johng
Board Addict
Reged: 02/13/03
Posts: 358
Loc: great lakes
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hello all,
I just found out friday that my MD who has alwys been liberal with me in regards to pain meds has been advised to aduit my chart re 'to much pain meds'
I had an epidural friday which has helped alot but the problem with me is tolerance. he always proscribes low dose meds so that i take alot to equel my tolerance level.
Question? how do i tell him to put me on stronger meds (long acting) and how do I handle it if he is in trouble.
PLEASE HELP this doctor has been sooo helpful i don't want him to get into trouble and I don't want to be cut off!!!
if open forum is too much pls PM i see him wennday HELP""""
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Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:7
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Dharma
Peacekeeper
Reged: 07/16/02
Posts: 61
Loc: Planet Earth
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Who told him to audit your chart, and why? It sounds like there is a little more to the story. Give us some more details and I am sure someone can give you some advice or experience.
Sorry you are dealing with this.
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My religion is truth, My practice is non-cooperation with evil.
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johng
Board Addict
Reged: 02/13/03
Posts: 358
Loc: great lakes
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what started it was he proscribed an off mix of hydrocodone to keep my apap low and the head pharmicisit reviewed my fill recordes and flagged it for review policy for a script that is unusual. and i have been filling alot as of late he wanted to avoid the stronger meds and keep me on hydrocodone. iwas on OC once and the W/d were alful don't want to do that again
the whole situation is tolerance i have been on vicodin for 8 months stright with only few holidays
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Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:7
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potatoboy99
Permanent Fixture
Reged: 02/04/03
Posts: 1211
Loc: Deep North (East)
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In other words, you are taking a LOT of low-potency hydro, instead of the FEW high-potency oxy meds you would rather be taking? And because you are taking a lot the pharmcacist red-flagged you?
Is your doctor under suspicion for over prescribing just you, or other patients as well? Maybe you need to get a referral to another Pain Management specialist. Or get your records in order (and your patience) and sign up with Madison, they'll provide 15/80 hydro compounds, the lowest APAP ratio allowed by law, if you can convince them you need 'em.
Good Luck!
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johng
Board Addict
Reged: 02/13/03
Posts: 358
Loc: great lakes
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you nailed it on the head my doc gives me alot of low dose hydrocodone. how do i tell him that W/O alineating him and getting rid of the flagg that i need something stronger???
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Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:7
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BriarRoseCO
Member
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 101
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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Sounds to me like the pharmacist got involved in something that he should not have. Perhaps you can call your doctor and explain that you are having problems with the pharmacy that is filling the low dose hydro that he keeps prescribing for you. And since the pharmacy called the office questioning the scripts, is your chart now suspect to abuse???? It's YOUR chart, they should be able to answer your questions. Since your doctor is the one prescribing the meds... the pharmacy has NOTHING to do with how many you get or why. Although they LOVE to get involved in patient's business. If you tell me it's Walgreen's, I'll just die laughing. They are FAMOUS for that garbage.
I would suggest calling your doctors office and speaking with him or perhaps his nurse, ask them to call the pharmacy and let them know exactly WHO the doctor is here and why he is prescribing you what he is!!!! Maybe if he talks to the pharmacist who flagged your script, the problem will be resolved.
Just a suggestion.
~~Briar
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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johng-
You didn't mention what the medical issue is being treated with the Vicodin (I presume, since you said low-dosw hydrocodone) and so it would be difficult to formulate a best-guess response as to why your doctor has decided to go this route. I know that it isn't unusual for general practice docs to avoid the long-acting narcotics...no matter what the healt concern, as they will generally refer out to a PM or other specialist.
All you can do is be honest with your doc and let him know the pills he prescribes are no longer as effective for the pain as they once were. I would not hesitate to ask if there wasn't "something" (never ask for a specific narcotic, never!) available that required fewer pills to obtain the same (but hopefully better) relief. You could even go so far as saying something like "...I was reading on the bottle of Tylenol that I used for a headache (or somesuch thing) that people shouldn't be taking more than 8 500mg doses per day because it can cause liver damage...are you concerned that the acetaminophen in this Vicodin in the amounts you prescribe to me may have any lasting or long-term effects on my liver?..." Blah blah blah...
