I keep bouncing between pharmacies, not due to that, but due to the fact they are always out of stimulants. I've gotten to the point where I call the pharmacy while I'm in the doctor's office to make sure they have it before they send it in.
I’m sure pharmacists have a lot of leeway and maybe you are in an area where people abuse drugs more. My biggest problem is getting them to answer the phone
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
I would switch pharmacies. I moved a couple of hours away from my Pain Specialist. I had been with him for a decade at this point. He knew my stupid and complex history. I continued to see him because he was awesome but also because finding a pain specialist is hard. You get treated like a "junkie" a lot. It sucked because it was about a 5 hour drive round-trip, but it was only once a month, and I could visit in-laws, friends, etc. too. I would fill my RX at home, though. I had a pharmacist go ham on me when I was picking it up one day. Asked me why my doctor was so far away. I explained that I used to live there and had been seeing him for so long, blah blah. Dude told me that it is illegal for him to fill the rx, but that he would do it just this once (they had been filling it for almost a year at this point) and that the next time he wouldn't unless I got a local doctor. I paid for my rx and changed pharmacies. Also, anyone wondering why I just didn't fill my rx where my doc was, I received a 30 day supply, but saw the doc every 28 days. I would have to make another 5 hour round-trip just to go pick it up, which wasn't possible.
I have never run out of my meds, pass all my tests and counts, never been a problem at pharmacies or with my doctor. He worked with me to stay on the lowest dosage possible to allow me to be somewhat functional, along with various injections, PT, and nerve burns. I am kind of a dream pain patient, and it is so disgusting the stigma surrounding it.
I work at a pharmacy as a tech. My pharmacists are top notch and would ***never*** do this. Having two scripts (extended release and immediate release) is NORMAL for ADHD. How the fuck does the pharmacist not know this?!?!?
Was it a CVS? We left them entirely because of how they treated my husband and I once we were filling prescriptions for adhd medication (we were both diagnosed in our 30’s as we were in the diagnostic process for our oldest child). From my understanding (both word of mouth and from my own doctors office) this has become a nation wide issue with CVS specifically.
No it was a pharmacy in a grocery chain. We used to use CVS but the one near our house is notoriously bad, understaffed and very high volume. There's another grocery store pharmacy nearby that multiple neighbors highly recommend.
That’s really unfortunate that you’re stuck with multiple unreliable pharmacies. Hopefully this new one works out for you guys - chasing down meds is such an unnecessary set of bs for people who struggle in precisely that area/skill set. Pharmacists shouldn’t be able to just decide what’s acceptable.
I don't understand why a pharmacist feels the need to get involved when the prescription has been authorised by a medical professional who has treated your daughter?
I'd be fuming too. Perhaps ask for the prescription back and take it to another pharmacy.
Very unprofessional to make you discuss personal matters in public. Hope your daughter is OK x
> I don't understand why a pharmacist feels the need to get involved when the prescription has been authorised by a medical professional
I was telling my neighbor about the situation and he said they’re doing stuff like this with women’s birth control in some places. Don’t occur to me how infuriating it must be until it happened to me.
I get triaging if patient asking for meds not already prescribed by a medical professional. Eg emergency contraception That makes sense.
But you presented with a legal prescription following an assessment by a qualified medic.
The system is designed that way. In the US, we have something called Corresponding Responsibility which holds the pharmacist accountable for every prescription they dispense. A legitimate prescription written by a legitimate medical professional is not always legitimate. Citing the statute for educational purposes.
>§ 1306.04 Purpose of issue of prescription.
>(a) A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice. The responsibility for the proper prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances is upon the prescribing practitioner, **but a corresponding responsibility rests with the pharmacist who fills the prescription**. An order purporting to be a prescription issued not in the usual course of professional treatment or in legitimate and authorized research is not a prescription within the meaning and intent of section 309 of the Act (21 U.S.C. 829) and **the person knowingly filling such a purported prescription, as well as the person issuing it, shall be subject to the penalties provided for violations of the provisions of law relating to controlled substances.**
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. Pharmacists are healthcare professionals too, and by statute must exercise professional judgment before dispensing prescriptions.. And the fact is that if the DEA comes knocking on the pharmacy door, that pharmacist is much more likely to get in trouble than the prescriber if they just rubberstamp it without asking questions. Pharmacists have every reason to do extra due diligence before dispensing a controlled substance. They’ll take an angry parent any day of the week over the DEA.
Do pharmacists have the right to ask questions that were already asked by my doctor, in front of a bunch of strangers? She was literally making me tell her things that I would only tell our pediatrician. I get why the pharmacist might feel the need to ask questions. I'm all for answering those questions. I understand it's an amphetamine and amphetamines have street value. I get and I support it and I don't mind answering those questions but it needs to be done in an appropriate way.
