I dropped off a prescription and now the pharmacy says they don't have it.

[unsinkable]

Last week, I dropped off a paper script for a Schedule II med. The doc had written it earlier in the month and told me to take it in before the end of the month and the pharmacy would tell me when I could pick it up.

 

So I took it to the drive-thru, gave it to the the tech, told her what the doc said. She said they could not fill it until the 29th and i could come back then to pick up the meds. She kept the script. I would swear I saw her typing stuff in the computer while looking at the script.

 

I went back today to the drive-thru and a man looked up the name and medication and told me they had no script, and that they didn't even have those meds on hand. We went back and forth for a bit and he asked me to describe the woman who had taken the script when I dropped it off, which I did. Mid 40s, hair in a bob, tall. He said they had no one like that working there.

 

I was dumbfounded bc I know I dropped it off. I know the woman told me to come back on the 29th. And this man was basically like...we don't have it. Can't help you. Bye. I asked him what was I supposed to do and he said he didn't know. So I told him I was coming inside.

 

When I went inside, he was whispering to an older man. The younger man came up to me and said I could talk to the pharm. manager, who turned out to be the older man. Meanwhile, a woman who was mid-40s like i said walks out from between the shelves! I said to the younger man, "you said you didn't have a woman in her mid 40s working here." He said that isn't how he'd describe her.

 

I asked her if she remembered me dropping off the script. She said she didn't know.

 

Then the manager came over and asked me, "can I help you?" So I told him and he looked through some stacks of scripts and said they didn't have it.

 

Arghhhh! After some back and forth...he said they'd call the doctor and see what they could do.

 

I said, "are you going to tell them YOU lost it?"

 

I'm so frustrated and upset bc I don't think they can write a new script for Schedule II drugs. And I don't want the pharmacy implying to the doctor that I didn't drop it off, like they were implying to me.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm surprised that you were given a paper script.  Everything is computerized here and is sent directly to the pharmacy.  I hope they can get it sorted out for you.

[Word Nerd]

I'm surprised that you were given a paper script.  Everything is computerized here and is sent directly to the pharmacy.  I hope they can get it sorted out for you.

 

Not everything. Some medications require by law a signed paper prescription written by a doctor (at least that's what the sign on my Walgreens says).

[NorthwestMom]

I would call the doctor's office and tell them. I assume they know you and would know you aren't prescription shopping, and hopefully they can help you.  And I would be playing HARDBALL with the pharmacy. Their behavior was very suspicious to me, with the denial of knowing the employee. What government agency monitors them? I'd be reporting that and never using them again.

 

I'd possibly call the police nonemergency line too and ask what they think. Prescription drug abuse is a HUGE problem here.

 

Someone is stealing your pain meds, my dear.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would call the doctor's office and tell them. I assume they know you and would know you aren't prescription shopping, and hopefully they can help you.  And I would be playing HARDBALL with the pharmacy. Their behavior was very suspicious to me, with the denial of knowing the employee. What government agency monitors them? I'd be reporting that and never using them again.

 

I'd possibly call the police nonemergency line too and ask what they think. Prescription drug abuse is a HUGE problem here.

 

Someone is stealing your pain meds, my dear.

I would suspect the 40 year old pharmacy tech.

[Acorn]

I'd file a police report, it's just too suspicious.

[NorthwestMom]

I'd file a police report, it's just too suspicious.

 

And that would show you are sincere and serious - addicts who are med shopping don't file police reports.

[Tess in the Burbs]

Jean, I went to the Dr for my shoulder in May....pain meds on a certain list have to be paper scripts given to pharmacy by you. I too was surprised, but it has to do with fraud/abuse.

 

 

I am sorry they are being difficult. If you use them in the future, make copy of script and write down date/tech nane/details when you drop off. Hope your Dr can get it sorted out.

[Valley Girl]

Pharmacies have cameras inside at the counter. Does this one have them for the drive-through?

[bettyandbob]

I also would report it to the police.

 

Someone at the pharmacy is being dishonest. This is serious, particularly for drugs that require paper script.

[clementine]

The answer she gave as "I don't know." is suspicious.  If I knew I didn't take a prescription, I would say "I am unable to take a prescription that I am unable to fill." or "I am certain that I wasn't the one to help you."  ?? 

 

I would want to ask the manager what a pharmacist is supposed to do if they are given a paper prescription that can't be filled until a certain date.  Sketchy.

[Word Nerd]

It does sound fishy. She should have given the scrip back that day since they weren't able to fill it yet.

[AimeeM]

Not everything. Some medications require by law a signed paper prescription written by a doctor (at least that's what the sign on my Walgreens says).

This. My oldest is on Vyvannse for her ADD and it MUST be written - they cannot send it electronically. Every month I have to pick up a new script from the pedi's office and take it to the pharmacy.

