http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics....jsp?id=389603

I have been taking perocet 10 for 3 years now and am on 84 every 3 weeks well i went up to my local walgreens which i never gotten my pain meds filled at that one before but i have filled my other meds there and never had a problem, i really have not ever had a problem filling my meds where i usually get them filled well i went there picked them up came home open up the stabled bag and open the bottle to get my daily meds fixed on (YOU KNOW THEM BOXES BY THE WEEK) any way the bottle seemed that there was not 84 in them so i counted and counted and guess what i counted again and i only counted 60 yeah i got shorted 24 that to me is a week of freaking alot of pain,,,i called up to the pharmacy knowing that i felt damn if i do damn if i don't cause you know how people get treating anyway,,cause no one knows what kind of hell is my pain,,she only took 30 seconds came back on phone and said well our inventory is right, well something is wrong cause now i am short 24 and someone there either has them or something is wrong. She said i can not do anything about it,oh my god i felt like a total crazed woman you feel likeif you make a big deal then you look like a seeker but i am not a seeker i am a comsumer in pain and now very upset. How do you even win this battle yes i know never go there again but there is still the fact that someone there either pocketed them or yes inverntory wrong, i called to talk to the manager like my husband said to he said you are in the right and i know i am but you all know how it feels really..they said there was no manager on duty, what do i do now,,,REALLY WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD DO, you can not fight the pharmacy THEY ARE RIGHT,,,so any suggestions?

I was going to the same pharmacy for many years at a chain store, even though the pharmacist there was never helpful and always grouchy. He would yell at co-workers, etc. I would NEVER ask this guy a question even if my life depended on it. I was always grateful when it was his day off and the "substitute" pharmacist was on. She was very helpful.

However, one day I got into a huge argument with the guy that worked there regularly (the grouchy one). I was asking for a medication that was formerly prescription only, but now OTC. He pitched a fit and in his own way, called me "stupid." I was very kind and tried to correct him, but he pitched a little fit again. Ironically, he was the one in error.

I called for the manager and ask to speak with him privately. While we were in the back office, lo and behold the pharmacist discovered I was right and he was wrong.

After that, I went to another location of the same chain. They were much nicer...more helpful. However, recently they have had to order some of my meds because they don't have the right strength on hand...they said they would do it...and they didn't do it. (Long story...bottom line...they are unorganized and goofy).

I've had more weird problems with this chain...so very recently I have picked up my meds at a mom and pop drug store. The hours aren't nearly as good, but other things are excellent. Very helpful, kind, fast service.

shorted, yes.

and extras as well.

usually not a problem, and fixed by the pharmacy, with little trouble.

the only *BAD* thing with my meds was that twice I was given someone ELSE's Rx.

a woman with the exact same name, and the same medicine.

but in a different dosage...

the only reason I noticed, is the pills were a bit larger.

so, I checked the receipt, and sure enough, I'd moved to the other side of town!

(Long's receipts at that time printed out name and address.)

I didn't even realize there was someone else with my name, in such a small town (3,000 people)

I raised Cain over it, and they groveled appropriately, and swore it'd never happen again.

four months later, guess what? so I took my business elsewhere.

You can REQUEST a DOUBLE COUNT
at your local Pharmacy Chain - like
Walgreens, CVS, etc.

Where they have to sign for it (that is
on the bottle) and the Pharmacist has
to put their initials on it.

I had been shorted out before; and
since one of my medication is a
narcotic - that one was being shorted
(the others weren't); but since going
to CVS; they're WONDERFUL! While
I do have a main Pharmacist, he
prefers to handle all my prescriptions
himself. They've done a lot for me and
are very protective of me, in fact, TWICE
they were about to have their employee
to take me down to the Primary Doctor's
office, and the other time to the ER after
calling the Epi's office, and was about to
give me Ativan, but I snapped out of it.

However, my Primary wanted me in his
office anyway (just around the corner),
and I lapsed right back into seizure mode,
and he was about to summon the ambulance
and how I managed to flee and end up home
is over my head. I have no recollection of this
until he called me back to which my son answered
the phone and he was surprised, because I was
in bed, sound asleep and he never knew I ever
left the house! But he left a note for me to see
my Primary (again), and that's how I know what
had happened the 1st time.

The 2nd time - I learned about it from the Epi's
Office; where the Nurse called me the next day,
for the Epi was out of town - and I was confused
as heck, and on top of it even CVS, the Pharmacist
even called to see how I was doing ... I'm like ...



::: whoosh ::::

Over my head. I had no memory of it. But when I
saw him (Pharmacist) again, he told me what had
happened. They were very close to having me on
Ativan and sent to the ER.

I appreciate those folks dearly; but now being on
the right cocktails (slang for AEDs - anti-epileptic
drugs) - everything has been peachy; but they
still watch me like a hawk.

They are very much in tune with my Doctors
and vice versa. They are part of the "team".
They know my name, and can pull my info up
in a flash. I don't know when the last time I've
had to tell someone my name to pick up my
prescription over there!

