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Pissing into the wind of medicine

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This is all made up.  Uh huh.  Its a bit of a hard read to protect the identity of the stupid er.. the made up stupid… Uh huh.

It was your usual day at the Angry Pharmacy.

I got a call from a resident that I’m on fairly good terms with.  She wanted to increase the dose on a patient diabetes meds.  She wondered why the patients A1C was climbing lab after lab and thought the medication wasn’t working.

I pulled the patients profile up.

Month supply filled Jan and March.  Something wasn’t right here.  Maybe he/she was going to another store? Only one way to be sure.

I told the resident to ask the patient to bring in all of his/her meds in so I could “take a look at them”, which in pharmacy speak means “See if you are fucking taking them”.

Patient comes in with a plastic bag full of pill bottles (oh dont we just fucking LOVE it when they do that) and a new Rx.

Every single bottle of maintenance med was full.  EVERY FUCKING ONE OF THEM.  It had more fucking diabetes medication than I did on my shelf in that one plastic bag.  Most were from us, some were from a different pharmacy dating back almost a year, all were filled exactly on time.  This looked like two big scoops of not-fucking-good.  In fact, the refilling gaps in MY system were accounted for by another store’s filling.  This required a “come to Jesus meeting” by yours truly.

I asked the patient, who had almost every risk factor for diabetes in the book, why it wasn’t taking the medications.  Then the bomb was dropped.

“I know my body, and I know what its doing, I dont need this shit.  I just need my pain pills”.  Hear that needle being pulled off of the record of medicine?

Now its A1C would score a solid gold in the A1C Olympics.  I could use his/her urine to compound in place of simple syrup.  If it wasn’t the copious amounts of bullshit flowing through its veins I’m sure they would of died by now.  I asked the pushy patient if the doctor knows its not taking its medication.

“No, if I told her that, she wouldn’t give me my pain pills”.

I wanted to punch him/her in the face.  I asked if he/she had side effects, or any reason why he/she didn’t want to take the medications.  Sometimes the twice a day is too much for people, there are options that I could suggest.  This resident was an awesome one who loved pharmacists thanks to yours truly (you’re welcome) and would do whatever I suggested.  Look at me! Being all pharmacist like!

“I told you, I know my body, I dont need these, I’m fine.”  I fucking love it when they use that line.

Nothing I could say could make his/her take them.  Threats of blown out kidneys, to losing his/her sight, to not having legs, nada.  So.. Fucking.. Frustrating…  I tried to play the pain card, saying that her pain could be because of damage to nerves.  “Gabapentin doesn’t fucking work on me, neither does Vico-dan.  I need Percocet”.  This was said with a straight face as I could line the entire pharmacy an inch deep in unused gabapentin caps.  I offered to work with the patient and the doctor to help her.  I even offered to fucking blister pack the medication to improve comp-LIE-ance.  Nothing would work.  The patient had either given up, had a fucking stroke and got incredibly dumb or just really wanted to get high.  Maybe if I printed “HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR MEDICATION TODAY” on a package of cigs or a lotto ticket it would make a difference.

The conversation turned into the “I dont want to talk with you anymore.  How long until my Percs are done” song and dance when I called it on bullshitting the doctor to get more narcotics.  Sometimes it takes being an asshole to get the point made.  My preceptor used to tell me, “TAP, never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience”.  If I followed that advice, I wouldn’t have any patients.  I knew that short of a diabetic complication 2×4 across its face, there was nothing I could do.

Then the blood started to boil.

This person gets FREE care and FREE medications.  It isn’t out anything but his/her own time to take care of her condition that could leave her legless, blind, and on dialysis.  Of course all care related to stupidity would be happily covered by the state.  None of that mattered to him/her.  90% of the working population would KILL to have what he/she is getting for no cost.

You know when I ranted before about how a person places no value on something that they aren’t paying for? Case in point, right in fucking front of me.

Now this person is spending, nay wasting, hundreds of taxpayer dollars a month that could be used towards someone who actually gives a shit about their health, about their care, about their body.  A person who could actually get a better quality of life while they get their life back on track.  If this douchebag wanted to just get fucking high and watch his/her health spiral down the shitter, thats great – just don’t take the resources that could be used to help someone who gives a shit.

So the question remains: at what point do we, the healthcare people, decide to cut-bait on a patient that obviously doesn’t give a shit about his/her health and is only seeing you because they are being forced to (or to get narcotics)?

Oh, and I paged the resident (I REALLY hate paging doctors, but I figured this was important) and let her know what was going on.  After a bunch of “are you fucking kidding me” she requested the patient go back to her for “clarification” on the percocet prescription.  I think someone is going to get a type-1 ass-chewing, but something makes me think its not going to make much of a difference.

I love making shit up *ahem* to prove a point.

Comments #

Comment by Farm.D on 2011-06-08 20:56:24 -0700 #

Just throw in a lawyer or two and you have the perfect picture of American healthcare! That pig will probably try and sue or some bullshit because you ratted it out… God bless America

Comment by Mingle on 2011-06-08 22:53:37 -0700 #

I know this sounds really inhumane, but I wish our system could just cut these people off from care entirely and let them suffer from the consequences of their own stupidity. There are so many good people who are trying desperately to make ends meet and find affordable treatments for various health issues for themselves and their children, and assholes like him just breeze through without a care.

