(The following is my experience with one pharmacy – it does not mean it is a typical experience.)
Last year my pharmacy kept harassing me with monthly phone calls about having a prescription ready for me to pick up. I’d go in and tell them to take me off the automatic refill. Each time I was assured that I would no longer be on auto-fill.
I no longer needed a monthly supply of inhalers – but the pharmacy kept calling.
When I quit showing up to pick up their prescription, the harassing phone calls not only increased, but I started receiving additional phone calls about how I needed to stay on the medications that my doctor prescribed for me.
Eventually I ended up with probably a lifetime of inhalers (which I had to throw away because they expired without ever being used) and finally the calls ended.
This month I requested an asthma re-evaluation with my doctor and had told her what I had experienced last year.
She went out of her way to work with me. To evaluate my asthma, I was provided a non-refillable prescription for two emergency inhalers (one for my purse and one for the home). The doctor and I figured this way the pharmacy would be cut off and I wouldn’t be stressed or harassed by them and we could see how much usage I had for the emergency inhaler.
Thirty days later the pharmacy phone calls began again.
I stormed down to the pharmacy, chewed out the pharmacist about their automated system. The pharmacist told me that the doctor had sent the request to him. I told him that was a load of crap; that this pharmacy initiated this refill. I also informed him of how the doctor made sure – for me – that the prescription had been labeled “no refills”.
I also told him that this un-requested, un-asked for prescription was rejected and refused.
The pharmacist took me “off automated refill” and handed me a print out showing he had just disabled it.
I next went to the doctor’s office. What they say really ticked me off: the pharmacy had called my doctor’s office “on behalf of Jan Toomer who requested a refill”. Bull hockey and shame on the pharmacy.
I let the doctor’s office know that I had not requested anything from the pharmacy.
So, this pharmacy had disregarded the doctor’s instructions of “no refills” on the prescription and lied to my doctor’s office and harassed me just to keep the money flowing…in other words, for their own greed.
When someone requests no auto refills, that needs to be honored…period.
Again, I do not pay anyone to harass me, mistreat me or abuse me; and I do not like being lied to or deceived in any way. That kind of treatment and energy is not welcome in my life or energy.
So, I fired my pharmacy today.
Please take responsibility and monitor your situation; don’t let the pharmacies dictate to you whether or not you need a prescription. Work with your doctor and your doctor’s office to make sure that you do require refills.*
*Automatic refills are wonderful for those who may be forgetful and/or really do need monthly refills.
by Jan Toomer
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