S04.E07: Drop by Drop the River Rises

[greekmom]

Quote

Isabel fears having to choose between Gabe and her father; Mahmoud's family questions Nicole; Visa woes put Jen's time in India in jeopardy; Jeymi's friends seed doubts about Kris; Debbie and Oussama don't see eye to eye on their future.

First Look: 17/03/23; TLC: 19/03/23; Discovery+: 19/03/23;

[Frozendiva]

Gabe plays basketball with one of his friends from Miami and tells him he is trans.

Jen gives Rishi til the end of summer to tell his family that he and she are engaged.

Mahmoud and Nicole continue to fight. They are supposed to visit his uncle about starting some sort of clothing business. His mother and father divorced when he was young. Nicole reluctantly changes outfits to go on the visit.

[greekmom]

8 hours ago, Frozendiva said:

Gabe plays basketball with one of his friends from Miami and tells him he is trans.

Jen gives Rishi til the end of summer to tell his family that he and she are engaged.

Mahmoud and Nicole continue to fight. They are supposed to visit his uncle about starting some sort of clothing business. His mother and father divorced when he was young. Nicole reluctantly changes outfits to go on the visit.

so a boring episode?  Guess we wont see the donkey till episode 10?

[Frozendiva]

It barely held my interest.

I doubt I would give Rishi a couple of months or more to fess up and tell his family that he is engaged to me. Maybe if it was a death in the family and it is bad form to announce an engagement a few days later. The culture is one thing and she should have asked him about it and did some of her own research. I would be wondering that else he would be dishonest about and seriously ask questions about any marriage.

[1011101010001]

Nicole and Mahmoud’s bedroom is like living inside a bottle of Pepto Bismol.

Nicole is 38 and she can’t compartmentalize her emotions in order to attend a business meeting?  And if not, how can she ever attend a business meeting as she is upset every day?

[AR Traveler]

21 hours ago, Frozendiva said:

Gabe plays basketball with one of his friends from Miami and tells him he is trans.

Jen gives Rishi til the end of summer to tell his family that he and she are engaged.

Mahmoud and Nicole continue to fight. They are supposed to visit his uncle about starting some sort of clothing business. His mother and father divorced when he was young. Nicole reluctantly changes outfits to go on the visit.

The end of the summer?  September, for example, is six months from now.  We don't know if there's some impediment such as a death, but seems that if there was, there also wouldn't be matchmaking going on and a hurry to get him married.  I would have given him a week, or else I'm gone.

[endure]

23 hours ago, Frozendiva said:

Gabe plays basketball with one of his friends from Miami and tells him he is trans.

Jen gives Rishi til the end of summer to tell his family that he and she are engaged.

Mahmoud and Nicole continue to fight. They are supposed to visit his uncle about starting some sort of clothing business. His mother and father divorced when he was young. Nicole reluctantly changes outfits to go on the visit.

I thought Jen was more concerned about not living together with his family once they were married, but honestly I find myself double tasking so much watching this show that I often miss stuff.  I don't really get any of these couples, you should really be madly in love to get married and if there are other issues, cultural or whatever you need to be even more so.  I just see a lot of frustration with most of these couples.

[cimbriano]

Is anyone else having a problem with DIscovery+?  This show isn't appearing in D+ until Monday.  I used to like to watch it on Sunday mornings.  Maybe things have changed...

[Tango64]

Nicole, my love, you’re not having a crisis of faith. You never had faith in Islam. 

[DEL901]

Nicole is such an idiot, converting without really finding out what that meant.   Even the devout uncle with the wife in full burka said that if she had remained Christian they would not be imposing anything on her.   And she says she is questioning her faith?  What faith?   And as someone in this forum noted a few weeks ago, with that faith, conversions only happen in one direction.  No takebacks.  

Edited March 20, 2023 by DEL901

[1011101010001]

Jen has two master’s degrees and can’t read her visa.

[anoninrva]

34 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

Jen has two master’s degrees and can’t read her visa.

Maybe she couldn't see it with her vision problem..

Honestly, I've commented before that these men who want traditional wives who are also American are just as delusional as the women who expect the culture to conform around them.

[1011101010001]

3 minutes ago, anoninrva said:

Maybe she couldn't see it with her vision problem..

Honestly, I've commented before that these men who want traditional wives who are also American are just as delusional as the women who expect the culture to conform around them.

