Hi everyone.

CVS refused to fill my regular Klonopin prescription on Saturday. I've been going there for 5 years. I'm not going back there again. But this whole experience was weird.

The pharmacist was someone new. Never seen him before. But his assistant should know me. I come in all the time, Tammy! And I'm not the forgettable sort. She acted as if she'd never seen me before. New pharm was suspicious of me from the very minute I presented the script, kind of looking at me funny, asking why my doctor hadn't written the full name and address on the script. I said that's normal, I come here all the time with scripts like that.

I said, "Well, I'm probably in the system, on your computer, my name is Gecko." Knowing that I go there regularly for this script and it's the same amount, etc. etc.

This is what he says: "I don't know WHO you are!"

I was chill, even though I haven't had my normal dose of Klonipin in about 36 hours. I say, "My doctor is Dr. Blah and he rx's me this every month. My name is Gecko. This is my monthly rx. You could call him, but he's on vacation, and that's why he dated this script for the 14th, he knew he was going to be gone and gave me this to fill while he was away."

The pharm actually says to me, loud enough for other customers to hear: "What your doctor is doing is illegal! He should know better than that! He can't post-date a prescription! You've been holding on to this rx for FOUR days. Why didn't you fill it four days ago?"

I think HE needs the Klonopin more than I do.

"I didn't need it four days ago."

"You should be prescribed exactly the dosage you take."

"But it says 'take as needed', so . . ." I'm not even being sarcastic with him; I'm kind of pleading with him.

At this point, the pharm rolls his eyes, gives me back the script, and tells me to have my doctor's nurse or covering physician write a new script, and that was the only way he would dispense the meds to me.

I'm a little pissed because my Dr. told me I cannot stop Klonopin abruptly. I have a mood disorder and it helps keep things even. I've also been on the drug for a long time.

I asked the pharm what I should do if I can't take this med for a couple days, and he asks, "What do you take it for?"

I don't know if they're allowed to ask me that? Are they? I told him, "Mood disorder. I've been on the same dosage for almost 9 years."

He says: "You should be fine without it."

Weird, right? Turns out, my doctor said it's actually illegal for him to say that to me. Pharmicists are not supposed to give medical advice contrary to what the doctor's intent is, such as to stop a medication when the doctor doesn't want you to.

I went about 48 hours without taking Klonopin before I could get some. I was edgy and moody and yelling at my roommate a lot.

My Dr. gets back from vacation and is pissed at CVS, so he calls them, explains the situation. Phones in a 5-day emergency script for me.

I call up and ask if it's ready yet about half an hour later. First they act like they don't know who I am again. Tammy wants me to spell my name AGAIN. Then she says no one called in a script. I asked her to kindly check again. Then she says, "Oh, sorry, the meds are right here."

"All right, I'll be over to pick them up."

Tammy says: "Actually, you'll have to wait another hour."

I agree to give her an hour, but I think that kind of negates the whole "emergency call-in" concept here. And, um, I had just heard her say that the meds were "right here."

More than an hour later, I call again to see if it's ready. She acts like she doesn't know who I am AGAIN! Spell my name AGAIN! At this point, I'm worried about Tammy's sanity. Then she asks, "What's the script FOR?"

I kind of lost it. What's it for? We've gone through this whole ordeal, Tammy, for days now, and I've never had another med rxed to me. Huh?

I said: "I just talked to you an hour ago, and you said it would be ready. Is it ready or not?"

"What is the script FOR?"

"Klonopin."

Immediately: "Yes, it's ready."

What is going ON?

So I'm just wondering. Are they stupid, or are they being jerks? And if they're being jerks, why? What did I do except try to fill my script like I do every f-ing month?

Sorry for the long post, but I thought I might get some answers about, well, what just happened? I got my meds in the end, but it was the first time it was this difficult.

OMG, that is so ridiculous!! I would be so angry if I were you too!! And what that pharmacist told you was dead wrong. You absolutley cannot go without your normal dosage for that long. You are at a major risk for seizures!!! I have been on klonipin for 2 years, and I never miss a dose. My doctor said it can be deadly to stop this medication abruptly. If I were you I would never go back to that pharmacy again. Screw CVS. Take your business elsewhere. I would also file a formal complaint about the pharmacist giving you the advice that it would be fine for you not to take a dose in 36 hours. They ARE responsible for giving medical advising, and that was wrong. I would definitley find out how to file a complaint against him/her. I am so sorry you had to go thru that.

