Pharmacy so rude.... Doctor... Sooo great!!

Walgreens staff (three separate people) were so rude to me between last evening and this afternoon. I have read on here many times about people being treated like a drug seeker, but never experienced it first hand until now. And it is awful!!!!

I was 3 days early for a refill on pain meds according to the way my doctor wrote the directions last time. Knowing this, I called my doctor to ask for his approval prior to requesting the early refill. He was fine with it, and said he'd fax something over.

So I call Walgreens and they verify that they got his fax and were fillingy my rx. Great. Well, I get there to pick it up at about 7 pm (inconveniently AFTER my doctors office has closed) and some rude young snot tells me it's been denied by insurance bc I should have some left still and it's too soon for a refill blah blah blah... I question her about my doctor approving it today and

when she doesn't seem to get it, if I can just pay cash then if it's an insurance issue and I'll call my insurance company on my own to sort it out. Then she starts questioning me like I'm a drug
seeker... She says "why don't you have any if you just picked some up on- such a such -date...?" Then she says "And no you can't pay cash, we aren't releasing them to you, you should have
some."






I leave fuming, and in pain, and call back an hour later to speak to the pharmacist directly. I explain the situation tell her the whole reason I called my doc first to get the approval was to avoid any problems but I am going out of town for a couple days sat and need my meds a couple days early. She is rude but not as bad and starts in with saying she thinks my doctor only wants me to take 1 per week (whattt...???) and she will call him tomorrow. Ughhh!

So I call there about 1145am today and the queen of all rude b words tells me " ummm no... We didn't call your doctors office... You may not have any pills you should have some still why don't you? I'm steaming at this point and say I did have pills refilled, see I travel.... And she interrupts me in a yeah right sarcastic tone and says not to me but the pharmacist... " oh she HAAAD them... She lost them, haha" Omg... Never been treated like this by anyone ever. I just hang up the phone.

I call my docs office and explain to the receptionist. She totally gets it, says they are out of line and are not following what the doc faxed them, as she was the one to fax it for him. She says she's gonna talk to the foc again and call me back.

Only 15 mins later she calls back saying the doc is taking care of it but let's use the CVS pharmacy we have on file instead since Walgreens treated you so poorly. Good idea
She tells me the docs calling there himself to ensure no issues. I thank her and ask her to thank the doctor for me.

Ten mins after that I call CVS, my script is ready for pickup. AND when I get here my usual script of 30 written to use as needed but not more than 2 per day, is written for 60-take every six hours as needed for pain - with a refill.

What a range of emotions in a 24 hour period... But what a happy ending. My neurologist is very supportive. I am so thankful for that. Those pharmacy idiots made me feel so lousy. And then my doctors office supporting me so strongly really made me feel better.

Just had to share the crazy story.

I now know the misery of being treated like a drug seeker... It blows!! If it were up to me( like most of us I'm sure) I'd take NO meds!!!

Once I get thru this awful patch of sinus/migraine hell, I'm gonna write a letter to Walgreen corporate.

Ok

All done.

I hate pharmacies, they can really be judgemental @$$hats sometimes. If you have the corperate number to Walgreens, give them a call. Let them know whats going on, tell them they have lost you as a customer and you are really offended and will pass this information on to your friends and family members if you'd like some retribution. I did that when I had my problem with Rite Aide, and they weren't nearly as bad as Walgreens was to you.

I'm sorry but I'm happy you got your pain medication and so much of it as well. Hopefully that will ease the stress. If it were me I would almost have wanted to fill it at walgreens just to show that idiot of a pharmacist/and staff that doc obviously doesn't think your a drug seeker because you got 60 pills as needed plus a refill! Hah take that stupid Walgreens!

Maybe when you go into your doctors next time you can do something nice to thank her Make some good cookies or whatever else you can think of just to say thanks so much for handling that well and making you feel much better about the situation.

I am so sorry you had to go thru that!!

Unfortunately, I have been thru much the same situation before.

Now I could understand their concern if you had a months worth and went thru it in 10 days or something, but STiLL, I think it should be between you and your doctor.

The pharmacist has no idea what you and your doctor talked about prior to your precription refill and so how can they make an informed decision to actually go against what your doctor has ordered for you?

