Just Questions

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Just a question, Lazy People, Management, Me being a dick, PSE, Rude, Stupid People, Work Sucks

Every day I ask myself questions. Most are rhetorical…but they are pertinent questions. I will share these with you now. Feel free to comment with some of your own. OR Check Out Pharmacy Chick’s version of this same exact thing from February 2008.

Why do old, toothless people always appear to be chewing on something?

Why is it than if someone is walking to my pharmacy, I can predict with 99% accuracy that they want to buy 12-hour Pseudoephedrine?

Why is it that someone that wants a script filled 10 minutes before closing will have had that prescription for no less than 7 days?

Why does the person wanting a rare, expensive C-II drug come to my pharmacy each month wanting it only to find out that I still don’t have it and won’t order it for them unless they fill it with me once and wait for the order to come in?

Why does someone on Medicaid give me their card only to ask me to “just fill it for cash” — knowing full well that I’m going to bill it to Medicaid FIRST?

Why is it that people think they need Watson brand Hydrocodone/APAP? Nevermind - I know the answer to this one…more street value cause it can be identified by pill-heads.

Why does every person that I would idenfity as a drug seeker use “I have fibromyalgia” as the excuse for their early refill or other behavior?

Why does every complaint go to a non-pharmacist store manager rather than to me?

Why does every doctor’s voicemail message have the same bullshit message that I can’t skip over (they can press ZERO to get to me!)? “Leave the patient’s name, date of birth, drug name with spelling, strength, quantity, last fill and pharmacy call back number.”

Why do people have to ask for the pharmacist to give a refill number?

Why will people have pizza delivered to their home in an hour and be happy with that wait time but want their prescription in 15 minutes or less?

Why do people want name brand drugs then be completely happy with store brand soda, chips, water, clothes, and everything else?

Why would someone present a prescription for a child then refuse it when the copayment is anything more than free?

Why would someone call me a ’stupid fucking cocksucker’ during one trip to the pharmacy then yell at me during their next trip when I use the word ’shit’ in front of their child?

Why do I have to concern myself with HIPAA when any patient would be willing to yell, “Yeah my name is Fred Jones…3-14-51. Doctor Smith called in my Viagra refill this morning”?

“Sir, are you taking any other medications?” No.
“No OTC meds?” No.
“No Vitamins?” No.
“Any herbals?” Nope.
“No other medicines at all?” Well, I’ve been taking this Saint John’s Wort for depression.

Why is the answer always, ‘NO’ to “Do you have any questions for the pharmacist” only to have the patient call the pharmacy back in 10 minutes later?

There are 24 hours in the day. Why does everyone have to spend their 30 minutes in the pharmacy on the cell phone?

Why does every patient with a new insurance card present that card at the cash register rather than the pharmacy drop off window when the read the sign that says “Please present your insurance card when you drop off your prescription”?

Why is it that 1 out of every 100 patients feel the need to poor their pills out on the counter and count them right there in front of all of us?

Why do Americans have the words, “I want to talk to your supervisor” into their brains for use at the first sign of a problem, dissent, friction, or trouble?

Why is there a direct correlation between the number of items in a person’s shopping cart and the likelihood they will want them rung up in the pharmacy?

Why is there a direct correlation between the number of scripts filled in my pharmacy and the amount of alcohol I ingest every evening? Nevermind — I know the answer to this one too…

Why is there a direct correlation between a patient’s lack of teeth and oral hygiene and the likelihood they will present a medicaid card?

Why do I have to be the person to explain to some people that BEER cannot be paid for with Food Stamps?

I have a feeling this post has instant classic written all over it…

Thank-yous all around…

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Doctors, Me being a dick, PSE, Stupid People, Work Sucks

I’d like to thank the following (Entity — Reasoning):

What are you thankful for? Share it in a comment.

Transient People or Societal Degradation?

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as PSE, True Story, Vacation, Work Sucks

Maybe it means the profession has grown where everyone trusts every pharmacist (and pharmacy) fully, or maybe it means our society has degraded into a transient grouping of people with no urge to support a single pharmacy or better their healthcare experience by staying true to a single pharmacy or pharmacist, but today, I encountered something that lies somewhere in the middle.

I received a bottle for a script from some small town outside of Indianapolis. Not such a weird occurance. I’m pretty near to a major interstate. Here’s where it gets silly. The script was written by a doctor in Atlanta, Georgia. The first fill was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where it was subsequently transferred to the store in Indiana. The man lives in Iowa. Maybe he’s a truck driver? I don’t know, but he used three different chains in all.

Of course, it was for Viagra, and he wanted only one tablet. Again, not that weird, but we’re talking several thousands of miles between all the different pharmacies.

Is there anyone that is a diehard Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, or Costco customer anymore? Even if they end up somewhere else, they still go to that pharmacy? I don’t know anymore.

What does it mean? Someone explain it to me…

-=+=-

Why does someone want to buy 96 tablets of 30-mg Pseudoephedrine before they go on vacation? I got that today and was perplexed. You’re gonna be gone for 7 days, and you think you’re going to take 13 tablets of PSE per day? C’mon! I don’t even take that much in a year.

Pseudoephedrine sucks big, floppy donkey dick

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Drug Companies, Just a question, PSE

I absolutely hate PSE. If I could fake a study and say it causes cancer and heart attacks, I wouldn’t hesitate a second. Here’s the most enlightening thing you’ll hear all day, I know how to fix the problem.