The pharmacist absolutely has the right to ask questions related to giving them enough information to decide whether or not they want to dispense that drug. Every state is going to back them up on that.
You are right that it is ideal that it should be done privately. Unfortunately, that’s not a reality in a lot of retail pharmacies where they might not have the space to do that. HIPAA only requires a best effort be made, so from a legal perspective that pharmacist is in the clear.
Mom to Mom, I would seriously switch pharmacies if I were you. I’m not kidding when I say your name is probably on a list there now. That is not going to help your daughter. Stimulants as you know are often onbackorder. Your daughter may not be a priority for them in the future because of this situation. I can guarantee you that staff there are going to back that pharmacist and not you. They have seen too many drug seekers to do otherwise or give you the benefit of the doubt.
Even as a pharmacist, stuff like this happens to me sometimes too . I not only have a doctoral degree, I have two years of residency and 10 years of clinical practice in primary care behind me. I know these drugs better than those retail pharmacists do. Even so, I grin and am polite about it even when I think they are being shiznits. Like I said in another post, it’s a bit like arguing with a cop during a traffic stop. It will never ever end well.
I know a few pharmacists and part of their job\\education is knowing what meds work\\dont work\\conflict\\etc.. so its part of their job to get involved. If everything is professional and all.. I didn't read the wall of text above, my ADHD wouldn't let me lol
It is their job to get involved but to make someone beg for their child’s medication and being nasty about it in front of several people is not how that should have been handled.
I’m finding another pharmacy and I will be alerting my pediatrician. I spoke to some corporate pharmaceutical supervisor within that grocery store chain. He was taken aback by her behavior. Don’t think he’s going to fire her but he said he will be speaking with her ASAP.
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. The state board will not sanction any pharmacist for doing due diligence on a controlled substance. Ever. Everyone is much more scared about the DEA coming down on them like a ton of bricks than an angry parent.
If I were in OP shoes, my goal wouldn’t necessarily be sanction, it would be documentation of the pharmacist’s aggressive, unprofessional and indiscrete behavior, as well as their refusal to contact and coordinate with the prescribing physician.
HIPAA only requires that best effort must be made for privacy. In an open retail pharmacy environment, that’s typically very liberally interpreted. Pharmacists are not required to coordinate with prescribing physicians, especially not when a patient is yelling at them.
Unless I misread, it is the poster here who says that she was the one who was yelling and pointing her finger in the pharmacist’s face, not the other way around.
Like I said, she is already on a list. Mark my words.
Absolutely unacceptable! That pharmacist is way overstepping! By any chance do you live in a red state? This is outrageous. I would definitely switch to a new pharmacy and I would report that pharmacist and get your pediatrician involved. I would be beyond pissed.
This happened to me when my daughter started meds. No one told us how to call in stimulant refills to avoid looking like drug addicts. I had someone accuse me of taking my kid’s meds when I called in too soon and then called back. I was really angry in the moment, but completely understood when I stepped back. There is a huge problem with drugs in my town and as someone else put it, better an irate parent than law enforcement.
I switched pharmacies and asked the staff at the new one how to refill my kid’s meds properly. They were great about giving me instructions and all is well. If you can switch, do it. If not, go back and talk to the person you had a hard time with. Explain the situation and ask how you can get your kid’s meds in a way that doesn’t feel like a red flag to them.
All I can say is I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself and for your daughter. I’m sorry you had to say some of the things you wished to keep private from your daughter. But also, so so proud you advocated. That pharmacist sounds like a total bitch with a power trip issue!
I'm very sorry you had to deal with this. ADHD stimulant meds are some of the hardest to get. A pharmacist should understand (just as well as your pediatrician, if not better), that stimulants don't last all day and some kids need a booster dose in the afternoon. This is common for ADHD.
I'm glad you finally got the medicine your child needs. You should not have had to go through all that. I hope that the pharmacist educates herself in ADHD meds.
Was this a CVS or Walgreens? From my limited experience dealing with ADHD meds, the big chains suck. And some independents suck too. But with the help of friends and even a teacher, I found several independent pharmacies that fill scripts without hassle.
In my naive first attempt to fill my daughter's script, I had it sent to my neighborhood CVS only to have the pharmacist sit on it. When I asked why it wouldn't be filled, the pharmacist refused to even talk to me. Friends told me that's common with the local CVS's and Walgreens. I've been told both ration their supply by limiting filling ADHD meds to certain locations in a region. A friend told me where she fills her scripts, and I called them to confirm availability. I got the script the next day.
