Pharmacy's

How many of you have issues with pharmacy's messing up your medication orders? Or how many of you run into out of stock issues?

EVERY . SINGLE . MONTH but I can't change because they're the only ones that take my insurance.

I'm very thankful that I have never had any issues.

out of stock a few times ...

Don't mess with mom and pop pharmacies

I haven't had issues with messing up my orders since I got Medicare advantage part d and it got even better after ACA as they included more meds. and could use a major pharmaceutical provider. But back before my surgery when I was on major pain meds I had to get the pain meds from a special pharmacy cause the regular one routinely messed it up and had no meds although they should have known in advance that once a month I'd be filling my pain med. I've never had trouble with psych meds. A couple time the manufacturing place changed. But I got them on time and didn't notice a difference. All in all I'm happy with Walgreens but would not recommend them for pain meds. I'm on line and they send me an email that I can renew my meds, I click yes then I get a notice when they are ready. Since useing their email and on line ordering I've never run out of any meds. I get 90 days of all my meds except ambien and that one they also don't send an email, I have to go online and order it.

All the time at the one pharmacy. They never have anything in stock. I usually go in a few days before my prescription runs out and they always always have to order it specially. Sometimes that can take up to a week and a half or so- and thats after badgering them- which I hate to do. There are often other problems as well too- which they wnt tell me about until Im finally there after a week and a hapf of waiting- which can mean a few additional days of waiting. Its like they wanted to make it as painful as possible. It was like every separate time I went in there would be a new problem. It was ridiculous and would eventually require me going and having to beg for pills in different dosages just to tide me over for a couple of days- and then a couple more days- and then a couple more days. I hated it. I hated having to beg. I felt like a drug seeker. It was only made worse by the one pharmacist who worked at the place (who after the first time I went out of my way to avoid) who asked me what I needed the pills for. I told her bipolar and she rolled her eyes- seriously- and told me that “I could wait, Id ‘probably’ be fine”. Im not that sensitive to that sort of thing but Im kinda ashamed of my mental illness anyways, always feel like I “should be able to just control my emotions” and she was really loud about it and dismissive and it was just- I dont know. It made me feel bad about myself and like maybe I didnt really need the medication and that it was all just a joke. That my illness was a joke.

Anyways. Went out of my way to avoid her while waiting for THAT prescription to come in. But that pharmacy was just an unpleasant experience in general.

After a few months of that I switched to the bigger pharmacy slightly farther away. No problems there. Usually had my prescription in stock and when they dont it takes a day or 2 max for it to come in. So much better.

I've never had issues with a pharmacy messing up an order, but I have experienced a lot of out of stock issues or other delays. A few times a pharmacy couldn't get one of my medications, period, so I had to call a few to see if they had it. My biggest problem with pharmacies was nasty techs and/pharmacists. I've left pharmacies for that reason.

I get most of my meds through a mail order pharmacy. The advantage is that they give 90 day supplies and are often (not always) cheaper. I don't like the bureaucracy of them.

I get my benzos and short-term meds (or ones going through frequent dose changes) from a brick and mortar pharmacy. Even though they are often out of stock, I can still usually get the med the next day. Mail order takes days to get to me.

I have actually switched to a mom and pop pharmacy from big name chains. I like my new pharmacy, though I know not all mom and pop joints are as good.

Note: Being manic while at a pharmacy can lead to a bad situation. I had one pharmacist basically accusing me of wanting to abuse a benzo (which wasn't true). That same pharmacist almost called the police on me for a statement I made, which was not that bad. I think some pharmacists judge some customers based on their diagnoses that they can easily guess. Don't think they're all caring people. Some stigmatize a lot! I must say that to some degrees my behavior was aggressive and inappropriate a number of times because of disinhibition/irritability, but pharmacy staff should be aware that people they see are sick and/or upset by a myriad of things. Going to pharmacies multiple times per month is rough. Just the stress of being on loads of meds is rough! I'm actually on three fewer bipolar meds than I used to be on.