Doctors DO actually forget about things like that, and the way it is phrased is more of a health concern rather than a correction to the doctor, so hopefully he won't get offended that a patient dared question him, etc. Perhaps the rising tolerance (that holidays won't really help long-term anyway) and the amount of APAP in the compound pain killer will get him thinking of alternatives. The risk here, is that he may consider a NON-narcotic medication.
In any case, there really is nothing you can do about the pharmacy's interference. Let it take its course and as long as you have followed the doc's rules, you shouldn't have any problems. As another poster mentioned, perhaps this doc has other patients filling lots of hydro, too, and it may be the DOC under investigation and not YOU.
Take care!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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karib
Member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 109
Loc: new england
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There is no way to tell a doc to put you on stronger meds without him becoming suspicious, they are just all programmed this way these days. here is what happened to me just this week, talking about pharmacies. well now we have pharmicists sticking their noses in our business. i have an anixety disorder whihc keeps me from sleeping, i have bouts of insomnia, my doctor upped my dose of xanex at night for the temporary releif of anixety until we find another med that works, anyway, when she called me in another bottle of xanex since by us speaking she told me to take another xanex at night out of the existing perscription. well, that perscription ran out early of course becasue we spoke and she doubled me up. Well, she called me in more and the pharmicist gave HER a lecture on too much xanex for me blah blah blah, my insurance company had no problem with it, they override it and i get it for my copay cost. but the nosy pharmiscist had a problem with it! so is now talking about not using xanex anymore for me even though it is working! i akssed her what business was it of the pharmcay and she got upset with me for asking! See how it is working now! everyone is sticking their nose in our business ! i am so so so angry the pharmacy is RITE AID by the way! don't use them ! they are pharmacy police!!!!!@!!!
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oldnavy170
Board Addict
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 357
Loc: New York
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Why don't you tell your doctor that the meds your on aren't working well enough and without asking for the Medicine you want just say you need something stronger. Let the doctor choose what he will prescribe next and just hope it's what you want.
Also, why don't you change pharmacies?
These are my suggestions. I hope they help..
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karib
Member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 109
Loc: new england
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I am going to change pharmacies, however its hard to change doctors here where i live in rural america , not many and they are almost all unwilling to perscribe anything, except, yoga and meditation. Seriously though, i have severe anxiety and i cannot function as a responsible adult without sleep, i HAVE TO GO TO WORK , i have to pay my bills, and so after other meds, we found xanex to work. but like i said my pharmacy has a problem with that. and being from this small town the next pharmacy is 15 miles away, however i will switch. As far as my advise to the other poster about telling his dr. he needs a stronger dose, good luck! Doctors are on guard, my husband who is 60 years old fell on the ice and tore his muscle and ligaments in his shoulder, and he is not a man who takes any pills, this time he certainly needed them , he got ultram! so i give up! OP is the only way.
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buey
Old Hand
Reged: 01/15/03
Posts: 453
Loc: USA
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Here we go again.....
For those of you who say pharmacists have no right to stick their noses in your business, think again. They have every right and obligation. Just because you don't like it, doesn't make it so. It's like saying "That nasty cop ha no right to pull me over for weaving in traffic. He should stick his nose out of my business"
Pharmacists have a right and obligation to question ANY prescription that comes through their door. They have a right to refuse to fill any prescription. Why? Because if they filled a prescription for something, and it killed you, they could lose their licenses and they can be sued by YOUR family and they can win. So even if YOU decide you want to self dose on narcotics and take 20 pills at a time, and you die from it, they can be at fault. Now if you were the filling pharm. and thought there was a possibilty of over prescribing, wouldn't you protect yourself and ask some questions?