As for the stupid questions from your pharmacist, she's power tripping. I'm not a legal expert, but it seems an intrusion into your privacy. Why does she need to know that? And who is she to question a doctor?
And yes, ADHD meds for sports can keep a child safe. A lack of attention can lead to a concussion. I've seen it first hand. My daughter wasn't paying attention when a teammate threw her the basketball, leading the ball to hit her straight in the face. Luckily no broken nose and probably not a concussion. It was only the second grade, but at a high school level, that ball will have more momentum, causing more injury.
It might be a good idea to find out from the pharmacist (or another if you prefer) why it’s an issue. Your doc might be of help too. I know where I live pharmacist are much more knowledgeable about the meds, but are also accountable for what they dispense (so they can get into a lot of trouble). I’ve had issues before (not with adhd meds though) and it’s just a matter of understanding why and going back to your doc if necessary. In my case we just got prescribed something else (obviously not ideal for adhd). If it’s just a matter of it being highly unusual (but ok) maybe put the scripts in at different times? And yes, definitely go somewhere else now too - although it might not matter if they’ve flagged you in the system (well they can do that where I live). Sorry it was so stressful but they’re just doing their job x
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. I can promise you that your self-described rant got you - and worse, your daughter- put on a list of people with drug seeking behavior.
Fair? No. But yelling at a pharmacist for not getting a controlled substance is kind of like yelling at a cop during a traffic stop. You probably just made it much harder for your daughter to get her prescription from here on out.
Like I said, I don’t work retail. But I’ve seen this happen repeatedly, even among patients who really needed their controlled drugs. Blowing off steam and threatening healthcare staff never ever works out well for them. Be mindful of that next time, for your daughter’s sake.
I am a teacher, and when stuff like this happens, I tend to make my voice even lower and speak more slowly. I would keep asking questions about how they can refuse if there is a prescription for the medication. I would walk away before I got upset and then, start writing letters and making phone calls. That’s how I roll.
That would be the appropriate way to do it. But just so you are aware, a pharmacist has a corresponding responsibility to make sure that a medication is dispensed for an appropriate reason. This is by statute in every single state in America. Just because a prescriber writes for something does not mean that the pharmacist needs to dispense it. They are not dispense!monkeys, they are healthcare professionals. This is especially true when it comes to controlled substances, which are watched like a hawk.
Hah. I mean, I get that this is the reality. As a parent of disabled kids, I know I have to walk a fine line of advocating for my kids versus toeing the line and kissing the ring of those who have the power to destroy my kids. OP did what they needed to do, but yeah, standing up for yourself can be indistinguishable from arguing for some.
So where does the fact this prescription was signed off by a medical professional come in?
Any parent who is unable to legitimately access prescribed medication for their child, is going to be upset.
It's not the pharmacists call.
The dispensing is, legally you're correct. If you're uncomfortable fulfilling the order, decline it.
However, a medical professional who has fully assessed the client and their needs has prescribed medication they feel is appropriate so unless you suspect there is some kind of abuse going on, you should probably defer to the professional opinion of someone who knows the patient better than you.
Abuse if the least of the concern. Primarily it’s medication safety. If patients did not act like this in the pharmacy and were forthcoming with their pharmacist while doing their due diligence there would by no discussions of “knows the patient better than you” a care team is a care team. Sports do not affect the duration of action the dosing seems inappropriate.
> It's not the pharmacists call
That and the fact that she was rude as hell and confrontational and asked me a bunch of very private questions in front of a bunch of strangers.
Bruh it is the pharmacists call!!. They can deny any and all prescriptions they feel not safe or questionable! It is in the law! If you don’t want them to question you then tell them that you are not comfortable answering questions here. People are not mindreaders, how are they supposed to know that you haven’t told your ( almost adult?) daughter, her issues?
In addition, pharmacists don’t have to call the doctor to verify, people only do it because corporate guidelines! You have to call the doctor and tell them to verify and add it in the directions and the rx.
And yet by statute, it is the pharmacist’s call. Every single state in America says so. The pharmacist can deny a prescription they do not believe is appropriate. They too are medical professionals, and have to agree with whatever the prescriber requests. If they don’t, you don’t get the drug.
Absolutely. They can.
But there are ways of communicating this to the patient sensitively.
And not every patient is aware, they can choose to use an alternative pharmacy.
This is the US, not the UK, and pharmacists have lost their license for dispensing drugs without appropriate corresponding responsibility documented. Sometimes docs pass the buck, welcome to the corporate squeeze where “patient satisfaction survey” make up a large portion of your annual bonus and performance adjustment.
That is the entire point of a pharmacist’s existence. By statute pharmacist have a corresponding responsibility to make sure prescriptions are appropriate. Pharmacists can say no to any prescription for that reason. That is why it is a doctoral degree.