Comment by Dr. Grumpy on 2011-06-09 04:45:02 -0700 #

Agree with mingle. This money would be better spent on someone who genuinely gives a shit, and needs help.

Comment by SecundumPharm on 2011-06-09 07:06:06 -0700 #

Great idea to cut them off. But, what is the flip side when they end up “found down” and are sent to the ER unconscious via an energetic ambulance EMT crew. Since all they want are the Percs, I am sure they haven’t bothered with a Living Will, DNR status or a Medical Power of Attorney. So, in the end they will be getting state provided health care in a hospital. Using up the resources of the facility, the caregivers and anyone who tries to save them. Taking away from the patients who do give a shit about their health and can’t afford it.

Comment by niterph-pacingmyselfsargeant on 2011-06-09 11:31:04 -0700 #

Get rid of the patient …or tell him/her that there’s a 2 days wait time on all prescriptions for cockroaches that don’t give a shit about wasting your time month after month. If just ONE bottle they brought in was from a different pharmacy, send them there from now on. There is NO reason to put up with this noncompliant waste-product. Tough shit if they don”t like it. Next asshole in line please.

Comment by Natalie on 2011-06-09 12:47:50 -0700 #

Agree with all of the above. Also, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your use of the term “cut-bait” in this post. 🙂

Comment by PA Honeybee on 2011-06-09 12:54:34 -0700 #

I whole-heartedly agree! I deal with Medicaid PAs all day and am just sickened at how many we get for Byetta, Januvia, Janumet, Levemir, Victoza, etc. and the issue is that the patient is non-compliant. Sometimes, the office does know and they cite it as rationale! The MD wants to give them these more expensive medications because metformin/glipizide/insulin isn’t working due to NON-COMPLIANCE!!!!??? I’m sure it works just fine IF THEY TAKE IT LIKE THEY SHOULD! UGH!

My favorite is when the A1c is thru the roof and they don’t understand why. In almost all cases we respond to the office that it was denied due to the non-compliance of the patient and man, is it satisfying when the good offices call us for more details: dates/pharmacy/qty filled so they can chew the patient out!

Comment by wellillbe on 2011-06-09 16:26:51 -0700 #

You should have told him the metformin helps the percocet give higher blood levels so his pain pills would work better….

Comment by Jennifer on 2011-06-09 17:23:19 -0700 #

Welcome to my world. I work for the VA and I talk to several patients a day that flat out don’t take their meds. And yes, they are usually getting meds at little to no cost

Comment by RBS_Pharmacist on 2011-06-09 17:47:56 -0700 #

It’ll be back. Not tomorrow, not this weekend, not this month. But it will be back. After everything has finally caught up with them. The legs (gone) the eyesight (gone) and the kidneys (replaced with machines). It will crawl back on its stumps and ask for help. “Help me! I’m in trouble! My body doesn’t like this!” But you wait. Not yet. Give it time. Eventually they will kick it after the Chinese Buffet just could not be ignored. You go to that funeral. You lean right down next to the extra-wide casket and tell them “I told you so.” And then laugh. Laugh as they throw you out of the cemetery. Laugh. Oh my. Laugh.

Comment by Kevin the Tech on 2011-06-09 21:20:55 -0700 #

You know, between people like this and Medicaid doing stupid things like paying for brand name only when a perfectly good generic is available, it is no wonder individual states are having such a time with their budgets. There needs to be some accountability for people on state aid, otherwise the system is going to collapse completely. Maybe they should start to implement something that I have been seeing with a few insurances where they get a discount for filling every 30 days. Although, since Medicaid is free, maybe it needs to be in reverse. Go over your 30 days and you get charged a fee. Nothing ginormous. Maybe 5 dollars. Dont get it filled still and the consequences get adding up.

Comment by PA Honeybee on 2011-06-10 07:34:42 -0700 #

Actually Kevin, (in my expierience) under certain circumstances, the brand medication instead of the generic is covered by Medicaid due to an incentive from the Pharmaceutical company who will issue rebates for the Rxs that are filled. We did this for awhile with Adderall XR. That has been discontinued for over a year now, but that was the case previously. For the most part, the Medicaid plans I deal with are mandatory generic programs which as a taxpayer, I appreciate. We cover Brand medications for disease states like epilepsy, seizure disorders with a PA (if generic is available) along with medical justification.

