Things I Learn from My Patients.

[Jellybeanie]

I'm not a student, just someone who was linked to this thread.

Reading this thread has been particularly interesting to me as a recovering addict (3 years, 10 months clean). It's kind of surreal to read post after post that could very well have been written about me.

Oh, my...the things I tried to pull, truly believing that I would get away with it! I was SURELY smarter than any pharmacist and I really thought I was being clever with the "someone stole my pills", "I dropped my pills in a sink full of water", "I am going on vacation", "I left my pills where I was vacationing" excuses.

My DOC was percocet, but any narcotic would do in a pinch. I don't think there was a doctor/ER/dentist within a 50 mile radius of where I lived that I hadn't visited, just keeping up with my own addiction was like a full time job. When that got to be too much, I added in prescription altering.

Until one pharmacist caught on to what I was up to and did something about it and the jig was up. For a while I HATED that man with a white hot passion because of the problems it caused for me (yep, blamed the pharmacist and not myself of course). I had an array of legal issues to deal with, not just rehab. I did some time and also got probation, but got off relatively easily because I'd never been in any trouble at all prior to that and because it was clearly an addiction issue (as in the pills were for my personal use and I wasn't selling them). It took me a long time to realize that he saved my life. I won't even go into how many percocet I had been taking every day, nobody ever believes it...but anyway, I know I would have been dead had I been able to keep it up much longer.

About a year ago, I called that pharmacist up and thanked him for taking action instead of looking the other way. I thanked him because the one step he took led to the chain of events that leave me here alive and in recovery today.

So be nice to your pharmacist...you never know when he might save your life.

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[rxlea]

I'm not a student, just someone who was linked to this thread.

Reading this thread has been particularly interesting to me as a recovering addict (3 years, 10 months clean). It's kind of surreal to read post after post that could very well have been written about me.

Oh, my...the things I tried to pull, truly believing that I would get away with it! I was SURELY smarter than any pharmacist and I really thought I was being clever with the "someone stole my pills", "I dropped my pills in a sink full of water", "I am going on vacation", "I left my pills where I was vacationing" excuses.

My DOC was percocet, but any narcotic would do in a pinch. I don't think there was a doctor/ER/dentist within a 50 mile radius of where I lived that I hadn't visited, just keeping up with my own addiction was like a full time job. When that got to be too much, I added in prescription altering.

Until one pharmacist caught on to what I was up to and did something about it and the jig was up. For a while I HATED that man with a white hot passion because of the problems it caused for me (yep, blamed the pharmacist and not myself of course). I had an array of legal issues to deal with, not just rehab. I did some time and also got probation, but got off relatively easily because I'd never been in any trouble at all prior to that and because it was clearly an addiction issue (as in the pills were for my personal use and I wasn't selling them). It took me a long time to realize that he saved my life. I won't even go into how many percocet I had been taking every day, nobody ever believes it...but anyway, I know I would have been dead had I been able to keep it up much longer.

About a year ago, I called that pharmacist up and thanked him for taking action instead of looking the other way. I thanked him because the one step he took led to the chain of events that leave me here alive and in recovery today.

So be nice to your pharmacist...you never know when he might save your life.

Thank you for sharing best of luck!

 

[Xlsfd]

Last one:

A patient called in for refills on his Zerit, Sustiva, Epivir, and Cialis.

I'm not in the medical profession, but I'd say Zerit, Sustiva and Epivir are medications that someone with HIV would take. Cialis has a similar effect as Viagra, as far as I know.
I do know the post I quoted is several years old.

 

[NaOH]

Guy comes in wanting to buy Plan B. I ask if he has any questions.

"Nah, I know about it, I've bought it like 8 times or so."

 

[crazybob]

Guy comes in wanting to buy Plan B. I ask if he has any questions.

I've heard of situations like that before.

 

[Spinach Dip]

How has this thread lain dormant for a year? I just read the whole thing and it's brilliant.



I must admit to being an occasional source of your consternation. (But it's not my fault. No, I swear. The doctor did it.)

Some of my favorite discussions with you guys:



Me: Here to pick up for Mr. Spinach.
Tech: I don't see anything for you.
Me: Are you sure, my doctor said they'd call it in.
Tech: .... Oh, they sent it to location B. This store is location A.
Me: Can you switch it over?
Tech: Sure.