Yep, classic CVS B.S.!! Some CVS's are ok, but every once in a while I run into someone just as you described. Unfreakenbelievable. The last time I used CVS sometime last year, I mistakenly didn't count the pills at the counter to ensure they gave me the correct amt. (never had a problem with an incorrect count, so thought nothing of it and drove home). I get home, and sure enough they gave me 30 on a 60 count script. That is the same script I had been getting from that particular CVS for the past 4-5 months previous. I called and explained the situation, they told me to come back and speak to the pharmacy mgr. I did, and the guy was a major prick. He looked right thru me it felt like, acted like I was lying and just another 'drug-seeker'. I got really mad and flung a few accusations towrds the young college aged staffers who were filling the scripts that night. He didn't even bother to turn to ask them to recount. Went home, go the distrcit mgr number, emailed CVS customer svc online. When the man called me about 3 days later, all he offered was a $15 CVS gift card for my frustration. Whatever, all I know is someone messed up and took 30 of my pain pills and wouldn't fess up to it! Sorry for the rant, but I'm done with CVS. I also don't use Walgreens b/c I've read about people's nightmares there too, mainly with out of state scripts. So I go to a mom and pop pharmacy, friendlier and a short wait. If they are closed, as they are in the evenings, the Walmart near my house is preety decent too. Ok----I'll stop, or I could go on and on!

My doctor advised me to "stop going to corporations" for my meds. Luckily, I live in an area where you can still find a good mom & pop, but I feel sorry for those who live in rural areas where sometimes CVS may be the only place around for miles and miles.

Wal Mart once told me I wasn't allowed to fill advance scripts when I went on vacation, even though my doctor wanted me to. But that made a little more sense . . .

Seems to me that big box store pharmacy's are subject
to this tomfoolery. Pharmacists are staff, not owners so
though you may have seen the same crew for 10 years, they
can be substituted for new ones overnight.

Also, it seems to be an individual thing. Occasionally,
some pharmacist will bark and pee all over you to feel
powerful no matter what. My philosophy, one strike and
I move on. It's not worth a fight as I'd rather be happy
then right.

I have CVS horror stories that wouldn't fit on this page. They are the RUDEST ego maniacal bunch I have ever seen! I'll leave it at that !!

CVS is one huge pile of [censored]. But you can sometimes get good pharmacists or techs. Remember, they are not very well paid, this is my understanding.

In CVS's case I do believe it does depend on the Pharmacist. I had been going to the same CVS for 5 yrs and moved back to my home (I am a consultant) and had my scripts transferred to the CVS I had been with before for like 15 yrs. Always was the same Pharmacist before, but a new one now and although he was cold to me he did fill, but I was uncomfortable as it was just a transaction where I felt like a piece of fish. Fiornal and another med, but still it was all business. I would have hated to see him if it was an actual Sched II or III med.

I am posting in the "to easy thread" (or what ever it is called) and did not use CVS for this transaction because of this guy.

That's why I never use CVS. That pharmacist will kill someone one day. You absolutely must file a complaint with your State's pharmacy board about the situation and the pharmacist giving out medical advice and overriding your doctor's advice!

Stupid is the answer.

One of many reasons that come to mind as to why I don't visit McPharmacies like CVS was this doozy.

I want to quit smoking cigarettes. I'm an expert at quitting, I've tried it 25 times (;-

I asked my Doctor for Zyban which was being heavily advertised. It was called into CVS. This was before I became educated about medications so it didn't bother me that the label didn't say Zyban, had some long name. I was used to getting generic substitutes. Didn't realize that a new medication still under patent wouldn't have a generic.

After 4 months I realized it wasn't helping at all.

I looked the long name up on the web and found I had been taking generic Prozac for 4 months for no reason.

When I complained, CVS and the Doctor each blamed the other for having poor English skills -- hence the mistake.

I was not placated to put it mildly.

It did result in my researching throughly any medication that I'm prescribed. Now I'm too educated in the eyes of some Doctors not to give the appearance of a "drug seeker" when I ask hard questions or cite research.

----

I could go on with CVS mess ups and humiliations.

patient2all

Did you at least feel better or happyer on Prozac?

That was a big mistake for poor language skills
I can not see it happening even if your doctor was Korean and the pharmacist Cuban

ZYBAN (Bupropion hydrochloride)
PROZAC (Fluoxetine Hcl)

No, because I'm not depressed. I might be angry, frustrated and determined, but never depressed. The Prozac had zero effect.

