My understanding is that Walgreens allows their pharmacists to “black ball” a pt in their pharmacy system and it applies to all some odd 9000 stores and that the only person that can take the black ball off is the person that put it on. Of course, as I normally do, I recommended that this pt find a independent pharmacy …shared this link https://ncpa.org/pharmacy-locator — where she would be dealing with the pharmacist/owner and they tend to be a whole lot less judgemental and staff turn over is very little… so they know the pt and the pt knows the staff. It is unfortunately that all these so called PharmD “medication experts” don’t know/understand that acute pain is different than chronic pain and that a chronic pain pt already taking a opiate will not need additional opiates to deal with the acute pain… Most chronic pain pts… the opiates that they are on… don’t properly manage their existing pain on most days.
I have many health issues. I’m being monitored & treated by some reputable doctors practicing at local school of medicine as well as a pain management physician who is older & has no record of disciplinary action with the state board.
My diagnosis confirmed through imaging, nerve conductor test & blood test have that I have psoriatic arthritis which is not yet controlled, c2-c6 disks have pinched nerves with c5 flattened in the spinal column, 2 protruding cervical disk, numerous cervical bone spurs & extremely painful Occipital Neuralgia daily. I have a blood clot remaining in the vertebral artery at brainstem from a tear that occurred in 2016 that caused strokes. In addition to this, when given steroids I get an extremely painful yeast infection in my throat that quickly progresses to the esophagus & further if not treated promptly. Endoscopic testing have confirmed this twice in 2020 & 2021. A DNA test revealed that I am an “Ultra rapid metabolizer” of pain medication. That explains why my pain is difficult to control.
I filed for SSDI in February 2021 after I absolutely couldn’t work any longer & have missed a lot of work over the past 10 years due to a weak immune system & pain. I was approved for SSDI in December 2021. I finally got some relief from pain when I began to see pain management Dr in June 2021. I am prescribed Gabopentin, cyclobenzaprine & 3 Norco daily in addition to using Voltaren, ice & heat applications.
After having dysphagia for a year, my ENT scoped me to find my lingual tonsil was larger than any picture on Google he could find to show me as a comparison. It was encroaching on my esophagus, filled with Bacteria. I needed it removed to allow space for intubation to perform the upcoming surgeries to attach the main muscle of the rotator cuff to the bone & to have c4-c5 disk replaced.
After 2 weeks of having my monthy prescription of Norco filled in November 2021, I had the tonsillectomy at 55 years of age. Myself, the pain management Dr & ENT agreed that after surgery I would stop taking Norco prescribed by PM & begin whatever my ENT prescribed to control pain until I recovered from surgery. My ENT electronically prescribed Norco initially & the Walgreens pharmacist refused to fill it saying it was too soon & I should take the meds I’d filled from PM. It was the weekend & I’d endured a very painful surgery that was described as extremely difficult by my ENT. The prescribed dosage wasn’t controlling the pain & I was in tears although I rarely cry in pain. My body metabolizes the Norco too fast & I only get about 3 hours of pain relief after taking 1 10mg Norco. I was also in a horrible Psoriatic arthritis flare-up causing ankles, knees, Achilles tendons, wrist & finger joints to be inflamed in addition to post-op & was in too much pain to sleep & allow my body to heal. Therefore, 4 days later my ENT electronically sent a script of a Percocet medication.
The pharmacist was extremely rude, not communicating well as to their reason of not filling the ENT’s prescription of Norco for Post-op. The pharmacist was actually yelling at my daughter who was on the phone with him explaining the agreement of Drs & I of the way to hold off on PM script & let ENT control the surgical care. He became angry that she asked him why I couldn’t follow the directions of care post-op. My sister & I could hear the pharmacist being hateful immediately without being provoked. I’ve witnessed him do that to other patients including saying “if you don’t like it you can take your business on down the road” in front of me & many people as I waited inside the store. So when Percocet was prescribed, I spoke to another pharmacist at the same Walgreens who refused to fill Percocet. She also has a history of being rude, uncaring & unprofessional to patients. She immediately was defensive, rude & irate when she finally answered the phone. She stated I couldn’t get the Percocet until 2 more days. I explained I was in extreme pain & needed it. She yelled that if I didn’t like it I could take my business elsewhere on down the road! I told her she could kiss my $$@! THAT is extremely out of character for me but I was in incredible pain & being treated as a drug addict! I’ve never had cross words with a pharmacist in my life.
In retaliation, she canceled my scripts of pain meds in the system & red flagged me. I had to return to E.R., wait for 12 hours to be admitted in the hospital for pain control. I also had a yeast infection in throat due to being immunocompromised & having a small amount of steroids during surgery.
When I was released from the hospital, I was unable to get a script of pain medication for adequate control because she’d canceled my script of Percocet & Norco previously leaving my Dr unable to prescribe anything else because of the system blocking him! Both of my doctors talked & agreed I needed more pain meds but their hands were tied.
I reported the pharmacist to Walgreens. The upper management was appalled & referred the complaint to district manager. That manager called me while I was in the hospital & defended her employees saying it’s difficult for the Pharmacist who are faced with these situations. Furthermore, she stated that the pharmacist had witnesses who heard our conversation & heard my daughter raise her voice to the pharmacist. This is against HIPPA laws, it seems. After I told the pharmacists that I was going to file a complaint with the state board, the district manager told me that I was wrong to threaten that & wrong to have escalated it to upper management. I explained that it seems the District manager is allowing her employees to behave that way because after all, she’d worked with the one pharmacist for 21 years, so she said.
I have an upcoming surgery at the end of this month & am fearful of what’s to come without adequate pain control. I’ve not yet reported these pharmacists to the state board, although I’ve gained their board license numbers. I realize the retaliation risk. Can you please advise me of the best course of action to take? Also, should I wait until after both upcoming surgeries before I file complaints?
I apologize for such a lengthy letter to you. There are many facts I feel you need to guide me of what I should do to ensure this type of behavior from pharmacists won’t continue to hurt others as it has me. I definitely don’t get any type of high from Norco but it does help me to be able to have some relief so I can function. I also have a DNA test that proves I respond best to Norco. I don’t want to be sick and in need of medication. I’m risking my life to have disk replacement with the aneurysm & I am frustrated that I’ve had to stop working & my SSDI income is a quarter of what I make working. I am tired of suffering as many others who deal with severe pain are. Can I possibly sue the pharmacist & pharmacy to send a message to them that some of us need the medication to somewhat have a decent life? The TX law is ridiculous to allow a pharmacist to overrule our Dr’s.
Thank you for your time & future reply of guidance to rectify this ongoing battle I now have because I’m red flagged in the system.
Filed under: General Problems
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