I’m thinking she watched prior seasons and saw Jenny get to reenter every so often and just assumed she could too.  But Jenny probably didn’t have a single entry visa duh.

[Adeejay]

Ousama should have told Debbie what he had in mind before she uprooted her life and move to Morocco.  However, he was right.  Knowing someone for three years on social media is different from knowing them for that time in real life. He doesn’t want to disrespect his parents and his religion by bringing wine into their home, but he has no problem lying to them about why Debbie is really there.  I just love when folks pick and choose which tenets of their religion to obey. 

[anoninrva]

23 minutes ago, Adeejay said:

Ousama should have told Debbie what he had in mind before she uprooted her life and move to Morocco.  However, he was right.  Knowing someone for three years on social media is different from knowing them for that time in real life. He doesn’t want to disrespect his parents and his religion by bringing wine into their home, but he has no problem lying to them about why Debbie is really there.  I just love when folks pick and choose which tenets of their religion to obey. 

I really didn't get the drinking thing.  My favorite pizza place is halal, and they have no alcohol period.  It does allow them to stay open after bars close and rake in drunk college kid money.   This "not in my home" rule is new to me.

[1011101010001]

Okay I just looked and tourist visas for India are either 30 days, one year, or five years.  So don’t know where Jen got four months.

[Frozendiva]

Jen, the onus is on you to get the correct visa for your trip to India. Did you get the 30 day one? Did you not talk to anyone at the Consulate or Embassy about which visa to get? Rishi, the purple Barney hat thing or t shirt on your head looked dumb. Jen has two master’s degrees and can easily research Indian family culture and customs and learn that she is likely to be a maid to Rishi’s multigerantional home’s family. And ask Rishi himself so she knows exactly what is what. Wonder if he fed her a story she might like. The immigration lawyer probably thought she was nuts and her fiancé more nuts to not be upfront with her.

Oussama is right to want to see how his relationship with Debbie works in reality and not just online.  Both are in different pages of different books. I would go for two months to see if the relationship is a go before moving to a different country. The real person then surfaces.

Jeymi, Kris is showing you the long term reality you face. Believe her. Seriously ask her about her health issues and if there is chronic pain or she has an addictions issue. Know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Isabel’s family does seem nice but also religious and conservative. Gabe needs to be patient and careful and cautious. The warm welcome could go belly up.

Mahmoud’s ‘my love’ is getting tiring. Call your wife her name. I do expect Nicole to have a short adjustment period to become acclimated to the hot, dry weather and to slowly start wearing clothes deemed appropriate by the family and culture. I would struggle in 110F heat if I had to wear a heavy black outfit and be covered head to toe. Her designs may be okay for a modern Egyptian woman who lives in New Cairo. She was there before and if it didn’t work then, why would it work now. Her husband’s uncle is of the old school and good luck to her.

[magemaud]

I was just reading an article a woman wrote about getting a tourist visa for India. In it she warns you to make sure you check the box for “multiple entries” so Ms Double Masters must have missed that little detail. 

[1011101010001]

8 hours ago, magemaud said:

I was just reading an article a woman wrote about getting a tourist visa for India. In it she warns you to make sure you check the box for “multiple entries” so Ms Double Masters must have missed that little detail. 

Although that is probably for the one-year and five-year ones because who is going to leave multiple times within 30 days.

[magemaud]

Apparently there is also a 10 year Tourist Visa which I think is what the OR Jenny had. Wasn’t she supposed to leave briefly every six months but Covid changed that? There’s also a way to convert Tourist visa to Spousal when you marry which is probably what New Jen was counting on doing 

[Welshman in Ca]

I don't know the cost but I'm thinking she went for the cheapest option which common sense would tell you is also the shortest, but since when do most of these people have any common sense.

[1011101010001]

37 minutes ago, Welshman in Ca said:

I don't know the cost but I'm thinking she went for the cheapest option which common sense would tell you is also the shortest, but since when do most of these people have any common sense.

Yeah although they are all under $100 so that was pretty foolish if the reason.

[Breedom]

11 hours ago, Frozendiva said:

Oussama is right to want to see how his relationship with Debbie works in reality and not just online.

Yes, he is right. What is Debbie thinking? Apparently she's willing to throw away her life if need be by taking this risk. Not a smart move. But life lessons never stop, no matter what age you are. This may be a big one for her.

Jeymi needs to run. She's on the road to saddling herself with all of Kris' issues and problems. It's not worth it; these two don't really even know each other. RUN, girl.

