Sadly, as you discover - Walgreens varies drastically from store to store. I live in an area where I have access to four Walgreens. The two closest are the rudest with the crazy rules and inability to "count" correctly. If I'm feeling really stressed I drive the extra 10 miles to a kinder, gentler Walgreen's pharmacy - otherwise I handle the closest ones bull. There are days I just can't - so for everyone's peace I drive. :0)
However I'm in FL where all the trouble began with the Pill Mills. I'm in a County that was only surpassed by Dade County (Miami) in opiate prescriptions and Pill Mills. It's tough here!
Thank you Tuck. I was aware of the litigation, and my regular pharmacist and I have talked about it. I actually teach his 6th grade daughter, so obviously I have a good relationship with him. I just had a hard time swallowing the fact that I could not make them understand their erroneous counting at the out-of-town Walgreens. It seems to me that they would have a company wide directive on how to count days, weeks, and months at such a large pharmaceutical retailer. But I also understand that a pharmacist can refuse to fill, period.
Hello Lameducky,
Welcome to our Pain Management Community. It's sad and I am sorry you had to go through hoops to fill your opiate RX.
Walgreens has had some major issues in some states/stores in dispensing opiates. In June 2013 this was publicized "The Walgreen Company, the nation’s biggest pharmacy operator, agreed on Tuesday to pay $80 million to resolve federal charges that it failed to properly control the sales of narcotic painkillers at some of its outlets."
If you search fines and lawsuits you will find - in my opinion the reason some Walgreens are overly cautious. Walgreens is my pharmacy also - two reasons, I often travel between two states and they have my many years of records - and two, like you I named them on my pain contract. In one state I have never had an issue. In the other state I always have an issue. You may just found one of those Walgreens that are overly cautious.
It doesn't excuse them. It's just another reason why there is a war on us, the Chronic Pain Patients instead of a War on Drugs. We suffer because others abused the system - all for addiction and/or money.
I hope you'll have better service at your next encounter. Good luck our friend in pain.
Take Care,
~Tuck
To clarify, I called my Doctor and he cleared up the confusion with pharmacy and told them he intended me to have the prescription that day so they did fill it finally.