We Know A Few People Who Could Use That Procedure
CRAZY REQUESTS, JERK, PHARMACY, USA | HEALTHY | MAY 27, 2020
I’m a pharmacy technician at a national pharmacy chain. On this particular morning, it’s just me and the pharmacist working. About two minutes after opening, an old woman comes up to the register.

Me: “Good morning. Could I get your name and date of birth, please?”

She gives me her name and birthday. I punch her information into the register and see that we have a prescription ready for her. I grab her prescription from the bin.

Me: “Okay, so, I’ve got your [commonly used blood pressure medication] ready for you.”

Customer: “No, no, no! I don’t need that; I need my Valium!”

From having entered her information into the register, I know we do not have any Valium ready for her, nor are we currently working on any for her. However, if a patient’s medication is on hold, or if we’ve just received it from the doctor and haven’t entered it yet, it won’t show up on the register. I inform the woman there’s no Valium in process for her but that I will check my computer to see if we have any for her.

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t have any Valium in my system for you anywhere. It’s possible that the doctor’s office hasn’t sent it to us yet; I would recommend that you give the office a call.”

Customer: *Now furious with me* “No! You’re lying! I know they sent it to you! They sent it to you yesterday and I need it now because I’m having brain surgery in forty-five minutes at [Hospital in a town thirty minutes away]!”

I’m just dumbstruck that someone would plan this poorly, but I maintain my professional composure.

Me: “I’m so sorry, ma’am, but I have not received any Valium prescription for you.”

Customer: “Well, this is just f****** ridiculous. This kind of s*** is why I changed pharmacies months ago.”

Me: *Slight pause* “Well, then… perhaps your prescription was sent to your current pharmacy?”

Customer: “No! I know for a fact that it was sent to you because I was standing right there when the doctor called you!”

I know this is a lie because of two things. First, doctors never call prescriptions in themselves; they have a nurse or receptionist do it. And second, Valium is a class IV controlled substance and therefore, in our state, it can only be sent to the pharmacy electronically, not over the phone.

Me: “I’m very sorry, ma’am, but again, I don’t have any prescription here for you. My best recommendation would be that you call the doctor and ask them to send it again as soon as possible.”

Customer: “No, there’s no time for that. When I get there, I’m gonna tell them it’s your fault that I have to postpone this operation!”

The woman storms off and I walk back to my workstation, almost in a daze.

Pharmacist: “Well, if she’s having brain surgery, I hope that means they’re going to install one.”

Unfiltered Story #194923
IOWA, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MAY 25, 2020
(I’m a Certified Pharmacy Technician. It’s a pretty busy day at the Pharmacy. An older –but not elderly– woman walks up to pick up her prescriptions. I start taking care of her and then she explains she needs to get her insulin syringes refilled as well. I look at her profile to get the syringes refilled. As it turns out, it’s about 17 days too soon to get them refilled. I explain this to her)

Customer: No, that’s not right! I’m all out.

ME: Well, you’re using them once a day, correct?

Customer: No, the doctor told me to use them twice a day.

ME: Right, well, we need that as a new prescription from him.

Customer: But he told me..

ME: Yes, ma’am, I understand that he told you that, but your insurance won’t let us put it through until we have the new prescription with the correct instructions. So we just sent a fax requesting the new prescription from your doctor with new instructions.

Customer: Well, what am I supposed to do until he approves it? I’m all out!

ME: Well, we sell a ten pack of insulin syringes for $7 if you’d like to buy some.

Customer: Yeah, I’ll take the box then.

ME: No, ma’am, I can’t sell you the entire box without a prescription. I can only sell you a ten-pack from the box. That’s ten syringes for $7.

Customer: No! That’s too expensive!

ME: (obviously weary. shrugs)

Customer: Well, what am I supposed to do?!

ME:(weary smile) Buy a ten-pack for $7? (Customer leaves after paying for her other prescriptions which she also gave me a hard time about. Claiming that they needed to be paid for on separate cards even though she had not informed me of this. I’m so sorry ma’am. I must have forgotten to turn on my telepathic abilities for you!)

Pharmacist: $7 too expensive for 10 syringes?

ME: The tweakers that come in here never gripe about paying $7 for clean needles.

Five Little Cents Of Pure Evil
AT THE CHECKOUT, CANADA, JERK, PHARMACY | RIGHT | MAY 24, 2020
It’s seniors day at the drug store where I work. Usually, the worst customers are on seniors day, and this one is no exception. I am serving an older woman at the cash register.

Me: “Did you need a bag at all?”

Customer: “Do you charge for bags?”

Me: “Yes, 5¢ a bag.”

Customer: “Hmph, I knew when I saw you; some people are just evil.”

Me: “All the money from the bags goes to [Store] foundation!”

I finished serving her and she left without a bag, but she continued to rant at me about being evil as she left and as she got her stuff together on a bench in the mall just outside the store.

Sometimes People Forget Things — Like How To Be Nice
CHILE, EMPLOYEES, JERK, PHARMACY, SANTIAGO | WORKING | MAY 15, 2020
I’m at the pharmacy of an organization that sells medications for specific conditions at a slightly lower price than regular pharmacies. Most of the employees are friendly, or at least polite, but this day is a little different.

Employee: “How can I help you?”

Me: “I need to buy some medications. My ID number is [number].”

Employee: “[My Name]?”

Me: “Yep!”

Employee: “Okay, so, you need [Medication #1 ], right? That’s the only one on here.”

Me: *Thinking* “Oh, no… I forgot again!”

Employee: “Because the prescription for [Medication #2 ] is expired—”

I’m about to say, “Oops, I forgot.”

Employee: “—so did you remember or did you not even do anything about it?”

