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Pushed to the Edge


One day. One day the pharmaceutical industry will be dead. I do wish that day was today.

As much as I'd like to go after each and every individuals job and credentials and licenses, that isn't actually feasible.

So what even happened?

Sunday June 17th:

I put in a refill request to my local Walgreens. I had to physically pick up the phone to do so, as I needed to have the request processed through my new doctor... You know the one I've been waiting over 8 months to see.

The pharmacist was very pleasant and said she'd process the request for me.

Fast forward to mid-afternoon and I see an email on my phone regarding my refill. But not the refill I asked for. The pharmacist sent in a request for a different medication - one I am no longer using and one that this doctor had explicitly said to only use for emergencies but to stay clear of.

So I call the pharmacy again and say hey y'all sent in the request for the wrong script. Same pharmacist. She apologized and managed to process the proper refill request to send that over. She assured me that she would cancel the initial request for the wrong medication.

Fast forward to Sunday night, the refill request cannot be processed as the medication is out of stock. So I call once again and am informed that my doctor will have to approve the script before they will order more meds. (bullshit am I right)

Tuesday June 19th


After still hearing nothing regarding my request, I send off a note to my doctors office asking if they've received the refill request.

No response.

Wednesday June 20th

Oh yippee! A response.

A blatantly rude response saying that the request has been forwarded to my doctor to look over as he has never approved either of these medications.

Thursday June 21st

I contact the pharmacy again to check on the status. Nothing.

I leave a message for my doctor once again explaining the situation and again stating to ignore the request for the initial refill as the pharmacist made it in error and I only need the one medication that we've talked about keeping me on.

Friday June 22nd

I call my doctors office once again. This time, I'm not to thrilled as you guessed it, I'm at home with such a horrifying migraine and no medication to alleviate any of it.

I finally am able to drift off to sleep late in the afternoon and miss a phone call back from the nurse who explains that she's waiting on my doctors approval.

I call back 10 minutes after their office has closed and their isn't even an option to leave a message. So I send an email to them explaining in depth the entire situation and laying it out clear as day which medications I am trying to get refilled.

The nurse calls back. My doctor had happened to stop back in and even though he didn't see my message, they went ahead and approved both medications for refill. At this point I should be able to call my pharmacy and they can begin filling the script.

The pharmacist I speak to is very confused and then continues to iterate that yes they've received both scripts, but they can only fill the one that was filled BY FUCKING MISTAKE and that the other medication is back ordered.

AT NO POINT DID THE PHARMACY TRY TO REACH OUT TO ME OR MY DOCTORS OFFICE.

I tell the pharmacist I will call around and see if any other locations may have the medication in stock, as it has now been over a week since I was due for a refill. He urges me not to and that it'll get filled when it is back in stock. First off, what the fuck.

After reaching out to several locations, I found one that had almost a full refills worth of medication and I decided that would have to do. This pharmacist assured me that he would get the script from the other pharmacy and would call me in the morning with an update.

Saturday June 23rd

He called and was told be a technician that the script was not on file and could not be located.

He then called me back and said he would set the medicine aside until we could get ahold of my doctor, as he didn't have any other patients waiting on it.

So, I reached out to my original pharmacy.

The technician never bothered to ask a pharmacist. The pharmacist had the script in his hand.

Now here's the problem.

It is a controlled narcotic so my doctor will have to contact the pharmacy that has it in stock and send in a new script.

It took a week to even get the first one.

I've mentioned before that the industry doesn't ever want me to get relief from my condition and this just proves it.

I hope the first pharmacist I ever spoke with loses her job and her license. My prescription was ignored because of her mistake. Her mistake caused so much confusion in my doctors office that it was brushed aside.

I want someone to have a serious conversation with the staff at Froedert Neurosciences Clinic. There is no reason I should not have received a phone call when their was confusion regarding my refill request.

I would like my nurse Laura to receive a raise as she continued to fight for attention for my issue even after their office had closed.

I would like the technician to be fired for giving misinformation to another pharmacy regarding my prescription status.

I have been told I will be receiving a call regarding the status of my prescription and if they are able to get ahold of the doctor on call.

I haven't.

At the end of the day. I just want my refill. I'm tired of having to fight for medication intended to make my life half way livable.

These medical folk don't realize that their mistakes could cost me my livelihood. If I have no treatment I can't possibly have a job and I won't be continuing to get an education, I know I'm not the only one who has had issues because of mistakes that are made, and I strongly believe that their mistakes should impact their livelihood as it does mine.

And yes, Walgreens, I'm talking to you and your staff.

A.

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