Last week I went to pick up one of my daily medications (Topamax) related to hydrocephalus. It's an anti-seizure medication, helps with regulating pressure (to help with headaches), etc. I take two a day and I can tell that it definitely helps.
When I went to the pharmacy to pick it up, they charged me double the normal cost so I questioned the little pharm tech behind the counter. He apologized and said he had given me the wrong medication. I was annoyed because it's not the kind of medication that you want to mess around with, but took the replacement bag of medicine and left.
My old bottle ran out on Friday so last night when I got ready for bed, I opened up the bag, took out the medicine (didn't check the bottle) and poured out the pills.....except that instead of finding a small white circular pill, I found a larger pink oval-shaped pill. I checked the bottle and realized they had given me Ms. Louise Parker's cholesterol medication!
The pharmacy was closed so I went back this morning and explained the situation and they apologized profusely (and gave me a $20 gift card to the grocery store). Although I appreciate the apology and gift card, it is truly a blessing for both me and the pharmacist that I know what Topamax actually looks like. If it wasn't part of my daily medicine, I could have accidentally taken the wrong thing....and given that I am on other daily meds for hydrocephalus, I can only imagine how horrible the results could have been!
What if I had taken it and it acted synergistically with the other medicines?! Holy cow....I am overwhelmed thinking about what could have been....tender mercies are everywhere.
**Update: so I opened the bag to take the medicine and realized they only gave me half the medicine.....yep, 30 pills instead of 60. I just called them back and they of course apologized again....I am so annoyed. I will be returning to Harmon's Pharmacy for the 3rd time.
What a pain! We've had a few medication dilemmas too, but luckily it is just wrong amounts and wrong costs nothing completely different. I'm glad that you knew the difference and didn't end up in a bad situation.
ReplyDeleteWow...pharmacy screw-ups are very scary. Thank goodness you were alert enough to realize the mistake. I always worry about those things happening to my grandma or something.
ReplyDeleteOK...where is your blog list on the side? Hello, I want a shout out!