[Spryte]

I would call the doc's office and discuss all the concerns with them.

 

Don't discount the idea that there is theft happening, it's, sadly, possible.  To this day, I believe that our local pharmacy watered down a very expensive liquid med I used to take.  $1200 per month.  There was no reason for the difference in consistencies when I got a factory sealed bottle vs one they had opened.  

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm suspecting the 40yo lady too--Rxs here are entered in to the computer right away. Whatever she was typing into the computer apparently wasn't entering your Rx into the system.

[TechWife]

I would call the doctor's office and tell them. I assume they know you and would know you aren't prescription shopping, and hopefully they can help you.  And I would be playing HARDBALL with the pharmacy. Their behavior was very suspicious to me, with the denial of knowing the employee. What government agency monitors them? I'd be reporting that and never using them again.

 

I'd possibly call the police nonemergency line too and ask what they think. Prescription drug abuse is a HUGE problem here.

 

Someone is stealing your pain meds, my dear.

 

 

I second these recommendations! 

 

Also, can you check with your insurance company to see if the prescription has been filled and charged to you between the time you dropped it off and today? You may be able to check that online. 

[bettyandbob]

The more I think about the more I think you need to go to the police station and report this NOW. The you need to call your doctor and tell them and see what they can do.

 

besides the woman not having a good response, the guy saying she didn't look like your description could be a problem too-- they could work together.

[kristi26]

I too would call the doctor's office myself and ask them to resend the prescription since the pharmacy lost it. I'd also be tempted to report it since the whole thing sounds very fishy.

[Sun]

Ditto to what everyone said above, and I also wouldn't take the new prescription back to that pharmacy. Call your state's pharmacy board and find out how to file a complaint.

[unsinkable]

The answer she gave as "I don't know." is suspicious. If I knew I didn't take a prescription, I would say "I am unable to take a prescription that I am unable to fill." or "I am certain that I wasn't the one to help you." ??

 

I would want to ask the manager what a pharmacist is supposed to do if they are given a paper prescription that can't be filled until a certain date. Sketchy.

I asked what the system is...and the pharm manager said if the script is too early to be filled they clip them together. And then I asked what is the procedure when one is lost and he told me they have never lost a script in the 8 1/2 years he has worked at that store.

[clementine]

I asked what the system is...and the pharm manager said if the script is too early to be filled they clip them together. And then I asked what is the procedure when one is lost and he told me they have never lost a script in the 8 1/2 years he has worked at that store.

 

Hmmmm, first I'd be skeptical of the 8 1/2 year perfect record.  Why would they admit that they've lost one before?  I wonder how long the woman has worked at the store?  At least you know that keeping the paper script is how they handle it.  

 

Still....weird.  Keep us posted!!!

[TechWife]

I asked what the system is...and the pharm manager said if the script is too early to be filled they clip them together. And then I asked what is the procedure when one is lost and he told me they have never lost a script in the 8 1/2 years he has worked at that store.

 

First, they should be entering them into a computer when they receive them, whether or not they are filling them. I have never heard of a pharmacy just keeping a prescription "clipped together" somewhere. Is this pharmacy part of a chain? If so,  you could also contact the regional pharmacy director to report the problem. If this pharmacy does any kind of normal to high volume business, I find it highly unlikely that they have never lost a script if all they do it "clip them together" - it just doesn't add up. 

[ondreeuh]

I suspect the tech too.

 

We have a couple scripts for schedule II meds, and my pharmacy will not hold on to the scripts if they cannot fill them immediately. I have to take the scripts back and try again later or at another pharmacy (which is annoying when they know they are getting a new shipment the next day!).

 

I wonder if they have a similar policy and the tech was violating it by taking the paper prescription to hold. I would go up the chain and ask for an audit.

[Forget-Me-Not]

I'd file a police report, notify the Drug Enforcement Agency, and take it up the chain at Walgreens.

 

Your doc should have a carbon copy of the script. See if they can do something with that.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I would definitely talk to the doctor myself.  My child's ADD meds have to be on paper too and my doctor gets a notice of when I fill them (I live in FL if that matters - I think it varies by state).  He yelled at me (well not really yelled but sternly talked to me) when I was 8 days late filling the prescription (it was summer, said child "forgot" to take it here and there).  Maybe your doctor could tell you if it has been filled?  I would talk the doctor first and then the police second.  I would call the police from the pharmacy and ask them to meet you there.  Have all your facts written out - day you dropped it off, approximate time, description of the employee, who you talked to today, what they said to you, etc. while it is fresh in your mind.

 

I am so sorry and hope you can get it sorted out and don't have to go too long without a filled prescription.