I don't know the posters situation. Sounds like he/she needs stronger pain killers. But unfortunately there are people out there who are either rec drug users and are looking for increasing amounts of narcotics to catch a buzz, or there are addicts and a pharmacist should not be an accomplice in helping the addict get their fix especially when THEY are the ones who can get slapped with a law suit. The family says "Gee, you must have had an inkling that Jane was abusing narcotics, why did you fill them? If you had not filled them, Jane would not have died. We are going to sue you for 5 Million. See you in court"
Malpractice insurance for pharmacists while not as outragous as physicians' malpractice insurance, is costly and it only covers up to a certain amount. After that, they will have to pay out of their own pockets to the grieving family members. Unfortunately we live in a litigious society; one that tends to overlook personal responsibility in favor of blaming someone, ANYONE else. If you don't want the pharmacists to carry any responsibility for what you ingest into your bodies, than work on changing the laws. Until then you have to accept that they are only doing thier job and trying to protect themselves and their families from loss of income, personal disgrace being brought to court, and loss of property.
Every so often this topic of pharmacist bashing rears its ugly head on here. I happen to know all of this because I have a very close family member who is a registered pharmacist. The stories he tells us would knock your socks off. His choice is to just tell people who he thinks may be looking for drugs they don't have a physical reason to take, that he just doesn't have the drug they are asking for in stock. Why? It's easier than having to call doctors and check on the suspicious scripts and then deal with angry "patients" who tell him to stick his nose out of their business. He used to play the game with making the calls and even calling law enforcement. And I can't even begin to tell you how many people he caught in the 25 yrs of being in the profession. It's very common. But after over a 1/4 century of it, he got sick of it. Unless its a blatant forged script, he is just not going to deal with it.
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Sweetz
Diamond Mind
Reged: 05/11/02
Posts: 767
Loc: Texas!
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You have to admit though that some pharmacists abuse their position just as some police do. In your example, the driver was weaving, that's a problem. Who says this poster has a problem? Did they stumble in there and slur their words? Not that we know of. Did they give an outward appearance of being on too much medication? Not that we know of. Those would be the signs a pharmacist should be looking for, I would think. I have good pharmacists that take care of me, but don't break any rules and I wouldnt' expect them too. Even though, they have "bent" them a few times, but they got the backup they needed, it was just after they gave me my script. But, then again, they KNOW I have a real condition, they've seen me throw up in their store waiting on anti nausea meds. They also know all the other meds I take to control my condition. sorry, sidetracked. I know pharmacists have a responsiblity, but there are also ones that abuse it. I do feel that pharmacists should fill things such as the abortion pill, if it comes to their counter. If you don't want to serve everyone, then don't be a pharmacist. Yes, I know they have feelings and views, but what else are they going to refuse on the basis of their feelings?
I used to do lots of things at my job I didn't "feel" were right, but my boss did, so I did them. Sorry, sidetracked again.
Main point: there are good people and people that abuse their position in lots of positions all over the place.
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"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice."
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zoecece
Board Addict
Reged: 05/03/02
Posts: 392
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I disagree with the post who said that you DR is going to be suspicious if you ask for stronger meds. I have found that if you approach your DR armed with knowledge and information that they are receptive to discussion. Be honest, clearly he's open to managing your pain, and he's educated on the effects of this medication, so tell him what you've told us, that you're getting good relief from the hydro, but you're concerned about tolerance and the effects of APAP, can you look at some options? Make it clear that you have a much better quality of life with this medication and that you don't want to jeopardize this by things getting out of control.
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keystone
Veteran
Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 587
Loc: Arizona, USA
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I agree. Knowledge is power......(cheezzzzzeeeee)
But seriously, I have requested Phrenilin (Fioricet w/o caffiene) form my doc and he didn't know what it even was. He rx'ed me plenty. Same w/ Marinol and others.
Doctors (I find) are MUCH more responsive to patients who are activelly trying to be part of their treatment. I woul NOT however talk numbers. That is when you need to feel the situation out and tell him that your meds work for 4 hours, you are finding you have to take too many, you are concerned...etc...
Also, site your knowledge. Say I read on WebMd, or whatever that patients are having great luck with this med. How does it compare to what I am currently on?
Anyway. I do agree that education is key. Just knowing that 4 grams of APAP is too much (per se) will impress your doctor ito knowing you CARE about your body rather than just pop what ever he gives you.
Take care and Happy Easter.