Chronic Pain patients should beware using the word "depressed" when seeking treatment. It gives the Doctor an "easy out" to parlay off one of the anti-depressents cum pain relievers like Cymbalta or Effexor.

It is claimed that the reason these are effective for some folk's pain relief is unknown to science. So they've gained a general acceptance for this off-label use.

I fell into that trap and briefly was prescribed each for pain. Both led to life changing events that weren't for the better...



IMO, that was a cop out excuse. The Doctor was educated in India but her English was quite fluent. She no doubt spoke English from birth as a second or third language. Who knows who was manning the phones at CVS on that fateful day.

CVS couldn't have possibly recalled an event that happened months earlier over the phone. They were judging by the Doctor's hard to pronounce name I'd imagine. Ironically, the Doctor didn't fit the stereotype of a "Hindu Indian Doctor". Googling her name shows she also practices Christian faith based medicine and therapy with a group devoted to such.

I'd imagine the Doctor passing blame to a CVS language barrier was based on similar mishaps she had encountered with CVS over the years.

------

In any case, it educated me to check out any medicine that I take for side effects, etc.

patient2all

I've looked online to see what CVS official guidelines are for pharmacies, and all I can find is their privacy Rules for PHI, which I'm uncertain about.

I'm still wondering about the legality of the way big corporate pharmacies such as CVS will behave at the counter. Such as, 1. Was the pharmacist legally allowed to ask me why I took the medication 2. Was he legally allowed to tell me that I would "be just fine without it" (I told him I have been on 2mg Klonopin per day for 7 years) and 3. Can pharmacists shout (or raise his/her voice) when discussing your Rx, given that we all have to sign a privacy notice, stand about 6 feet away from other customers, etc.?

I don't think a complaint would get me anywhere. Maybe a gift card. I think it's better that I continue my public education campaign slogan, "Stay away from CVS!"

We may respect other customer's privacy, but that doesn't extend to the behaviour of pharmacy personnel. They will do whatever they want with no qualms. No doubt the sheer volume of complaints from customers shields them from follow-up if one does file a complaint.

--------------

Re: CVS, I did say "I could go on with CVS mess ups and humiliations." (and on)

This reminded me of an incident back in 1997 when I was going through a stressful period. A kind Doctor wrote me a meager prescription for 20 .25 Xanax.

The date was hard to read so the pharmacist loudly announced amidst a cluster of about 10 people waiting on the "Drop Off" line -- "This prescription appears to have been altered!"

In all, perhaps 20 people in the CVS Store heard the exchange.

Needless to say I didn't take well to that and asked for the manager. The manager took the side of the pharmacist and the way it was handled.

------

I maintained that even if the pharmacist had her suspicions, all she had to do was ask me to come back in 20 minutes while she made a phone call to the Doctor to verify that indeed it was a freshly issued prescription.

I cited that neighbors of mine could have been among the nearby shoppers that day and would form a poor opinion of me based on the events that took place.

------

The manager asked if I saw any of my "neighbors" in the store.

I noted the potential damage done to my reputation extended further than just my immediate neighbors. While it may be the case that I know or care about few people where I live, my sister is very active in the community, most of her neighbors also frequent this same CVS that is but a few blocks from her house. Strangers often stop me and say "You're MP's brother, right?"

Given that this was a small town, it was well within the realm of possibilities that there were indeed people there that my sister knew and it was equally likely that they would know of her brother -- now officially regarded as "the druggie". My appearance is quite distinctive and unforgettable.

That opinion would similarly reflect badly on my sister who goes above and beyond to be an asset to the town and maintains a "Norman Rockwell" family both indoors and outside. Having come up from a rough background, she takes pride in having raised a wonderful family ensuring that the baggage of our past never carried over to the next generation. In fact she's especially sensitive about her perception in an upscale community where her acceptance was hard-won.

The manager maintained a defensive attitude as I suggested a number of more discreet ways the pharmacist's suspicions could have been handled.

------

I took names and titles, wrote off a letter to CVS Corporate. Never got a response. No doubt the letter was filed in the "druggie" bin.

My sister said that I must have done something else to appear "suspicious"

I'm sort of running out of pharmacies.... They're all the same. There are no 'mom and pops' left anymore, all having been wiped out the mega McPharmacies.

In some ways I long for the old way of doing business....

patient2all

That is a mess I would file a complaint anyway they may eventually get the micrescope and at that time they will need complaints to get his lisence revoked.

