Ministry of Health Instills Stricter Guidelines

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Last month I called my pharmacy to refill my prescription for pain killers. I take two Tylenol 3 a day, three on a bad day. The prescription could not be refilled because it is a narcotic and prescriptions for narcotics are only good for one year. So they contacted my doctor. A day or two later I got a text from my pharmacy that my prescription was ready. Two days ago I called to refill my prescription again. The pharmacist said it could not be refilled because it had expired. I said that I was told that last month, that they contacted the doctor and then I got a notice my prescription was ready. She said he must not have responded so they just filled it (technically there were 5 refills on the script). So they sent another fax to my doctor. Yesterday I get a call from the doctor's office asking me to book a telephone consult with the doctor regarding my prescription refill. I was so scared that he was not going to refill the prescription. I talked to the doctor today and it seems the government is tightening up the reins a little more. I have to sign a contract in order to be prescribed a narcotic. I had to confirm to him over the phone that there was no history of alcoholism or drug abuse with myself or family. I said there was alcohol abuse but not necessarily diagnosed as alcoholism but nothing whatsoever personally. I don't touch the stuff. He asked if I was bipolar or had OCD. I laughed saying 'aren't we all a little OCD?' Then I said 'Nothing diagnosed.' He also asked me how long I was on the medication. "Ugh... 23 years." Then he said, "For what?" Again, "Ugh, pain." Duh. Keep in mind this is a relatively new doctor. I have only SEEN him twice. All other consults have been over the phone due to COVID. He asked me what the pain was connected to, but answered the question himself saying fibromyalgia. So he said he would refill the prescription and send me a form to sign and send back. I guess this is a good thing the government is doing in an effort to prevent addiction. But man, the hoops we are having to jump through!