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| We started and ended this week in the pediatrician's office |
This week has been crazy!
I've hauled my kids to the pediatrician three times and I've been to the pharmacy four times. My head is spinning. There must be something in the air, because every member of my household is sick. Allergies, sore throats, rashes, and an ear infection. It hasn't been easy.
Keeping up with medicine schedules, kissing the painful parts (that's the best Rx), and driving all around town for our needs and then some wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't sick too. I'm on top of it all and haven't missed a beat, but I am pretty worn out and ended up parked in front of the ER last night with severe heartburn.
You've probably been here before too. Stressed!
So, you can imagine my frustration when I had to return to the Pharmacy yesterday to have a little one on one with the pharmacist who shorted my daughter's antibiotic prescription by 90%.
Yes, the pharmacist did not give the correct amount of medicine to me. (And that's not all)
I noticed when I brought the prescription home and gave my daughter her first dose that the medicine was extremely gooey and dark in color and I could barely extract it with the syringe. It was think link bubblegum. Looking at the bottle, I could clearly see the liquid was also very low. Then I remembered the assurance speech the pharmacist gave me when I was checking out. He nervously told me eye to eye (he actually weirded me out) that he gave me plenty of medicine and to discard the excess as I would have a lot left over.
Ummmmm, WTH?
I was really given a bottle with a drip of medicine in it.
So after a day, I couldn't sleep. Something was telling me that for starters the medicine was not the consistency it should have been. I don't give my kids medicine that much but I've never seen an antibiotic that can't get extracted that's for sure. Nor have I seen the dark pink color this liquid had. Then second, if I used up what was in the bottle and ran out in a day I wouldn't be able to get it refilled to continue giving medicine for seven days. It's not easy to prove a pharmacy's mistake when the medicine is gone.
So, I hauled tail back to the pharmacy and was met with the most shocking accusation. He said the bottle was empty, because I'm giving my child too much medicine.
OMG...I clutched my (imaginary) pearls!
"Seriously?" I thought, "Did this grown man in a white lab coat who is supposed to be professional just accuse me of overdosing my kid?" --- Tonia, keep your hands in your yoga pants pockets, and please do not uppercut him! (that was my inner voice talking)
I calmly showed him the bottle with the dark pink gooey liquid and mentioned the fact that the prescription called for 5ml twice a day. I could barely pour 5ml of that liquid, and at that point I had only given my daughter two doses, because I was uncomfortable with that particular bottle of medicine. I knew that amount dispensed could not possibly be enough. I showed him a small cup I had used to measure 70ml myself. (Yes, I do what I have to do)
I then said, "Hey! I'm not giving my kid too much medicine. There isn't enough to give her period!" I was beyond annoyed.
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| The amount of Amoxicillin I was given to administer 10ml daily for 7 days |
So the pharmacist dilly dallies over to his desk doing God knows what (other than admitting fault and offering an apology), and in my frustration I took the small cup that I brought to the store with me and I poured the medicine from the bottle into it. Shocker! I knew just by looking at the bottle that I wasn't given enough medicine, but now I can see exactly how little I had. I quickly snapped a photo.
It's bad enough I was sick too and had to make a second trip to the pharmacy to get the correct amount of medicine for my child, but the accusatory attitude of this pharmacist pissed me off to the high heavens.
He came over after seeing what I've done and said, "Why did you do that. You're ruining it? You shouldn't have done that!" and I responded, "So you can see exactly what I'm talking about, because you don't seem to get it. Look at this medicine's color. Look at the amount in this cup. If I'm supposed to give my daughter medicine for seven days, is it possible with this?" He still didn't admit fault and after he pitched that little fit he walked away and came back with a full bottle of amoxicillin. The correct amount...and color. Go figure!
Fist pump? No!
That should never happen, but how can we be sure it's not happening if we're not watching? It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. The prescription is the prescription (as the doctor has written) and it needs to be filled to the last drop of liquid and the last pill. No exceptions! That's what my money is paying for and that's what it takes to get well. I also ended up doing a little research and found out that shorted prescriptions are more common than one might think (for various reasons).
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| The correct amount and consistency of Amoxicillin I should have received |
That's why I am encouraging you to watch your pharmacist as closely as you do your kids. My kids don't get away with anything and I'll be a fool to let my pharmacist have it that easy.
What happened next? I walked my new bottle of medicine right over to Customer Service to let them know how much I don't appreciate having to return to their store to get the correct amount of medicine dispensed a second time and that it is extremely offensive to have their pharmacist tell me I've poured 80% of a prescription down my child's throat in one day.
Those are fighting word in my town!
Fortunately, store managers know how to handle customer complaints and he listened calmly and was attentive. I did not hesitate to show him the picture of the other bottle of medicine and suggested he take a look at what I was given, because it was obviously not the proper color , amount, or consistency. Another manager handed me two gift cards for my troubles in which I let her know they weren't necessary, but I do appreciate their gesture and accepted them.
I will use the gift cards for groceries, but definitely not at their pharmacy!
I'll be taking my prescriptions elsewhere.
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