Also, just for future reference, anytime I need a refill early because I am going out of town, I ask the pharmacist to get a vacation over-ride for me from the insurance and they can do that.

I have done this with several different insurance companies we have had so it should work for you too.

Each insurance company has a limit on how many times per year you can do this.

I'm so glad that your doctor and his/her staff was so good about getting it straightened out for you.

Ridiculous that you had to endure that.

Actually the pharmacist that I had trouble with there before has been gone now for quite a few years.

I have had no trouble with the ones that are there now.

Thank goodness!

Glad everything turned out well for you and I assume that you will be using CVS from now on.

Take care.

Cindy

PS.. At one point I used our grocery store pharmacy. They were questioning my scripts all the time. One of the pharmacists actually said to me in front of other customers that I needed to get off all the meds I was taking. Needless to say, I never went back after that. What get's into these people??

Oh, wow, am I sorry you had to go through that. How upsetting and stressful for you. You have a real keeper of a doctor's office, though. It's great how they worked to get things fixed for you.

I think alot of us have had to go through similar nightmares. I dealt with similar situations for various scripts with CVS, Sav-On, and Walgreens over the past few years. Oh, and CostCo too. I've had sneering pharmacists at Vons and WalMart tell me "we don't stock that medication. It's addictive and we won't fill prescriptions for it," as if there is obviously something wrong with me for needing a script for that particular med in the first place. (Med in question was stadol) And then point-blank refuse to order the stadol for me, turn me away, and tell me to go somewhere else. The stigma is humiliating.

If you choose to pursue a complaint with Walgreens - and I hope you do, they should not be allowed to get away with it - make sure you mention that you belong to an online community with over a thousand members, and will be sharing the details of your experience with the entire community, which will reflect poorly not only on the specific store, but on Walgreens as a company. Many of us may choose to take our business elsewhere. I mean, Walgreens already is more expensive than many other pharmacies out there - I know this because I compare cash prices for all my meds on a regular basis, since I have to pay cash out of pocket for them.

Again, I'm very sorry you've had to join the ranks of us who've been treated like a drug seeker. It's a sad club to belong to Glad your story had a good ending though!

Awful experience.

Actually dont know about my fellow Brits no here, but I find Pharmacies really good and helpful here.
The pharmacists are often far more help than the GPs.
Actually two of my freinds are pharmacists, and their drug knowledge is outstanding.
Which you would expect of course, but would hope the docs were a bit more clued up.
I have been "saved" a couple of times by pharmacists picking up on dr error.
Well maybe we got something right....

Being European, I have the same positive experience as Pen's.
Often, pharmacists are more useful than doctors.
I guess that the fact that we don't have insurances in between helps to keep relations more friendly.
We pay what's not provided by the NHS and when we have a receipt by a GP who prescribes meds through the NHS forms, there's no problem at all. They know that they will be reimbursed.

Bye

I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you. Completely and totally out of line and inexcusable. I have yet to have this happen but our local Walmart pharmacy has been nothing but wonderful (small town and the pharmacist almost knows you by name) but we have some weird things here - the local hospital is under another HMO yet I can be seen there and they have to deal with all the weird prescription issues that go with it. I would definitely call and complain at the least and write. Written complaints seem to get more attention that phone calls - not sure why but that is just my experience.

I have had similiar problems with Walgreen's. Won't fill it when it's called in and won't let me pay for my self even when I can show last dates of refills etc.

I switched to CVS. They have been very good and when a similar situation arose they let me pay for it myself.

Right now my insurance is being stinky about a refill. CVS called them, called my Dr. and called the insurance again, but they won't budge and it's not one I need immediately so I'm not concerned. But, it was nice theyw ent the extra mile and then called me back to apologize for not being able to get it.

