Today was my last day at the pharmacy before moving to my pharmacy school city. When I walked in to start my shift, the staff had all bought balloons and cookies for me. They had a signed a card for me saying good luck. I couldn't help it...I starting tearing up. When I left, I started tearing up again. Dammit, I'm going to miss everybody. Yes the job was frustrating and stressful but the people I worked with were absolutely amazing. I just hope the people will be as awesome in the pharmacy I'm transferring to. I never felt so appreciated before...and I am so happy I chose to work there.
On an interesting note...we got some worker's compensation scripts from contestants for the Black Gold reality show that's going to air on the Discovery Channel. Some of them contestants had been injured and had to visit the ER. A sweet public relations lady from the company dropped off the scripts. She reminded me of my cousin that works for Fox in Los Angeles. I thought that was pretty nifty.
Now I have to start packing.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Syringes
Some people at the pharmacy would sell syringes to a person with a needle stuck in them and a tourniquet strapped to their arm. It's frustrating dealing with said people when you deny them their addiction....but their responses are amazing.
Couple days ago...redneck junkie comes up. Gives the whole well-rehearsed line about needing a pack of U-100s. I ask him does he fill his insulin here. That question usually makes said junkie throw back a deer-in-the-headlight look. But this guy...oh this guy has got it laid out. He said he takes Hemoglobin 70/30 insulin.
There is a Humalog 70/30 insulin for sure...but I'm not exactly sure what kind of insulin a doctor would prescribe that has an oxygen carrier in it.
So...syringe denied.
Couple days ago...redneck junkie comes up. Gives the whole well-rehearsed line about needing a pack of U-100s. I ask him does he fill his insulin here. That question usually makes said junkie throw back a deer-in-the-headlight look. But this guy...oh this guy has got it laid out. He said he takes Hemoglobin 70/30 insulin.
There is a Humalog 70/30 insulin for sure...but I'm not exactly sure what kind of insulin a doctor would prescribe that has an oxygen carrier in it.
So...syringe denied.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Crazy Busy Night
Tonight was quite interesting.
There is a certain doctor in town famous for dealing with the bottom fish of the barrel. From this day forward I shall call him Dr. CII. He is also famous for prescribing a shit ton of pain medication. Case in point, I got a script tonight for 600 Methadone 10MG, 540 Lortab 10MG, and 360 Xanax 1MG....yeah crazy.
I got a call from a lady that seemed like she was kiting on something. Also a Dr. CII patient. She had just gotten a 30 day supply of Xanax, Lortab, and Soma on May 27. She incoherently finally got around to saying she wanted a refill. I told her my druggy tirade saying she could get that refilled again in thirty days which would be on June 26. She goes into this trippy story of what point she was trying to make I have no idea. She mentioned getting paid $500 per month...funerals...etc. etc. I pretty much had to say...I have to hang up the phone unless you need anything else. More kiting speech...finally got her to hang up after 10 minutes of repeating myself.
Viagra Guy called in again tonight. He's a nice younger guy that must be having a boatload of sex. I know him by name, he knows me by name. He actually has insurance that'll cover his pills...but...(and I know this from talking to him repeatedly)...the insurance will only cover 6 pills in 30 days. Also...the insurance will also cover 12 refills. He's bought one or to pills at a time...so insurance isn't going to cover it anymore. He always calls in...and I give him the typical one hour wait time. -Every- time he's like...well...can I get it sooner. I really feel like saying...dude...start the foreplay -after- you get the pill. He actually asked me how old I was tonight and made other small talk while we were wading through tons of waiters with him anxiously hovering by the counter. Odd...but oh well. I'd rather deal with him than a Dr. CII patient anyday.
There is a certain doctor in town famous for dealing with the bottom fish of the barrel. From this day forward I shall call him Dr. CII. He is also famous for prescribing a shit ton of pain medication. Case in point, I got a script tonight for 600 Methadone 10MG, 540 Lortab 10MG, and 360 Xanax 1MG....yeah crazy.