Comment by Farm.D on 2011-06-10 10:52:56 -0700 #

How much longer can individual states put up with these shenanigans before telling everybody FUCK YOU WE’RE BROKE TOO! My home state (WA) seriously considered doing just that until they bowed out due to political pressure, which is of course the real problem in all this mess. How about this, anybody with a college degree gets two extra votes every November? Don’t get me wrong 80% of folks are truly grateful that the state has their back but we all know that the 20% that don’t are the ones that wring every dime out of the stretched system. I have one patient who comes in every fucking month to pick up the meds that it never fucking takes! How infuriating, if you are going to have poor COMP-LIE-ANCE don’t come tell me you have a six month backlog of Gabapentin at home then demand I get another ready for you. Can’t refuse to fill though, lawyers ready to pounce and it’s one more script in the daily basket. That’s the thing about insanity, it’s only really obvious to everyone when it’s really to late to correct

Comment by Kevin the Tech on 2011-06-10 20:49:53 -0700 #

And that is another thing I have a huge problem with PA, the level of involvement between drug companies,insurances and how they seem to be setting all the standards anymore for peoples healthcare. All of it, from CVS joining with caremark,to the drug rep that spent an hour telling us Moxatag was going to be the next big thing, and that we were ridiculous for calling dr’s to switch to regular amox since my pharmacy gives it away free.

Comment by HospitalRPh on 2011-06-11 17:51:16 -0700 #

Two words – SLOW CODE

Comment by Celia Hoover on 2011-06-11 20:14:31 -0700 #

How is this not medicaid waste and abuse if she is getting her health care subsidized by the state?

Comment by rph3664 on 2011-06-11 21:34:39 -0700 #

Even worse is when the skyrocketing A1c belongs to a health care professional who knows perfectly well what’s going on. Honestly, they’re the worst when it comes to diabetic noncompliance.

And when I worked retail, we had one guy who simply never picked anything up (except for some Phenergan suppositories ordered by an ER doctor) and one family who took their kids to the doc in a box every time they sneezed and didn’t pick those meds up either. The visits stopped, BTW, when I let the doctor know this.

Comment by rph3664 on 2011-06-12 11:28:24 -0700 #

I once told a drug seeker, who would always come from the ER (even though she didn’t look sick) with RXs for antibiotics, etc. AND a controlled substance, that we had a rule that she had to get EVERYTHING – that she couldn’t pick and choose which prescriptions she would pick up. Never saw her again.

Comment by Boogiewoogie on 2011-06-12 15:44:11 -0700 #

Hey TAP, while it probably would be unethical to knowingly cut off someones pain pills and cause them to go into withdraw, wouldn’t it kind of send a message, especially if they end up at an ER and when the ER doctor calls the patients doctor, have them run all the…….
Ah screw it…… Most people are retards who think they are Doogie F’in Howser when it comes to their own body’s and medicine.
CUT EM OFF from their schedule II’s. If they think life is just about getting a warm fuzzy feeling from their percs or norco’s, well, once they lose a foot and vision you will have the greatest feeling of all…..of being able to say “I told you so, biatch”!!!!!

Comment by PharmStudent drinking from teching… on 2011-06-12 19:35:24 -0700 #

And dump that bag of pills in the coffin…

Comment by Beach on 2011-06-15 08:54:06 -0700 #

These are the people in front of me at the pharmacy I love to see every month! I love to watch them sort through their Rx’s like a hand of cards as they ‘pick out’ the aces ie the pain meds. The rest get shoved into a pocket or purse as they saunter up and inform the pharmacy tech they are in a hurry and NEED their scripts filled, quickly. They don’t need to worry about the time it will take for the money to exchange hands, while they pay for them, because they do not fucking pay for them. I ‘nicely’ wait my turn so that I can fill all of mine and then shell out close to $1,000. It would really be nice if just once these shits would offer to let ME, who obviously has great trouble walking and a leg that does it’s own jitterbug – enough to knock my cane out of my hand at times – to SIT IN ONE OF THE DAMN CHAIRS THEY ARE OCCUPYING AS THEY TALK ON THEIR LOADED WITH EVERY FEATURE OUT THERE CELLPHONES.I couldn’t park in a handicapped space, of course, because they did while using grandpa’s handicapped sticker. Fuck em all….

Comment by jeanne on 2011-06-16 09:20:40 -0700 #

so Teh Fat are really into pain meds, eh? My only fat friend certainly is, and always had lots of pills on her, all sorts in the same bottle. Didn’t know if it went with the territory for sure.

Comment by Stella on 2011-06-17 13:23:31 -0700 #

“Public money” is not a real thing, though most people pretend it is. How about everyone keeps their tax money and gets paid what they’re worth instead of re-routing wealth through the “administrative”, ie, government sector? Then each productive citizen and his or her dependents would retain the money they need to pay for medical procedures…which would be incredibly cheaper than they are now.

Comment by ilovemynarcs on 2011-06-17 19:37:10 -0700 #

I had the exact same conversation with my pharmacist last week…

Comment by pharmdude on 2011-06-17 22:53:48 -0700 #

one word–GENOCIDE

Comment by PharmAnimal on 2011-06-18 02:53:05 -0700 #

Let go of your resentments bud, they’ll eat you up. Do your job to the best of your abilities and put your prejudices aside. The patient you speak of is sick; she is nothing like you or I.

Comment by rph3664 on 2011-06-20 16:24:23 -0700 #

EMTALA – gotta love it.

Comment by SDpharmer on 2011-06-21 16:31:11 -0700 #

I do the same thing. I’m literally the only overnight pharmacy for over a 350 mile radius. And the ER here, thankfully, backs me up. It’s great when they say “I only have money for the pain pills” then they magically had the total amount (without even leaving the drive-thru) after I refuse to dispense just the narcotic.