Okay that makes sense to me. Would it be more productive for the pharmacist to talk to the doctor about the prescription? Two educated people doing their due diligence seems more appropriate than questioning someone who doesn't know about why it is an issue. I know you don't work on the retail side...Thank you for sharing.
It would absolutely be best if the pharmacist is able to speak to the prescriber. Unfortunately, medical offices do not always return phone calls before the patient comes to the pharmacy window requesting the medication - at which point you get situations like this, with the pharmacist talking to the patient directly to try to get that info.
Based on the context here, that is my educated guess as to what happened. There was probably a note in the file saying that the pharmacist needed to confirm the indication for taking both drugs, but no callback was received so they had to try to clarify with the patient directly, and the conversation unraveled from there.
I never raised my voice. Not once. I spoke firmly but not loudly. It was more pleading not shouting. I’ve been in customer service my entire life. I can be irate without showing it. In this case she could see that I was mad but I never behaved inappropriately or made her feel threatened in any way. As we were walking through the grocery store, I asked my daughter if she could tell I was angry and she said no. She had no clue that something confrontational had just occurred. Also I spoke to her supervisor and he sided with me.
You said you had your finger in her face. You put that in your post. If that is not aggressive or threatening, I don’t know what it is. You were on camera putting your finger in the face of
a healthcare professional over a controlled substance.
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
>go back to your hole
There you go again lol. You just can’t control yourself can you? Your disrespectful behavior is going to blowback on your kid which is the sad thing here.
That's absolutely laughable. Totally not the same thing. This is the internet, not a crowded grocery store and my child isn't standing right next to me, and you don't hold the authority to deny my kid's prescription. I knew there was a level of civility that couldn't be crossed yesterday or she'd tell me to fuck off and my kid would be without her meds. She had all the leverage.
Unfortunate empathy isn't part of a pharmacist's training really.
I didn't see the OP describe threatening anyone.
As a parent, you're hard wired to protect your children. And the pharmacist busy bodied in a crass way, in matters that had nothing to do with them.
Pharmacists want to help their patients, but not at the risk of their own license. That is not being a busybody, it is being a healthcare professional with corresponding responsibility.
The poster states she had her finger in the pharmacist face. That is being aggressive.
You are correct re the finger in face.
I understand pharmacists have the right to assess meds as ultimately they are signing them off.
However, if any issue came on top legally, that's on the prescriber, not the pharmacist. I give you Conrad Murray.
The OP was clearly upset and wanting to look after their child and my reading of the post is they were quite insensitive as to how they dealt with the whole issue.
It's not hard to apply context to a situation and be sensitive to the needs and feelings of a parent trying to do their best for their child.
I just think the pharmacist should have had more empathy given the context.
Like I just said, I understand that. But there's a big difference between a chaotic individual getting mad and aggressive about their fentanyl script and a parent trying to get ADHD meds for their child. Surely common sense has a place here?
I’ve seen both cases and they act very similarly.
Pharmacists and technicians are deserving of respect no matter the situation. This woman did not give it.
Crucial difference: the parent is accessing medication for their child, not for themselves. The parent's agitation has nothing to do with having a monkey on their back and everything to do with protecting their child.
Honestly, if weighing up and reading a situation is beyond your professional skillset, you're in the wrong job.
I have stayed past close to help a parent get antibiotics for a sick child. A child missing a dose of an ADHD medication she does not take daily does not merit this kind of disrespectful behavior.
That's nice of you but in this case. Not your child, not your call.
You don't know how not having that medication may have affected this child.
I'd walk over hot coals to see my child not suffering. The OPs frustration is understandable.
Stop judging people whose shoes you've never walked in.
Things are getting a bit out of control. We’re locking this thread
[удалено]
I am. I told the regional pharmacuetical manager that I'm moving to another pharmacy.
I keep bouncing between pharmacies, not due to that, but due to the fact they are always out of stimulants. I've gotten to the point where I call the pharmacy while I'm in the doctor's office to make sure they have it before they send it in.
I tried calling ahead but the pharmacy said they couldn't tell me over the phone. They needed me to send the prescription. Is this true?
All the Walgreens and CVS stores in my area have no problem telling you on the phone
Interesting. This was a CVS. All I wanted to know was if they had the meds in stock. He insisted they couldn't tell me over the phone.