My local wallgreen is great to me communicates with my doctor etc. No probelms. I like the mom and pop ones the best just too far to drive.

Tm

I've got a great CVS near me. I've been going to them before they were CVS and were Eckerd's. It's the same pharmacist in charge. The pharmacists both know me and have for years. The techs change, but are always respectful and polite. The floater pharmacist is a doofus and the techs confided in me not to ask him any important questions.

Now, walgreen's is a different story. One night years ago I had to go to a 24 hour pharm to get a med from the ER filled. They looked up my profile and asked why I hadn't been getting other meds I had gotten there before any more. Duh, #1, none of their biz, #2, I was using my insurance's mail in service. Now, I drive the extra miles to go to a 24 hour cvs if I have to.

Even though we moved and there is a closer CVS, I still drive the extra 5 miles to the one I've gone to forever. They were great and called my insurance for me to get overrides when we had our fire and needed meds right away. It was a sunday too!

This thread is EXACTLY why I no longer go to CVS, not to mention the fact that they are over priced. To answer your question, IMO&E they are stupid AND they are jerks. STUPID OVERPRICED JERKS.

My pharmacy is a mom and pop independant, they know my name, what my meds are, I have never waited more than 5 minutes, even without calling ahead, and they have never given me a hard time when I need to get my refill early for any reason. One time when I was going out of town for a few weeks, they even let me pick up a benzo 2 weeks early, and I was quite suprised.

I don't understand why or how there are so many CVS's out there. In my area, seriously within a one-mile radius, there are 3 that I know of. It's insane.

I hope you find a new, better pharm. Where they actually value and know a customer.

"That's why I never use CVS. That pharmacist will kill someone one day. You absolutely must file a complaint with your State's pharmacy board about the situation and the pharmacist giving out medical advice and overriding your doctor's advice!"

I would report his narrow, arrogant asss. That is MALPRACTICE - pure and simple. Pharmacists do not have the authority to question a physicians diagnosis at any time, and only have the authority to question their prescribing if there is a CLEAR, OBVIOUS PATTERN OF PRESCRIBING THAT IS INDICATIVE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

Otherwise, their jobs are to ensure that the quantity, dosage and overall information of the prescription is filled correctly, that the patient understands the dosage, frequency and effect of the prescribed substance, ensure that there is not a possible interaction with other prescribed (or possible over the counter) medications being taken by the patient, and deal with the insurance of the patient, etc. It is NOT THEIR DAMN JOB TO PRACTICE MEDICINE, whatever the Angry Pharmacist and his ilk may say to the contrary. What he did is grounds for revoking, or at least taking disciplinary action, against his license to practice pharmacy. That is unfricking believable. For the sake of his other patients and what he might do next, PLEASE report this jackass to the State Board of Pharmacy and then follow up the complaint. Let the Board know that you are intending to follow up on it and do what is necessary for a proper resolution of the incident. What he did is bordering on emergent negligence requiring an immediate suspension of his license. I understand that mistakes happen and forgiveness is important (Lord knows I would be in deep stuff if forgiveness wasn't the hopeful standard), but if he is willing to do that, what ELSE is he willing to do if he thinks there are no consequences to being someone who thinks everyone is a drug seeking slobber head? At the very least, he needs some reeducation.

If he wanted to practice medicine, he should have joined DEA, since they are really the ones deciding what efficacious prescribing is these days. Doctors have not been allowed to practice medicine unencumbered for a long time now. All we need is pharmacists jumping into the mix as well. Please stop this loser before he fills prescriptions again!

I take Ritalin for ADD and go to a small independently own pharmacy about 2 miles from my house, have never been treated with anything but courtesy and respect, and I would never ever give my business to a chain pharmacy. They suck. CVS is horrible. Give your money locally wherever you can, pharmacies and any other retail as well. Keep it local folks.

I hate CVS and Walgreens, too, for that matter. They always seem to have the most assanine pharmacists working there. I had a serious situation happen about a year ago, when I had a seizure (first one ever, but it was a doozy!! I am the classic "over achiever"). I ended up dislocating both shoulders, and breaking both arms in several places, as well as fracturing my right clavical, and disintegrating my right shoulder cap. I did all of this damage MYSELF, because my convulsions during my seizure were so violent. I had to have several surgeries to correct the damage to my shoulders, and the Orthopaoedic Traumatologist (yep...that is an actual specialty...I thought it was a joke, you know, made up or something..but he was the best Dr. I have ever seen) had me on several different meds for pain, especially when I was first out of surgery. I had to have a 9" nail driven through my right upper arm bone (humerus) to keep it stabilized and in the shoulder socket, as it kept chronically dislocating.