KS
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he never existed.
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redhill
Banned. Flames, offending others
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 278
Loc: Hell on Earth, for now
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Quote:
Pharmacists have a right and obligation to question ANY prescription that comes through their door. They have a right to refuse to fill any prescription. Why? Because if they filled a prescription for something, and it killed you, they could lose their licenses and they can be sued by YOUR family and they can win. So even if YOU decide you want to self dose on narcotics and take 20 pills at a time, and you die from it, they can be at fault. Now if you were the filling pharm. and thought there was a possibilty of over prescribing, wouldn't you protect yourself and ask some questions?
The cost is loss of choice and loss of freedoms. Just about everything you can possibly think of is lethal, even ingesting way too much water.
In that respect, doctors and pharmacists have it so easy; sure, they can choose to end suffering and pain, but at the risk of overdose or addiction. So there will be some that choose not to medicate.
For some reason my doctors, last year, thought I looked like an addict (God knows why, I am rather roly poly ) - still, my pain level was at a solid 9.9 out of 10, and I have been on the verge of passing out from pain, screaming.
But still, the doctors believed I might possibly enjoy my pain meds (Oh Holy God Jesus, NO, it is a SIN to enjoy the feeling from pain meds, this awful unwanted euphoria is a horrible scourge, and a blight on society), so gues Best if kept off the board what: no Best if kept off the board pain meds. For that I will be eternally spiteful towards doctors, and they're off my Christmas card list too. It is and was my body, and I wanted to choose, for lack of a cure, a palliative approach to my well-being, and for the longest time was denied even the possibility. Tons of Ibuprofen was allowed, even though the doctors (who run out of arguments and then just tell you that time is up - hah) tell you the solution is not in a pill. But when you ask for a painkiller, you can have ALL the IB and Tylenol you can eat. Sure, take 3200 mg of motrin daily - no skin off my nose!
Does anyone appreciate that I know, and fifty million of us KNOW that there are narcotics addicts, but that medicating millions of us who routinely get denied help is significantly more important than trying to fight the idiotic war on drugs in a non-structural and poorly thought-out way such as the one that dictates that medical professionals deny patients compassionate treatment?
It's morally disgusting, and it's just one of the reason so many pain patients are killing themselves.
My pain doctor, for whatever reason, is going in that direction, and let me tell you, putting a Best if kept off the board bullet in my head is looking more attractive by the minute. And should I have no other option, that's what I will tell him, because that's what I might do. Unless there are real benefits to be had from moving to a different country.
The war on freedom is taking its toll on everyone. Censorship, uniformity of the media and the press, conformity of our citizens, loss of freedom of expression, enforced religion, reversal of the constitution, lies, unemployment, imprisonment, informing on your neighbors, friends and family, the complete redefinition of morals and values in the most preposterous and offensive manner, blaming every ill of society on the poor, the sick, and on liberals and foreigners... somebody please pick up a history book, and ask yourself, 'are we being killed off for some reason?'
no need to respond to this, I know it pisses off some people who would rather I exercised my freedoms by shutting the hell up, so just ignore it, because I am not looking for a fight or a disagreement. I'm just saying that this is the way I see the world and I can't take it anymore, and I want out. Just out.
Red
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BriarRoseCO
Member
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 101
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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*laughing my a$$ off at myself*
I just realized that "better kept off the board" was boardspeak for a curse word.
LMFAO (at me) 
~~Briar
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trixxie
Member
Reged: 05/23/03
Posts: 133
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To the poster, in regards to more stronger meds. I also ran into the same problem, but I did what others suggest you do not do. I asked for longer acting meds. I said that what I was on, was not lasting as long, and said "x would last longer" and thats what the PM doc prescribed me. I think this is another option.
Good luck.
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The truth shall set you free!
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buey
Old Hand
Reged: 01/15/03
Posts: 453
Loc: USA
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Some of you are missing the point. It all boils down to self preservation. As I stated before, pharmacists are held legally responsible if they fill a prescription when they have a reason to doubt the validity of that prescription. Whether the patient is doctor shopping or conning a doctor, if the prescription looks altered or forged, etc....IF the patient overdoses on the medication, the family can initiate a lawsuit. The stakes are incredibly high, pardon the pun. If the pharmacy board decides that the pharmacist was negligent and should not have filled the prescription to begin with, because of the red flags going up about a particular patient, the pharmacist can lose his/her license.