I got a call from a lady that seemed like she was kiting on something. Also a Dr. CII patient. She had just gotten a 30 day supply of Xanax, Lortab, and Soma on May 27. She incoherently finally got around to saying she wanted a refill. I told her my druggy tirade saying she could get that refilled again in thirty days which would be on June 26. She goes into this trippy story of what point she was trying to make I have no idea. She mentioned getting paid $500 per month...funerals...etc. etc. I pretty much had to say...I have to hang up the phone unless you need anything else. More kiting speech...finally got her to hang up after 10 minutes of repeating myself.
Viagra Guy called in again tonight. He's a nice younger guy that must be having a boatload of sex. I know him by name, he knows me by name. He actually has insurance that'll cover his pills...but...(and I know this from talking to him repeatedly)...the insurance will only cover 6 pills in 30 days. Also...the insurance will also cover 12 refills. He's bought one or to pills at a time...so insurance isn't going to cover it anymore. He always calls in...and I give him the typical one hour wait time. -Every- time he's like...well...can I get it sooner. I really feel like saying...dude...start the foreplay -after- you get the pill. He actually asked me how old I was tonight and made other small talk while we were wading through tons of waiters with him anxiously hovering by the counter. Odd...but oh well. I'd rather deal with him than a Dr. CII patient anyday.
Monday, June 9, 2008
No...we really don't have to fill everything the doctor writes for...
Tonight I had the midnight shift again. Pretty typical Monday night...amazingly no syringe seekers. I did have a guy come in with a script from the local drug-catering doctor for Methadone 10MG. This guy is usually all nice and courteous until you tell him "no" about something. He gets all huffy and pissy. Before...he came to pick up a controlled substance medication for himself. We require documentation of who picks up controlled substances...so we want to see an ID, usually a drivers license, before we can sell it. It's Texas state law. He didn't have it...so got all pissy...threatening to transfer his scripts elsewhere...sure whatever.
Back to the Methadone...
Tonight he dropped off a script for a 30 days supply of Methadone. He wanted to pay cash for it. Red flag there. I check his profile. He got a 30 days supply of the same thing on May 16th meaning we wouldn't fill his new script until June 15th. I tell him this. He gets that angry, quiet look to him.
"You're supposed to fill anything the doctor writes for!"
I blink and reply, "No....this is a controlled substance...we don't release them early until your thirty days is up."
"But I'm going out of town!"
"Lemme ask the pharmacist, then." I knew the pharmacist would say no...it just gives me better cred if I back it up. So I tell him no again. He merely stands up and snatches the prescription out of my hand and storms out of the pharmacy. I really hope he does transfer his scripts. Then he can see that it's not just us that doesn't put up with his bullshit.
Back to the Methadone...
Tonight he dropped off a script for a 30 days supply of Methadone. He wanted to pay cash for it. Red flag there. I check his profile. He got a 30 days supply of the same thing on May 16th meaning we wouldn't fill his new script until June 15th. I tell him this. He gets that angry, quiet look to him.
"You're supposed to fill anything the doctor writes for!"
I blink and reply, "No....this is a controlled substance...we don't release them early until your thirty days is up."
"But I'm going out of town!"
"Lemme ask the pharmacist, then." I knew the pharmacist would say no...it just gives me better cred if I back it up. So I tell him no again. He merely stands up and snatches the prescription out of my hand and storms out of the pharmacy. I really hope he does transfer his scripts. Then he can see that it's not just us that doesn't put up with his bullshit.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Graduation!
So...night before graduation. All high school aged kids come into the pharmacy wanting Sudafed and syringes. Lovely way to start off the rest of your adult life. Sudafed we couldn't do much about...but syringe sales we can deny. I just don't understand the whole thing about getting drugged out after graduation. Bad choices.
Day after graduation...we sold out of the Plan B emergency contraceptive. At least some girls were trying to be responsible. I wonder the percentage of people that got lifelong STDs from that lustrous night.
Day after graduation...we sold out of the Plan B emergency contraceptive. At least some girls were trying to be responsible. I wonder the percentage of people that got lifelong STDs from that lustrous night.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Introduction
I am a pharmacy student that will start school in the fall. I have my bachelors in biochemistry and have been working at a national retail pharmacy since July 2007 as a certified pharmacy technician. This blog will be about my experiences in pharmacy and pharmacy school. Any advice I can get from others in the profession will be appreciated.
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