This one repeated at least three times, with the doctor's office always sending it to the wrong location. Later, I decided to get smart and go straight to location A.... only to find out that this time, they had sent it to the correct location! (There's a first time for everything!)

Of course, this was later followed up by the following conversation:

Tech: I'm sorry, your prescription is not at this location.
Me: Of course. They probably sent it to location B on accident. They are always doing this.
Tech: No, according to this, they sent it to Salem.
Me: WHAT? THAT'S LIKE 50 MILES AWAY!
Tech: So, do you want us to switch it over?
Me: Yes. Thank you.

....





Later, this was followed up by one time where I went to a doctor's appointment on a Friday morning. I asked for a paper copy so I could do the hard part myself. They wouldn't give me one (too many people changing their prescriptions I guess...) and swore they'd call it in that afternoon. Well, I went to the pharmacy that evening, only to find out that you did not have it, and it was not at another store. Came in Saturday and Sunday. Sorry, nothing for you. Yes, we have checked our messages and fax machine. Came in Monday. Nothing. Called doctors office early Tuesday. No idea what's going on. Show up in person. Get the "oh! Your prescription got put in the 'out' box by mistake" excuse. They still don't call it in until Wednesday afternoon.

That encouraged me to switch doctors. Haven't had a single problem since.



So thanks for putting up with all the crap. Sometimes the patients really are innocent. (Really! I swear!)

 

[DL44]

"What do you mean you don't know where the canned cat food or l'oreal makeup shade #842 is? Don't you know anything?"

lmao! I'm sorry drying over here.

 

[dk00]

-

 

[dk00]

Weird Logic on Friday Nights and Weekends:

Patient: I need you to call my doctor (for routine BP meds)
Me: The doctor's office is closed.
Patient: Yeah, I know. He's soooo busy and I didn't want to bother him.

WTF?

 

[Xeal0007]

Pt: I need to refill my constipated estrogens (Premarin)

Pt: I put the contraceptive jelly on my toast and it didn't work! I got pregnant!!!!!!

Doctor talking to husband, because wife does not speak english. Husband is to translate to wife.
Doctor to Husband: I'm going to prescribe a pill for you to prevent pregnancy, take 1 tablet every day.

Two months later, the husband and wife come back. She's pregnant!!
The husband was taking the pills everyday.
Next time, if your not sure what the doctor is communicating, best ask again to clarify. When the husband came back to complain to the doctor, he was able to hit the high notes..

The funniest thing i think i have ever seen

 

[DrivethroughDestroyer]

So, just stumbled on this site but I've been a Tech 6 years now, so here some of my experiences.
Only been a tech for about 6 months get to work have PIC tell me, "Hey if This Person comes in to pick up a script tell me"
Me "sure boss np" 30 minutes later (roughly) This Person shows up, tells me her name and birth day. I tell her I'll be right back and turn to tell the PIC, turn back and the cop who had been waiting, materialized out of thin air and had her in cuffs, before I could say a word. She had been forging scripts (poorly) and they had been laying in wait for her to come and try and pick up her fake script.

 

[Jibby321]

"Flu vaccines are a government conspiracy to give everyone heart disease."

 

[SClENCE]

Since you're not busy ring up these groceries (as the que hits page 2 of acutes)
___

ME: Hello, we are calling to let you know that your doctor did not approve you refill request and is asking that you make an appointment
THEM: So can you call and make the appointment?
ME: No
*silence*
___

10 minutes to put a sticker on a box? (These are the comments that really get under my skin!)
___

ME: It's a 90 day supply
THEM: You're kidding me it was supposed to be a 3 month supply

These all happened in the last 2 days... and what's with the people who come to pick up scripts that they never called in refills on? This seems to happen every 15 minutes all day long every single day... a refill reminder call means we are reminding you to call in your refill, nothing is freaking ready! And what's even worse is when we offer to refill them while they wait they can't provide the names of any of the medications, don't know what any of them are for, don't know how much they have that home and if they need them or not, and get pissed at us for it.

It's truly mystery to me how some of these people are able to survive in the real world

 

[Aquar1us]

Oh, and mad props to the Target pharmacist who's keeping Leukeran in stock just for our cat who has lymphoma. He told me today that he realized he was running low last week and ordered a new bottle because he knew Kiki would be needing a refill soon. I asked him if she's the only one he's got taking it and he said "yes". I know there are some people who wouldn't bother with all that effort for a "mere" cat. Well, that "mere cat" is like a child to me and I really, really appreciate it.