Please try and understand where these people are coming from. Would you, if you were a health professional, be willing to risk losing your CAREER (not just a particular job) and your home over a person you barely knew, if at all? Pharmacy school is not cheap. 6 years of schooling is not something one wants to throw away because somebody ingests too many narcotics.
I've been behind that pharmacy counter as a technician. I've seen plenty, believe me. I've seen the person presenting scripts for narcotics that are written for 12 Vicodin from a dentists office or ER doctor and a zero has been added at the end to make it a quantity of 120. I've seen people given scripts for 60 of this or that, and within a three days they are back for a refill when it should have lasted 10 days. They get beligerent when they are told they have to come back in six more days for the refill. Two weeks ago my relative was helping to set up a new store. The first day they opened, as soon as the doors were opened, some guy comes running in waving a script for 120 Oxycontin and asks my relative if they have it in stock. Red flag time. Brand new pharmacy. Out of town doctor. Patient is also from out of town. Man is running to the pharmacy and script is for him. He asks if they have it. Sorry, but those are red flags. Legit pain patients will usually work with one pharmacy. They do not ask if the pharmacy carries a prescription, they just hand it to the pharmacist. They aren't almost breaking the door down at 8:00 am and running to the pharmacy counter. My relative took one look at the guy and the prescription, asked what town he was from and then told him they do not have it in stock and perhaps he would have better luck going to a pharmacy much closer to home anyway. The man grabbed the script back and bounded out the door.
Anyway, I happen to think any adult who is mentally competent should be able to decide what they put into their own bodies if they do not harm any other living being because of it. But they should also take personal responsbility with the outcome of what they ingest. Make it so that pharmacists are not held legally responsible for what people ingest, and you would be able to walk into any pharmacy and not get questioned at all about any prescription. But the govt makes sure that the pharmacists and doctors shoulder a lot of the responsibility. Big Bro does not want addicts running around loose. What better incentive for the health care providers to be overly cautious than to threaten their livelihood and well being? Kapeesh?
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karib
Member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 109
Loc: new england
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come on though, in my case the pharmiscist questioned my doctor, who called in the script personally, he wasn't doubting that she was a doctor he was wondering if "I" needed this drug, which i just came from her office and she said i did, now isn't that a bit too much? she has the degree of M.D. not him! and she said i needed it! the pharmiscist questioned her! that is uncalled for! by the way my son is a pharmicist, and he agrees that a doctor should not be questioned. what they do get suspicious of is teenagers bringing in what look like ophony scripts for narcotis, those they look into to. but never did he say he would question a doctor as to why he is perscribing a specific medication! that is just appauling!
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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While I agree that in most cases pharmacists shouldn't be questioning the doc's orders (other than verifying controlled scripts)...recall that DRUGS are a pharmacist's specialty and that they are specifically educated in that ONE field. A physician can make errors with scripts, especially when multiple meds are prescribed for the same patient (i.e. it was the PHARMACIST who pointed out that my blood pressure med was virtually nullified by the sleep med I take, potentially life-threatening situation.)
A pharmacist has the same legal and ethical responsibilities as a physician and if they have ANY questions about a drug prescribed, it is not only only their ethical, but legal obligation to obtain clarification or explanation from the prescribing physician. You don't have to like it, it's just the way it is.
Do I think some pharmacists go overboard on that, absolutely. It really sucks when you are one of the people the pharmacist has selected to question and I empathize with your situation.
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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karib
Member
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 109
Loc: new england
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what really annoys me is he questioned my doctor. Not me , not a written script, but my doctor on the phone. My son who works for a large chain of drug stores and is a pharmacist, said that was definetely way out of line. If the phone call sounded phony that is one thing, but i live in rural town everyone knows everyone and the pharmacist knew this doctor. I agree it was "out of line". The pharmacist told my doctor he "does not like the drug xanex" and didn;t she think there was something else she can give me! Really! Out of line!Anyway she said no, i was having xanex.
