If you have Parkinson's, you probably shouldn't try to alter your own prescription

This past week, we had a guy gentleman come in with prescriptions written for some usual suspects in the treatment of Parkinson's, one of them being Klonopin. His symptoms were relatively obvious, too. What was funny in a "Haha, this is really pathetic" sort of way was that the prescriber had signed them in blue ink with rather normal (even neat!) handwriting.

In the no sub box, this guy had scrawled "no substitution" in handwriting that looked like calligraphy done with a squiggle pen. And of course the ink was black.

Yeah okay, buddy. I mean, I don't really care if you want the brand name, just drive up the road to New Hampshire and request it. Don't alter the damn prescription and think I'm not going to notice. There are two parties that should be writing things on the prescription, and you are not one of them.

I didn't rake him over the coals for it. It wasn't worth the time and emotional energy, and he seemed like a nice enough fellow. I hope it doesn't happen again.

The ending is that the insurance (Tricare) wouldn't cover brand name if there was a generic available. Big surprise. So he ended up with his clonazepam, generic Sinemet CR, and generic something else. What a bunch of idiotic hoops to jump through to end up back at square one.

But seriously, what person — who knows they can't write due to a medical condition — alters their own prescription? In the wrong colored ink, no less?

Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.