ok here’s one for the books... | Arthritis Information

I got home yesterday and there was a large box waiting for me. It was from my mail order pharmacy. I open it up and start pulling out piles of air pillow things they use for packing. Inside I find 1 needle. ONE FRIGGEN NEEDLE! The enclosed invoice says 1 case and the fee was . I called my Rheumy first to see what he had written on the prescription which was one case, so I then called the mail order pharmacy. I get transferred around a few times and finally someone tells me I need to talk to the pharmacist. I'm on hold for 35 minutes, before the pharmacist comes on and I explained the problem and she says "oh god" She will get a case in the mail. I ask if they can rush it, and she she says yes for an additional fee. I remind her it was their mistake, not mine and I need them now.

Last time I sent in the script for my injection needles they sent me a case of needles without the syringe part, just needles. When I called they said my rheumy wasnt specific. sheesh....

Oh my! I wonder why they didn't call the doctor to question it. I can't believe they expected you to pay an additional fee.Deb, did you wanna just choke someone???? Geeze!!!!!!!!! So it's getting fixed FOR NO COST, right??
I know it doesn't seem this way to you right now, but that's hilarious! In a
"how can people be so phenomonelly dense?" kind of way.

Although I am sorry you're having a hard time getting the necessary needles.My daughter is on medicine for her lead posioning. Well, 2 months ago, I filled a prescription, picked it up, brought it home and was about to give it to her when I noticed the name on the bottle wasn't the same as I was used to. Called the pharmacy, "what's this?". They didn't know. when they called back, they said that the pharmacy tech had never heard of the medicine before and she thought it was another name for penicillin so she filled the prescription with penicillin. Oh.

My.

God.

Steph, PLEASE tell me you called that and reported it to someone!! PENICILLIN?!?!? How many thousands - millions? - of people are DEATHLY allergic to Penicillin? Can you imagine if they had given that to someone who didn't read the bottle, or couldn't read the bottle???? Sheesh!

Actually, I didn't call anyone except for the pharmacy. I didn't know there was anyone to call. I was shocked myself. I've always had prescriptions filled there without a problem. I also have no idea what made me look at the bottle this time. But you are so right. I also don't know what 3/4 tablet of penicillin would have done to my 25 lb 2 year old. My initial reaction was "My God that coulda killed her". However I honestly don't know if it would. It was just a mom's gut reaction, I think. So, who do you call when something like that happens?

I'm not really sure, to be honest..........the manager of the pharmacy, for starters? Maybe ask them for a number to their corporate offices? I think that might be a good start, I'm sure that's NOT something they want to get out - the fact that their tech just "guessed" What Pharmacy was it? Here, try this:

Here
[QUOTE=sgordon69]My daughter is on medicine for her lead posioning. Well, 2 months ago, I filled a prescription, picked it up, brought it home and was about to give it to her when I noticed the name on the bottle wasn't the same as I was used to. Called the pharmacy, "what's this?". They didn't know. when they called back, they said that the pharmacy tech had never heard of the medicine before and she thought it was another name for penicillin so she filled the prescription with penicillin. [/QUOTE]

Was the lead poisoning drug called "penicillamine"? Penicillamine is used as a chelating agent to remove heavy metals (like lead) from the body; also sometimes used in treatment of RA. It's a metabolite of penicillin. The names are really close and it's an easy mistake to make (that's NOT an excuse though!!!!). Definitely pursue this! Raise hell!!!

I work in pharmacy automation (hardware and software) - one of the biggest benefits of automation is the dramatic reduction in mistakes like that.

WOW I get more impressed with this web site everyday. It's a wealth of information!! About anything!

How cool Jasmine

I immediately thought about the movie "It's A Wonderful Life", where George ended up saving a woman's life because he realized that Mr. Gower the pharmacist had dispensed the wrong medication?

Jasmine, I think you should name your computer program "George".

I think you do need to report this incident to someone Steph. I don't know what the law is, but I would think that if a pharmacist's assistant is filling prescriptions, at the very least they should be checked by the pharmacist before they are released to the consumer!

Pharmacies SUCK! You would think they would be more careful with packaging meds and all.