Comment by pharmacyslave2000 on 2011-06-22 05:10:27 -0700 #

Our government continues to pour more money into social programs that are leading this country straight into bankruptcy. Here’s a simple fix, remove any and all non-life sustaining medications from the Medicaid formulary. Pain meds., benzos., cough sryups, sedative hypnotics all gone. These are the most widely abused meds. anyway so you’re killing two birds with one stone. Charge the person a “normal” co-pay, say $10, if they want these meds. There is no valid argument against this. Medicare Part D, at least in my state, does not pay for the majority of these drugs so why should Medicaid?

Comment by anon on 2011-06-23 17:50:10 -0700 #

Typical worthless kaffir swine that should be processed into compost.

Comment by techie on 2011-06-24 12:05:28 -0700 #

goddammit TAP, the only problem i have is that i go into TAP.com withdrawals between posts. And the old posts didn’t quite last a full month. Please more, more, more!!!!

p.s. damn those recaptcha phrases are tough

Comment by lastrefills on 2011-06-25 08:03:46 -0700 #

Two customers come to mind. One comes in with a brown bag of meds each month. She wants me to sharpie the name of the drug in huge letters on each bottle. She’s legally blind and the sharpie won’t help, but I do it. Some of the bottles are over 4 years old. And she takes care of her mentally handicapped son who is in his forties. I shapie his bottle too. The two of them live together and the only help they have is our delivery guy. When he goes to their house the three of them hunt for all their rx bottles room by room. But they survive and at least give a shit.
Then we have the customer that yells at us every month because auto refill didn’t fill one of his meds, so he stopped taking it. Hes the town big shot and owns most of the real estate on our Main Street.
Customers.

Comment by Brother Love on 2011-06-27 09:16:29 -0700 #

I could not agree more , we call it customer extortion at my store ,

Love

Comment by pharma morale officer on 2011-06-27 21:30:10 -0700 #

we have a lot of MENGELE (NAZI) pharmacist here.

Comment by NYPHARM on 2011-06-28 13:09:43 -0700 #

In the same lines there is nothing worse then having someone on medicaid come in month after month and wave there co-pay… yet you see them talking on a nicer cell phone then my own… they are walking a full bread puppy down the street that they just paid for with my taxes and tell me that they just purchased there 3rd laptop computer this year because they downloaded to much internet porn on the other 2… Not to mention the pack of cigs hanging out of there pocket and the 6 pack of beer city in the driver seat of there 2011 Ford F150…all bought with my tax money. If the government wanted to save money instead of cutting reimbursment to the pharmacy why don’t they track what the medicaid recipients are spending there money on. I suggest using the medicaid card like a debit card and only item that are approved for purchase with said card can be obtained.

Comment by phzdik on 2011-06-29 22:57:20 -0700 #

What were we talking about? Oh, yeah, the “Fleecing of America”. Remember Tom Brokaw’s bit every week back in the day? This is exactly what he was talking about… I work night shift at a “major retailor”, and my clientele consists of 99.9% of state-aid m-er-f-ers going to the ER for simple things such as sneezing, hang-nail, itchy eye, insomnia, dandruff, impotence, stubbed-toe, scratchy-throat, blister, hair-loss, warts, blackheads, ingrown hairs, dry knuckles, inability to catch catfish, Wal-Mart shopping-cart fiasco… you name it… I’ve even had idiot mothers going BACK to the ER and demanding a different antibiotic because their child “did not appreciate” the flavor of the $150 antibiotic they had just picked up not 2 hours ago. I’m so fucking sick of these people who think that just because it’s “free” to them they can just use the system for whatever they fucking feel like in that particular moment. Not long ago I had a Medicaid dude come in demanding we fill his 2-year-old Rx for brand-name Prandin… he also had one ready and waiting for nateglinide, yet he was all pissed off because we couldn’t give him his Prandin for no copay (“I dont pay anything for my medications!”) because “his doctor prescribed this for him.” (yet he had not picked it up for 2 years, and now he “needs it, and I’m a “fucking asshole” for not giving it to him!”) I quoted to him the Rolling Stones classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in front of the whole fucking waiting-room crowd and was applauded… haven’t heard from that cock-smooch again… best moment of my “professional” life in this shitty fucking job. Can’t wait to quit.

Comment by internRX on 2011-06-30 11:02:58 -0700 #

lol “i counld use their urine as simple syrup”.. cracks me up! i hate it when i see patients like this.. and also when a patient is on medicaid, yet comes through my window in a lexus/cadillac/etc… wtf

Comment by Sick Of Being Sick on 2011-07-01 00:52:55 -0700 #

I’m not even a pharmacist and I feel your pain. I am astounded at people not taking their meds “because I know my body”. If that’s the case, why are you even bothering to see a doctor? Oh, that’s right – you want to get high. Meanwhile people with real pain issues can’t get the relief they need.

As an aside, pharma companies over here (Australia) pre-package most meds into handy one-month-supply blister packs. Can that be arranged where you are?

