Our pain mgmt doc is in another city, which unfortunately, is in another county (because I can’t find a doctor in our town worth anything). The pharmacist here in town has now said that I need to go to Walgreens near the doctor (even though the same pharmacist has been filling the same script from the same doctor for years). The pharmacist near the doctor says I need to go to the Walgreens near my house. If I try going to a different chain, they tell me they won’t or can’t fill it for any number of reasons and that I should stick with Walgreens. I can’t seem to catch a break. I have been lied to and have heard so many excuses–I am so frustrated. I hate being treated like a criminal for needing medication that improves my quality of life.
Yesterday, when we went to the pharmacy near the doctor (which by some miracle, filled our script last month), they told us they wouldn’t fill for us. When I asked why they wouldn’t fill, the technician said I would need to talk to the pharmacist. When the pharmacist (who was also the pharmacy manager–her picture is on the wall) got to the counter, and I asked what the policy said, she just told me that she would have to get a manager. She called over the intercom for the store manager. Someone eventually came back to the pharmacy, but I sincerely doubt they were the manager. That “manager” asked if they could help me. I started to ask what the policy said about scheduled narcotics (so that I could understand why they were turning me away–so that I could genuinely find out where I needed to go and what I needed to do) she told me that they don’t fill any narcotics anymore. Totally confused at this point, I asked her when that happened, and she said “at the beginning of the month.” I knew she just totally lied to my face, because she didn’t want to be bothered to answer my legitimate questions. The pharmacist didn’t want to be bothered either. They didn’t care that I have been a Walgreens customer for many, many years. I was so distraught that I started to cry. I just had to turn around and leave. I couldn’t take their lack of courtesy anymore.
I find it amazing… the PIC (Pharmacist in Charge) of the Rx dept calls the front end store manager to handle this.. The front end manager has NO LEGAL AUTHORITY IN THE RX DEPT… Would suggest that this Pharmacist is FED UP with Walgreen’s policies and tired of dealing with pts over it… or she lacks a BACK BONE
Filed under: General Problems
Coonhound… Not far off on the gegeneric issues, Mylans MetporololXr, big batch just got recalled this week due to wrong tablets being in the bottles, but 3 other generic makers from India recalled for quality issues, Dr Reddys was one. I worked independent, I loved it, but what I’m hearing on treatment of pain patients such as extortion of the pricing of their pain meds and refusing to bill the insurance for them sickens me. Those ‘pharmacies’ are no better than the street dealers. My city is down to 2 Independents, (one is a compunder) and last I heard thru the pharmacists grapevine, the other quit carrying some CIIs such as OxyContin as he had been held up, for it one too many times. There recently have been days I feel like if I had the financial backing and confidence, I’d open my own store and give it a try, there is a need and a niche here.
No worries Boiler just heart meds! (adressed in links video)
http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/generic-drugs-danger-recall/2014/09/23/id/596332/
FDA needs to get off the ‘epidemic’ train and do their job. Regulating what ca-ca thats coming from god knows where and BANNING them, not conducting ‘workshops’. A workshop?(from link) Like these companies don’t know what they heck their supposed to do [aaahhhh, no hair left to pull out], Pretty sure they’re fluent in English in India.
Im floored that other pharmacies are bullied to the point of turning away business!!! You’d think they’d welcome the business and tell Wags and CVS where to go or is there backbone lacking there too? And the idea that these 2 chains would ‘fire’the patient for having the med filled elsewhere is so unprofessional…so if the patient showed up in the middle of the night with an ER script for an urgent antibiotic or urgent heart med you mean this chain would refuse ro fill it…HEARTLESS and UNPROFESSIONAL!!! As a pharmacist, I’m appalled by the behavior of some colleagues lately. I’ve been looking for work for some time, I’m what is referred to now as a legacy so the chains dont want me, matter of fact I worked for one for a short time a few years ago, and it was hell. I wouldnt be putting up with the BS today if I did go back out of necessity. I have ethics and they wouldnt like that I’m sure.
I don’t know if I would blame the chains completely for this. Pharmacies want prescriptions,that is how they make money. It is my view that the DEA and other government watchdogs are pressuring the chains to restrict access to pain medicine.
It’s Walgreens again for $1,000 Steve!!
Oh holy crap, they just don’t stop, do they???
I don’t why any pharmacist would even want to work for a Walgreens or CVS or any chain for that matter? Is that what they went to pharmacy school for? To work for some chain store that makes ALL the money and FORCES you lie to customers?? The day of judgment is coming and I know.. that the commandments say; do not steal, cheat or lie! Selling your souls to the devil?? How in world do these pharmacists and techs sleep at night? This is NOT funny.. YOUR policies SUCK and make you a LIAR!! I hope ALL chain pharmacies go bankrupt! I will NEVER spend a penny in one of their stores. I’m sure many, many other people feel the exact same way!
Speak up right here if your FED UP with Chain pharmacies!