Wait. You have a girl cat called Kiki? So do I!!
(In fact I was the one who picked out that name!)
Is she the cat in your avatar?
(because then the resemblance is complete!)

 

[burnneece]

i think if i had half the crappy attitude of the posters on here i would have been fired from every job i ever had. you cant treat folks like that. especially sick people. not everyone can get a 93% on the PCAT. wouldnt you prefer someone ask you a stupid question than harm themselves or get someone pregnant cause they dont know how to use a condom?

 

[Aquar1us]

i think if i had half the crappy attitude of the posters on here i would have been fired from every job i ever had. you cant treat folks like that. especially sick people. not everyone can get a 93% on the PCAT. wouldnt you prefer someone ask you a stupid question than .harm themselves or get someone pregnant cause they dont know how to use a condom?

and that is a *lie*
it's the exact opposite - here are examples of people NOT asking for usage instructions, and thus doing something stupid. And people here aren't rude to them either. Yet you judge them for daring to vent after being confronted with adult toddlers raging over a 17 cent rise in copay, or blockheads seeking opiates or 'anthrax'.
wonder how long you'd last

 

[AstraZ]

One night when I was working second shift at the hospital as the narcotic technician, we had a nurse knock on the door which was strange because the pharmacy is restricted to pharmacy personnel only. One of my co-workers answered the door and then came over to grab me saying "I think you should handle this". I walk over to the nurse who has a large plastic bag of patient personal belongings and tell her she needs to take them to security as we don't store patient belongings, only medications. She looks at me and says "Security said to give this to pharmacy" and she proceeds to open the bag and puts the following items on the counter: a prescription bottle from a local pharmacy, a seemingly unopened Diet Dr. Pepper bottle, and an opened large bottle of vodka.

Nurse: She was asking for the Diet Dr. Pepper. I suppose she can have that. *starts to grab bottle*
Me: Ma'am, that's not Diet Dr. Pepper.
Nurse: What do you mean that's not Diet Dr. Pepper? Look at the label!
Me: *points to my own bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper which is at least five shades darker than the patient's*
Nurse: I don't understand. Why is her bottle so much lighter?
Me: I would estimate that what's missing from there *points to vodka bottle* was poured into that bottle *points to Diet Dr. Pepper bottle* after she either drank or poured out enough to make room.
Nurse:...Oh. She can't have that then.
Me: *uses tamper tape to seal up the Diet Dr. Pepper and vodka bottles* Ok, let's count her lisinopril so we can get that stored for her. *opens bottle and dumps contents onto counting tray; out comes at least 10 different pills of different colors and shapes as well as some weird looking flecks*
Nurse:...
Me:...Pharmacist!
*pharmacist comes over*
Pharmacist: Oh patient's own meds. I love these. *looks down at contents and starts identifying the various pills, all narcotics, while writing out the form* As much as I would love to toss the pot, as it's a patient's "belonging" we should count the seeds and put them back in the bottle too. *counts them and then puts everything back in the bottle before handing to me to seal with tamper tape*
Me:...Ok. We'll store these for her.

15 minutes later the nurse calls on the phone because the patient is saying we stole her weed and is demanding it back because she knows those "g-damn drug seekers in the pharmacy are driving her vodka and smoking her weed" and she wants to know how to handle it.

Me: Please assure her that we are doing nothing of the sort, but are keeping them safe for her. Our pharmacist even counted the seeds to make sure she gets them all back.
*nurse passes on message to the patient in the background*
Patient (heard from a distance over the phone): That's good. I paid a lot for that weed and I want to get my money's worth. Tell them not to drink my vodka either!

She did try to argue when the nurse came to pick up her belongings that we had stole some of the seeds and drank her vodka, but she didn't have a leg to stand on with that one as myself, the pharmacist, and the nurse all initialed the drop off paperwork saying we all witnessed the counting, my sealing up the Diet Dr. Pepper and the vodka and I had drawn the starting line of the liquids on the sides of the bottles with a permanent marker and all three of us initialed that as well.

