Dr. Grumpy: "How's the new medication working out for you?"
Mr. Pill: "Terrible! I'm nauseous all the time, have headaches, and throw up a lot!"
Dr. Grumpy: "Then let's stop it and..."
Mr. Pill: "I don't want to do that! I just bought a 90 day supply!"
I gotta agree with Mr. Pill, though. I've been in the situation where I paid something like $70 for a prescription, took one pill and it made me sick. Then I was stuck with 89 days of pills I couldn't use. Can't take 'em back. I can't donate them to someone who can use them. (There really should be some kind of charitable organization that would accept such donations. Better than dumping 'em in a landfill or down the drain.) Might as well try to go on at least.
ReplyDelete"OK, then let me prescribe some buckets."
ReplyDeleteI dimly recall some sort of program here is southern Alabama that took unused Rx's and gave the meds to needy. I know there were several Pharmacists supervising, but can't find program now.
ReplyDeleteI liked that the pharmacists were involved to check over the meds. It makes a lot of sense to me as I get 90-day supplies from my pharmacy. What if I have the medication discontinued or die? I know I would rather see it help someone than messing up a landfill or messing with the sewage system (I do remember a public works director telling me that they had no way to clear some meds out of the sewage. Lots of very drugged fish.)
No samples?
ReplyDelete"Besides, my therapist says I need to work on my commitment issues."
ReplyDelete"I just checked their resale value, and it's terrible!"
ReplyDeleteTrue story, Pharmacy says can't refill without authorization, I make appointment with Doc.
ReplyDeleteDay before appointment with Doc, the Pharmacy calls and says your RX is ready for pickup. I go and pickup and say, I should cancel Doc appointment Rx is 90 day supply Then I say, ah, I'll go any how. I go and Doc says my BP is way high. Turned out meds were being filled wrong all along, so for 6 months was getting wrong meds.
Typical pharma ad: "If you are allergic to WXYZda or it kills you, notify your doctor."
ReplyDelete@Packer- I had that happen, thankfully, they just doubled the dose. I took two a day until they were gone.
ReplyDeleteNot quite as bad as "The Accidental Tourist" where one of the Leary brother had an absurdly good deal offered to buy his house. He had to turn it down because he just bought 2 years worth supply of address stickers for the address.
ReplyDeleteTrue story. I worked relief at one of two drugstores in town on the Friday night of the typical four-day holiday weekend, which means all the doctor's offices will be closed 'til Tuesday. Patient brings script for drug with 5 refills. Drug is entered properly with the 5 refills by tech. While I am checking the script for accuracy of drug in bottle, I notice in the patient's record several other prescriptions for same drug, different strength and different directions. I ask the tech why the other scripts weren't canceled with the new script and the reply was that maybe the patient might need them. Next patient comes in and tells us they need a 6-month supply of all their prescriptions as they're going on a trip out of the country. The tech goes ahead to process refills of the six month supply and I ask, "Will this patient's insurance cover all those pills?" The reply is patient will pay cash. Oh. Okay. Then I answer the message machine and the message on voicemail. "I am so and so and I need all my prescriptions filled. I don't have the numbers, just fill them all." So, I say to the tech, "How will you know which ones to fill?" and the reply is refilling all active prescriptions with refills. Really? Then, the next patient drops by from out of town, and tells the tech, "I ran out of my blood pressure medicines, I don't remember the name, and I think it starts with 'T' and I won't be able to get it until next week. Can you give me a few to get through?" I say, "Find out if she has the prescription bottle, or where she had her prescription filled originally, and if it is one of our chain, we'll go from there, otherwise, "go fish", or nicely tell her to stop in an Urgent Care, somewhere. Then, the shift is over, the security window is closed, prescriptions filed, lights off, and doors are locked and and I drove home several hours away. The end.
ReplyDelete