I have had enough of pharmacies for this month

Katie- It was CVS. The head pharmacist called me back. I hope this never happens again but at least now I know who to report it too. Thanks for that link.

Jasmine- yes, it is penicillamine. Actually d-penicillamine if that is any different. The doctor Isabel sees for lead posioning warned me about the possibility for confusion. He said a lot of pharmacies don't keep d-pencillamine on hand and therefore aren't familiar with it. But that warning wasn't made so I would double check they had given her the right medicine just for when I was ordering it.

I completely agree with everyone on this issue. I was floored that with medication, the pharmacy assistant would just assume.

I sent away to Denver for a re-fill of medicine for time released form of naproxen. When it was 1/2 again as big as the ones I'd taken before I called and questioned them. They assured me I had the right medicine. After the first dose I started getting sick - it took 5 days of medicine before we put 2 and 2 together. I was REALLY sick. Called up the company that made the medicine called the pharmacy that game me the medicine - called my insuranse company. All it got me was a bill to pay for the medicine - no ONE would admit guilt. I was lucky it only took me 6 weeks to recover - someone who lived alone would have died. My point is that no one takes responsibility anymore it's always your fault. Hope you get your supplies

Starduster,

Oh God! That's terrible.

[QUOTE=Hillhoney]

Okay, I have to see if I am the only nutso one on this one:

I immediately thought about the movie "It's A Wonderful Life", where George ended up saving a woman's life because he realized that Mr. Gower the pharmacist had dispensed the wrong medication?

Jasmine, I think you should name your computer program "George".

[/QUOTE]

The pharmacist is SUPPOSED to check all prescriptions before they are given to the patient - it is his/her license on the line! Even in an automated pharmacy! This same sort of mistake has happened to my parents as well. The only mistake I've ever seen on my scripts is counting errors - I've received double the amount I'm supposed to get or half the amount I'm supposed to get, but never a wrong drug.

If I get a script for something I've never had before, the FIRST thing I do is to look it up in the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) when I get home. It has pictures of most drugs, and the drug monographs also have physical descriptions of the pills themselves (size, shape, color, imprints) - even for generics. It also lists side effects, interactions, pharmacology, etc.

I can't stand the mail-order pharmacies. I like going to a walk-in pharmacy where I can discuss things with the pharmacist. If you get to know your pharmacist, he/she can be a great resource! Besides, I'm never home during the day, and I really hate having to go to the UPS office after work to pick up packages. And I certainly don't want a box marked "Caremark" sitting on my front step all day - what if someone took it and decided to try out the various pills in search of a free high? Oh well. [QUOTE=Starduster]I sent away to Denver for a re-fill of medicine for time released form of naproxen. When it was 1/2 again as big as the ones I'd taken before I called and questioned them. They assured me I had the right medicine. After the first dose I started getting sick - it took 5 days of medicine before we put 2 and 2 together. I was REALLY sick. Called up the company that made the medicine called the pharmacy that game me the medicine - called my insuranse company. All it got me was a bill to pay for the medicine - no ONE would admit guilt. I was lucky it only took me 6 weeks to recover - someone who lived alone would have died. My point is that no one takes responsibility anymore it's always your fault. Hope you get your supplies[/QUOTE]

Holy crap!!! Did you pursue this? Someone (multiple people, actually) could get fired and/or lose their licenses!
for those of you that dont have access to a PDR you can go to www.drugs.com and they have a place that you put in the name of the drug and it will show you want it is soposed to look like. [QUOTE=sgordon69] My daughter is on medicine for her lead posioning.
Well, 2 months ago, I filled a prescription, picked it up, brought it home
and was about to give it to her when I noticed the name on the bottle
wasn't the same as I was used to. Called the pharmacy, "what's this?".
They didn't know. when they called back, they said that the pharmacy
tech had never heard of the medicine before and she thought it was
another name for penicillin so she filled the prescription with penicillin.
[/QUOTE]

It is interesting that the pharmacist tried to pin the blame on the tech.
When a tech fills a med, he/she brings the bottle and the label to the
pharmacist for final confirmation. It is not the techs fault, it is the
pharmacists. This was a bad mistake and should be brought to
someones attention, maybe the pharmacy owner.
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