 

[1011101010001]

47 minutes ago, magemaud said:

Apparently there is also a 10 year Tourist Visa which I think is what the OR Jenny had. Wasn’t she supposed to leave briefly every six months but Covid changed that? There’s also a way to convert Tourist visa to Spousal when you marry which is probably what New Jen was counting on doing 

I was texting my friend last night who is Indian American and has the ten-year visa.  Apparently there are hoops to jump through to get that like you have to sit for an interview and you can’t get one if you have ever visited Pakistan or Bangladesh.

3 minutes ago, Breedom said:

Yes, he is right.

They are now saying that the human brain is not fully mature until 25 (maybe that’s why you can’t rent a car before that now) so maybe in the year since her last visit when he supposedly was ready to marry her he has thought things through.  Also she seemed relieved that they would not be sharing a room at the hotel.  Does she not want to have sex with him and just wants a companion?  When she talks she sounds 85 not 67 with the quavering halting speech.  Maybe she had a stroke or something.

[magemaud]

3 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

I was texting my friend last night who is Indian American and has the ten-year visa.  Apparently there are hoops to jump through to get that like you have to sit for an interview and you can’t get one if you have ever visited Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Well, I'm POSITIVE Jenny never went to those countries (I'm laughing at my mental picture of her awkwardly jumping through hoops) but Jen claims to be a world traveler, so maybe she DID go to Pakistan or Bangladesh. Do either of these countries have cheap plastic surgery? 

[1011101010001]

This is from the NY consulate:

 

 

[lightninggirl]

So Jen and Rishi have been engaged for 2 years, and NOW they're discussing where they're going to live? What was she doing in Oklahoma when she was absolutely NEVER researching Indian familial culture? Jesus. And GIRL. He ain't moving away from his family with you WHEN HE CAN'T EVEN TELL THEM HE'S WITH YOU ... much less ENGAGED to you! That weird purple hair thing on him was so odd, like he loosely wrapped a pair of boxer shorts over his head.

Also, thanks to Jen for perpetuating the "dumb, ugly American" stereotype in India. My god. Now we know that her two master's degrees were not only from a diploma mill, but she also paid someone else to do all of her coursework and take her exams for her. She's whining about "it should be easier!" Um, Jen, you're not a colonizer just rolling in and grabbing whatever you want in India. 🙄 There are rules for coming, going, and living in another country ... but we know you haven't taken the time to actually read up on that.

I appreciate the fact that Ousama was giving Debbie a 'trial period' of being a half-Moroccan wife instead of demanding that she just roll into his world as a dutiful Muslim Moroccan housewife. However, he's still pulling a bait-n-switch and I'm glad Debbie is standing up to that. I'm 50 and I'm fucking TIRED, so I can't imagine rolling into waiting on anybody hand and foot. But Debbie was fine & dandy with the 'no sex' rule - I got married at 24 and I remember my 24yo husband. 😳  Here's hoping that Ousama is ace or not into women and not admitting it to himself or anyone else. Ousama is smart in saying they need to get to know each other "in reality" for 2 months but WOW him not telling her this before she heads over after getting rid of her life in the States?

Also, why are Ousama and Debbie only in a few minutes per episode - when they're even IN an episode? 

Jeymi, your BFFs need to set you up with a new woman or something. Literally over half of my Colombian girlfriends are either pan/bi/lesbian, so queer Colombianas are not a mysterious entity that you only hear about anecdotally. Also, it was a nice break to only have Kris on screen enough for two grunts for the entire episode.

Machhhhhmoooud: "Nicole is American, and I'm Egyptian." Congratulations on this breaking information, ace cub reporter Maccchhhmooooud! Also, Nicole keeping his family waiting because they're fighting and THEN saying she doesn't want his family to know anything's wrong? Also, the argument about her wearing hijab or praying is moot - every family has uncomfortable conversations, period. The outsider (in-law) often is peppered with questions about everything under the sun when they join the family. For Nicole, I'm sure she'd pick apart ANY question they posed to her and would take it as a personal affront. 🙄  I also understand that hijab is a personal choice, but out of respect for my husband's family I would wear it when I am a guest in their home, period. 

Aaaaaand now we see Isabel's cracks with this jealousy scene - well, probably producer-inspired 'cracks' because they really don't have any drama outside of them worrying about telling her dad about Gabe being trans. 😉 Also, Colombian food is probably my favorite so I would never leave Isabel's parents' house. ❤️ 

[heatherchandler]

Trey, "speakin' of secretos.."  Haha!

