Tramadol tapering & insurance

I take Tramadol 50mg pills (two in the morning, two at night) daily. Was prescribed this med 7 or 8 years ago for Degenerative Disc Disease at L1 and L2 in my back. It was given to me at the time as an alternative to an opiate because I didn't want to be on anything that made me drugged as I need to function during the day but also looking for pain relief, which it has efficiently done for a while now. Now, my insurance co. is refusing to cover it, they told me the pre-auth expired 4 days ago. My Drs office needs to send in a new pre authorization, called Drs office they refused to do it until I put in for the next refill at the pharmacy said something about the DEA won't allow them to do it until my refill is denied for coverage at the pharmacy. Called the ins. co. back, they told me since it can take a while for the Drs office to do the entire pre-auth to just pay cash at the pharmacy for it. I told the woman on the phone wouldn't that appear odd to the pharmacist if I did that, she said no. Long story short my refill isn't due until around Dec 3rd. I have pills left but since it takes the Drs office a long time to do this & the ins co will no longer cover it I'm trying to taper down (my husband used the same med for rheumatoid arthritis but the ins. co. did the same thing to him & the Dr put him on prescription ibuprofen & I've watched him suffer in pain with it, it also took them 2 weeks to finally let him know what was going on).

I have tried this quick tapering but I fear it's too quick of a taper & I won't be able to avoid withdrawals, I went through withdrawals yrs ago when I felt I didn't need the med anymore & I thought I was going to die, plus OTC meds did not and do not work for me. I'd have to take a dangerous amt of OTC meds to even reach the pain I feel on a daily basis. Tramadol was the last resort for me after trying OTC meds, exercise and a chiropractor, they then gave me this med which allows me to loosen up and move around normally, I do not get high from it or stoned or anything like that, it just keeps me from banging my head against the wall from pain. I fear I'm going to wind up taking too much acetaminophen or ibuprofen, I also have to figure out how to explain to the pharmacist this entire thing & try to get them to understand that paying cash in no way means I'm abusing this medication but with this entire opioid crisis thing they keep pushing on the news everyone thinks all chronic pain patients are drug addicts. I will live through the withdrawals, I just need pain relief. I have never taken more than prescribed nor upped the dosage, the amt I take now has been my staple & stayed the same for 7 yrs now. Does anyone know if it's possible to taper down & minimize withdrawals in a week and how in the world to negotiate the pharmacy without them thinking I'm trying to pull something? The refill will not be an early refill, it will be picked up on the proper date but ins won't cover it since they need a pre auth from the Dr & it takes a long time for that. It's not supposed to take that long but it did for my husband & I'm not optimistic. I'm hurting so bad tonight in my back & I don't want to go another day of severe pain. I tried to get disability a while back since I cannot stand or sit for long periods of time but was denied. Very lost here & in a lot of pain.

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