Anyhow...he prescribed Oxycontin 80mg once per day, as well as 3 oxycodone 5 mg every 2 hrs (yes...that is not a typo...every 2 hrs), as needed for breakthrough pain. Yes...I know this is ALOT of pain meds, but it was only for a short time, until I could get a handle on the pain. It was the worst thing I have ever gone through, and I have had 4 children by NATURAL childbirth, and each one of my kids was at least 10 lbs at birth...so I am no wus when it comes to pain.

Anyhow, when I was released from the hospital, it was a holiday weekend...Memorial day, I think, and the Dr. wasn't in the office to verify the script, and the freak of nature that was the pharmacist on duty at the CVS I went to wouldn't call the hospital to speak with the nurses or Drs who released me earlier that morning. It was only like an hour since I had left the hospital. It wouldn't have been a big deal to call, but he made me wait until the next day to get the script, so he could speak with the Rxing Dr., and man was my doc pi$$ed. He gave that guy a tongue lashing like you read about for putting me through an absolute hell. I ended up in the ER that night due to the excruciating pain I was in. See...the only reason they released me was because the Dr. thought that he had come up with a sufficient pain management plan for me to use at home. They had me on dilaudid IV as well as oral vicodin every 2 hrs when I was in the hospital. He said that he would have normally kept me in a few more days just to be sure that I was comfortable, because what I had done was apparently very, very painful, and they were having alot of problems controlling my pain level, and keeping me comfortable. I was in so much pain, I couldn't concentrate on anything...not reading, TV...nothing. All I did for the few days after my surgery was sit in the hospital bed and rock back and forth, crying. I was so miserable, I forbade my mother coming to see me...I would only allow my husband to see me, and that was hard. He couldn't do anything to help me, and it was killing him.

Anyhow, I don't think that pharmacists can always relate to their patients. Docs are often like this too. That was what was so incredible about the Ortho Traumatologist that I saw. One of his interns said she just couldn't understand why I was having such a difficult time with pain, and he looked her in the eye, and told her that she needed to realize that what I had done was very, very painful, and not to judge one person's pain against another's. Each situation and each person is different. He knew I wasn't a wus, though, as my shoulder had dislocated 3 times, while under his care, and each time I waited like a week before I broke down and went into see him about it. It was finally after the 3rd dislocation that he gave up trying to let my body fix it, and do something about it surgically.

Good news, though...I am completely med free. I had been on vicodin for sometime prior to the seizure (I have several disc herniations, DDD and nerve damage), and I was worried about becoming even more dependent...but now I don't even take aleve on a daily basis. I am controlling the pain with exercise and stretching, and while I know this approach isn't successful for everyone, I am so glad it is working for me now, especially with all of this [censored] with the RHA....just ridiculous hoops to jump through for us folks with CP issues.

Good luck all, peace,
Katy

Oh, one more thing....I took a subsequent script to the same CVS (yeah, I'm stupid, I know!!), and the pharmacist miscounted the days supply, so when I went to get another one filled (same med, new supply), the insurance wouldn't go through. He kept saying that I was trying to fill it too early, and that he wouldn't fill it early, even if I paid w/o insurance, because he calculated the "days supply" wrong, so it appeared that I was trying to fill it too early. However, I knew that I had been taking it as Rx'd, and not taking more than I should. I realized what happened, and I pointed it out to the pharmaicist,and he actually had the gaul to tell me that I was couting the days incorrectly. It was a script for percocet to be taken every 4-6 hrs, and was like 30 pills or something like that, which would be like a 5 day supply. When I came in with a new script, the pharm said that I would have to wait another 3 days. He had it down as an 8 day supply. When I pointed out to him that the script was written for me to take ever 4 hrs, if I needed it, he actually had the nerve to ask me if I truly needed it every 4 hrs. He said, "this is alot of pain meds, and I don't think anyone needs to take pain meds this often." I told him I didn't care what he thought, that he wasn't a doctor, nor did he know what I went through in the past few months, and that I wanted him to correct the previous script's supply error, so that my insurance would pay for the new script (which my Dr. had just written that day), and I took my script to my local Medicine shoppe, and have never been happier. And, fyi, the idiot pharmacist didn't correct the script supply error, but my local med. shoppe pharmacist was able to straighten it out with the insurance, and I got my script for $10 as usual.

