Pharmacy Screw up! (just venting and ranting)

I just sat down for the first time today and started to go through my pile of stuff to be taken care of. I get down to the meds that I picked up at the pharmacy today only to find out that they have given me meds that are not on my preferred brand list. I have been on a gluten free diet for five months to see if it helps with the migraines (celiac disease runs rampant in my family). I have been working with my local wallgreens for FIVE months to make sure that the medicine they give me is safe for me to take. I called the pharmacy a minute ago and a very nice but um.. how to say this... not very smart? man says , "Oh, I see that they are different. I don't have a list to see if those brands are gluten free. There is a list on the internet. I can't check the internet here. I could have them call the manufacturer tomorrow."

I have already checked the lists on the internet. It does not say if they are or not. I will have to call the manufacturer myself.

The thing that makes me the most angry is that on several previous occasions the very same pharmacy has checked an internal list that this person says does not exist. So, were the other pharmacists checking a non-existent list? Also I have spoken to the pharmacy management staff several times after HOURS of research and I gave them a preferred manufacturers list which they "put in the computer". Not only does this guy say that they do not have a list for me, apparently they don't even do that for patients.

So, if after talking to the manufacturers tomorrow I find that the meds do contain gluten I have to go back to my pain Dr. and try to get another prescription for three months worth of pain pills and muscle relaxers. I do not think that that is very likely. And then if I can get the scripts I have to pay for them myself because wallgreens won't take these meds back and my insurance only covers so many pills a month.

I am just so bleeping angry. I am picking a new pharmacy. I have used wallgreens for years because I like that they keep your records on the computer and you can get refills at any wallgreens in the country. That has come in handy more than once. But they keep messing things up for me and making my life difficult. There has to be a better way.

And yes, I know that I am ultimately responsible. I should have mentioned it again when I dropped of the prescription. And when I picked it up. But both times I had to wait in line for over 30 minutes with a wiggly toddler. After I drop of my prescriptions I got a call saying that they were out of one of the meds and wouldn't get it in for 5 work days. So I had to go back and pick up the prescription and take it to another wallgreens, who I am assured has what I need. Only to get there and find that they don't have the brand I want. It is for a patch and one brand gives me a terrible rash. The brand they had I haven't tried. But I guess I will find out soon enough if it gives me welts or not.

WOW that was quite a rant. Sorry. I am just SO incredibly frustrated and put out. It just seems crazy to me that so many things could get screwed up all at one time.

Oh, and I just realized that I am missing a prescription all together. Wonder where it is?

Blech!

Mary Anne

Maryanne,

I know EXACTLY how you feel. Rite Aide did me one a few times and I was so mad. I posted about it on here somewhere...I was so angry I'm sure everyone remembers that! Ugh!

Before that during my years I have used CVS and Walgreens.

CVS was first. My mother is a nurse and calls in the scripts I get from OB/GYN. After the appointments, I'd go back and sit with her while she did it. I watched her call it in, leave a message and hang up. Twice I went to the pharmacy and they told me the office NEVER called! What?!!? I sat there and made them check their messages while I waited obnoxiously in their drive-through. They amazingly found the message both times.

Walgreens made me so mad because I had just gotten my tooth yanked from my face by this angry man who decided to call himself a dentist. I was better off having my dad pull the tooth out with pliers. He was cheap, the office was dirty..I should have turned away but I was broke and in pain.

Well, I go to the pharmacy..I can't talk, I am bleeding profusely from my mouth and changing my gauze often.

The lady looks at me and goes, "Wow, ouch." I just nodded and handed her the script for vicodin ES. She goes, alright you can get them tomorrow at noon. WHAT?!?! !? I'm like *&!%!! No way!
I got mad and managed to say "Please, why...just fill it..you have it, just count it and fill it." I think only half of that message got through LOL She was like, come back in 4 hours.

Now I use a lovely small pharmacy. I had a trick to finding just the right one. I had an IMPOSSIBLE situation. I was trying to fill embeda, which apparently nobody in their mother could order due to a supply problem.

I had to call around and became determined after having so many pharmacies treat me like dirt. After calling 15 or so places, I ran into this one which treated me so well I knew it was right for me.

Now when I go there, they look for discount cards for my medications. They fill all the scripts while I wait. When I had a problem with the generic topamax I called to see if they stock it and they didn't.

I said I didn't talk to the doctor yet, he wasn't open. I told them I was going to see what I could do about getting a script but I didn't know since it was the weekend. She said, "Well, hunny your suffering. I'm going to go ahead and order it anyways for you this way it's here if you need it. We can't order on Sundays, and if we order on Saturday it wont be here until Monday so I don't want you to be stuck. If you don't use it, someone else will so don't worry about that."

Just call a bunch of them and see how they answer your question, whatever it may be. It could even just be a drug reaction question. I also read reviews while finding numbers on google. If you search Pharmacies and your zip code it will come up with a list and sometimes people will leave comments.

Hope this helps. I know how not fun it is to have someone mess with your meds. Let us know how it goes, and sorry you had a bad day.

Hi, Maryanne, I have been dealing with the GF thing for many years. It is soooo frustrating. I found 3 pharmacies that are easier to deal with. One has a Pharmacist that actually does well finding out for me if there is gluten in the meds. Doesnt just look for "gluten", which of course would not be listed as such. The two others are good at letting me read the inactive ingredients myself, and then giving me a phone number to call if something is iffy. I use Safeway, Giant and Walmart. I do not care for any chain Pharmacies. If you sign up at Delphi Forums Celiac discussion board (basic is free), and post the meds you need info on. alot of times someone wiill know. It has a huge membership.Just know, I share your frustration. I have learned to open my meds at the Pharmacy to make sure it is the same. I have also cried when it is wrong! I take a lot of meds because of migraines and chronic Lyme.
Hugs,
Cindy