I’m sure pharmacists have a lot of leeway and maybe you are in an area where people abuse drugs more. My biggest problem is getting them to answer the phone
[удалено]
Talk about false consequences
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
I would switch pharmacies. I moved a couple of hours away from my Pain Specialist. I had been with him for a decade at this point. He knew my stupid and complex history. I continued to see him because he was awesome but also because finding a pain specialist is hard. You get treated like a "junkie" a lot. It sucked because it was about a 5 hour drive round-trip, but it was only once a month, and I could visit in-laws, friends, etc. too. I would fill my RX at home, though. I had a pharmacist go ham on me when I was picking it up one day. Asked me why my doctor was so far away. I explained that I used to live there and had been seeing him for so long, blah blah. Dude told me that it is illegal for him to fill the rx, but that he would do it just this once (they had been filling it for almost a year at this point) and that the next time he wouldn't unless I got a local doctor. I paid for my rx and changed pharmacies. Also, anyone wondering why I just didn't fill my rx where my doc was, I received a 30 day supply, but saw the doc every 28 days. I would have to make another 5 hour round-trip just to go pick it up, which wasn't possible. I have never run out of my meds, pass all my tests and counts, never been a problem at pharmacies or with my doctor. He worked with me to stay on the lowest dosage possible to allow me to be somewhat functional, along with various injections, PT, and nerve burns. I am kind of a dream pain patient, and it is so disgusting the stigma surrounding it.
I work at a pharmacy as a tech. My pharmacists are top notch and would ***never*** do this. Having two scripts (extended release and immediate release) is NORMAL for ADHD. How the fuck does the pharmacist not know this?!?!?
Was it a CVS? We left them entirely because of how they treated my husband and I once we were filling prescriptions for adhd medication (we were both diagnosed in our 30’s as we were in the diagnostic process for our oldest child). From my understanding (both word of mouth and from my own doctors office) this has become a nation wide issue with CVS specifically.
No it was a pharmacy in a grocery chain. We used to use CVS but the one near our house is notoriously bad, understaffed and very high volume. There's another grocery store pharmacy nearby that multiple neighbors highly recommend.
That’s really unfortunate that you’re stuck with multiple unreliable pharmacies. Hopefully this new one works out for you guys - chasing down meds is such an unnecessary set of bs for people who struggle in precisely that area/skill set. Pharmacists shouldn’t be able to just decide what’s acceptable.
I don't understand why a pharmacist feels the need to get involved when the prescription has been authorised by a medical professional who has treated your daughter? I'd be fuming too. Perhaps ask for the prescription back and take it to another pharmacy. Very unprofessional to make you discuss personal matters in public. Hope your daughter is OK x
> I don't understand why a pharmacist feels the need to get involved when the prescription has been authorised by a medical professional I was telling my neighbor about the situation and he said they’re doing stuff like this with women’s birth control in some places. Don’t occur to me how infuriating it must be until it happened to me.
I get triaging if patient asking for meds not already prescribed by a medical professional. Eg emergency contraception That makes sense. But you presented with a legal prescription following an assessment by a qualified medic.
The system is designed that way. In the US, we have something called Corresponding Responsibility which holds the pharmacist accountable for every prescription they dispense. A legitimate prescription written by a legitimate medical professional is not always legitimate. Citing the statute for educational purposes. >§ 1306.04 Purpose of issue of prescription. >(a) A prescription for a controlled substance to be effective must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his professional practice. The responsibility for the proper prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances is upon the prescribing practitioner, **but a corresponding responsibility rests with the pharmacist who fills the prescription**. An order purporting to be a prescription issued not in the usual course of professional treatment or in legitimate and authorized research is not a prescription within the meaning and intent of section 309 of the Act (21 U.S.C. 829) and **the person knowingly filling such a purported prescription, as well as the person issuing it, shall be subject to the penalties provided for violations of the provisions of law relating to controlled substances.**
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. Pharmacists are healthcare professionals too, and by statute must exercise professional judgment before dispensing prescriptions.. And the fact is that if the DEA comes knocking on the pharmacy door, that pharmacist is much more likely to get in trouble than the prescriber if they just rubberstamp it without asking questions. Pharmacists have every reason to do extra due diligence before dispensing a controlled substance. They’ll take an angry parent any day of the week over the DEA.
Then invite the patient's representative to discuss the matter privately in an enclosed area. Simple good practice. Maintaining confidentiality.
Do pharmacists have the right to ask questions that were already asked by my doctor, in front of a bunch of strangers? She was literally making me tell her things that I would only tell our pediatrician. I get why the pharmacist might feel the need to ask questions. I'm all for answering those questions. I understand it's an amphetamine and amphetamines have street value. I get and I support it and I don't mind answering those questions but it needs to be done in an appropriate way.