[Tess in the Burbs]

well, if possible I would get the new prescription at a different pharmacy if possible.  and maybe even let your insurance company know that location has an issue.....

[zoobie]

They should be able to track it with the carbon copy. I would report it too.

[gardenmom5]

The answer she gave as "I don't know." is suspicious.  If I knew I didn't take a prescription, I would say "I am unable to take a prescription that I am unable to fill." or "I am certain that I wasn't the one to help you."  ?? 

 

I would want to ask the manager what a pharmacist is supposed to do if they are given a paper prescription that can't be filled until a certain date.  Sketchy.

 

 

dd is at home studying for her clinical - so I just sent this question off to her.  she did very well on her legal . . . .

[gardenmom5]

I would call the doc's office and discuss all the concerns with them.

 

Don't discount the idea that there is theft happening, it's, sadly, possible.  To this day, I believe that our local pharmacy watered down a very expensive liquid med I used to take.  $1200 per month.  There was no reason for the difference in consistencies when I got a factory sealed bottle vs one they had opened.  

 

was it Kansas city?  that some pharmacist did just that resulting in patients dying because they weren't getting the drug/doseage they needed.

[Lanny]

I would:

 

(1) Call the doctor and explain that the pharmacy lost your written prescription

 

(2) Stop doing business with that pharmacy

[itsheresomewhere]

I would not only report it to the police but if they had a Facebook page, I would put this on there. Is this a chain or mom and pop type?

[unsinkable]

A bit of an update...the pharmacy called the doctor about the situation. And then a bit ago, the pharmacy called and said there is a new script at the doctor.

 

I went to the doctor and got the new script but it was written by another doc. The original prescribing doc isn't always there.

 

I tried telling the receptionist the situation and she said the best thing to do is to talk to the doc next time I saw him.

 

:confused:

 

Neither of the docs were there anyway and they were almost closed for the day so I think she just wanted me out of there...

 

Now I have to take the script to a new pharmacy. I'm not going back to the original one. I've got to find who to call to complain about this, up the chain of command.

 

I don't remember the details of when I dropped it off, time of day, what the woman looked liked beyond what I said, which isn't much. It had to have been last week sometime, bc it wasn't Monday or Tuesday this week.

[Lady Florida.]

If this is going to be a regular prescription, next time stand there (or sit in your car at the drive through) and wait until they tell you they have it in stock. That's what I do with ds' ADHD prescription. Every single time. 

[goldberry]

My daughter gets 2 ADD prescriptions, one for a 20mg, and one for a 10mg of the same medication.  They have to be paper copies.  Once when I took them in, the pharmacy only filled one of them, and said they didn't have the other one.  I think what probably happened is that someone thought it was a duplicate or something and may have thrown it away.  The pharmacy called my doctor and explained the situation.  They never insinuated it was my fault at all, and they apologized.  I picked up a new scrip and they filled it. 

[Ausmumof3]

Last week, I dropped off a paper script for a Schedule II med. The doc had written it earlier in the month and told me to take it in before the end of the month and the pharmacy would tell me when I could pick it up.

 

So I took it to the drive-thru, gave it to the the tech, told her what the doc said. She said they could not fill it until the 29th and i could come back then to pick up the meds. She kept the script. I would swear I saw her typing stuff in the computer while looking at the script.

 

I went back today to the drive-thru and a man looked up the name and medication and told me they had no script, and that they didn't even have those meds on hand. We went back and forth for a bit and he asked me to describe the woman who had taken the script when I dropped it off, which I did. Mid 40s, hair in a bob, tall. He said they had no one like that working there.

 

I was dumbfounded bc I know I dropped it off. I know the woman told me to come back on the 29th. And this man was basically like...we don't have it. Can't help you. Bye. I asked him what was I supposed to do and he said he didn't know. So I told him I was coming inside.

 

When I went inside, he was whispering to an older man. The younger man came up to me and said I could talk to the pharm. manager, who turned out to be the older man. Meanwhile, a woman who was mid-40s like i said walks out from between the shelves! I said to the younger man, "you said you didn't have a woman in her mid 40s working here." He said that isn't how he'd describe her.

 

I asked her if she remembered me dropping off the script. She said she didn't know.

 

Then the manager came over and asked me, "can I help you?" So I told him and he looked through some stacks of scripts and said they didn't have it.

 

Arghhhh! After some back and forth...he said they'd call the doctor and see what they could do.

 

I said, "are you going to tell them YOU lost it?"

 

I'm so frustrated and upset bc I don't think they can write a new script for Schedule II drugs. And I don't want the pharmacy implying to the doctor that I didn't drop it off, like they were implying to me.

Here the pharmacy always gives you a receipt for your prescription so there's proof.

 

That sounds very frustrating.