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johng
Board Addict
Reged: 02/13/03
Posts: 358
Loc: great lakes
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i started this thread because I had been red flagged by a pharmcist who in turn red flagged my MD. The mD had to aduit my chart and other things about his practice which he did not relay to me. The pharmicist thought I was taking to many pain killers. what a crock I take a lot of previcid. he never complained that I have been taking it evry day for three years now. The same pharmicist who refused to fill a call in script of 7.5 hydro 80 tabs. To hold me over to my next apointmentin 2 weeks. the pahmcist adviesed after 'a disscussion with my doc' i was scriipted 60 5 mg hydro. the phamcist had no right to do that but after the gustopo tactic to my MD he got his way not the patient way.
I think MD's are feeling (male or Female) that if they get reported to the DEA it is like asexual harssment the male is guilty until proved otherwise not innocent untill proven guilty. the fera factor is too high the pharmsicts who should be like a gate keeper is more like a person with a chip on there shoulder. I know I am generlizing but I have too many bad expirances to not generlize. I have one pharmists who is in general very nice but when it comes to C2/C3s she gets this terrble attitude
the phamiscist forget they only see a small sliver in the healthcare pie. if they are truly looking out for the patient why do they never do all of the above when a doctor scripts OFF LABLE????
JOhng
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Ask and it will be given to you Matthew 7:7
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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karib-
In your situation, I agree, it was not the pharmacist's place to question the doctor when that doctor was personally phoning in the script and it was simply a matter of the pharmacist's preference. That was really nasty of that person to do. I'm very glad that your doctor stuck to her guns.
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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trixxie
Member
Reged: 05/23/03
Posts: 133
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I know this belongs in the "why I hate walgreens" thread, but the first time I picked up my oxycontin, the pharmacist at Walgreens says, "the doctor prescribed this 3xday for you, but you only have to take it twice a day" and how bout the very next time I go to drop off my script, and the pharmacy tech, takes my script and says VERY LOUDLY "do we have 112 oxycontin?" Sheesh. Does that sound like the HIPPA rights were violated? I filed a complaint with Walgreens corporate, and also complained to the pharmacy manager, AND changed to a small pharm near a hospital. Those of kind of things a pharmacist does not have the right to do. I understand and agree with the drug interactions, and the pharmacist stepping in and saying something. I am only speaking to what I know.
Regards
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The truth shall set you free!
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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Quote:
the phamiscist forget they only see a small sliver in the healthcare pie.
A very true statement. Most pharmacists operate like fast food restaurants--filling as many orders as they can in the shortest amount of time possible--especially at the large chain pharmacies. But, much like the long-time burger flipper, pharmacists are pros at what they do. They didn't spend tens of thousands on pharmacy school to simply dole out Tylenol and Advil. I imagine there are some pharmacists who feel they are the "frontline defense" against drug addiction. Rather than simply verifying a controlled prescription, they take it upon themselves to act as detective, judge and jury--often costing a patient their pain or anti-anxiety meds in the name of "the war on drugs" (whether or not there is any evidence that the patient they just screwed has ever had an evident "problem" with medications.) My guess is that there may even be some caring pharmacists who feel they are doing someone a favor by keeping them from filling a controlled drug.
But this is just my speculation as to the motivations of any particular pharmacist who has caused a patient to lose a prescription for any reason.
As in any situation where you have received substandard service or care, I can only say that it may be prudent to take your business elsewhere. If possible, ask for the unfilled prescription back and perhaps even complain to the pharmacy manager (all Walgreens chains have posted the name and sometimes even the photo of the acting pharmacy manager) and ask for a written explanation of the denial of the prescription. In my opinion, anyone who was denied trying to pass a fake or contrived prescription would slink out of the store feeling grateful that was ALL that had happened to them, whereas a legitimate patient would be completely furious that not only was their prescription "denied" but they had also just wasted that trip to the doctor.
Again, just my take on the situation---for what it's worth. I certainly feel for you!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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I was writing my response to johng's post when you must have posted yours.
