pharmacy dispute /missing meds / advice?

[Soundguy]

I stopped by a publix on the way home last night, picked up a few grocery items and checked-out at the pharmacy because i needed to pick up some of that 'behind the counter' nasal decongestant that has the good ole' pseudophrene hcl stuff in it.. ( the new phenylphrene hcl stuff don't work on me at all ). I've been having sinus problems all week and not sleeping well unless I can breathe. Anyway.. that behind the counter stuff is 'quantity limited'.. that is you can only buy it once per month.. etc. Anyway.. rest of story.. So I pointed tot he box i wanted behind the counter, they looked at my drivers license, i filled out the form, and the wrung up my purchases and threw it all in the bag for me. I get home, eat dinner, and about 15-20 minutes before bedtime I grab the box of decongestant to take it so I can breathe / sleep and what do I find but an EMPTY box. I was surprised to see a non tamperproof box.. no gummed seal or tamperproof tape dot.. just a double tab box that folds open and shut. I call the store back... pharmacist is gone.. tech is there and store manager is there. Looks like it is going be a issue... tech doesn't think they will be able to sell me any more... manager wants to 'make it right'.. but didn't say what that meant.... I don't want my darn 2$ back.. i want my box of decongestant...

On the way home from my day job ( going to my night job ) I'm stopping back by suposedly when the pharmacist and store manager are there to see what can be done.. but in the mean time.. I'd like ideas about my options of complaint / resoloution. IE who is the controlling federal agency when it deals with a pharmacy / meds.. is it FDA? If this becomes an issue I will be fileing a complaint. If there is an agency that handles complaints about the pharmacist themselves.. I'll also be complaining there, as well as with the stores corporate level. I didn't sleep much last night.. I'm not very pleasent right now.. and I have a double today.. first half of the day is just office / desk work.. but tonight is going to be dirty work....

What are my options guys? I'm guessing that this is not an isolated incident.. seems to me that unless it was a really reare situation of the supplier not putting the meds int he box, then it is someone int he store / pharmacy stealing the meds.. ( making drugs ??? ).. seems like this may be the tip of a bigger problem....

Soundguy

 

[dooleysm]

Sounds like to me you got one of the display boxes on accident. I'd wait to see how the situation is resolved at the pharmacy before sending complaints off to everyone you can think of. Mistakes do happen and we tend to get overly worked up when they adversely affect us. It could be something as simple as the guy behind the counter grabbed the wrong box.

Regarding the controlling agency, I'm pretty sure it's the states that are coming up with these rules regarding the meth making drugs. I don't think the Federal government has anything to do with controlling distribution of OTC drugs.

 

[Soundguy]

I deffinately won't se doning anything until after my talk with them.. but from what the tech told me.. they may not be ginging me another box of meds...

Display box.. i never though of that.. i woonder why they are empty though, if behind the counter?

Soundguy

 

[k6dyc]

See what they say, if you don't get a solution right away, go to another pharmacy and spend another $2. Don't go back to the first store again. You need the meds and the fight in this case probably isn't worth it.

IMHO, forget the FDA, etc. Pick your battles, this one isn't really a hill you need to die on now, is it? Vote with your wallet. .

. . on the other hand, this may just be a situation that lit your fire and got stuck in your crawl, if so, give 'em h**l!

 

[Soundguy]

Can't go to another pharmacy and get any more meds.. this si the 'quantity limited' stuff That empty box they sold me is my entire months alottment.... so I'm sc%$&ed until next month.. unless they give me another box.. etc.
And yes.. it stuck in my craw as i don't sleep if i can't breathe threw my nose...

Soundguy

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Soundguy,
This morning I was reading an article on the MSN home page. A bit OT of your problem with your local pharmacy but disturbing non the less ! The bottom line is dont get sick and dont get old

MSN Money - Insure Your Health

 

[k6dyc]

Soundguy, I wonder how they share the information between pharmacies? Is there an on-line database that they all key into whenever a purchase is made? I'd be surprised if another non-Publix pharmacy would know that you purchased within the month, but then again, maybe I'm underestimating the system. If they make you fill out a form, I'djust do it and if they contact you about making two purchases within a month you have plenty of backup to your claim that the box was empty.

 

[dmccarty]

Can't go to another pharmacy and get any more meds.. this si the 'quantity limited' stuff That empty box they sold me is my entire months alottment.... so I'm sc%$&ed until next month.. unless they give me another box.. etc.

That really would surprise me that a non Publix would know you had already bought one box. The states are the ones passing these laws. It would really shock me that the state is tracking these buys.

Can a family member get you the meds?

If they can't do it and the manager can't get the meds, call up the the TV station. They love stories like this...

Later,
Dan

 

[Soundguy]

I only know what the pharmacy is telling me.. but I DO believe it is trackable. For instance.. i normally get my meds at walgreens in town.. and i know for sure they keep track, cause if i go in a day early, no matter what walgreens i go to , they have a record of it. Same with walmart.. My wife shops there.. she see's the same thing.

I asked the people at publix if they enter the info into a data base and they told me that someone comes around once a week to pick up the records ??

I'm headed out in about 10 minutes to find out if i need to call the tv station!

It makes me mad that they squeeze the 'little' guy just to make it rough on the bad guy.. Heck.. I was ready to go out hunting drug users with my shotgun last night if i hadn't finally fell asleep from exhaustion trying to breathe.

I think perhaps if they started executing drug users.. then maybee they could let john Q citizen buy cold medicine without so much red tape!! GRRRRR

The limit is kinda funny too.. for instance.. what they consider a months allotment is 4 days dosage, according to the package.. in other words... you don't dare get a sinus condition real often.. cause the gov'mnt won't let you have the meds to treat yourself... begining to sound like south africa more each day.. ( anyone tell I've been missing some sleep? )

Soundguy

 

[SkyPup]

Could just go see a real physican and get a prescription for some real drugs instead of OTC.