I would e-mail the company headquarters and indicate that this has happened frequently. That way the main office can put a 'watch' on the staffs. This sounds like a horrible thing to even think of, but with many costly or restricted medications this is important to do. It can protect you, and also the pharmacy overall from drug abuse [either using or selling the shorted meds] by the pharmacist or a whole slew of possible other issues, such as incorrect prescriptions.
I say this only because I knew of a pharmacist who became addicted and, needless to say it affected their work, not to mention a loss of license.
It's sad that we have to be 'tattle tales' at times, but one mistake...well OK, more than one seems to be signs of a problem. One at your expense!
I must caution tho? Some pharmacies have 'restrictions' in terms of how many 'days' they can dispense a med for [30, 60, 90 days] depending on the med, how the prescription is written and how the insurance company restricts this stuff. It IS one big hassle. Be patient and find out those limits and what you can do. Good luck?
Hope this helps! - j

Pharmacies are like the people working there.

Walgreens shorted me twenty Avinza. I had a "factory sealed" bottle of 100, but could not find the other twenty. I told the Pharmacist and they said there is nothing they can do.

In California, I am told, if you go get your Class II meds and are shorted, you cannot go back to get the rest. They legally cannot dispense them without a prescription and according to their records, my prescription had been filled. They told me they double count them, so an error by them is highly unlikely. I told their pharmacist about it and left the task to him, expecting some form of explanation. When I did not hear anything I called him and found the evening I spoke to him was his last day with Walgreens. Hmmm. He had quit to work closer to his home.

I called the regional manager of their stores and the regional mgr of their pharmacies. They thanked me and said they would investigate. I am reducing my use of Avinza, so I had some left over. If I had not, I would have been in trouble.

They said their log showed they gave me 100 in one bottle and twenty in another. I told them that was NOT correct. I also keep a log and I can tell them every dosage I had taken, the hour and minute and date and dosage. For over 500 days I kept that log, so we can compare logs. Walgreens only gave me more than one container of Avinza once. I went on a 3 month vacation. Otherwise, they combine the quantity into one container.

I told them if it happened again, I would go to the DEA and then read the phone number of the DEA agency in our city. I wanted to make sure they knew I meant it.

NOW I look for the pharmacist's initials and "count" number on each bottle. I take Oxycodone as well. It would not bother me at all to ask for a count while I watched.

I think the part that disturbs me the most is them telling me if we leave the pharmacy with our meds, that prescription is considered completed. The customer is out of luck. If it happens to me again, I will complain to DEA and the State Agencies who monitor pharmacies. I would think Corporate would take DEA complaints seriously.

Yes, Ive had the wrong number of pills many times. its best to count
them right there because if its pain meds, you are out of luck. I
also was once given trazadone instead of tramadol. Boy, I took
two of those and I was down for the count. Of course, i HAD to be
out of state at my mil.

Good luck, you should not have been treated that way.

Sox

I agree. I know it's a hassle and if you have alot of prescriptions it can take a while but once they know you're checking they might get "better" at math and give you the correct number of pills the first time.

It's just like going to the bank...if I cash a check for $90 and they give it to me in $1's you'd better believe I'm counting it before moving from the teller's window or driving away from the drive-thru.

If anyone gets offended too bad - you're just protecting yourself. Who else is going to?

I am surprised that there are not more complaints. My son takes Allegra (fexofenadine HCL) and has 30 day prescriptions for twice a day. The prescription is clearly labeled for Quantity of 60. I thought the first time this happened that instead of looking at Quantity, the pharmacist must have looked at dosage and overlooked "twice a day".

When I drove to pick-up my son's prescription, the pharmacist reponded
with a now familiar, and inflamatory phrase, "refill too early"! I have become accustomed to difference in depth of 30 and 60 pills in prescription bottles
of similar circumference so that i do not have to double count, but did not realize this until getting home last time. I was infuriated when pharmacist explained my two options:
1) wait 2 days to have prescription filled
2) pay full price (a difference of only $20), wait for Pharmacy manager
to come in (also on Tuesday) to count remaining pills in pharmacy
to determine a shortage and my $20 would be refunded at that time.

My son has asthma, and this is middle of allergy season for him
(he is allergic to tree pollen). I also had no reason to believe that
pharmacy manager would count pills and rule in my favor.
This is second time this has happened in a year.

I do not know what controls are in-place, and what i could do to keep
from happening again. I suppose i could always request a double count,
but pharmacist refered to light-gun. Can they not go back and determine precisely how many pills they counted for last prescription
(whether 30 or 60)?

What controls are in place to prevent pharmacists from counting 30
and charging patients or insurance company for 60?

I find myself in position of proving my innocence and understand that i could
have dropped the pills, sold them, or could even be hoarding them.

Is there any other recourse, but for me to always request recount,
which 80% of time will make me appear to be just being difficult?

Insurance company has allowed us to request "Medical-Loss Override",
and may now be suspicious that shortages could be deliberate. They may
investigate. I just wish that existing controls would prevent from ever happening. It seems that great expense and effort is wasted on controls
that are currently ineffective ;-/

But thank you for providing this forum. Understanding goes a long way
to relieving frustration. I have already added to favorites ;-)