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How is your experience at the Pharmacy?

Artisan105

Yondaime
How is your experience at your Pharmacy? Do they judge you? Do they give you slow service? What Pharmacy do you use? Would you recommend them? How is their inventory? Always in stock or always out? What is your wait time? 15-30mins? 1-5 hours? 1 day?
 
when first got told about crohns the chemist I uses was quite fast, but now they got slowly. Overall the chemist is friendly and good customer service even thoug they are slowly. I feel comfort and confidence use the chemist because I do not feel like being judge.
 
Mine is normally pretty good. The one thing I don't like doing is asking for syringes for my B12. With some of the local population, I have occasionally been looked at as if I am a junkie.
 
I use the neighborhood Walgreens and they are always very fast, very friendly, and completely non-judgmental. The only thing I don't get there is the Humira, which the insurance company requires I get from a special mail-order pharmacy. I've also had good luck with CVS and Wegmans (grocery store).
 
We use "Shoppers Drug Mart" (Canada) and its always good. It can take quite awhile to get our prescriptions filled though. For refills I always try to call in a few days ahead. For new prescriptions we can either sit there for 20 minutes to an hour, or just drop it off and pick it up a few hours later. It depends on how busy they are. And the pharmacist always takes the time to explain new meds to us, from taking it to side effects. I've never felt judgement from them.
 
I use the pharmacy at the grocery store (Tom Thumb/Safeway/Randall's). At one point I was buying huge boxes of cortisone enemas and Rowasa enemas, along with a ton of prescription suppostiories and hemorrhoid cream, and not once did they embarrass or judge me. We even had a good laugh over the colonoscopy prep they I was doing every year! A few times I had to have something ordered, and even then it was to me within 24 hours. Always a positive experience there. Best place I have ever dealt with.
 
Completely unrelated to IBD, but I was recently looking for someone in my area to give the 3-part hepatitis B vaccinations. I needed the accellerated dosing schedule which was just recently approved by the FDA in the US. None of the clinics around me had even heard of it. I checked with my Tom Thumb pharmacy as a last ditch effort before calling the county clinic (which is nasty in my area) and sure enough they knew what it was and were ready to get me started on it right away. They were extremely helpful with other vaccinations as well.
 

CrohnsChicago

Super Moderator
yeah I typically get my meds mostly from the local Walgreens and CVS. Walgreens is the most helpful and they go out of their way to help answer my questions when they can.

CVS not as much because it is a downtown CVS and they get people rushing in and out ALL day during the business hours so they don't have much time for personal assistance beyond the basics.

I also get my 6-MP from a local LGBT/HIV health center because they always seem to be in stock and walgreens has had trouble accessing the medication as of late (finally cleared up now). This particular site is not as friendly and make you feel like you are burdening them by asking them questions instead of just paying for your meds and going home. Not all of the workers are like that, but two out of the four I have encountered have been extremely less than helpful sighing and giving mild attitude to the customers. And making you feel silly for asking questions. There are two nice semi-helpful ones though.
 

Artisan105

Yondaime
I am glad most of the people have a good pharmacy to go to. :) I typically go to CVS because there is one close to my house.
 
I LOVE Target pharmacy. The pharmacist, Tony, is so personable and will always take the time to answer my questions/concerns.

Eight years ago, when I came home from the hospital due to a stroke, the idiot MD wrote me 2 Rx without looking at my computer printout of all the meds I take. Hubby took the Rxs to Target and Tony called me ASAP and told me that the doctor should've read my printout because one of the prescriptions seriously interacts with one of my current treatments and I'd wind up back in the hospital.

So then my husband thanked him and came home telling me that he's firing the MD and asking my primary for a referral to a better neurologist who will listen.

Over the years, Tony even gave me coupons for some of my medications to save money and once, when there was a very long wait to pick up,I didn't fault him as he is busy and deals with rude customers all the time), he gave me an "I'm sorry coupon for $$ off the prescriptions.

In return, I wrote to Target's corporate HQ to tell them how he saved my life from serious drug interactions, has gone above and beyond in customer service, and always gives me his undivided attention when I have questions about my new meds.

I even told him that if he ever leaves for someplace else, I WOULD FOLLOW.
 

Artisan105

Yondaime
Mine is normally pretty good. The one thing I don't like doing is asking for syringes for my B12. With some of the local population, I have occasionally been looked at as if I am a junkie.
Yea when I took a lot of pain medicine they looked at me like I was a junkie. Also because I kept going in an out of the hospital, I had so much IV marks from the constant blood withdrawals by the nurses and the normal IV lines that needed to be changed every 3 days. My arms looked like a heroine addict because of all the track marks. Anyways... my CVS pharmacist is great. He totally understands me. I think it is because his sister had Crohn's :)
 

SarahBear

Moderator
Location
Charleston,
I go to CVS. I used to use Rite Aid, but after an annoying experience where a manager for some reason felt the need to follow my boyfriend and I around the store (I'm assuming he expected us to shoplift, but I can't for the life of me figure out why he would think that) I haven't gone back.

No judgment - not sure why they would. Service is good, normal speed and they're always very friendly. I would recommend them. They usually have what I need in stock. Once I had to wait a day to fill my prescription - but it was for a rather obscure form of birth control, so I'm not surprised there was some delay and it wasn't an issue. Other than that, I've never had any wait. They're also really good about communicating with both my doctor's offices and insurance company about coverage and costs.
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
I use a local pharmacy and there is no judgement. I'm not even sure they know what my meds are for but frankly they deal with so many conditions I don't see why IBD would bother them.

I usually wait 15 min for them to fill the medication. If they don't have it they almost always have it overnighted.
 