Moral: don't take their [censored]. The pharmacist isn't a God, nor is he a Dr, no matter what they think that diploma they got in college tells them. They shouldn't be telling you that you don't need a particular medicine...that is for you and your Dr. to decide (and not the GOVERNMENT, President, congress, the DEA or the dogcatcher to decide, either). If it is a legally written script, then there shouldn't be a problem. However, the pharmacist isn't under any obligation to fill your script, as they can refuse due to moral/ethical or possible suspicions about the script's legitimacy, but there are alot of other pharmacies out there. I will never use a Walgreens or a CVS again. They have no sense of customer service and they treat your privacy like a doormat...something to trample all over.

(PS...sorry for the long winded response...I had to say my piece...thanks for listening!!)

By the way,

I don't think that a Dr. is legally supposed to 'pre-date' a script, anymore. I know that when my doc was going out of town, once, he mentioned that it used to be okay to do so, but not any longer. I took that to mean it was a DEA or LE issue, not just something within his practice, but I could be wrong. It also may be a state issue, so it may depend on your state's regs for Drs/scripts.

As for privacy, I would have raked that pharm over the coals for violating my privacy. You do have the right to not have your business aired in public. It was very wrong of them to discuss your script info with you in such a public manner. I am sorry for your embarrassment and the hassle these idiots caused you.

As for the mgr. asking you if you had seen any of your neighbors....that cracks me up, 'cause that is SO NOT the point. I see alot of people I know from church everywhere I go, and often, I don't realize I am acquainted with them until they say hello, or give me a wave. How embarrassing it would be to be standing there and be accused of altering a script and then have your private biz aired out in public. sheesh...what a moron that mgr was.


Peace,
Katy

I know I've asked this before, but are pharmacists not members of a pharmaceutical society - a society which has the power to remove them from the list of registered pharmacists if they are incompetent?

In the UK, if you complain to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, they'll send an inspector round pretty sharpish. One could complain to the chain store manager as well, but I wouldn't bother. The Society would soon let them know.

In this example, a pharmacist was struck off for motoring offences!

http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/20040214/society/statcomm.html#3

I believe here that each state has its own pharmacy board and so the pharmacists are bound by whatever Rules and guidelines are applicable in that state. Pharmacists have a lot of say in things from what I have read over the years on different states' Board of Pharmacy sites.

Maybe it's worth complaining to the Board, but it sounds like a totally different ethos to the UK system, and it looks like this has filtered down to individual pharmacists, which is real shame for the patients.

Just my opinion. Pharmacists tend to think that they are high and mighty, some are frustrated people that could not become doctors. The job seems to attract a conceited, self centered, know it all type.

From the sound of things I've read and seen posted here, it does seem so to me also, O&W.

Perhaps it would be worth complaining if one would take the time to read their own states' Board of Pharmacy site and find where the pharmacist had done something that could be shown to be against the Rules or guidelines.

Personally, I have never had an issue with even one pharmacist.

One time, the assistant made a comment about what a large quantity it was I was receiving of Vicodin from my regular doctor. I replied with a question as to whether she felt it was too much for a person to take, in any circumstance; as, if so, I would appreciate it if she would call my doctor to discuss.

She said it wasn't but that she did not see them written for that quantity very often. I thanked her and asked when it would be ready. With a smile of course, and very sweetly.

Up until a few months ago, we have not had CVS in our area, but they bought out Longs Drugs and I have had occasion to fill a couple of scripts there since the changeover and they were nothing but pleasant and helpful as they should be.

May I ask, what is this "calling in" procedure, where members here have said that a doc "called in such-and-such" to the pharmacy. Why don't they just write a prescription instead?

for what its worth, where i am, i stick to Walgreens. i have never had a problem with them. they have gone out of their way often to help big time. they are really busy, but they start at 100k, so pretty happy workers. not bad, right? wal-mart has good c - service here as well, but their meds suck imo...

i really try to stay away from cvs. get bad vibes.

but like in everything u have your a holes with an attitude problem...

I have also done well at Walgreens; no problems anywhere I've gone really.

nephro, I think there are times when one has a regular doctor that they see all the time and talk to them on the phone, and those could be some of the cases wherein the doctor phones in a script, or even faxes.