I feel so much better since I quit that medicine! If I did not, I would have cried when I went to Walgreens. I always had nothing bad to say about Walgreen's, but familiarity does breed contempt.
In the past Walgreen's has: given the prescription for someone else, handed me paperwork for another customer, given me the wrong dosage by two and insisted all I had to do was cut it in half and could not understand that half of 50mg does not equal half of 15mg. The list goes on but those are the most egregious.
About ten days ago, I tried to get my Flonase refilled. I was told they had just given me three bottles. Well, I was so sick I just believed them. One night, I searched my room to no avail. Today, I was at a big box and saw it was otc. It seemed expensive, so I left it and decided to try to get it at Walgreens.
All went well as I talked to the tech who assured me they had the identical thing otc. Flonase. So, I ran down especially to get it. There were other people waiting, so I paid and we drove off. I screamed, Noooo! We had to go around and sit in line once again. She said it was Flonase. I said no, it says Walgreen Nasal Spray. The amount was returned to my card.
It is not like I just believed everything she said. I repeatedly said the word "Flonase." I do take things that are not the brand I have used. I take generic Mucinex which is guaifenesin. I understand.
Tommy offered to let me use his Flonase. It sounds icky to me, but I did it. I am sort of desperate for this medication. It helps keep my ears and sinuses from getting infections.
Today, I talked to someone at Walgreen's pharmacy and told the person that I cannot locate the three bottle of Flonase that I was told I was given. I was told that was 1-26 of 2022! So, now it is Saturday and I have to wait until Monday to get a refill.
I will be reporting this to someone higher up than techs, weekend pharmacist, and weekend manager. It is so frustrating that people I should be able to trust cannot get their heads sorted. I cannot imagine how older people or less cognizant people ever get help from Walgreens. If I had not called and questioned about not getting three bottles of Flonase, I would still be without any at all. And, I would not realize I actually needed a new prescription.
I know you are wondering how I only used three bottle since January 26, 2022 if I need it so much. Well, a friend gave me four new bottles since he had too much.
The one good bogo at Publix this week was for McCormick gourmet spices. I wanted garlic powder and onion powder, but there was no onion powder. I did get a rain check. They reinstated that program lately. Tommy got Kelloggs Raisin Bran bogo, too.
We have another ham for Tommy to cut up for the freezer. The ham will not fit...lol. What food deals or any deals have you found.
Gas went down to $2.99 this last week, a big drop that happened slowly this year.
I have recently read that there have been many problems with the Walgreen's pharmacy. Do you or anyone you know have problems with Walgreen's?
I haven't shopped WG in years - just no need. I think I would have went back to the big box and gotten the OTC expensive one had I needed it. Sorry you had such problems.
ReplyDeleteI know several who use that and they all get it OTC.
Glad you are feeling a bit better.
Cheryl,
DeleteThe big box was $9 ish while Walgreen's was $20.45. Big box was too far away and I was tired.
I tell you, the antibiotic was making me so ill. Tommy was back to getting everything I needed. I just quit walking except to go to the bathroom! Monday morning, I will make another appointment.
Fluticasone Nasal Spray is the generic for Flonase. Walmart has it. If you have Sam's Club membership(or know someone who does and can pick it up for you)they sell a 6 pack of it under the Member's Mark brand for $25 ish. Much cheaper.
ReplyDeleteslugmama,
DeleteFluticasone is exactly what I am using presently. It is the one a friend gave me. Thanks. Tommy has a Sam's Club Membership. Yes, that is so much cheaper. I will tell Tommy. Thanks.
My daughter uses the Flonase too, it works great for her. Hope you can get the red tape settled.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteThankfully, I have my other nose spray that I use in conjunction with the Flonase. I do hold some hope. Thanks.
I would be using another pharmacy/drugstore after all that. That's terrible service.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteI kept thinking things would get better or at least not worse! It is the closest pharmacy to us. I am very unhappy.
I have my prescriptions at CVS and have had similar problems over the years. I think it is because they are so overwhelmed with work, and probably are short-handed as well.
ReplyDeleteThink of all the hundreds of thousands of pills they count out each day. There are bound to be mistakes, which is why you must watch your prescriptions as carefully as you already do. There is nothing to do but be your own watchdog, I'm afraid.
Plus, so many doctors just leave their prescription details to the pharmacist. That means the pharm has to look up your records and reconcile all your prescriptions and their interactions. For hundreds of people, every single day. That is a lot of work on someone who doesn't have an MD. Seems like the doctors themselves should be watching their own patients/prescriptions more carefully!
