Pharmacy from Hell !!!

[Stetson]

I went to pick up my methadone today ,my month's supply.You know the routine you have to order a week before because they will not keep it in stock
because of all the robberies.Ihave one pharmacist in particular who is narcophobic and goes out of her way to make things difficult! Today she
made me wait 15 minutes until she told me she coldn't fill my scirpt because
chronic pain was not on the script.Boy was I pissed! I have a history with
this professional who made me suffer a weekend because she would not fill
a script for a similar situation.Now I research everything and ask questions.
When I left I asked her why is it I always have problems with her ?The ***** just laughed ! I called the store manager and told her I suffered from chronic pain and her pharmacist has discrimatory behavior and I was comnsidering
complaining about her to board of pharmarcy and yanking my $300 a month
scripts to another store if she didn't do something about it.
Store manager just called meds are ready and I have a store card for
my gas and extra time.I have documented this because this is ongoing
and I am not going to be driven out by one uncaring person.Sorry for rant!@

[houghchrst]

That is great that you got it taken care of. I wish that pharmacist could spend a day in one of our skins and see what it is like.

[Mark N]

Good job doing the right thing instead of moving to another store and leaving that situation behind. I hope it makes a difference and if not go to another pharmacy as you have done what you can to change your current one.

[Pharmacist.steve]

It will be interesting how she treats you next month.. my money is that things won't change. If there is another pharmacist(s) that you don't have problems with... find out what their work schedule is... and work around her...

I had another chronic painer on another board who was sent into withdrawal by a opiophobic pharmacist and I contacted the board in her state (MASS) and if she had followed thru ... the pharmacy board would have had the pharmacist before the board for failing to follow docs orders, refusing to fill a valid Rx. After all this flack over Plan B and Pharmacist refusing to fill them because of personal moral beliefs .. many of the board are becoming more sensitive to pharmacists apply their own personal beliefs on patients... and delaying or refusing to fill valid Rxs...

If this is a large chain store ....the store manager has little/no authority over the prescription dept... BUT .. I am sure that there is a district manager who does. The Pharmacist will have a designated Pharmacist in Charge (PIC) and his/her license is who the board will turn to .. if there is something going on that they don't like.

Here is what I would do...

call the board of pharmacy and find out what their policy is on pharmacist refusing to fill ANY VALID RX... if they have zero tolerance .. just say THANK YOU....

Call the pharmacy and ask to talk to the PIC or ask him/her to return your call when they have time to talk...

Be polite but in no uncertain terms make him/her understand that you are FED UP with how you are being treated and that you understand that the pharmacy board has ZERO TOLERANCE for failing to fill a valid Rx. AND that if you are treated like this again ... you will file complaints with the pharmacy board and corporate headquarters...

They will do one of two things ... either treat you like their best customers or ask you to take your business elsewhere... I would bet on the former!!!

here is a link to find the pharmacy board in your state http://www.nabp.net/

[911]

i'm sorry you have had so much trouble , while i have been in oregon i started using walgreens and they have actually done the oposite and gone out of there way to help me , i have my return trip home and got sscripts from my doc to cover till i get reastablished at home and they were right on top i showed them tyickeets and they got the nesesary over rides and fixed up my scripts withyin the hour , i have never had that kind of service from and pharmacy so i am sorry for your troubles but i gotta give kuddo's to walgreen in albany oregon they have been great ,,,, and btw i am so so excited to be going back to maine on sat !!!!!! good luck dave aka 911

[Stetson]

I guess my doctor didn't write on script chronic pain so the pharmacist wouldn't fill it until she spoke to the doctor despite the fact I have been
using this same medication for over year at same pharmacy.She,the Pharmacist never mention there was a problem with a script so I could correct it at the doctor's office.
I called doctor's office to correct this problem so it would not happen again
and it continues to be clamity of errors! I am glad I have a doctor's appointment in two weeks to fix this.Business manager called; her name was Pat and she was upset because a new script was issued that wasn't needed
and it was going to cause alot of paper work.I asked her who was writing scripts?Especially class 4 where all rules need to be followed so we could
get our meds filled with no issues.It seems they have clerical staff writing
scripts ad stamping doctors signature after they approve.She said it was my responsibly to tell them each time.Doesn't sound like customer service to me.
Am I expecting too much? It just seems I running into lousy service every where and people take offense when they are called on it.

[Pharmacist.steve]

I guess my doctor didn't write on script chronic pain so the pharmacist wouldn't fill it until she spoke to the doctor despite the fact I have been
using this same medication for over year at same pharmacy.She,the Pharmacist never mention there was a problem with a script so I could correct it at the doctor's office.
I called doctor's office to correct this problem so it would not happen again
and it continues to be clamity of errors! I am glad I have a doctor's appointment in two weeks to fix this.Business manager called; her name was Pat and she was upset because a new script was issued that wasn't needed
and it was going to cause alot of paper work.I asked her who was writing scripts?Especially class 4 where all rules need to be followed so we could
get our meds filled with no issues.It seems they have clerical staff writing
scripts ad stamping doctors signature after they approve.She said it was my responsibly to tell them each time.Doesn't sound like customer service to me.
Am I expecting too much? It just seems I running into lousy service every where and people take offense when they are called on it.

Unless your particular state requires "chronic pain" on the Rx .. the Pharmacist is feeding you a line... Again I would suggest that you contact the pharmacy board to confirm what you are being told. I have ran into people before .. who are "in power" that will tell you "we can't do that because ..." the real "because" is because they figure that you can't find out the real truth/law and kind of like the old saying Golden Rule: " Ye who has the gold ... writes the rules.." I am sure that you are not the only one that she is treating this way.. someone needs to show her the errors of her ways and I think that a written complaint to the pharmacy board could do that post haste

It is your responsibility to tell the office staff that this Pharmacist requires "chronic pain" on each Rx.. If it is a state law ... then the doc should be aware of this fact .. unless you are the only patient he has on Methadone and personally.. I would hate to be a patient being prescribed Methadone by a doc that has just that little experience in dosing Methadone.

If this particular Pharmacist is that opiophobic ... it will not be long before she starts calling the DEA on this doc for writing methadone for patients that are not "labeled" as chronic painers...

[Stetson]

I have contacted pharmacy board waiting for a reply.I'll let you know how it pans out. I have called the doctor'd office and got nothing but greive because
they wrote an extra script for me that I didn't want! I have a meeting scheduled with doctor and the business manager on 24th.

[Pharmacist.steve]

I have contacted pharmacy board waiting for a reply.I'll let you know how it pans out. I have called the doctor'd office and got nothing but greive because
they wrote an extra script for me that I didn't want! I have a meeting scheduled with doctor and the business manager on 24th.

GOOD! .. if you need any assistance ... drop me a line ...

[photonut]

Hey Stetson:
I agree with Christina....Just 1 hour with your pain and they would get the message.......Shoes or no shoes.....Hugs Allie

PS: Thank You Pharmacist Steve. You are such a wonderful help to every one here. 3 cheers to you....Allie

[Stetson]

I e-mailed pharmacy board last week and have not received anything back.I just called them and e-mailed them with a follow up with information I was looking for.I wonder if I'll get a response?

[BrokenBladder]

Stetson I would think that they would want to respond, but then again, you never know. Hopefully Steve will come back and tell you what to do from here. I'm glad to hear that you reported them as they shouldn't be able to treat us this way.