About 20 years ago - or so - I was put on blood pressure medicine. Once they got me on pills that didn't have too many side effects I never gave them another thought - just took my pill every morning with my 2nd cup of coffee.
Until
Covid. Then I had trouble getting my pills. I heard the doctors were using the pills for covid patients..... Life became stressful every 3 months when I had to order them... would they have them?? would they have to give me a substitute?
Then life settled down and I had no problems getting my pills.
Until
2 weeks ago. I ordered my prescription online. The pills would be delivered in 48 hours. 72 hours later my pills hadn't arrived. I called the drugstore. They told me my pills had been recalled due to a cancer causing agent being found in them?!! (they couldn't have called to tell me??!!) I asked about the substitute pills - they had been recalled as well. They said they would fax my doctor and get a prescription for a new drug. WOW you think they would have done that as soon as they knew my pills had been recalled.......... ah well.
I waited another 5 days then called the drugstore again. They said my doctor had renewed my prescription for the recalled drugs??!!!! They suggested I call my doctor and get him to prescribe a new drug. (again they couldn't have called me to tell me?!)
I called. The nurse said she would leave him a note.
I waited another 2 days and called the drugstore again. They said they hadn't received anything.............. le sigh
I called the doctor's office again. (Now I was down to 4 day's worth of meds) I explained AGAIN what I needed. They said the office had faxed the drugstore and asked them to recommend a new drug. WTF??!! The drugstore is going to pick the best drug for me? I thought that was my doctor's job??!!!! GRRRRR.
I called the drugstore back and explained my doctor wanted a recommendation. Shock at the drugstore. I was so frustrated I said " listen - just go eeny meeny miny moe and pick one!!" This was on Wednesday.
Thursday I had a phone call from the doctor's office telling me they had sent a new prescription to the drugstore.
Thursday afternoon I got an email from the drugstore telling me my prescription was ready for pick up. (it's supposed to be delivered - but now I want to talk to the druggist about this new pill) I am picking them up this morning.
Is it normal to expect the patient to be the go-between with the drugstore and the doctor??? I don't know - I'm old fashioned I guess - but I kinda expect my doctor to pick the best drugs for me - to call the drugstore and give them the prescription. I kinda expect my drugstore to contact the doctor's office if there is a problem with my drugs... OR at the very least call me so I know there is a problem...........
I am SO not impressed and have no idea who to complain to..........
That sucks! Do you think it's lack of workers to make the calls or send out emails? I've had some trouble getting meds too, but not any I HAVE to have. Also did they tell you what this cancer causing drug thats been in your med for the past 20 years is? That would be my big question.
ReplyDeletePK - truthfully I didn't ask about the cancer element in the meds..... however it did flicker past my mind that maybe that's why I have bladder cancer?! shrug.... it seems just about everything causes cancer now ya know??
DeleteI think that this proves that there are still a lot of benefits from dealing with people face to face. We are getting too reliant on networks for important stuff and when that does not work it creates misery and confusion all round
ReplyDeletePrefectdt
OMG Morningstar, that is awful, and so stressful! You definitely shouldn't be the go between and the doctor surely should not be relying on the drugstore for an alternative. That's surely their job.
ReplyDeleteI can't fathom how you can be on this drug that long then all of a sudden you're told about the cancer concern with it. I would definitely want to find out as much as I could about the new one.
I have has issues on occasion getting my medication in the correct dose.
Hugs
Roz
WOw. we don't have the same system here so i cant really comment on whose job is what. But i would think that if a particular order cant be put thru (whether it's a pair of socks or a prescription drug) the responsibility lies with the order filler to call the order maker. AND you shouldn't have to be the one chasing everyone to do their jobs.
ReplyDelete