Pharmacy issues
 

Hello everyone,

I have been having numerous issues with my pharmacy and am hoping that someone can provide suggestions on resolving such issues. I currently have all my medicines filled at Walgreens. I have 5 different medicines that never change and expect the pharmacy to be able to he filled when due however, each month Walgreens is not on time with at least one of my meds. Three of the meds that I take are in the narcotic family so it is not like the other pharmacys in the area carry them so it is not an easy task to have a neighboring pharmacy to fill the meds that Walgreens is short on. None of my friends have issues with getting meds at the time they are due and I'm left wondering why I have problems every month! In the past I had a huge confrontation with the phamasict as she would often hold my meds (I get refils every 28 days so that when I have a flare I have some room to work with) and the pharmacist would try to hold the script for 30 days. The pharmacist and I resolved that issue after my doctor called her and ripped her a new one and at that time I was given an apology and a gaurantee that they would fill all my meds on a timely basis but they consistantly are late since they say they are "out" of my meds.
Am I being overly dramatic? I get so upset that they think it is okay that I miss one or two doses because they don't have it.
Is it time to fire them and if yes how do I go about switching since most of my meds aren't the regular type of meds (especially the fentanyal and oxy). If you have similar story's please share as I really want to resolve this issue before I start working again. Thank you for your help.
Sarah

I can think of two options

Talk to the pharmacy manager and go over this; talk to Walgreens CS and go over it with them.

My option would be to find a small local pharmacy and have a talk with them about your needs. You could even have your doctor call and explain things to them. Privately owned seem to work a little harder to get to know you and your needs.

Liz

I also use Walgreens and funny cause they seem to be the only ones that carry my meds and do not run out!!! My suggestion is to call them 3-5 days ahead of time to check that they will have what you need, I do this pretty reguarlly, and they seem to get the message. I specifically ask them to check their stock!! Hope this may help you. Also, another reason I use them is that when we travel there is always a Walgreens and they have my info, that is not to say that I may have to call around to find one where I am that have what I need in stock, but I have always been able to get my meds. Fondly0-Carol

You also have to check and make sure there is not some supply distribution problem up the chain....

For example oxycodone IR has been short nationally for quite a while. This varies from area to area.

http://www.ashp.org/drugshortages/current/

The FDA site is currently listing methylphenidate as well:
http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/.../ucm050792.htm

Controlled substances are given a quota yearly to each company. If they run out of raw material, they have to wait for the next round.

Also some companies run into snags of their own, and may stop shipments. This happened to Glumetza last August...It just became available again in Feb 2011 as an example. Same with Merck and the infamous Sinemet shortage (which was global).
Fentanyl patches are always being recalled for various reasons of defect. You can call the companies up yourself to double check what Walgreen's says.
For example CVS still does not have Glumetza, but Walgreen's did and so did Medco. CVS says they cannot get it. :Dunno:
Makes one wonder doesn't it?

So check and make sure your medications not on these lists, before you complain further.

I also use Walgreen's, and I love the pharmacists there. But when I was Fentanyl and opiods they would sometimes not have the scripts or the strength of the scripts that I needed. I started to drop them off a few days ahead of time, so that in the event they were out, they could try to find it for me or I could go elsewhere. There are a number of Walgreen's within a 10-15 mile radius, so the pharmacist would call around and see if he could find it for me when he didn't have any. Otherwise, I would go to the CVS down the street. They never hassled me (although they may have called my doc or the other pharmacy for verification of my script). I also learned which 2 days of the week my Walgreen's placed their orders with their regional suppliers. If I tried to refill my scripts on those mornings and they were out, they could easily place an order for what I needed and it would be delivered within 48 hours.

My insurance provides for 90 days supplies of my meds if I use a mail order pharmacy, but I love the people at my local Walgreen's so much I haven't switched!! They never made me feel bad about the narcotics I took when I was on them, and helped me get them from other pharmacies when I needed them on a timely basis. If your pharmacist isn't taking care of you, then you should take your business somewhere else....

Good Look, Sandy

Thank you for the advice. I talked with the pharmsict yesterday and per the discussion the issues should be resolved but I have heard this before so time will tell if everything is really resolved. I have had alot of issues with this pharmacy and I think yesterday was the straw that broke the camels back and I think that is why I was so upset. I did report the issue to customer service and it seems like that is what really got their attention and also inspired them to apologize. Thank you for the advice.
Sarah

I talked to my very wonderful rsd neuro (Dr Knobler) ex partner to dr S, about this.
He told me if it's a chain store, (Wrong Aid, Walgreens etc.) and you'd be surprised, how many chains Wrong (RITE AID) actually owns. It ALL depends on the store's manager!
Some are terrible, some will respond when you have a problem. But, never stop with the pharmacist, they're only a link in the chain. The Manager, is who you must see, and if you don't get action after that, it's time to look elsewhere.
I used a local pharmacy who had 6 stores, then, got in trouble when one of the main pharmacists was arrested for selling pain narcotics! AGH! I hadto go for a while without my methadone! Nobody would tell me the truth, until someone showed me a local rag, with the police log in it.
Then Wrong (Rite Aid) bought them out.
Ouch!
Ouch!

Lord, these people fouled my methadone up, every month! I constantly felt as though I was 'titrating down'.

Then, in my mail comes a little flyer, from a new local drug store, in WALKING DISTANCE! Yea! I can even get there in the rain! (Next door in a little strip mall to my Butcher, Barber, and la la la).
This is a One Man show! He gave his local school history, all catholic schools, that I live nearby. He's set his store up, so that he sells NOTHING, that kids might want. Candy, Soda, like that. Minor supply of toiletries. No kids in there after school!
He gets the pharmacy job done! Even delivers!

This is what I love, since I was a small business person myself. Keeping the Money in the Neighborhood! It's hugely important!
I'd rather make a couple excellent service people wealthy, than spreading it all over share-holders around the world.

So, I've switched to this place, first time I gave him a written script, and twice other, He transferred from Wrong Aid. Both ready immediately. (I do believe he had to get the methadone in, but he has promised me, he will have it every month for me).

I'll see!
If it turns out badly, I'll be sure to let you know. But this Gentleman pharmacist, recognizes my voice or caller ID when i call. That's good for me!

Pete
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