Comment by Aussie Pharm Assistant on 2011-07-01 04:30:28 -0700 #

You know, here in Aus, the “co-pay” for those on social support is around $6, and people complain about that. I just think…are you kidding me? You don’t have $6 for your kids antibiotics? WTF are you spending your money on?

Seriously, PRIORITIES. I’m a uni student, on social support as well, but I somehow managed to have enough money put away to pay $400 to see a specialist doctor, $800 for my new glasses, and I’ve only been able to work casually for the last 3 years while getting an education, but am not eligible for cheaper medications. What the fuck are you people spending your money on? PRIORITISE.

Comment by Jennifer on 2011-07-02 19:53:30 -0700 #

Surely you must work in South Carolina.

Comment by I_hatemyjob on 2011-07-02 21:52:42 -0700 #

This is the typical patient in the retail pharmacy. I had an experience before. The conversation as follow,
Patient: I want to fill my medication, xanax, vicondin and lipitor.
Me: there is no refill, I will fax to your doc
Patient: I am out of medication, can I have a couple because I take it everyday?
Me: Last time you fill lipitor was 4 months ago.
Patient: The other pharmacist always gave me a few when I ran out.
Me: last time you filled you lipitor was 4 months ago
It looked like we had a communication gap. In reality I knew what he meant he took it every day. But I just did not want to loan him an control medication

Comment by BlahfkngBlah on 2011-07-05 19:50:04 -0700 #

First your he/she, it, theory didnt work hence THE HER LEG AND HER AGAIN AFTER.

Comment by tim wrath on 2011-07-05 20:37:57 -0700 #

I am an angry pharmacist too! I can’t believe how many of us there are. Well, the same shit happens down here in Australia – it seems like pharmacy is a fucking pessimistic profession worldwide.

I implore anyone to Check out my website if they haven’t had enough of yor anger. http://www.prickpharmacist.com

(Sorry for the plug, please don’t be angrier than normal)

Tim

Comment by jay on 2011-07-07 22:28:34 -0700 #

wow just found this and read it, simply put, right on!

Comment by cheri on 2011-07-09 20:52:53 -0700 #

Whoooaaaa what about us those of us seeking legitimate pain meds??? Can you imagine what it feels like to be treated like a drug addict??? I have had several problems with Walgreens pharmacists myself, and so has my husband when picking them up for me!! We actually had the “pharmacist” get all loud with my husband and she felt the need to call my doctor to verify that he was picking up a legitimate script. She didn’t take my history of this medication or my record in to consideration at all. (*with Walgreens) WAe don’t want to gothrough this every month believe me and I don’t understand why all of us would be tresated this way What about us?

Comment by cheri on 2011-07-09 21:09:29 -0700 #

I forgot to say I pay for my insurance and work for the state!

Comment by cheri on 2011-07-09 23:27:04 -0700 #

OOPS 1 MORE THING you cant see the blood pressure meds, the b/c pills. and cholesterol medicine my ins comp makes me get from prime nail every month. Just my oxycontin and my vicodin.

Comment by fmaon06 on 2011-07-10 20:46:43 -0700 #

The issue was not with the patient taking the controlled medication, it was with them not taking their diabetes maintenance medicine. That, and the fact that they were getting both prescriptions through Medicaid so they didn’t pay any money for either. Everyone is mad because that money could be used to help pay for someone’s medications that is actually taking them. They’re also upset because this patient is obviously just using the doctor to get a highly controlled pain medication.

Also, if the pharmacist cannot see in your profile that you’re taking other maintenance drugs, and are only filling controlled drugs, and you haven’t developed a relationship with them at all, then they need to verify information about you somehow. It’s not only for the safety of the public and yourself, but whenever they dispense controlled medications it’s the pharmacist’s license and job at risk. It’s to prevent mis-fills and drug diversion.

Comment by Ralph on 2011-07-10 21:59:21 -0700 #

If you don’t care about improving your health which shoulde be outcome based, you don’t get the things that you want like pain meds.

Comment by MicKesson_Pharmacy_System(s) on 2011-07-11 05:06:46 -0700 #

I used to work for a well known place*coughs* and I saw a lot of pharmacist bitching about this. However, what is really funny is see if you can put like some lotto tickets up at the front of your pharmacy and see how much fucking money they spend on that. At least you can screw ’em out of some cash… those ungrateful fucks!

Comment by undercover pharmacist on 2011-07-13 19:50:43 -0700 #

and dont forget the lotto tickets hanging out of their pockets. i made one give me their scratch off winner wfor a copay.

Comment by rph on 2011-07-13 20:56:19 -0700 #

I agree, the problem here is the patient NOT taking the diabetes medication but using public funding to get it. This isn’t a case of the rph discriminating due to narcotics. It’s a case of an ignorant patient abusing the system.

Comment by Kym on 2011-07-14 08:16:24 -0700 #

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/14/ep.drugs.pain.cohen/index.html?hpt=he_c1

Comment by Opiophile on 2011-07-18 17:01:22 -0700 #

Hey fuckface pharmacist,

I agree to abolish medicare/medicaid if you agree to make all opiates over the counter especially injectable dilaudid ampules.