Artisan105

Yondaime
I use a local pharmacy and there is no judgement. I'm not even sure they know what my meds are for but frankly they deal with so many conditions I don't see why IBD would bother them.

I usually wait 15 min for them to fill the medication. If they don't have it they almost always have it overnighted.
Wow 15 minutes to get the medicine? That is super fast! :) Awesome Pharmacy. I am glad they don't place any judgement on you.
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
Never had an issue with any pharmacies. Since 1990 I have used Shoppers, Jean Coutu and now use Lawtons (company that has our drug plan is connected with Lawtons / Sobeys).

I usually call ahead in the morning to let them know that I need the next refill on the prescription and it is ready at lunchtime. Occasionally I have had either the Salofalk or Imuran be on back order and only had part of the prescription filled and had to go back in a couple of days to pick up the balance.
 
I love Walgreens! The pharmacist is always nice and so knowledgeable. When he found out I had Crohn's, he gave me the phone number of a friend of his who runs a support group about an hour away. It's the little things that keep me coming back :)
 
For the most part we use Walgreens, but our insurance requires us to use a crappy mail order pharmacy if we need more than two months worth of something. Walgreens has been fabulous though. My son is also gluten free so every time they fill a Rx for him they call the manufacturer for me to see if the med if gluten free. Saves me a ton of trouble and time. They've always been very patient and helpful with my questions whether in person or on the phone.
 

Jim (POPS)

Jim (Pops)
Location
Antioch, Ca
I was using CVS until I checked with CostCo on the price of my meds. I take meds for RLS and at CVS it was $722.00 for a 90 day supply. At CostCo it is $37.00, all in all I save over $1,500.00 in 90 days. I have a $2750.00 deductiable (a year) and after its met I have to pay 20% of the meds. So it paid for me to shop around. Also, the CVS in my area does judge me when it comes to pain meds. When I starte using then in the begining of 2011 because of my pention provider changed my Insurance, they were in awa of the amount of pain meds I was taken and even said it was way to much. I had taken that amount for over 5 years. I have all but stop taking ain meds now.
 

Artisan105

Yondaime
I was using CVS until I checked with CostCo on the price of my meds. I take meds for RLS and at CVS it was $722.00 for a 90 day supply. At CostCo it is $37.00, all in all I save over $1,500.00 in 90 days. I have a $2750.00 deductiable (a year) and after its met I have to pay 20% of the meds. So it paid for me to shop around. Also, the CVS in my area does judge me when it comes to pain meds. When I starte using then in the begining of 2011 because of my pention provider changed my Insurance, they were in awa of the amount of pain meds I was taken and even said it was way to much. I had taken that amount for over 5 years. I have all but stop taking ain meds now.
Wow... such savings! I <3 Costco. :) I just wish I could eat those polish hot dogs or chicken bakes =( They always call out my name when I walk by them lol. I could eat them but I know it will hurt my stomach later. =(

But seriously these savings are crazy! And I am sorry CVS they judge you =( They did that to me too when I was flaring. My pain doctor was adjusting the pain meds from 30mg of Oxycodone to 4mg of Dilaudid and 120 pills.So they were like this is way too much. I had to wait an extra two hours just for the pharmacist to get confirmation from my Doctor. Grrrrr. :) oh wells. He was just doing his job I guess.

Anyways. Thanks for your post Jimbo =)
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I live in a small country with one pharmacy. They know me and I deal with them through work as well so no issues whatsoever when it comes to customer service etc. They always have the meds we use in stock so only takes about 5 minutes to fill the script.

Dusty. :)
 
In the netherlands in my city all the pharmacies work together..even the one located at the hospital and the staff also rotate shifts at the hospital one next to the ER and GP emergency post. So i can get my accurate medical information at all times and get most of my scripts filled within 5 to 10 minutes. If it happens that they dont have it in stock they can check the other pharmacies to see which one has it and they can deliver it to me or if i choose i can pick it up the next morning.

So all in all pretty good pharmacies and they never judge, they always give good explanation of medications and double check everything before you leave.

Xx
 
Target Pharmacy is the best where I live. Even for my large quantities of Pentasa (I get a 3 months supply because it's cheaper that way), they have them by the next morning. They haven't looked at me twice on the occasion I had a pain medicine, and they work very quickly when I go in and don't look very well. They have a great staff.

I guess it doesn't take much to please me after my local grocery store was bad - slow service, bad customer service, but not because of my illness, but just because that's how they treated everyone.
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
I use Fred Meyer (also known as Kroger). The main pharmacy I use is in the store I work in. We basically treat each other as brothers and sisters there because we're always taking care of each other. Majority of the time they always have my medications and I have no problem at all getting them. However, there are those very few times that it seems like I'm probably the only one using that type of meds and they have to order them which might take a few days. But, they've always been very helpful to me especially when I had a hard time getting a hold of my original GI...
 

Artisan105

Yondaime
I know about the retail chain Fred Meyers :) Ahhh feels good to hear that name again lol It is like a cross between Target and a Super Walmart. lol I am glad you have a good pharmacy to go to.
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
Been working for fred meyer for over 12 years now. Got to admit that the company has treated me pretty well:) Although, dealing with the public sometimes makes you want to tear your hair out...
 
I always go to the pharmacy at the clinic where my son is treated. It's small but the service is good and if the pharmacists have any concerns about the prescription, (I had a recent one where the pharmicist queried the dosage) they'll go find the doctor and and speek with them about their concerns before they fill the script. I don't mind waiting an extra 10 minutes to be sure that what I'm giving my child is right.
 
Mine is great, I only ever wait a few minutes and everything is normally in stock. They're a little local pharmacy just down the road. Using the bigger chains I find they quite often make me wait longer and don't have drugs in stock.
 
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