Charlotte

It is ridiculous that the US government has created a class of primarily law enforcement pharmacists. Unfortunately, there is little you can do as the states and the fed have decided pharmacist can deny filling a script for any reason. As your post indicates, such a system sets up a situation that is ripe for active discrimination by a pharmacist. It's already an ordeal to get controlled medications from a pharmacist when you have a LAWFUL PRESCRIPTION. Unfortunately, since pharmacists have been trained to believe themselves law enforcement officers they have slowly lost all concepts of customer service. When you're in law enforcement you are openly suspicious and confrontational. Our US Government has actively encouraged and trained pharmacists to be like this as part of our ridiculous hysteria with drugs and the "war on drugs". I've had several unpleasant encounters with pharmacists regarding my pain medicine from a military accident. Of course, they act like jerks when they fill my script eventually, like they're doing me a favor. I'm sick of it.

I've taken narcotic painkillers for a year and I've never become one of these feared "drug addicts" the government is so terrified of us all becoming. You have to actively tell yourself that you don't want to be dependent on any pill and take them as prescribed and one is fine. But I regress, I'm sorry you were treated like that but until the DEA is abolished and our country returns to a state of sanity regarding drugs, than we can expect pharmacists to continue viewing themselves like medical doctors/law enforcement officers. And the best part? There is no recourse when their behavior becomes appalling. Why? Because pharmacies are in short supply of pharmacists and pharmacy schools actively deflate candidates for pharmacy school IOT keep salaries artificially high.

I don't care what anybody says, and I've heard many arguments, but pharmacists' jobs are by and large filling bottles with pills for 10 hours a day and making six figures for it. This creates a real sense of holier than thou type attitudes. Almost every time I get a new script filled the pharmacist NEVER takes the time to ask me if I have any questions. And most people aren't taking drugs which interact to kill them. The whole pharmacy profession is out of control, but, again, that's largely due to ourp state and federal government's war on citizens-er, I mean drugs. And I'm a republican and in the military and usually defend law enforcement but this war in drugs in my opinion, looking at it in it's entirety, has caused way more harm than good!

Whit-

I'm sorry, but your rant is nearly impossible to read.

Migrainers tend to struggle with large blocks of text, especially when we're already struggling with aura. Can you _please_ go edit your info with some simple returns to break it up like this post is?

This is much easier to read for all of us here

Thanks!

I broke it up for you. When you use the term rant it's usually understood as a pejorative. And, quite frankly, I'm not sure I understand your disdain. Considering I'm directly relating to the OP's experience.

I apologize if you viewed my last post as disdainful, it wasn't meant that way. The internet is horrible for transmitting voice.

My use of the word rant was probably coming from my head, not your info. I tend to forget to break up my posts when I'm most upset or hurting, sorry if my use of that word was viewed differently.

Thank you for breaking things up a bit, I'll try to give your info a proper reading now that my eyes don't look at the block of text and tell me 'we ain't doing this...no way...no how'

Many of us here prefer things broken out like this, since we are still able to read while battling an active migraine, which for me at least isn't possible with large blocks of text.

Take care

I guess I've been blessed. The only time I've had trouble with refills is when the insurance company says it's too soon, never my pharmacists. I try really hard to find a store with a lower script volume, so that there are only a couple of pharmacists and then I try to build a relationship with them.

Between DH and I both, we fill around 10-20 scripts per month, so the techs and pharmacists know us on sight. They've bumped my scripts up the line when I'm waiting and no one else is, especially when I'm in the store filling anything related to a migraine. The time after they did that, I asked them about their favorite snacks, and got them cookies.

Whit, good luck with your pain issues. I've known a number of service people who struggle with the government health care to get what they need. One of my friends are pushing of retiring in order to keep his post service job's health benefits. Thank you for being able and willing to serve, I know how much easier my life is due to people who were willing to fight for our rights.

Definitely do not go back to that Pharmacy. They are way out of line. and be sure to fill out a customer complaint form. No one should be treated like that no matter what their personal opinion is.

Also they have no business denying you if you are paying cash. It is a major problem with Pharmacies that they act like only insurance companies can pay. I've had that battle plenty.

It's really frustrating to have to deal with that nonsense when you are already in pain. Who needs the stress!

I'm sorry..hoping the next time you need a re-fill you will be treated kindly.

I have Kaiser insurance..so I only use their pharmacy...I have always been treated so well there..they know me by name..and that what diagonisises I have..they have been a blessing to me..the doctors..are another story.