It’s my body and I’ve read the entire literature on the pharmacokinetics of opiates so why do I need your permission to injest certain plant alkaloids?

It’s my body and not the government’s or their sanctioned pill guards (pharmacists).

Sincerely,
Opiophile

Comment by james on 2011-07-18 22:32:07 -0700 #

you’ve read the entire literature on the pharmacokinetics of opiates? what the fuck?

Comment by rphx2 on 2011-07-19 07:08:33 -0700 #

Hey junkie fuckface,
You make some very good points, although you probably wouldn’t like the OTC price we would put on opiates. However, it is your body, and if you promise to keep that body in the privacy of your own house when you overdose, instead of piling into a car, or going to work to operate that crane (laugh…work…), then chew on all the plants you like. Just leave a note that says “no narcan, please”

Comment by fitzceros on 2011-07-25 13:49:48 -0700 #

Yes, but isn’t that the purpose of control by MD and RPh.? If we rely on everyone’s good judgment we’ll be sorely disappointed.

Individuals are great. People are scallywags.

Comment by fitzceros on 2011-07-25 14:07:13 -0700 #

Waiting for that rule change allowing meds to be dispensed based on religious belief, are you? Learn your ethics at pharmacy school?

Comment by fitzceros on 2011-07-25 14:11:24 -0700 #

Huh. Now why would society want to control narcotics? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

Comment by JoshTxPharmD on 2011-07-27 20:06:34 -0700 #

metformin is the new soma! haha, love it!!

Comment by I_hatemyjob on 2011-07-29 22:30:02 -0700 #

Ya right you would agree to abolish medicare/medicaid!!!! I do not think you can pay for the opiate even it is on the prescription not to say when it becomes OTC. You should know it is I who is paying for you narcotics now. You should get a life and find a real job.

Comment by I_hatemyjob on 2011-07-29 22:32:32 -0700 #

Ever since darvocet was pulled from the market. There is one raising star becoming the newest drug that is abused by junkies. The name is tramadol. I am sure pretty soon FDA will put this drug in the group of control medication.

Comment by jeanne on 2011-08-02 13:48:12 -0700 #

…just don’t call them “fat.”

Comment by PHARMDStud2014 on 2011-08-14 09:31:35 -0700 #

Why on earth are you filling these C2 scripts anyways? Its better to just say “no sorry, I don’t have this in stock”. That way the crackheads don’t come to your pharmacy

Comment by Faeirymoon on 2011-10-06 19:58:03 -0700 #

I don’t abuse drugs, but once was prescribed tramadol. I took it as directed and had a seizure. It’s one of the side effects. Never had a seizure in my life. They should take it off the market.

Comment by pi on 2011-10-10 13:13:00 -0700 #

It will happen anyway, why waste money/time on drugs not used?

Comment by ed on 2011-10-12 06:44:06 -0700 #

I am going insert something here as we embelish the virtues of Controlled Substances and why so many of you seemed to have taken one of two sides in this era of police medicine. So many complain and yet where were you when the whole PMP thing was happeneing. Please allow me to rant and later I’ll post this on Twitter. I am really pissed off.
What is the point of the whole state PMP program? Rather, what’s up with your stets CS PMP program? Let me first say a few words about my home state of New York. We have used a PMP program beginning back in 1975. Back then we had these really cool Official NYS Prescription pads that were serialized, had color fading as you moved from one side to the other We had our state seal in the middle and a line that said, “Void After 30 Days”. It was required for any Schedule II controlled substances. I remember that day the Doc wrote me a Percocet prescription. Whoa, he filled it out, snapped out copy 1 and 3 and kept a copy for himself. Then the Pharmacist filled the prescription and wrote all his information on the original colorful page. He snapped off page 1 and filed it and tossed page 3 into a small bin that along with all the others got sent to Albany on the 15th of each month. The DEA called NY a model state and while they do not give a shit about my health they did have a point. What they were really telling me was in New York I know that my health is first and then the public’s health. My privacy was safeguarded. My Pharmacists didn’t play Policeman because New York has handbooks that are clear and concise and leave no guessing on the part of any party (me my Doc and my Pharmacist). New York plays by the rules, cuts us a lot of slack and if a patient is bothering my Pharmacists all he has to do is hold up the NYS CS Handbook and say, “This is the rulebook and we cannot break those rules” “Oh you want me to call your Doctor to ask for an early refill. Well, here’s the rulebook and he cannot authorize an early refill. No stop, I just told you the law and you can go see your Doctor and I am sssuming these Lortabs are not helping for the pain because you tried to get relief, but finished them 15 days earlt. Go see the Doctor and tell him”.

And it’s done. You politely tell your loyal customer, “Don’t screw with me and why don’t you get the fuck out of my store”. OK, yea if you see him and he give you a new kind of medication I’ll be open till 9 PM”.
The Doctor knows his handbook and it says he cannot authorize or write the same medication and dosage any earlier than 7 days. Yup 7-days; People will sometimes go on a 7 day vacation and if it’s longer, the Doctor can write a prescription and the patient can take it with them.