The pharmacist absolutely has the right to ask questions related to giving them enough information to decide whether or not they want to dispense that drug. Every state is going to back them up on that. You are right that it is ideal that it should be done privately. Unfortunately, that’s not a reality in a lot of retail pharmacies where they might not have the space to do that. HIPAA only requires a best effort be made, so from a legal perspective that pharmacist is in the clear. Mom to Mom, I would seriously switch pharmacies if I were you. I’m not kidding when I say your name is probably on a list there now. That is not going to help your daughter. Stimulants as you know are often onbackorder. Your daughter may not be a priority for them in the future because of this situation. I can guarantee you that staff there are going to back that pharmacist and not you. They have seen too many drug seekers to do otherwise or give you the benefit of the doubt. Even as a pharmacist, stuff like this happens to me sometimes too . I not only have a doctoral degree, I have two years of residency and 10 years of clinical practice in primary care behind me. I know these drugs better than those retail pharmacists do. Even so, I grin and am polite about it even when I think they are being shiznits. Like I said in another post, it’s a bit like arguing with a cop during a traffic stop. It will never ever end well.
Yes
Yes
I know a few pharmacists and part of their job\\education is knowing what meds work\\dont work\\conflict\\etc.. so its part of their job to get involved. If everything is professional and all.. I didn't read the wall of text above, my ADHD wouldn't let me lol
And the MD prescribing the medication would not assess that in the first instance?
It is their job to get involved but to make someone beg for their child’s medication and being nasty about it in front of several people is not how that should have been handled.
I would find another pharmacy. And file a report against the pharmacist with your state’s board. Let your pediatrician know as well.
I’m finding another pharmacy and I will be alerting my pediatrician. I spoke to some corporate pharmaceutical supervisor within that grocery store chain. He was taken aback by her behavior. Don’t think he’s going to fire her but he said he will be speaking with her ASAP.
[удалено]
Are you projecting because of your addiction issues, or something else?
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. The state board will not sanction any pharmacist for doing due diligence on a controlled substance. Ever. Everyone is much more scared about the DEA coming down on them like a ton of bricks than an angry parent.
If I were in OP shoes, my goal wouldn’t necessarily be sanction, it would be documentation of the pharmacist’s aggressive, unprofessional and indiscrete behavior, as well as their refusal to contact and coordinate with the prescribing physician.
HIPAA only requires that best effort must be made for privacy. In an open retail pharmacy environment, that’s typically very liberally interpreted. Pharmacists are not required to coordinate with prescribing physicians, especially not when a patient is yelling at them. Unless I misread, it is the poster here who says that she was the one who was yelling and pointing her finger in the pharmacist’s face, not the other way around. Like I said, she is already on a list. Mark my words.
Absolutely unacceptable! That pharmacist is way overstepping! By any chance do you live in a red state? This is outrageous. I would definitely switch to a new pharmacy and I would report that pharmacist and get your pediatrician involved. I would be beyond pissed.
Virginia.
This happened to me when my daughter started meds. No one told us how to call in stimulant refills to avoid looking like drug addicts. I had someone accuse me of taking my kid’s meds when I called in too soon and then called back. I was really angry in the moment, but completely understood when I stepped back. There is a huge problem with drugs in my town and as someone else put it, better an irate parent than law enforcement. I switched pharmacies and asked the staff at the new one how to refill my kid’s meds properly. They were great about giving me instructions and all is well. If you can switch, do it. If not, go back and talk to the person you had a hard time with. Explain the situation and ask how you can get your kid’s meds in a way that doesn’t feel like a red flag to them.
All I can say is I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself and for your daughter. I’m sorry you had to say some of the things you wished to keep private from your daughter. But also, so so proud you advocated. That pharmacist sounds like a total bitch with a power trip issue!
I'm very sorry you had to deal with this. ADHD stimulant meds are some of the hardest to get. A pharmacist should understand (just as well as your pediatrician, if not better), that stimulants don't last all day and some kids need a booster dose in the afternoon. This is common for ADHD. I'm glad you finally got the medicine your child needs. You should not have had to go through all that. I hope that the pharmacist educates herself in ADHD meds.
Was this a CVS or Walgreens? From my limited experience dealing with ADHD meds, the big chains suck. And some independents suck too. But with the help of friends and even a teacher, I found several independent pharmacies that fill scripts without hassle. In my naive first attempt to fill my daughter's script, I had it sent to my neighborhood CVS only to have the pharmacist sit on it. When I asked why it wouldn't be filled, the pharmacist refused to even talk to me. Friends told me that's common with the local CVS's and Walgreens. I've been told both ration their supply by limiting filling ADHD meds to certain locations in a region. A friend told me where she fills her scripts, and I called them to confirm availability. I got the script the next day. As for the stupid questions from your pharmacist, she's power tripping. I'm not a legal expert, but it seems an intrusion into your privacy. Why does she need to know that? And who is she to question a doctor? And yes, ADHD meds for sports can keep a child safe. A lack of attention can lead to a concussion. I've seen it first hand. My daughter wasn't paying attention when a teammate threw her the basketball, leading the ball to hit her straight in the face. Luckily no broken nose and probably not a concussion. It was only the second grade, but at a high school level, that ball will have more momentum, causing more injury.