[Breedom]

Also, why are Ousama and Debbie only in a few minutes per episode - when they're even IN an episode? 

I've thought the same thing. Their story has potential to be way more interesting than Gabe and Isabel's story, for example, so I wish their segments would be cut down to five minutes per week. I really don't care about them. Just a very uninteresting story line.

[1011101010001]

13 minutes ago, lightninggirl said:

Also, why are Ousama and Debbie only in a few minutes per episode - when they're even IN an episode? 

Probably because her visit was cut short and they are trying to extend it over the whole season.

[magemaud]

39 minutes ago, lightninggirl said:

Also, why are Ousama and Debbie only in a few minutes per episode - when they're even IN an episode? 

I suspect their relationship fizzled out and production didn't have much to film about them so they're spreading it out as much as they can. edited to add: They're teasing us with the donkey scene. We've seen that with other couples. 

39 minutes ago, lightninggirl said:

I also understand that hijab is a personal choice, but out of respect for my husband's family I would wear it when I am a guest in their home, period. 

Remember how Yazan made Brittany put on the hijab in the car on the way to meet his parents? Otherwise she could just wear her $ 600 wig in public. 

Edited March 20, 2023 by magemaud

[FrancescaFiore]

This week, we learn that it's possible to get not one, but TWO masters degrees without being smart enough to carefully read the incredibly salient-to-your-plans terms of a tourist visa. We also learn that Nicole is the saddest Teletubby in her modest Muslim swimsuit, that Isabel's dad is super-Jesusy, that Gabe is terrible at sending subtle signals with his eyes and that Oussama is probably the sanest, most rational person to have ever been on this show. 

Other than all of the performative "my loves," we have seen exactly ZERO affection or chemistry between Nicole and Mahmoud. There's something else going on with those two, and it ain't romance. It's painfully cringe watching her in every scene wincing and acting like she's constantly being stung by wasps just because she's being asked to respect the cultural norms of the place she supposedly wants to make her home. 

Oussama wanting to spend time with Debbie "in reality" is the wisest, most mature plan of action any couple on any season of this show have ever had. I totally don't get Debbie's outrage. I also don't understand why she'd have to go back to the US after 2 months. If living together "in reality" for the 2 months goes well, why wouldn't Debbie just stay in Morocco with Oussama? It seemed to me like he was saying that he understands that she has family and business in the US and he expects her to need to return on occasion to deal with those things. I didn't get why that made her so angry, since it seemed like he was just stating the obvious and telling her he didn't have a problem with her needing to return to the US sometimes. 

I really don't understand why/how these people in relationships, especially with someone in an extremely religious Muslim country, talk for years and travel all the way across the world to be together, but somehow neglect to discuss where they'll live (or with whom). I don't even plan a vacation without knowing where I'll be staying while I'm there. How do people move to a whole other country without any idea of where they're going to live once they arrive. To me, that's insanely short-sighted - something you really can't afford to be if you're going to immigrate to a new country. 

So Kris brought her CBD gummies (Jeymi referred to Kris' "candies," which I assumed to mean gummies) to Columbia, but not her prescription medications? I have a confuse. Actually, I don't. What I have is a suspicion that something is hinky there. I'm not quite ready to hop on the bandwagon of "Kris is a junkie," but there can be little doubt that there's something off with her and that she's not being entirely honest about who she is.

I don't even want to address the scene with Gabe, Trey and Isabel because I suspect the whole thing was staged. The producers needed to inject some manufactured drama into their storyline because otherwise it's just too normal and boring. Isabel's dad doesn't seem like a zealot - he just seems like every other Columbian dad. It's clear he's fond of Gabe, and doubtful that Gabe being trans makes any difference to Dad, as long as his daughter is happy. Isabel has already produced grandkids for her parents, so that can't be the basis for any objection to her marrying Gabe. 

I'd like to give a quick nod of thanks to the producers for sparing us from Danielle this week. I was already irritated enough by Nicole and her sourpuss.

[Breedom]

47 minutes ago, FrancescaFiore said:

Other than all of the performative "my loves," we have seen exactly ZERO affection or chemistry between Nicole and Mahmoud.

