Playing Those Pill Pickup Blues
This is my first blog of RDBlog week which runs from September 24, 2018, to September 28, 2018. Today the prompt is:
“Patients with autoimmune disease often are not treated well by Doctors and Pharmacists when we ask for or receive prescription pain medicine. What has been your experience? Share the good, bad and ugly side of your experience.”
I have to say I have seldom been treated badly by the medical profession. I like my Rheumatologist and as for the other 15 doctors I see annually; I get along well with most all of them. I have a general policy about doctors. If we do not hit it off personally, I am not very likely to follow their advice or to see them again. I realize not everyone has that luxury. I live near Indianapolis where we have many specialists, and those who practice here must have a good patient focus. If not, they do not stay in business long.
Dropping off is hard to do
The worst situation I encountered happened three years ago. I had a new script for 30 hydrocodone pills. In my case, I use 5/300, and I fill a script about once every four months if that. My regular pharmacist knows this and is gracious in filling the prescription.
.
On this occasion, however, I received a grocery store coupon. It was a great coupon. Fill a new prescription at the store pharmacy, and you received $25.00 off your next grocery purchase. I can spot a bargain when I see one, so I looked for a script that I would not fill routinely. I picked up the paper copy of the hydrocodone prescription and headed off to the grocery store. I had filled a few prescriptions at this pharmacy before but, I am an occasional customer at best. The pharmacy clerk said they have a policy of requiring two in-person visits on separate days to get one of these filled. I only purchase groceries at this store usually, but OK if it takes two trips, it takes two UGH. I dropped the script and proceeded to buy my groceries, confident in the knowledge I would soon be enjoying my $25.00 coupon.
Picking up is even more difficult
A few days later I showed up to get the prescription, and you would have thought I committed or tried to commit a felony. I received the 3rd degree. They could not fill the script because they were concerned about my health record. I had separate pharmacies (yes, I wanted the $25.00, so I came in here). I had several drug interactions (yes, my Neurologist prescribes non-seizure medications off-label for the treatment of Neuropathy. Most damning of all; I had two different controlled substances at two different pharmacies. (yes, it was true, I have a strong relaxing medication I use once every four months during the Rituxan infusion at my regular pharmacy).
I explained each one and each time the pharmacist was nasty after my response. I finally had to ask if they were going to fill it or not? Yes, they would, but next time I wanted to go pharmacy shopping, I should think of going elsewhere.
Pharmacy shopping? No, I explained, I could care less about the pharmacy; I just wanted the $25.00 coupon. So, I did get the prescription and the $25.00 coupon which I loved using. The pharmacy is not my favorite place, but I do like those coupons. I have not received that coupon off since. The entire incident reminded me of what many in the community go through routinely. For me, it was a minor inconvenience, but for those who face this every few weeks, it is awful. I really liked using that $25.00 coupon.
I am sorry you had to experience that and be accused of pharmacy shopping not nice my friend Jo TV nice at all.
Ahh its OK. I loved the $25.00 coupon. Having the $25.00 when I went through the check out, made that $100.00 bill seem like, well like it was $75.00. LOL
Oh geez….that sucks!!! Via the US RA groups, I’ve seen many stories about the difficulty of getting scripts for controlled drugs filled and I’m appalled. If the doctor has written the script, surely it’s not up to them to police filling it? I’ve never had that issue.
I stick to one pharmacy because we have a safety net where once we spend $1500 out of packet on medications, they’re discounted for the rest of the calendar year, and it’s just easier to stick with a single pharmacy so that that can be tracked. Plus, the one I go to is REALLY good and I like the people.
I normally do as well. I think it is just safer. My local pharmacy would have been fine no matter.
What a nuisance! I’m glad, though, that overall your experiences with doctors and pharmacies is positive.
I think the Pharmacist was being hyper responsible. She was young and she might have been in her first job or maybe a second. She was not well seasoned.
A good story of perseverance and $25, Rick. They picked the wrong person to fool around with.
Actually they picked on Sheryl. Nobody gets between her and a deal.
That’s just outrageous. I know that pharmacists are required to follow due diligence when dispensing narcotics, but they don’t have to be nasty about it.
Yes, but I loved my $25.00.
How frustrating – sounds like someone on a power trip. Glad you enjoyed your $25!!
I agree, she was all over the power of rejection, and here i was ready to be rejected. Ah, but I stopped her, with the power of the coupon.
Ah yes, the $25 off groceries trick! I have used that more than once. 🙂 I must say, however, that I really enjoy my relationship with the pharmacy I use the most. I am practically on a first-name basis with the pharmacists because I am never afraid to ask questions, especially about dosages and interactions. I’m sorry that grocery story pharmacy person was so rude, but I’m happy you got your script and the coupon anyway!
I am as well Linda. I even have nicknames for my local pharmacist. It was the lure of that $25.00 coupon. Come hither old fart, your $25.00 Awaits.