HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Pill Count problem, I'm confused!

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
1 2
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/14/2012 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
Good point Matt!

CJ...why don't you drive over there and calmly speak with the head Pharmacist and explain the situation. This way you can make sure that they correct the error as far as showing you picking up the prescription but void the whole thing out.

Just my opinion on what I would do. Doing things over the phone usually isn't as good as in person.
Posted 9/14/2012 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
Matt that makes total sense! I bet that's what happen here
Posted 9/14/2012 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
just a quick note. If you have problems with the pharmacy counts, you MUST count them at the pharmacy counter. Once you walk away they can claim you removed them and are trying to get extra. Have to count all 180 pills on my meds in front of them
makes them angry but it wouldn't be necessary if they had not messed up so many times. Good luck!
Posted 9/14/2012 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
Do you ever count your pills when you get them from the pharmacy? I have done that and have found errors too! When I was taking narcotics, I would count them to make sure I got the correct amount. I always did but I have been "shorted" on other medication. Mistakes can happen.

Sherrine
Posted 9/14/2012 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
I thought that too actually, but when I asked they said there wasn't anything there. My pill bottle also says 90 as well, so they will claim there were 90.

I have now made a formal complaint and talked to someone from CVS 3 times today. I only made the online account to see if I was missing something in regards to the 9 missing pills.

Then I find out they have a fictitious prescription ready to be picked up today for 90 Morphine? And that it says I got the last one on September 5th, not August 28th?

When I point this out, they claim to be fixing it. I look at the website and it is fixed, it says the correct date.

Then I check again, and it's wrong AGAIN! It says I've now PICKED UP the Morphine TODAY! What? How the hell did they do this?

I call again, she claims their system "Says the correct information, that you picked it up August 28th" and tries to give me some convoluted explanation about scanning it into the system today to fix the FIRST mistake.

So she "put a note" on my file saying that the online calender/display is wrong in case my doctor calls.

What would have happened if I never found out? I would have been labeled a doctor shopper, addict, whatever and banned forever from getting any Pain management help! All because they royally screwed up worse than a simple mistake?
Posted 9/14/2012 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
This whole situation is just one more reason why I've said that our Pharmacist should be a part of our "team" of health professionals. I made/make an effort to really get to know the head Pharmacist and every time I go in I ask about his lovely wife, grown kids, vacations, etc.

I've been with the same place (Sam's club) for 11 years now and even when I moved across town, it's totally worth the drive each month to keep going there.

This way, if I ever have a problem, he knows me, he knows I'm trustworthy, he knows my medical issues, etc...So we would work out any issues together.

A few months ago the Sam's club switched their provider of generic MSContins and the cost went up. Because he knows that I don't have health insurance, when I showed up to get my monthly prescription, he went ahead and "wrote off" the amount of the higher price since I only brought the usual amount of money to pay.

He has done things like this before like during a winter storm and the shipments didn't come in on time. He felt so bad for me even though that wasn't his fault at all. He gave me a month's worth free of my meds!

But they are human and yes, can make mistakes...It's all in how they handle it that is important to me personally.

So, just like my Dr., I feel the Pharmacist is just as important to my well being.

Hopefully CJ you will find a place you like better.
Posted 9/14/2012 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
I'm just flabbergasted and I want an investigation done.

I don't understand how I had a prescription listed and "Ready to Pick Up" according to CVS without me physically carrying a paper into them? How does that happen?

I feel like there are enough safeguards to prevent some shady pharmacist from putting in a fake prescription for narcotics and taking it home...right?

I need to find out how this could happen, and I wouldn't even know if I wasn't shorted pills. Like I said though, now I'm sure they shorted me if they put in a fake prescription under my name for me to pick up.

When I first called I was sly about it:

"Do I have anything to pick up? My name is X"

"Let me check" *Music* "You only got the Morphine Sulfate on August 28th..."

"Exactly, why am I being told it's ready?"