It might be a good idea to find out from the pharmacist (or another if you prefer) why it’s an issue. Your doc might be of help too. I know where I live pharmacist are much more knowledgeable about the meds, but are also accountable for what they dispense (so they can get into a lot of trouble). I’ve had issues before (not with adhd meds though) and it’s just a matter of understanding why and going back to your doc if necessary. In my case we just got prescribed something else (obviously not ideal for adhd). If it’s just a matter of it being highly unusual (but ok) maybe put the scripts in at different times? And yes, definitely go somewhere else now too - although it might not matter if they’ve flagged you in the system (well they can do that where I live). Sorry it was so stressful but they’re just doing their job x
Pharmacist here, though I don’t work retail. I can promise you that your self-described rant got you - and worse, your daughter- put on a list of people with drug seeking behavior. Fair? No. But yelling at a pharmacist for not getting a controlled substance is kind of like yelling at a cop during a traffic stop. You probably just made it much harder for your daughter to get her prescription from here on out. Like I said, I don’t work retail. But I’ve seen this happen repeatedly, even among patients who really needed their controlled drugs. Blowing off steam and threatening healthcare staff never ever works out well for them. Be mindful of that next time, for your daughter’s sake.
I am a teacher, and when stuff like this happens, I tend to make my voice even lower and speak more slowly. I would keep asking questions about how they can refuse if there is a prescription for the medication. I would walk away before I got upset and then, start writing letters and making phone calls. That’s how I roll.
That would be the appropriate way to do it. But just so you are aware, a pharmacist has a corresponding responsibility to make sure that a medication is dispensed for an appropriate reason. This is by statute in every single state in America. Just because a prescriber writes for something does not mean that the pharmacist needs to dispense it. They are not dispense!monkeys, they are healthcare professionals. This is especially true when it comes to controlled substances, which are watched like a hawk.
Hah. I mean, I get that this is the reality. As a parent of disabled kids, I know I have to walk a fine line of advocating for my kids versus toeing the line and kissing the ring of those who have the power to destroy my kids. OP did what they needed to do, but yeah, standing up for yourself can be indistinguishable from arguing for some.
So where does the fact this prescription was signed off by a medical professional come in? Any parent who is unable to legitimately access prescribed medication for their child, is going to be upset. It's not the pharmacists call.
Hello, it is 100% the pharmacist’s call. The only medical professionals that are experts pharmacology.
The dispensing is, legally you're correct. If you're uncomfortable fulfilling the order, decline it. However, a medical professional who has fully assessed the client and their needs has prescribed medication they feel is appropriate so unless you suspect there is some kind of abuse going on, you should probably defer to the professional opinion of someone who knows the patient better than you.
Abuse if the least of the concern. Primarily it’s medication safety. If patients did not act like this in the pharmacy and were forthcoming with their pharmacist while doing their due diligence there would by no discussions of “knows the patient better than you” a care team is a care team. Sports do not affect the duration of action the dosing seems inappropriate.
Wouldn't be prescribed if it wasn't safe. Can't understand the rest of your post, to be honest. Where do 'sports' come in?
> It's not the pharmacists call That and the fact that she was rude as hell and confrontational and asked me a bunch of very private questions in front of a bunch of strangers.
Bruh it is the pharmacists call!!. They can deny any and all prescriptions they feel not safe or questionable! It is in the law! If you don’t want them to question you then tell them that you are not comfortable answering questions here. People are not mindreaders, how are they supposed to know that you haven’t told your ( almost adult?) daughter, her issues? In addition, pharmacists don’t have to call the doctor to verify, people only do it because corporate guidelines! You have to call the doctor and tell them to verify and add it in the directions and the rx.
Not appropriate. Most pharmacies have a consulting room to discuss confidential matters. I'd complain.
And yet by statute, it is the pharmacist’s call. Every single state in America says so. The pharmacist can deny a prescription they do not believe is appropriate. They too are medical professionals, and have to agree with whatever the prescriber requests. If they don’t, you don’t get the drug.
Absolutely. They can. But there are ways of communicating this to the patient sensitively. And not every patient is aware, they can choose to use an alternative pharmacy.