Forgive me if I've already mentioned this, but I used to take Flonase (Fluticasone) until it just plain stopped working for me. I now use: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00171KTP2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Now it certainly can sting when you've got a touch of inflammation. But nothing clears my sinuses as reliably as this product. I breathe easier through my nose within minutes.
Sue,
DeleteI know it is a lot for them, but they took on the job. Plus, I think techs do a lot of the work.
What do people do who are ill and maybe going downhill when they get meds? It seems ill people or older people will not keep up with meds as they should. I have always checked what I get.
No, I have never heard you say anything about this. I have to check with my doctor before I can use any otc or prescription, so it is hard to treat myself without guidance.
Yes, pharmacists know what the job entails. But I think increasingly, physicians are pushing off all cross-checking of drug interactions on the pharmacists, rather than doing the work themselves, as they should.
DeletePharamacists should be the second line of defense, not the first! MD's themselves should be very well-versed on what their patients are taking, and understand thoroughly what each new prescription means to the patient.
Amazingly, the doctor said, "Let me check this against other medicine you are taking." I was shocked he did that.
DeletePS: You are going to discuss that antibiotic with your doctor, right? He needs to know how sick it has made you and check it against your other prescriptions to find out what the problem is! At the very least, he needs to cross it off your list of possibilities.
ReplyDeleteSue,
DeleteI DID! Just now, I had Tommy tell me what I told the doctor. I told him, yes, I had had that antiobiotic before and had problems with it. He just prescribed it anyway. I will reiterate the fact I cannot take it.
I stopped WG a few years ago as the pharmacy seemed to be in general less 'helpful' and just a pill dispenser. I suppose pharmacies are all like that now, not places you feel like they know you.
ReplyDeleteUrspo,
DeleteActually, I think one WG I go to is very! helpful. Another ignored me sitting at the window. I was in a neighborhood where the skin color is not mine. I finally had to leave. I think most pharmacies are that way now.
I think the pharmacy business is different here. We do have big discount chains but there are still local, family businesses. My parents are starting to need a lot of important meds and the pharmacist knows them well so will give them meds without a script in an emergency and things like that. It's very reassuring to me to know other people are looking out for them
ReplyDeletekylie,
DeleteThere are still local, family owned pharmacies here, too. I just don't happen to go to one. The downside is they close early. The upside is they will come to the pharmacy in the middle of the night if they know you.
Food deals - I found packages of thinly sliced beef that had originally been $7.99 a pound marked down to $5.55. I'm almost certain they should have been $5.55 PER POUND for the markdown, but each package was marked $5.55. Each package had almost two pounds in it, so I got almost eight pounds of beef for $22.20. What a steal!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter used to use Walgreens for herself and her kids. After repeated errors with insurance and billing over the course of a couple of years, she switched to Kroger.
Alice,
DeleteThat was a great deal on the beef. Those are the kinds of prices I like to see.
I don't feel like I should take chances with their sloppiness! And, with meds for kids, that is unconscionable. I like a drive thru, so that is how I decide where to get meds..
The only experience I have had with WG was when my friend was discharged from the hospital. I volunteered to pick up her RX. This RX had been called in by the hospital prior to her discharge. I stood in line for 1/2 an hour only to be told I should take a seat as it was going to be about a 90 min wait! No thanks....I'll just come back in a couple of hours.
ReplyDeleteFor many years I used the Target pharmacy at my small local Target. Even after they changed to CVS. I really do love this pharmacy ......BUT With my UHC insurance I can get all my prescriptions FREE if ordering from their mail order service. I had tried the mail once before and received an incorrect RX. I decided to give the mail order another try. I had my medications transferred to UHC Optum service. All of my medications but one (a schedule 3 pain pill) are free. In the next couple of days I will fill my medication trays and we'll see how they did. I try to do 6 weeks at a time as I really dislike filling those trays!
Janet,
ReplyDeleteNo, I would not sit for 90 minutes, either! They keep telling me to come in when the car line is long or other reasons. I wonder how many times I have to tell the same person I cannot walk there.
I hate those trays. I hate filling them. I hate that some don't open easily enough. I hate that some will not stay closed. Otherwise, I might use them because it would just be easier for daily use. Is there a kind you like?
I use some very inexpensive ones from Walmart. I think they were about $1 the last time I bought any.
DeleteI was able to do 8 weeks of morning and evening meds. This makes me so happy because I HATE filling them. I sit at the table find a movie on my laptop and go to work.
I have some cheap ones, some free ones that came with a med, and more expensive ones.
DeleteYes, when I filled them, I sat and watched a movie. It is so boring.