***
In retail:

A patient came to pick up several meds, including a nuvaring. It was her first time picking one up so the pharmacist counseled her on how to use it, possible side effects, etc. Next thing I know, I hear:

Pharmacist: Ma'am! Please don't put that in while you're in the waiting area!
Patient: *stops trying to undo her pants and looks at the pharmacist* But I'm going to my boyfriend's house after this and I need it to start working immediately!
Pharmacist: ....At least go in the bathroom.

 

[burnneece]

and that is a *lie*
it's the exact opposite - here are examples of people NOT asking for usage instructions, and thus doing something stupid. And people here aren't rude to them either. Yet you judge them for daring to vent after being confronted with adult toddlers raging over a 17 cent rise in copay, or blockheads seeking opiates or 'anthrax'.
wonder how long you'd last

I am a grown woman who is applying to pharmacy school as a second career. I am not a teenager or in my twenties or even thirties for that matter. I have learned compassion and patience in my time. Although job security is important to me, it is more important to me that I have work that is meaningful and makes a difference in people's lives. you have no idea what some people are going through in their lives. most people do not take meds for recreational purposes. some medications have really bad side effects so before you start making fun of people think about what they may be facing in their lives before you start making fun of them. like i said not everyone is a genius (most people need that IQ to do well in pharmacy school) most are average so if you cant hack it give it up so someone else can have a job that cares.

 

[Aquar1us]

I am a grown woman who is applying to pharmacy school as a second career. I am not a teenager or in my twenties or even thirties for that matter. I have learned compassion and patience in my time. Although job security is important to me, it is more important to me that I have work that is meaningful and makes a difference in people's lives. you have no idea what some people are going through in their lives. most people do not take meds for recreational purposes. some medications have really bad side effects so before you start making fun of people think about what they may be facing in their lives before you start making fun of them. like i said not everyone is a genius (most people need that IQ to do well in pharmacy school) most are average so if you cant hack it give it up so someone else can have a job that cares.

I didn't ask for a recall of your life story, so you can have 'grounds' to make personal remarks, incl. aspersions on my IQ (asserting your own IQ, and superiority over me - or anyone in their 30s and younger, lol).

before you start making fun of people think about what they may be facing in their lives before you start making fun of them

suuuuure
it's something to keep in mind whenever someone asks for Anthrax, Peanut Butter Balls, Hound-dog, Glybirdie, Rintintin or has "a bleed in my lower contestants."
No, no matter what pharm education one receives, it doesn't prepare you for hearing this kind of **** day in, day out. Although one can certainly cope by laughing at it... which is what this thread is about

 

[Aquar1us]

Not to mention Fireballs In The Eucharist!!

 

[Corpseman]

I am a grown woman who is applying to pharmacy school as a second career. I am not a teenager or in my twenties or even thirties for that matter. I have learned compassion and patience in my time. Although job security is important to me, it is more important to me that I have work that is meaningful and makes a difference in people's lives. you have no idea what some people are going through in their lives. most people do not take meds for recreational purposes. some medications have really bad side effects so before you start making fun of people think about what they may be facing in their lives before you start making fun of them. like i said not everyone is a genius (most people need that IQ to do well in pharmacy school) most are average so if you cant hack it give it up so someone else can have a job that cares.

Please, get off your high horse. You are going to be a terrible pharmacist if you take everything you do all day too seriously....but you probably knew that already. Smarty pants.

 

[Aquar1us]

"It was a really slow day, and my pharmacy manager had a tree..."

(Pharmacy tales subreddit)

Gross tale (pharmacy subreddit):

Spoiler

Another indy pharmacist here. This is when I was an intern:
We have a patient who loves to call us with every random question, like if peeing 3oz is normal (yes she measures it) or everything about her 'bowels' moving. Every pharmacy has 'that' patient.
Well another male pharmacist took a call from her during a bout of diarrhea ("So bad it ran down her legs and filled her shoes"). He said he was me and asked her to call back after she had another bout of the ****s and describe what came out of her ass.
I had no idea this was going on.
So I get a page that I have a call, and the first thing she says to me is "My **** looks like chunky soup with toothpicks floating in it". When I asked why the **** she was telling me this, she said "Well I just called and you told me to describe my diarrhea to you!"
I think the other RPh almost died from laughing. I never really got even before he retired.