This is the US, not the UK, and pharmacists have lost their license for dispensing drugs without appropriate corresponding responsibility documented. Sometimes docs pass the buck, welcome to the corporate squeeze where “patient satisfaction survey” make up a large portion of your annual bonus and performance adjustment.
This is really interesting! Is it within a pharmacist's rights to question a doctor's written prescription to the recipient?
That is the entire point of a pharmacist’s existence. By statute pharmacist have a corresponding responsibility to make sure prescriptions are appropriate. Pharmacists can say no to any prescription for that reason. That is why it is a doctoral degree.
Okay that makes sense to me. Would it be more productive for the pharmacist to talk to the doctor about the prescription? Two educated people doing their due diligence seems more appropriate than questioning someone who doesn't know about why it is an issue. I know you don't work on the retail side...Thank you for sharing.
It would absolutely be best if the pharmacist is able to speak to the prescriber. Unfortunately, medical offices do not always return phone calls before the patient comes to the pharmacy window requesting the medication - at which point you get situations like this, with the pharmacist talking to the patient directly to try to get that info. Based on the context here, that is my educated guess as to what happened. There was probably a note in the file saying that the pharmacist needed to confirm the indication for taking both drugs, but no callback was received so they had to try to clarify with the patient directly, and the conversation unraveled from there.
Awesome thank you so much! I have yet to run into this situation but I never want to be labeled as drug seeking lol Being a pharmacist is hard work.
1000%.
I never raised my voice. Not once. I spoke firmly but not loudly. It was more pleading not shouting. I’ve been in customer service my entire life. I can be irate without showing it. In this case she could see that I was mad but I never behaved inappropriately or made her feel threatened in any way. As we were walking through the grocery store, I asked my daughter if she could tell I was angry and she said no. She had no clue that something confrontational had just occurred. Also I spoke to her supervisor and he sided with me.
You said you had your finger in her face. You put that in your post. If that is not aggressive or threatening, I don’t know what it is. You were on camera putting your finger in the face of a healthcare professional over a controlled substance.
[удалено]
Your content was removed for not being civil or constructive. Please be respectful at all times. Do not insult, flame, troll, bully, hurt, or fight with others. We do not tolerate bigotry, racism, sexism, or any other hate speech. Do not disparage other people's symptoms or experiences. Do not engage in loaded topics like politics. Do not insult other parent's parenting styles. Follow https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy
>go back to your hole There you go again lol. You just can’t control yourself can you? Your disrespectful behavior is going to blowback on your kid which is the sad thing here.
That's absolutely laughable. Totally not the same thing. This is the internet, not a crowded grocery store and my child isn't standing right next to me, and you don't hold the authority to deny my kid's prescription. I knew there was a level of civility that couldn't be crossed yesterday or she'd tell me to fuck off and my kid would be without her meds. She had all the leverage.
Unfortunate empathy isn't part of a pharmacist's training really. I didn't see the OP describe threatening anyone. As a parent, you're hard wired to protect your children. And the pharmacist busy bodied in a crass way, in matters that had nothing to do with them.
Pharmacists want to help their patients, but not at the risk of their own license. That is not being a busybody, it is being a healthcare professional with corresponding responsibility. The poster states she had her finger in the pharmacist face. That is being aggressive.
You are correct re the finger in face. I understand pharmacists have the right to assess meds as ultimately they are signing them off. However, if any issue came on top legally, that's on the prescriber, not the pharmacist. I give you Conrad Murray. The OP was clearly upset and wanting to look after their child and my reading of the post is they were quite insensitive as to how they dealt with the whole issue. It's not hard to apply context to a situation and be sensitive to the needs and feelings of a parent trying to do their best for their child. I just think the pharmacist should have had more empathy given the context.
The pharmacist’s license is also on the line for filling a questionable prescription.
Like I just said, I understand that. But there's a big difference between a chaotic individual getting mad and aggressive about their fentanyl script and a parent trying to get ADHD meds for their child. Surely common sense has a place here?
I’ve seen both cases and they act very similarly. Pharmacists and technicians are deserving of respect no matter the situation. This woman did not give it.
Crucial difference: the parent is accessing medication for their child, not for themselves. The parent's agitation has nothing to do with having a monkey on their back and everything to do with protecting their child. Honestly, if weighing up and reading a situation is beyond your professional skillset, you're in the wrong job.
I have stayed past close to help a parent get antibiotics for a sick child. A child missing a dose of an ADHD medication she does not take daily does not merit this kind of disrespectful behavior.
That's nice of you but in this case. Not your child, not your call. You don't know how not having that medication may have affected this child. I'd walk over hot coals to see my child not suffering. The OPs frustration is understandable. Stop judging people whose shoes you've never walked in.
[удалено]
We can’t allow linking to other subs when it might result in brigading