiding something illegal.
Next time see if you can get a drugstore in the US to contact the drugstore in Canada and have them transfer your script. That should eliminate any problems. We've done that with Target.
Since you're a Canadian citizen, they're not going to have a problem with you buying your OWN prescriptions in Canada.
Can't your doctors call a prescription into a US pharmacy? It depends on the state law for the state you are visiting, but some states allow pharmacies to fill Canadian prescriptions.
Thanks for the replies, what I do have are my current prescription bottles containing my name, my pharmacy and doctor's name. I'll bring them along just in case, since the refills will look exactly the same except for the date and number of refills left.
No advice, but that rule is stupid. I can get my prescriptions the day after I've just filled a month's prescription. I just have to explain that I'll be travelling.
I agree, Ameriscot...I think what's happened (at least in Canada, and my mom is an ER head nurse) is that addicts have hit a medium-sized city that has 2-3 hospitals or 2-3 major pharmacies, and tried getting extra refills or tried getting a refill of 180 tabs in like 5 days. I'm guessing these must be narcotic painkillers or something, but now everything is on an electronic health record, so if you are from my town and get into an accident in Vancouver all they have to do is type in your information and everything that they've spent the last ten years archiving on the e-health system shows up - including all prescriptions, ER visits, whether you're trying to get extra pills etc. I think they still have some bugs to work out.
As far as being able to get it filled in the US I would have to pay cash for them, and (this is also new) my 'primary care provider' would have to have the ability to write US-based prescriptions (I don't exactly get that). It looks like the effects of prescription medications falling into the wrong hands have called for a lot of new rules and practices that I didn't notice even a year ago. But, I guess if there are all these overdoses or young people becoming addicts they want to make it as difficult as possible to obtain them.
Unfortunately, insurance companies have become even more "bean counters" - it doesn't matter if doc. changes dosage (i.e. increases from 1x/day to 2x/day) - if you're not "due" for a refill - you are SOL. (Like someone would stock up on some of these drugs, let alone recommendations for emergency situations to have at least a months' worth). Ticks me off, if we're paying, and it's not a narcotic/etc. - they need to have leeway (insulin, anti-rejection meds., etc.)
You should be able to walk into a USA pharmacy and work with the actual pharmacist to get a refill. They would be able to call your home pharmacy and get authorization for your refills. That would be the easy way, I'd try it first.
I believe (but I've never done it) that you can take your Rx to a pharmacy in the USA, and they will fill it. Preferable to have both the written Rx and the original container from your last refill. If they think it is necessary, they will phone either your doctor or the pharmacy in Canada that last filled your Rx. I know this works within the USA, and my pharmacy says the will honor any Rx, even if it written by a doctor in Mexico (so I presume also in Canada).
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