Gotcha!

Today I had a "frequent flyer" irritate me. I was covering a shift for a colleage when the man came in. I recognized him as a dsi (drug seeking individual) from previous encounters, although I couldn't quite place at what store.

The technician came over and told me that the regular pharmacist will not sell Tylenol 1's (acetaminophen with 8mg codeine) to this man anymore. I looked over and saw that he was talking on his cell phone. I told the tech that when the fool stops blabbing into his cell phone, call me over and I will give him the bad news.

Ten minutes pass. He is still standing at the counter talking to his cellphone. the tech got irritated, went over and said that the pharmacist wanted to talk to him and wouldn't if he was going to keep talking to his cellphone. Idjit hangs up.

I went over and informed him that I wasn't selling him any T1's. He started hooting and hollering about "why not, I have had 5 surgeries, I'll drop my pants right here and show you the scars" etc... I informed him I wasn't interested and he should leave now. He then freaked out about how he was going to call the Medical Board and report me yadda yadda. I was quite entertained. Especially as it's not the Medical Board he needs to complain to, it's the College of Pharmacy. And this particular complaint would get him laughed out of town. After all, I don't have to sell him a chocolate bar, never mind T1's!

He kept ranting. I repeated that I didn't care what his excuse was and walked away.

He wandered around the store for another 10 minutes and then left.

Afterwards, I realized where I had seen this fool before. At another store, in a nearby town, in a fucking wheelchair getting his Oxycontin. On the taxpayer's dime. AND he called the store after he picked up his damned Oxycontin and claimed we had shorted him. Except, of course, we had counted his pills multiple times and knew he got the right quantity. We told him too damn bad, he could get the next batch in 2 weeks, since that was what the doctor ordered.

So, I have one burning question. Since he is on welfare, how could he afford a cellphone?

another thing....

So, the computer generated prescription that makes it easy to read? It also makes it easy for the doctor to repeat mistakes. Had an rx for morphine today. Read: Morphine 30mg sr 1 tab tid. Turns out the woman takes 2 tabs tid. And she was really pissed at us because "we" made the same mistake last time. Ranted about how she never had this problem at her "old" pharmacy.

folks,t he pharmacy I was at today was a large chain discount pharmacy. If it had been a regular one, I would have offered to fix the problem after calling the doctor and deliver it. But it wasn't. she came here because it was cheap. Lady, your doctor screwed up on the last prescriptiion on the computer and then just copied it over again for the new one. Including the mistake. It is NOT us that fucked up, it was your doctor. I'm sorry it inconveniences you. But I have to dispense it as written. I can get it fixed. But it is after business hours, so it will have to wait till tomorrow. Deal with it.

Oh My!

Apparently, our counter espionage service employs drug addicted people. I had a client who is on disability (and boy is he disabled!) confide in me that "they" want him to go on medical marijuana,but he doesn't want to because it would jeopardize his security clearance at his job with the agency.

Interesting. Especially as I was talking to doctor's office staff and they told me he asked for medical marijuana.

What do you think? Secret agent? Or stupid druggie?

No wonder there are med administration errors!

Today I had a guy pickingup his wife's Fragmin. It is an injectable. One we usually order. we had 1 syringe.
We gave him that one and I told him,"here's one to get her started, the other 4 will be in tomorrow".
Him: wha??
Me: pick up the rest tomorrow.
Him:Wha?
Me: come back tomorrow
Him: Wha??
Me: get your wife to call us

Patient number 2 comes in. directions on the antibiotic say,"Take 2 tabs daily"
I bring it out to counsel the patient. (a 20 something female)
me: Take 2 pills together once a day
she:1 pill two times a day.
me: No. Take 2 pills a day. Together (I stressed that word)
she: Yeah, 1 pill twice a day.
me: NO, 2 pills at the same time, 24 hours apart.
she:okay, 1 pill every 12 hours.
me: NO. Take them together. At the same time. Once. A. Day.
she: oh, okay.

I know she is going to do it wrong. But I can't be there to hold her hand 24/7!

Patient number 3: I'd like to fill this rx for my son.
me: (looking at prescription) Hmmm, this dose dose not exist, I'll have to call the doctor.
she:okay, I have to go to the store, I'll be back.
Me: (thinking Halleluja) See you in a bit.

I called the doctor, corrected the incorrect dose the intern had written for and filled it. She came back to pick it up.
she: we are waiting on a throat swab for my son. The results won't be back till tomorrow to tell us if this is strep. Can he just start it now?
me: no. You are more likely to develop resistance..yadda..yadda(you all know the story, right?)
she: even if it is just one day?
me: yes.

patient 4:
Wife comes in to get new prescription for Crestor for her husband. I fill it, note that he had just gotten Lipitor 3 days ago.
Me:I see your husband just got some Lipitor. Is he still taking it?
she: I don't know
me: do you know if it is the same doctor?
she: Yes it is, let me call him. (whips out a cellphone) "honey are you still taking your Lipitor? ....Hmmm....here, talk to the pharmacist"
me: are you still taking Lipitor?
him: yes.
me: did the doctor tell you to take them both?
him: yes
me:that is very unusual
him:I used to take 2 different pills.
me:possibly, but it wouldn't be these particular 2. Let me call your doctor and I will call you back.

I call the doctor after reviewing his file and confirming, in fact, that it was 2 different doctors.
me: Mr. XXX is here and he tells me he is still taking Lipitor. Did you want him on Lipitor and Crestor?
dr: He told me he wasn't taking the Lipitor anymore! Tell him to not take the Lipitor!
me: thank you. good bye.

So, I saved a life (possibly) today!
but really, is it supposed to be that difficult?