Did you know every prescription written by a NY Doctor is now done on serialized, Official New York State pads with a serial number, a place that turns purple if you place your thumb over it and it even a has a bar code at the lower left hand side. If it’s a controlled substance the data is transferred electronically just like in your state of Alabama.
But to fill a prescription in Alabama and call yourself a Pharmacist is bullshit. All you guys seem to do is play police and most of the time you make up these rules that don’t exist. Your state along with a whole bunch of others gave up and caved in. Your PMP is a freely accessible by any law enforcement officer just tell you he wants to take a look at your records, your database and also the states PMP database.

Read the laws and you will see just how fucked up this PMP program has become. Too many of you just caved in and made your profession down to the police state; there is not a single reference to the privacy, and the public’s health in your states PMP laws. I have the e-book and all it tells me is that any law enforcement person can access the PMP and walk into your store and require you turn over your records. That is it. Then on the flip side; one Pharmacist claimed he could not fill in certain information on my prescription, but he was wrong. Yes he can put my address and DOB on it. Poor guy has no handbook all he wants to do is cover his ass and keep both the state and the DEA happy. Another place says, you have a 30 days supply and it’s only been 27 days. I cannot refill your valium 3 days early or else the DEA doing to fine me.
That e-book combined with the time I went to fill my prescription and behind the counter was a local police officer just casually reading the computer screen while he and the Pharmacist were talking about the Church fundraiser and afterwards they should do some fishing.
Hello, I am Ed and when you come across my CS data I’ll let you know. I take those meds because I have mental health issues. I also admit to living 500 feet from an elementary school so if any Valium or Adderall Turn up stop by my place and we will count my pills to make sure they didn’t come from my child.
Thanks Pharmacists and Doctors who let your customers and patients, I mean that 97% of us that are good law abiding citizens and use as directed become labeled by a country of idiots as potential addicts, potential elementary school drug dealers, parents of children prescribed legal meth as the local news will say, “Local School Children Are Prescribed Methamphetamine and What You Need to Do, Story at 11”.
The average idiot is oblivious to what Adderall, Ritalin and Desoxyn are used for. As for Law Enforcement. Not only are they idiots, their job is Law Enforcement and they do not give a shit about your pain, your anxiety, your seizures or your ADD.
That is so obvious if you read the e-book describing each states PMP and what Law Enforcement can and cannot do.

Comment by Anonymous on 2011-10-31 20:09:00 -0700 #

Can you tell us where you work so I can because I NEVER go there? It’s bornite nature of your complaints as much as your extremely unprofessional manner and filthy language! Are you a pharmacist or a lower level worker. You appear to be operating and much much lower level than any professional with which I am familiar. You are absolutely atrocious. Please let us know where you are as to stay far away from you venomous wrath. You should consider another line of work… Perhaps interrogating terrorists or something similar. You hate the public, and I’m betting they aren’t too fond of you either. There a good, caring people out there who could use the work… And might actually like it!

Comment by PA RPH on 2011-11-02 21:07:43 -0700 #

You have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about, so why don’t you just go away.

Comment by Melissa on 2011-11-22 13:12:23 -0800 #

Then YOU give him a job. What a bunch of whining JUDGMENTAL assholes you people are, all self-righteous because you were lucky enough to be born with a certain amount of intelligence, opportunity and (probably) a decent upbringing. Why don’t you stop and consider the people who aren’t as lucky, the people who don’t give a fuck about diabetes (or their lives) because their lives suck…but I’ll bet you’ll all start screaming that they should “get a job” or “go to college.” Get a fucking clue. WE ARE NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL. Consider yourselves lucky and step down off your fucking pedestal. Get some empathy, and lastly, stop worrying about the people “abusing Medicare” and START worrying about the cocksucking Pharmaceutical Companies who give not one single fuck about the people they kill in their quest for money money money. Kids on Adderall…and what becomes of them? Likely addicted for life.

I guess these souls who bother you with their narcotic addictions and lottery tickets should behave themselves, huh? Walk a mile, assholes. Christ, and I thought medical doctors were arrogant…

Comment by Melissa on 2011-11-22 13:16:21 -0800 #

Hey rphx fuckface, I hope you’re jogging your five miles per day and staying far away from transfats and cholesterol. Surely with your attitude you are perfection personified? If you aren’t, then promise to keep that body in the privacy of your own home when you have a heart attack. I’d rather spend a year with a “junkie” as you call them than a single second with a judgmental, clueless fuckstick.

Comment by Melissa on 2011-11-22 13:19:50 -0800 #

They won’t take it off the market because it makes money. Until enough people die or are injured and attorneys punish Big Pharm where it hurts, in their greedy-fuck wallets, nothing will change. Pharmaceutical drugs, taken AS PRESCRIBED, kill millions every year. And the Pharm Corps. make lots and lots of money. ‘Tis the American way.