I've never had any issues as far as I'm aware of, Guiness187055, but I know other people have had very different experiences. It's a shame that so many people are having problems with pharmacies messing up their meds or running out of stock. That shouldn't happen. It's also terrible that some pharmacists would judge you based on your diagnosis... they should know better than that. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with those terrible experiences, BirdDancer and Under*Over It's already hard to take meds by itself. If you're having problems with this as well, Guiness187055, I'm so sorry. You're definitely not alone in this, as this thread has already shown. I hope things will get better soon for you all. Remember that we're here for you if you need it. Feel free to PM me anytime. Let me know if I can do something to help you. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this

Its much better now! My two other phramacies I use are much better. I can usually get my medication the same day at the one and a few days later max at the other (I move around for school- so different pharmacies)

I really shouldnt have tolerated the other pharmacy as long as I did- every experience was ridiculously awful- but I like to give the benefit of the doubt. But my new pharmacies are so so much better than that one that I really could have saved myself a lot of stress to have just switched right away.

Anyways. Thank you. You seem like a very nice and sweet person and I really think your posts are consistently just wonderful.

I agree too- I hate that some pharmacies are so bad. Really- its not that hard just to treat everyone with dignity and decency... and its sad when people in any sort of health care profession cant do that.

I've done better with them. An out of stock here and there (they can't help the Teva lamotrigine, it's gone for everyone), but mix ups, no.
Don't get me started on all things corporate (including big chain pharmacies...)

And rude/dismissive pharmacists/techs? I wrote up a major rant on a Costco one after she snootily informed me that they don't deal with "those" insurances (the state mental health one). Big-time a-hole attitude.

*********
Mr. Robot

Makes me sick to the heart, Oh I feel so tired. And the way the rain comes down hard, that's how I feel inside.

--The Cure

I use a military pharmacy. They have all the generic meds in stock but it’s a major pain trying to get anything not on formulary. When I was on Viibryd or Latuda it was “have you been on this before” or they wouldn’t give it, or had to get an authorization. Same with my husband’s MS meds. The techs are pretty nonchalant but they deal with a lot of other military crap that I don’t have to anymore, thankfully.

Never that I can remember.

Every damn month!

Before switching insurances and moving that pharmacy would always have everything and it was a local mom and pop place but I never had an issue with that place.

I switched pharmacies in January since that place was a lot further and while they took my insurance they weren't a preferred pharmacy so I would be paying double for my medications instead of my $5 for all generics so I switched to one of the preferred and I had no problem with them not having my medications until the call on Monday that they were out of my Buspirone and didn't know when they would get any in but they always have my Seroquel; Omeprazole; Verapamil; and my Daysee which is refilled every three months. I have honestly never had a problem before the Buspirone shortage.

I've also never had a problem with being judged by the pharmacist for being on any of my meds; the only time I have been judged was when an older man heard that I was picking up a beta blocker and he told me that I was much to young and pretty to need a beta blocker. I also got the same lecture one day waiting in the waiting room to see my Cardiologist that I was much to young to need one. I wish I didn't need a Cardiologist. The pharmacist is usually pretty chatty as well and I never feel judged by them or the tech's.

I get mine at a Supermarket called Publix and they are always out of stock and have to order which can take a day or two before they fill it.

I've never had a problem until this last time, when they were out of my haldol shot, which I needed that day, during a certain time frame, because I had to go get the shot at the county. I was pretty upset.

I get auto refills at my Walmart I don’t even have to do anything and my drug plan allows for refills 3 days early so they can order whatever is out of stock.

I just get a text that X are ready to pickup , I only have to go there twice a month.

Guess I’m lucky

Luckily almost never. I’m very thankful for my pharmacy. All of the pharmacists and some of the techs recognize me and know my name. One even came out from behind the counter to give me a hug when I was tearful on a bad day. <3

All the time. It sure didn't help with my compliance issues.