[Spryte]

No, I'm in VA, but the med is easily watered. It is thick, like latex paint if I got factory sealed bottles. When they poured it into dispensing bottles, it was not. After almost a year of treatment, another patient told me to always ask for factory sealed bottles. Treatment went much faster after that. :)

 

I never pursued it. Too sick.

 

Eta: phone posting. This was in response to the question about Kansas City.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm so glad that you were able to get a new prescription.  My understanding is that there are rules that prevent them from prescribing certain meds (all?) in this class more frequently than a set period (don't know what that period is).  In other words, if it hadn't been cleared up, it could have been a nightmare.  

[Tap]

I work in pharmacy. Sorry you had to deal with this, but I don't agree with the other posters who feel there is something nefarious going on.  When something like this happens, it creates a lot of work for the pharmacy to figure out the problem, to contact the doctor to replace it and to deal with the problem.  It isn't treated lightly by the pharmacy staff.

 

Instead of commenting on each response I will put a few comments here:

 

There are some states that allow e-scripts (electronic scripts) for CII narcotics now, but it is uncommon and even within those states, not every doctor is set up to send them electronically.  Out of the almost 1000 CII scripts a month we fill, only 5 or 10 are e-scripts at this time.   So, yes, CII scripts are almost always paper scripts, but not always (at least not in every state).

 

I have worked in pharmacy for 15 years, I have seen less than 5 CII scripts go missing and each time  we suspect it was accidentally thrown away within other papers.  I have seen pharmacy theft and diversion, but stealing a paper CII blank for another person is not a good way to steal meds, so I would not immediately think that was the problem.  The reason is....there is a paper trail.  Thieves don't want documentation, and just like this situation....you are going to come looking for it!

 

Many pharmacies do hold 'too soon' narcotic scripts, but not all do.  It is more convenient for the pharmacy since that way we know what we need to order and we can do the work at our convenience during the day. Some pharamcies pre-type the script and put it on hold which creates a prescrition number in the system.  Some pharmacies just hold the paper script until the day it can be filled.  

 

There are three different circumstances for 'too soon' scripts. 

1. The doctor writes a post-dated 'fill on' date.

2. It has a 'must last 30 days' notation and the previous filling of the script was less than 30 days prior to the new scripts date. 

These two situations can be forseen by the phamacy and can result in the pharmacy telling you 'you can fill this script on June 1'.  They don't have to type the prescription to get this answer and they can potentially tell you this when you are dropping off the prescription.

 

3. The script doesn't have a either of the previous issues, but when the technician types the script the insurance company says they won't pay for it until a certain date (medication has been previously filled and patient still has meds at home).   This is what I expect happened with the OP.  

 

 

 

There are 3 things that I would suspect:

1. The script was accidentally thrown away.

2. The script was accidentally typed under the wrong patients name.

3. The doctor accidentally typed the wrong patient name, and it is sitting on the shelf under the wrong name.

 

 

 

What I would do....

 

I would call the pharmacy and ask them to check 2 things.

 

1. Most pharmacies secure CII bottles in locked cabinets after they are filled for the patient, which is separate from the paper work.  NOT all pharmacies do this, but most do.  If they do store meds this way, ask them to check the bottles that have not been picked up. Ask if there are any there for you name. If there is, you have solved the problem.  If not.... 

  

Ask if any of the bottles in this cabinet are for this particular medication. If there are, can they please check the hard copy script to see if it is one that was written by your doctor.  By looking for one written by your doctor, you are eliminating the problem of the script potentially being typed under the wrong patient both by the doctor and the pharmacy.

 

2.Ask them to check the CII log book.  They can look at the log book, for that medication, and see if it was filled by that doctor within the date range you are speaking about. Then ask the pharmacy to verify them against the hard copy to see if there was a mistake made.

 

 

 

It may never show up if it was accidentally tossed out.  Accidents happen.  Unless you have multiple issues with this pharmacy, I wouldn't suspect a problem.  It could have just been an unfortunate fluke. 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Coincidentally, I went to my pharmacy and one of my prescriptions is being held until Friday.   :p Insurance won't pay for it before then.  

[unsinkable]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

I do wonder, for reasons like Tap mentioned, why anyone would take the actual script and try to fill it. That'd leave a paper trail and obviously, I'd coming looking for the script.

 

The part that is so frustrating is that the first man I dealt with was so dismissive and unhelpful. When I asked what should I do, he said "I don't know." I think he expected me to just drive away.

 

I am going to follow through and find out what the standard procedure is in the company for dealing with "too soon" scripts. I know we had another location hold a different Schedule II script for us and everything was fine.

 

Ugh...it is just another straw but it is piling on with many more of its Straw Friends and it feels like a big aggravation right now.