I've filed a formal complaint and I think someone there is stealing.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/north_attleboro/na-pharmacy-tech-accused-of-pilfering-pain-pills/article_81192247-2b70-54f4-97d9-aa0a7f9e46e7.html

" A pharmacy technician at CVS on Route 1 has been charged with stealing more than 4,000 prescription narcotics while working at the store.

Catherine T. Bryant, 31, of 173 Fisher St., Apt. 1, in North Attleboro, allegedly admitted to stealing the painkillers and other narcotic pills usually prescribed to treat addiction to opiates, police said Thursday." (This is only 1.5 hours away from me)

This lady apparently stole because she had chronic pain, and that sucks...but she should've gone through the channels we do.

Apparently the safeguards aren't good enough if you can steal 4,000 painkillers over time and not get caught!
Posted 9/14/2012 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Have you made absolutely sure, by going down and speaking with them, that it wasn't the prescription for the other 9 pills and that would make sense that you only got the 81 in the big bottle as Matt mentioned?

This seems like the most logical explanation for everything.

Again, don't try to do this over the phone but go down and speak with the head Pharmacist. This way you can get their name, and know that they have worked everything out for you.
Posted 9/14/2012 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going to go after work and ask, but I highly doubt it. If it was they should have already told me about it.

I will also count my pills under a security camera right then and there from now on. I declined a call from the head pharmacist because I'm sick of talking to them, but we'll see what happens.

Something fishy is going on at CVS, it seems easy to steal. Once they put the pills in your bottle and "fill" your order, they can steal and as long as you don't check right then and there, they can say it was YOU and their inventory is spot on.

Disgusting.
Posted 9/16/2012 7:17 AM (GMT 0)
I sure hope you are able to make it to your next prescription date with a minimum of pain.Maybe if you can try extra hard to avoid tasks that agravate your condition, things may go better.

I sure hope the people that have been in you home are not the source of your shortage.I had a little problem a number of years ago when some sleeping pills came up short.I found out from other friends who the thief could be as they knew he had done it to someone else that I didn't know.I confronted him and he told me he saw them on my fridge and didn't THINK I'd mind if he helped himself to a few.I held back and didn't flip out on him with my canes but I assure you he's never been back.It wasn't enough to get the police involved and besides I had no proof of our conversation so I learned a lesson about locking up ones medication.I sure hope that's not your problem but even members of the clergy have stolen sick peoples pills as they minister to them.May God bless you and make your days as painless as possible.Take care...........Rod 

Posted 9/16/2012 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
Cave, if you intend on counting your pills at the pharmacy then do it while standing in front of them at the counter where you can be seen. In most states the law says once you walk out of the store with your pills you are on your own, meaning its useless to sit in your car and count the pills. I have done this when I was shorted pills. Stand at the counter & count your pills.....Susie
Posted 9/17/2012 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hey cave, I was just poking through here and had another thought after reading Susie's post, it would probably be more expensive if you are a cash patient, but if you have very good insurance, you may want to concider trying a non-franchise, privately owned pharmacy. I think if you went in there and talked to the owner/pharmacist, before bringing in your scripts, you might be really surprised at the level of service and efficiency you might be able to get. Not to mention, the privately owned pharmacies may be able to help you if you were having problems, whereas with CVS, or another chain store, you're just another face out of 100 that they see every day. Take care, and I hope you get this figured out, and that you're not in too bad of shape.
Posted 9/18/2012 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
I would love to use a non-chain, I am not a fan of chain stores in general. I'd much prefer to support mom and pop shops if I could, but I honestly don't know of any private "drug stores" where I live.

My pain level will be high regardless, even take less than usual because my dosage is almost entirely useless for me currently. Unfortunately I have to go through the "prior authorization" nonsense with my insurance if the dosage goes up, but I'm hoping he's willing to try something other than Morphine Sulfate. If it doesn't work at all after 2+ years of not using it, it might be time for something else.

We'll see what happens in terms of other modalities, I may try things like yoga and stuff but I've tried almost everything to this day.

I also will count my pills at the counter, I guess my only fear is the possibility of theft from someone else seeing them or trying to "jump" me when I leave. I should prepare for that possibility I guess. I also don't want to drop/lose any.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12