I haven't seen any chemistry or love between Danielle and Yohan either. Yohan is another Michael, in a tamer version. To be more specific, he's desperate to get to the US and has thrown away his values, morals and true self. He's apologizing so profusely about the unborn baby. I have only seen tolerance in his eyes towards Danielle. Danielle is quite odd in the way she treats him; there isn't any real affection between the two. Shouldn't these two be on Cloud 9 during this stage of their relationship?

So far no chemistry between Debbie and Ousama. She's not interested in intimacy - and apparently he isn't either. Too early to say anything else, but I don't see much here. 

Jeymi and Kris - somehow they love each other? Based on what, exactly? They don't even know each other. 

I'd say there is real love between Isabelle and Gabe as well as Jen and RIshi. 

[FrancescaFiore]

6 minutes ago, Breedom said:

I haven't seen any chemistry or love between Danielle and Yohan either.

They were a LOT more canoodle-y during Love in Paradise, but there were always signs of trouble from the start. The nicest thing Danielle could say about Yohan is that his dick is the size of her forearm. The nicest thing he could say about her is "maybe she's not a witch, but she does some hella witchy shit."

Edited March 20, 2023 by FrancescaFiore

[1011101010001]

3 minutes ago, FrancescaFiore said:

The nicest thing Danielle could say about Yohan is that his dick is the size of her forearm

She says that repeatedly on tv but then in the preview she is pissed that he tells his friend the same thing.

[bichonblitz]

1 hour ago, FrancescaFiore said:

Oussama wanting to spend time with Debbie "in reality" is the wisest, most mature plan of action any couple on any season of this show have ever had. I totally don't get Debbie's outrage.

Probably because he never told her that in the 3 yrs they were on line "dating". He waited until she moved her life to be with him first. She was under the impression (no matter how stupid) she was going there to get married. He never set her straight on that. He is a liar and a manipulator just like the rest of them. 

Why did Jen go to "wife training" when nobody knows that she is in India to marry Rishi? Didn't they all think she was just a friend? Wouldn't that make his family and friends suspicious? 

Kris looked like she was going through withdrawals lying in the bed with her head covered. 

Omg Nicole. She has got to be the most miserable human on the planet. I'm so sick of her crying and fighting and resisting everything Egyptian all the time. She hates Makkkmoood plain and simple. 

1 hour ago, FrancescaFiore said:

I really don't understand why/how these people in relationships, especially with someone in an extremely religious Muslim country, talk for years and travel all the way across the world to be together, but somehow neglect to discuss where they'll live (or with whom)

That is the million dollar question!

Edited March 20, 2023 by bichonblitz

[magemaud]

5 hours ago, FrancescaFiore said:

So Kris brought her CBD gummies (Jeymi referred to Kris' "candies," which I assumed to mean gummies) to Columbia, but not her prescription medications?

Maybe she can't get her prescriptions filled anymore in the US and is counting on being able to obtain them easily in Colombia? 

[KateHearts]

10 hours ago, MrBuhBye said:

When she talks she sounds 85 not 67 with the quavering halting speech.  Maybe she had a stroke or something.

I agree that Debbie *sounds* old but she has few wrinkles and really nice skin for someone in her later sixties.

Gabe is really, really tiny. As a female he must have been very thin and petite.  He looks to be a bit shorter than Isabel.

Nicole acts like she is a high-schooler: "how am I supposed to go out when I'm mad at Mahmoud? I don't feel like pretending like everything is ok." Hands up here if you have had to put on a smile when you were upset and had obligations other than to stay home and wallow in self-pity.

Kris is so full of dramatic shit. Curling up in the bed and not showing her face. And lucky for her she found someone with lots of naivéte who swallowed her fake stories hook, line and sinker. Maybe Jeymi's friends will talk some sense into her. As she told the sad tale ("4 car accidents, neck pain, stolen motorcycle, lawsuit, blah blah" they did look a big skeptical.

[1011101010001]

36 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

agree that Debbie *sounds* old but she has few wrinkles and really nice skin for someone in her later sixties.

Yeah she almost has one of those porcelain baby doll faces.

37 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

Curling up in the bed and not showing her face.

They were both raving about the sex the first night (maybe a little too much to be believed) but now it seems like they had lesbian bed death already.

[Midwestern Lady]

 Nicole is nearly 40 and has no idea about the customs of her religion or new country.   Her entire storyline is "I won't wear this or that".  Booooooorrrrrrrring.  I swear I saw her flinch when he got close to her.   Her body language is all closed off.    I am going to FF thru their scenes because this many episodes in and it's still all about her wearing what she wants.   