No, it was not OK for someone to contradict the doctor's written orders, nor was it OK for them to yell out what medication you were there to fill. And, as you stated, you went elsewhere when you felt your rights had been violated or that the service had not been up to par.
How many times do you enter a pharmacy and overhear the drug being dispensed to another patient as you wait in line to pick up or drop off your own? They don't have confessional-style privacy booths for drug consultations--and many people appreciate what the pharmacist says about the meds they have just been prescribed as some doctors are notoriously bad at explaining themselves. But again, I am not attempting to excuse the actions of the particular persons with whom you had a poor experience. I couldn't imagine the horror if a patient receiving Valtrex (for genital herpes) or meds for HIV/AIDS, for example, were loudly and crudely announced in front of all the customers and staff. It IS a privacy issue, no matter what type of drug is being dispensed. In my opinion, they could have been exposing you to possible robbery by announcing the name and quantity of the medication you received. I, too, would have been livid.
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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trixxie
Member
Reged: 05/23/03
Posts: 133
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Livid isn't the word. And you should of seen my husband!!
And yes I am not thetype to not let others trample on my rights.
If there is a violation(and yes in my case there was) I stand up for myself. Even if I am too tired, in pain, whatever. It has to be done. It has to be said.
We are in this together...
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The truth shall set you free!
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brenda1231
Journeyman
Reged: 11/22/03
Posts: 52
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Quote:
I couldn't imagine the horror if a patient receiving Valtrex (for genital herpes) or meds for HIV/AIDS, for example, were loudly and crudely announced in front of all the customers and staff. It IS a privacy issue, no matter what type of drug is being dispensed. In my opinion, they could have been exposing you to possible robbery by announcing the name and quantity of the medication you received. I, too, would have been livid.
Well I can imagine the horror. This is a little off topic, but funny.
I was scripted Valtrex about 2 years ago. Like an idiot went to the CVS closest to my house, where about 90% of the time there is a long line, people waiting on scripts in the little lounge area, the wait is almost always an hour and the pharmicists and assistants are usually rude. ( I have since learned my lesson and NEVER go there)
I can't remember what exactly the Pharmicist Assistant said, but I DO remember wanting to hide my big ole PREGNANT self because although I paid no attention when she named the drug (don't even recall how or why she did so), and didn't realize anything was amiss until I exited and felt the icy stares of about 50 eyes shooting icicles at my back.
I rushed home and thoroughly checked myself out in the full length mirror, thinking maybe a boob was hanging out, the seam of my pants torn...something made all those people stare at me! I looked Perfectly pregnant.... Big Belly, Big Boobs, but nothing amiss.
Well, I was given the prescription for shingles on my neck. I do remember my Doctor explaining shingles to me, and as I recall, it had something to do with the nerves in the spine and dormant chicken pox virus. I believe he mentioned cold sores as well.
My husband later told me Valtrex was also scripted for Herpes, and we had a little laugh.
Just to clarify, I DON"T think that Herpes is anything to laugh at, just the fact that so many adults in a pharmacy would act like 7th graders with thier thoughtless and judgmental stares that had went right over my head.
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Cheers,
B~
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ssjtiamat
Newbie
Reged: 12/03/03
Posts: 48
Loc: Illinois
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Yes, knowledge IS power. However, as we all know... there is AT LEAST a 70% chance that when confronting any doctor and showing a knowledge of the meds your on will raise suscpisions. I had the same issue. I finally had to argue with the doc and basically said, "look.. I'm putting this in my body, therefore I have EVERY right to research what I put into my system. So by protecting myself with a little knowledge of my meds does that make me an abuser, NO!"
Needless to say, the doc did not agree, lol. Best advice I can give is yes, be honest, but at the same time, be vague. And yes, the pharm. has the right to question anything coming across their desk. But on the same hand, they do have a tendency to get a power trip. If your doc is cool with what he scripts out for you and your insurance will continue to pay then switch pharmacies. Go to a completely different pharm. and you should be ok. As for your conversation with your dr., be honest, vague and all you can do is pray for a sympathetic ear.
Good Luck
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