So the question becomes, “Why do people continue to go to chain drug stores?” Is it habit? Convenience? Maybe they just enjoy the abuse. There are plenty of independent pharmacists out there who would bend over backwards to have your business. You will get prompt, personal attention that no chain store could match. Independent pharmacists set their own policies using federal and state law as the basis for those policies. Chain store policies are set by management-type people who most likely never worked in a pharmacy and don’t have any real working knowledge of the legalities or realities involved.
But, if that Rx is questionable… If you walk in for the first time at 6pm on a Friday. If you “ain’t got no insurance, man”. If you smell like a distillery. If you only like the ones with the pink speckles, or the yellow ones, or the white ones. You’ll be bounced out of here, too. We’re good at what we do. And part of what we do is tell the good ones from the bad ones. The good ones get filled. The bad ones can go to walgreen’s.
Why DO people continue to patronize WAGS and CVS?
Good question WS. I have often wondered myself. I do NOT step foot in their stores. I do NOT support corporations (or any business) that mistreats, disrespects, and lies to their customers, especially as many of those are disabled. One reason I came up with though is that they are everywhere and are convenient to those who travel. They can also be ‘preferred’ in network for Medicare Part D. This saves those on fixed incomes, seniors and the disabled, a good deal of $$ even over regular ‘in network’ pharmacies.
Are independent pharmacies the answer?
A great number of these independent pharmacies tell customers that despite having insurance and being in their network that they need to pay the cash price for pain medication, IF they take your business at all. Problems begin there but continue because of deception. The ‘cash price’ isn’t the cash price at all. Pain meds are marked up so high, often triple or 4x the regular cash price it makes them no better than a common drug dealer. They fit the description of wartime profiteer to a T and further the problem of access to medical care for those most in need. One can always file complaints but that doesn’t exactly get your Rx filled.
No insurance man?
-With the exception of the slang as a red flag, the others are rather dubious ways to ‘profile’ your customers. There are many people who DON’T have insurance.
The time Rx is brought in?
6 pm on Friday? Many independents are only open ‘business hours’ so when exactly IS a good time for someone who works a 9-5 to bring their Rx to be filled? Leave it there for them to be filled on the next business day (or week)? Read enough of the comment sections in any newspaper column, medical journal, blog, etc dealing w/ opioids for chronic pain and you’ll understand why some may be reluctant to do this..
Customers who like the speckled or yellow pills?
Pharmacists and doctors say that generics are all the same. More know-it-all arrogance discrediting patients who actually take the medications. As someone with two systemic autoimmune diseases I have had to take quite a few different medications over the last several years. I have tried many different brand and generics and can assure you that there are significant between not only brand and generic but also between different generic medications. As far as pharmacists go, some are accommodating (if you are a regular) and will order a specific generic, others wont no matter what. One time a tech at Target even told me they dont tell customers which generic they stock before filling Rx!
My guess on the ordering is that it is either too much hassle or some generics are much cheaper than others. Maybe you, or other pharmacists can help answer this question. I know RiteAid carries the same generics no matter which location one goes to and they will NOT special order. Guess they get bulk discounts from their wholesaler [?]
Some generics are flat out worthless IMO no matter what the medication is, scheduled or not. Mylan’s levothyroxine, generic for thyroid med Synthroid, is in no way comparable. Same with their metoprolol, omeprazole, and lorazepam. I simply tell the pharmacy that I won’t accept a fill w/ Mylan for anything. Aurobindo’s generic hydrocodone is horribly ineffective; at best 1/2 as effective as ‘the yellow ones’ you mention (most likely Qualitest 10/325). This may be due to the binders/inactive ingredients used or the leeway allowed in the amount of active ingredient (rarely checked once approved from what I have read). Teva is a bust too, with the exception of their Albuterol inhaler ProAir HFA which is an excellent product (no thanks to them, they do not produce them, only the distributor). Their pills literally fall apart/crumble and wont break into an even half even with a pill cutter. Also substandard efficacy. Ranbaxy hydroxychloroquine gives me fuzzy/hazy vision and severe GI disturbance, the name brand Plaquenil I can take w/ no problems, even w/out food.
On the other hand Roxanne, Qualitest, Sandoz, Watson, Med-West, Purepac, and others generally make quality controlled and non-controlled medications of all types. At least that has been my experience. One generic could be 40% difference when compared to another generic. [see below] not a number to sneeze at.
Information below from http://aapsblog.aaps.org/2014/03/18/efficacy-of-originals-and-generics-do-differences-matter/
“For approval of a generic product, you have to show bioequivalence. These studies should ensure that the performance of the products are the same. But due to human nature, quite significant differences are allowed: ± 20% for AUC (area under the curve) – and peak concentration is only evaluated in some cases. This means that generics may be 20% more effective or 20% less effective than the original product, with the result that two generic products could vary 40% in their effectiveness.”
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/generic-drugs-equivalent-brand-medications.html