[1011101010001]

Maybe the problem isn’t that she isn’t covered up it’s that a lot of her clothes make her look like she’s cross-dressing.

Edited March 21, 2023 by MrBuhBye

[DEL901]

45 minutes ago, MrBuhBye said:

Maybe the problem isn’t that she isn’t covered up it’s that a lot of her clothes make her look like she’s cross-dressing.

And her clothes are snug.   Even her drawings were too form fitting, according to one of the men.  

[magemaud]

15 hours ago, KateHearts said:

Nicole acts like she is a high-schooler: "how am I supposed to go out when I'm mad at Mahmoud? I don't feel like pretending like everything is ok."

Mahmoud was speaking in Arabic on the phone with his uncle so Nicole doesn't know that he said, "I had a problem with Nicole, but now we're coming." But then Nicole was expected to act like nothing was wrong when his family knows there was something going on? 

[magemaud]

1 hour ago, DEL901 said:

And her clothes are snug.   Even her drawings were too form fitting, according to one of the men.

She looks like a walking clothes hanger! How could anyone think she dresses provokatively? 

[Welshman in Ca]

1 hour ago, magemaud said:

She looks like a walking clothes hanger! How could anyone think she dresses provokatively? 

Certainly not by western standards BUT that isn't what she signed up for when she stupidly decided to change her religion.

[Frozendiva]

3 hours ago, DEL901 said:

And her clothes are snug.   Even her drawings were too form fitting, according to one of the men.  

You will need more loose clothing when are you are living in a desert and have a desert climate. This will allow air to circulate and you will keep cooler. Nicole needs to keep that in mind.

[FrancescaFiore]

23 hours ago, magemaud said:

Maybe she can't get her prescriptions filled anymore in the US and is counting on being able to obtain them easily in Colombia? 

Can a person get nationally barred from buying prescription meds? Is there some sort of "we think this person is a drug abuser" database that pharmacy chains keep?

[magemaud]

1 hour ago, FrancescaFiore said:

Can a person get nationally barred from buying prescription meds? Is there some sort of "we think this person is a drug abuser" database that pharmacy chains keep?

Actually, I think there is a database for controlled substance prescriptions. 
“A prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is an electronic database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. PDMPs can help identify patients who may be at risk for overdose. PDMP data also can be helpful when patient medication history is unavailable and when care transitions to a new clinician.”

I’m not sure if it’s national or just by state but I guess it deters addicts from prescription shopping 

[KateHearts]

14 hours ago, FrancescaFiore said:

Can a person get nationally barred from buying prescription meds? Is there some sort of "we think this person is a drug abuser" database that pharmacy chains keep?

I used to work for a spine surgeon and we saw numerous people with work related and car accident related back pain. Not uncommon to see patients who were seeking narcotics. A few times I would see red flags with people who "lost" bottles of pills or were seeing other practitioners, and I have called pharmacists who could see whether people were using multiple doctors/ pharmacies to fill meds. So doctors and pharmacies have ways to track and note if someone is overusing or abusing controlled substances. If Kris is in fact abusing narcotics, it's quite possible that she is restricted from filling them here - or that she is limited and unable to get what she wants in the US.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

16 hours ago, FrancescaFiore said:

Can a person get nationally barred from buying prescription meds? Is there some sort of "we think this person is a drug abuser" database that pharmacy chains keep?

 

15 hours ago, magemaud said:

Actually, I think there is a database for controlled substance prescriptions. 
“A prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is an electronic database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. PDMPs can help identify patients who may be at risk for overdose. PDMP data also can be helpful when patient medication history is unavailable and when care transitions to a new clinician.”

I’m not sure if it’s national or just by state but I guess it deters addicts from prescription shopping 

I know some states have them because My 600-lb. Life's Dr. Now once cut off a patient (Steven Assanti) who was abusing opioids. Dr. Now explained that he was red-flagging Steven as an opioid abuser in the Texas database, meaning Steven would henceforth be arrested if he tried to fill an opioid prescription anywhere in Texas other than Dr. Now's hospital pharmacy.

I don't know if there's a national database, but it may not matter. If you start telling your doctor in Alabama that you want an opioid prescription filled in (say) Mississippi, it'll raise all kinds of red flags unless you have a good reason.