PSE cannot be sold anymore in it’s pure salt form.

Done.

Combo drugs are okay. People cooking meth will have a hell of a time trying to extract loratadine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or a -pheniramine from the pseudoephedrine. I would doubt it could be done…if it’s possible, it wouldn’t be easy or cost-effective.

You want pure PSE? Get a script. Make it a legend drug…it doesn’t need to be controlled - then all the NP and FNPs wouldn’t be able to prescribe it.

Seriously - how hard is that solution?

Why isn’t it done yet?

And to believe I kept my cool…I shoulda went apeshit!

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Laws, PSE, Rude, True Story, Work Sucks

I’m very proud to post the following story. It shows that I have grown up, so-to-speak. I actually kept my cool today. Make no mistake, I was completely pissed off. I was so angry I couldn’t see straight, but I kept my emotions in check…

This middle aged lady brings in a box of Alavert-D to return it. She bought it yesterday, but meant to buy (read: waste her money) just plain ole Alavert. She had the receipt…but it didn’t matter. The box was opened. Hell, there may have been a tablet or two gone.

“I’d like to return this. The manager told me that if you had a problem to call him…”
[I think it's cute the manager is trying to flex his nuts here. At the same time, I hate him for pawning this off on me...]

“Well ma’am. It’s not really a matter of me calling the manager in this situation. I simply cannot return this product for a plethora of reasons. It’s been opened. It’s a controlled-substance now, and the main reason I can’t accept it back is because it’s against the law. Once a medcine leaves the pharmacy, I can’t take it back.”
[Here's where it gets funny. I usually allow the person to say something here - mostly to see what their thoughts are. If they even just say 'well I really wanna return it' I tell them that I'll do them one better...I'll give them store credit for the cost of the product AND let them keep it. Hell, I can't resell it. I can't do anything with it. It's a bitch to return - so I leave it with them.]

This bitch didn’t even give me the CHANCE to give her the cake AND let her eat it. She got so huffed up she grabbed her little plastic back, snatched her receipt, and literally marched the fuck out of my pharmacy. And it wasn’t a slow march - this bitch was moving. She was almost RUNNING.

I was taken aback. I kept my cool. I didn’t call her a bitch, idiot, or any of the other words running through my mind. Ohh, I wanted too.

I just left her with one word, “BYE!”

More random stories from the abyss…

Posted by The *Angriest* Pharmacist as Laws, Me being a dick, PSE, Stupid People, True Story, Work Sucks

A lady came to the counter day that was 120 if she was a day old. She asked me where the per-mints were. I had no idea what the fuck she was talking about. I ask her what they were for, and she looked at me like I’d asked her where babies come from. “You put it in your hair and it makes your hair curly…” I realized what she meant at this point. Before I could get out a syllable of direction, she turned her head and began screaming at the top of her lungs, “RUTH! RUTH! RUUUTH!” — I was expecting the Babe himself to be walking down the aisle. She scampered off after the phantom, “Ruth.” I was fully expecting a camera crew to come spring a practical joke on me…

-=+=-

Again…when I ask someone, “Have you filled here before?” The answer I’m looking for is NOT, “Well, not this one…” — Duh…I’m holding the prescription…

Why are you retarded?

-=+=-

Some rando came in today and wanted two boxes of twenty-four-hour Sudafed. He bought one yesterday as well. His NON-DRIVER license address is 20 miles away - I confirmed with him that it was correct. I told him that two was over the limit, just as it was yesterday when he asked. I also asked him what happened to the box from yesterday. He lost it.

Aside: Normally I don’t ask. Hell, most people I tell to come back tomorrow and again the next day and get their month supply in three days so they don’t have to worry about it. This joker had black shit under his fingernails, major meth mouth, was wearing a doo-rag, had long hair, and was covered in tattoos. Yes, I am aware that he has sinuses as well, but he passed 10 pharmacies to get to mine two days in a row (one of those days being a Sunday) to try and purchase 24-hr Sudafed.

Anyway, I was in a dick mood - go figure - and I told him that I was out. He looked at the shelf and pointed, “It’s right there.” I told him I didn’t feel comfortable making the sale since he bought it yesterday and he’s from so far away from home. He then told me that I was required by law to make the sale. He could have me arrested! I said I wasn’t aware of the law, and I offered to call the police to come nab me for the criminal I am…then we would see who they would want to arrest…He declined…

-=+=-

Speaking of an above note - what’s the deal with NON-DRIVER ID CARDS? I’d say that around 30-40% of my Sudafed sales are to people flinging over a non-driver id card instead of a valid drivers license. I know it’s state issued and used for stuff like that, but it seems weird to me. I know that this people didn’t just magically teleport to my pharmacy — they fucking drove. They don’t have a license….I don’t like it at all…

-=+=-

I filled a script today for a cat. Lantus and syringes…to the tune of 120-something dollars…”Mommy” came in to pick up schnuckum’s scripts. I shit you not, this lady paid me in one-dollar bills. 121 one-dollar bills. I said nothing. I merely smiled. She told me that “she was not a stripper…she was a bartender…and her boss wouldn’t let her change out the ones for larger bills…” Where was she a bartender? A nearby strip club…