posted
I checked the bottle and the pharmacist circled the qty - 50, and then initialed it. It's a controlled substance, a painkiller.
Well, I was counting them, trying to decide how many pills to carry on my vacation, when I realized I was three pills short. They only gave me 47.
Now, do I call the pharmacy and report it? I don't want to make a big deal for myself, heck I don't need 50 painkillers, I only use them for some painful side effects of chemo and even then I rarely take more than one a day for the few days after chemo, and with only one more session after this one, I don't need them. My doctor was out of town, she usually just writes me 20 pills at a time, but her partner had to do the prescription this time and they called in 50.
I'm kinda nervous and calling and reporting, because are they going to think I'm a druggie trying to get more pills out of them? What will they do? Will they have to count all their pills and see if there's a discrepancy? Like I said, I hate to cause a big fuss on something I don't really need.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I worked at a pharmacy in high school and that kind of thing happens all the time. At least it did at the Eckerds I worked at. Just call them and let them know, they shouldn't mind or think anything about it. In fact they'll probably want to know, as that is sometimes an indication that they have an addict working in the pharmacy who is stealing pills. Even if you don't want/need the pill, I would definitely call and let them know.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, what vonk said. They will want to have accurate counts on the meds they have, especially a controlled substance.
Posts: 5422 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'd think that if you were an addict trying to score more dope, you'd aim for more than 3 pills, no?
Call them, speak to the pharmacist, and explain how you found out that you were short.
And in the future, you might want to count the pills right there at the counter in front of the pharmacist. I've done this (for a totally different reason*), and don't think that it is inappropriate.
*I was picking up narcotic medication at the pharmacy for a patient, and counted the pills at the counter with the pharmacist before I left, then counted the pills at the patient's house with the patient, so that if there were any discrepancies no one would look to me as the source.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
They short my husband often because of the counting machine they use--it weighs the pills rather than physically counting them. One time they gave him the wrong prescription and he had to turn in the pain meds they had already given him. He hadn't touched any of them. When they counted the bottle he turned in, they said that the bottle was 5 short. They were pretty accusatory without actually saying anything, and they were going to short his new bottle. He didn't care about that, but it was the principle of the thing. They finally weighed it and realized that the count was off originally. (I think crushed pills mixed in really throw off the weight.)
Anyway, definitely report it. It might be a problem with the machine, OR there could be someone skimming the pain meds. Either way, they should know.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I disagree, Tante. I think that if you want to skim pain pills that a few from each bottle is the smartest way to go about it. That really does add up. And anyway, who counts their pills? ... Well, obviously some people do, like Belle and my husband, but it's a risk they're willing to take.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Why bother skimming? It's easier and much safer to just fake injury and get prescribed loads and loads of pain meds. With a decent insurance plan, they're even cheap.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
You sure are assuming a lot, erosomniac. Doctors who will freely prescribe pain medicines for legitimate injuries and pain are hard to find, let alone for a fake injury that could be poorly acted. In addition, finding a decent insurance plan is not easy, especially if you're unemployed or have a part-time job. I have heard (anecdotal evidence) that doctors are watched for prescribing pain meds, especially if they prescribe more than their colleagues--even if they happen to practice in an area where their patients have a higher occurence of pain, they're still compared to doctors who have fewer patients with chronic pain. So many doctors are very careful about prescribing, often refusing to prescribe even when it is needed. Ask the woman I know with painful bone spurs on her feet so that she can hardly walk, but her doctor refuses her meds.
And considering pills like hydrocodone have a $10 street value or more per pill, skimming is also effective for making some more cash.
I detest the drug addicts that make it harder for legitimate pain sufferers to get their pain meds, and I detest a system that would let innocent people live in pain because of those people.
ETA: That's not actually true. I don't detest the addicts, because they often have horrible situations and many are simply pitiable--many times they're victims of bad choices and/or circumstances, and find it difficult to drag themselves out. I detest the people who will sell their pain pills so that other people can snort or shoot them.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:You sure are assuming a lot, erosomniac. Doctors who will freely prescribe pain medicines for legitimate injuries and pain are hard to find, let alone for a fake injury that could be poorly acted. In addition, finding a decent insurance plan is not easy, especially if you're unemployed or have a part-time job. I have heard (anecdotal evidence) that doctors are watched for prescribing pain meds, especially if they prescribe more than their colleagues--even if they happen to practice in an area where their patients have a higher occurence of pain, they're still compared to doctors who have fewer patients with chronic pain. So many doctors are very careful about prescribing, often refusing to prescribe even when it is needed. Ask the woman I know with painful bone spurs on her feet so that she can hardly walk, but her doctor refuses her meds.
You're right, I have only anecdotal evidence to go on, but I've watched as my friends (for problems both legitimate and not legitimate) have gotten as many as 150 pills of varying painkillers (including: 20 mg oxycodone, vicodin, 30 mg morphine, percoset, etc.) within a 3 week span, without a hassle from doctors OR pharmacists. Doesn't seem terribly difficult to me.
Edit to add: Then again, they also have health insurance. But honestly, what pharmacist isn't going to have access to health insurance?
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
erosomniac: I wasn't really thinking of pharmacists, I was mostly thinking of the part-time workers they may have there. But it is definitely not unheard of for pharmacists becoming addicts.
Are those friends of yours middle class or above? I think the poorer people are more likely to be refused because they might be assumed to be junkies.
The Pixiest: I totally agree.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Unfortunately, Pixiest, addicts often hurt a lot of people when they medicate themselves into oblivion.
Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Why don't we let addicts medicate themselves into oblivion?
Why should the innocent suffer to save people who don't want to be saved from themselves?
Also, let's do the same with alcoholics, smokers, overeaters, the mentally handicapped, etc.!
quote:erosomniac: I wasn't really thinking of pharmacists, I was mostly thinking of the part-time workers they may have there. But it is definitely not unheard of for pharmacists becoming addicts.
I didn't even consider the part-timers. Oops!
quote:Are those friends of yours middle class or above? I think the poorer people are more likely to be refused because they might be assumed to be junkies.
They'll probably end up being middle class, but right now they're probably considered "poor," since most of them are either just finishing college or have just begun careers, and have very little in savings and own no property.
Ultimately, I agree that poorer people are more likely to be refused, but I'm also inclined to think that poor people who are so poor that it's OBVIOUS are likely to be declined from any position in a pharmacy.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
The last time that happened to me, I just went to the pharmacy and told them that they hadn't given me all the medicine. I showed them the bottle, and they gave me the rest of the pills (in a different bottle, I think) right away. What happened was that I had 2 prescriptions filled at the same time, and they put 3 more pills of one and were 3 pills short of the other. But it wasn't a problem at all.
And duh, if you want painkillers go to the ER. They hand them out like candy. That, and phenergan. I spent three days of last week in a phenergan/painkiller stupor. I mean, yeah, I had an actual reason to be taking them, but still.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
They hand them out like candy. That, and phenergan. I spent three days of last week in a phenergan/painkiller stupor. I mean, yeah, I had an actual reason to be taking them, but still.