Comment by cheri on 2011-12-06 12:41:13 -0800 #

I can see from the answer that you guys think we deserve the abuse. Just lump everybody in together and treat everyone badly? I did try to create tht “relationship” you mention with my pharmacy and had ALL of my meds filled on time every month (and taken as prescribed) with the same Walgreens, until Blue Shield required me to go Primemail with everything but my pain meds. See you don’t always know what’s going on and I repeat Pharmacists have no right to treat people like drug addicts when they have done nothing to deserve that treatment. I am always courteous and nice to the clerks. It’s just bullshit that some of you seem to think it is deserved. I have worked with the public most of my life sn wouldn’t dream of treating someone badly because the last guy I helped was an asshole!! Think twice It’s your damn job!

Comment by pharmtech on 2011-12-11 12:01:28 -0800 #

I have worked in pharmacies and in the hospital under residents and I still baffles me how people dont think that health care professionals communicate with one another. Not to mention blood work communicates enough on behalf for the fucking “I know my body” patients.

Comment by Darryl on 2012-01-04 19:17:54 -0800 #

I stumbled on this site and loved reading the posts. My wife used to manage the front end of a large chain drug store and we were friends with a lot of pharmacists, it was bad then (the 90’s) and I bet it’s 10X worse now.

Comment by Claude on 2012-01-09 15:11:31 -0800 #

What I have started doing for these types is to say “No narcotics until your A1c is under control.

Comment by pharmdawg tech on 2012-01-12 19:44:16 -0800 #

Oh, that is an awesome one! I work hospital pharmacy for a reason. I HATE RETAIL!!!! Yet, sometimes the nurses can be just as bad as the general public.

Comment by hourglass on 2012-02-22 14:04:23 -0800 #

Wow…..As a type 1 diabetic, with a host of medical issues. I personally, can’t do much of anything at all when my sugar is high. So this idiot is self medicating her diabetes with powerful narcotics. F$#king brilliant.
It’s frustrating as hell, running through the judgmental, gauntlet of chronic pain managment. Yet idiots like this are the reason why people with legitimate pain are suffering.
The Angry Pharmacist, handled it perfectly. Wish I could have seen the look on it’s face.
Wow, pardon the uncharitable attitude, but why don’t buses aim for people like this? Or why doesn’t federal government, enact laws to give pharmacists, legitment way to help drug seekers without feeding their addiction or dependence.

Comment by pharmacisted on 2012-05-31 09:20:44 -0700 #

TAP, excellent description of addition posing as a legit medical need. The junkie visits the doctor for their dope and the doctor provides the appropriate clinical screening and up pops the A1C level.

No dope unless we work on the BS (blood sugar). Now junkie has a problem, how do I continue to fool the doc when I have a legit medical issue? Sounds like the pharmacist fullfilled their professional, legal and moral responsibilities (their “duty”), by contacting the doc

Hopefully the doc will fire the patient. Unfortunately the junkie will go back to doctor shopping, most likely.

The seekers do that, constantly probing for weakness in the security set up to stop their junkie behavior. Just like any narcissistic sociopath, always most interested in “me and my body”.

Comment by underpaidrxtech on 2012-09-19 16:05:56 -0700 #

I am a pharmacy tech and I am so underpaid I have medicaid to pay for my medical expenses. Its funny how people automatically assume that medicaid patients are low life junkies. I am not ashamed to have Medicaid. But I do despise the narcotic junkies I deal with on a daily basis especially when Medicaid pays for their high. It makes me feel like I am no better than the shady Guy at the corner selling crack. Working in a chain pharmacy we had our balls castrated and have to take all the druggies shit. So sick of it.

Comment by Rach on 2012-11-05 12:01:26 -0800 #

That’s not what they said at all, Cheri. Unless you’re also refusing to take medications that you need for your condition because you only want to take Rx painkillers and on taxpayer-funded “free” insurance, then your situation is different from that of the person mentioned in the blog / the type that other commenters are suggesting we terminate state-funded healthcare for.

You are obviously choosing to take this personally when no one has come close to suggesting what you are taking offense to. No one said that pain patients should be harassed, or denied their medication.

Comment by Rach on 2012-11-05 13:52:40 -0800 #

Maybe you could use some Adderall, Melissa. Your tangent has little to do with anything others said, and looks like your presumptiveness about others’ upbringing stems mainly from your inferiority complex. What a shame that it’s clearly justified, as you even admit that you’re of lower intellect than the other commenters here.

Keep fucking that chicken, dipshit.

Comment by pharmd on 2012-12-22 00:42:26 -0800 #

that is the funniest story i’ve read….urine instead of a simple syrup …loool that’s soooooooo funny ….

Comment by tonyt2000 on 2013-01-04 15:10:14 -0800 #

Thank you for this comment. TAP and other pharm and pharm techs on this and other “Angry (insert medical profession here)” blogs seem to be letting their anger and stress get the best of them. I cannot imagine how terrible it must be, especially in larger urban areas, to work in retail pharm and feel like you’re pounding your head against a wall with so many patients. But remember, your patients are human beings, with all the weaknesses and faults that go along with being human, and ranting and raving like a lunatic isn’t doing anyone any good. Provide some useful advice and blow off a little steam if necessary, but really, man, calm down. It ain’t that bad.