He does not say this in a friendly tone. He isn’t joking or anything. It seems pretty harsh.

Me: “Umm… Okay, I’ll come back later.”

I left and texted my doctor to get another script. She wrote it up quickly and I was able to get the medication the same day, luckily from a different employee. It wasn’t like he yelled at me or anything; I was just really surprised at how judgemental he seemed, especially considering the issues that my medications are usually used to treat. Sigh.

A Little Flu Jab Of Kindness
AWESOME WORKERS, HEALTH & BODY, INSPIRATIONAL, MONEY, NON-DIALOGUE, PHARMACY, RHODE ISLAND, USA | RIGHT | MAY 15, 2020
I am seventeen, living away from home during high school. I contract the flu, so I go to the pharmacy and they prescribe me Tamiflu.

Because I am out of state, my insurance doesn’t cover it. The woman behind the counter says it will cost $100. I am already emotional because I am sick and away from home. I know my mom would pay for the medication, but it would be tight. I start crying by the counter.

The lady who filled my prescription hands me tissues and says she is sorry, but she can’t do anything about the cost. I fill the prescription and sit down in the waiting area.

A couple of minutes later, the woman comes over to me and says, “I went looking in our database, and I found a coupon for your medication. It will only cost you $40.”

I will never forget her kindness in my time of need.

The Flu Shot Isn’t Hazardous, But The Nurses Might Be!
IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, JERK, NURSES, PHARMACY, UK | HEALTHY | MAY 10, 2020
I have just had a flu shot. As I have a fear of needles, I tend to get quite dizzy and sweaty beforehand, and it takes me a couple of minutes for me to recover afterward. I’m sitting in a chair when the woman who gave me the shot comes over.

Woman: “You didn’t say you were allergic to eggs?”

Me: “I’m not.”

Woman: “Well, you are. It’s very stupid that you didn’t tell the truth. Now I’m going to have to phone for an ambulance.”

Me: “No, I’m just feeling a bit sickly. I’m not allergic to eggs.”

She is already on the phone talking to someone saying “how stupid” I am. By the time an ambulance arrives, I’m already better and trying to leave, but the woman is refusing to let me. When the paramedics come in, I’m forced onto a gurney while the woman talks over me.

Paramedic: “Okay, the pharmacist says you have an egg allergy. Did you know before having your shot?”

Me: “I do not have an egg allergy!”

Paramedic: “Are you certain?”

Me: “Do I look like I’m having a reaction? I’ve had these shots every year of my life, and if you don’t believe me, I had three eggs in the cafe next door for breakfast. Ask them!”

The paramedic checked me over just to be sure before leaving. I was left alone with the woman. She tutted at me and disappeared through a door. I’m never going back.

This Parent Is Way Out Of Line
AT THE CHECKOUT, BAD BEHAVIOR, CRIMINAL & ILLEGAL, INDIANA, PARENTS/GUARDIANS, PHARMACY, USA | RIGHT | MAY 5, 2020
I regularly stop by a specific drugstore after I get off work around 10:00 pm. I stop to get milk because it’s really cheap, and I always just want to get in and out because I’m tired.

Tonight, there is seemingly no one in the store until I go to the register, where there are five people in line. It’s a store that doesn’t really have a designated line area; you just kind of step up to the counter, so lines can form awkwardly around displays.

I wait and have to step back for a father and daughter in front of me to pick out candy for the rest of the family; no big deal. As soon as they check out, I step up to the counter and put the gallon of milk on it. Suddenly, a woman with wild, ratty hair comes bursting in the store and shoves into me.

Me: “Excuse me!”

Wild Lady: “I was here first! You cut me!”

Me: “Um…”

The cashier, a really sweet teenage girl, steps up and speaks to the wild lady.

Cashier: “No, ma’am, I’m sorry. She was here first. You just walked in.”

Wild Lady: “Shut it. You cut. Anyway, I need less stuff than you, so I get to go first!”

The cashier is ringing me out the entire time, scanning my store card, telling me to swipe my debit. We are both trying to ignore her. My transaction usually only takes a minute anyway.

Me: “Ma’am, I’m almost finished. The receipt is printing. And, anyway, it’s not possible to actually buy something and have less stuff than me. I have one thing.”

Wild Lady: “I left my car running! I should go first!”

The cashier and I exchange wide-eyed looks and just ignore her.

Wild Lady: “Well, I left my kid in the car so you need to let me go!”

Me: “Ma’am, I’m done now anyway, but this is a low-income, urban area, and it’s 10:00 at night. I would definitely never leave my car running, and I would never even consider leaving my kid in it. I have half a mind to call CPS now.”

Wild Lady: “Whatever!”

The wild lady turns to the cashier.

Wild Lady: “I need seven cartons of [Cigarettes], girl. Be quick!”

I left, wild-eyed. I checked, and there really was a three-year-old in the car with no one else, and it was running and unlocked.

Not three minutes later, as I was going through an intersection, she blazed through the red light and almost T-boned me. To come from that direction, she also had to turn left illegally at another intersection.

I followed her home and called the cops. I hope that poor child is okay.

Within Striking Distance
CURRENT EVENTS, HEALTH & BODY, INDIANA, JERK, PHARMACY, USA | RIGHT | MAY 4, 2020
With social distancing in full swing, we have spaces on the carpet in front of the counter indicating every six feet so customers can keep their distance. One customer comes up to the pickup area and squirts several applications worth of hand sanitizer on her hands to the point of dripping.

Customer #1 : “Hi. Do you have any thermometers in stock?”

Me: “I’m sorry; we’re sold out.”

The customer grumbles and goes to turn around to leave but sees another customer about four feet behind her. She waves her dripping, sanitizer-covered hands around in surprise, causing some sanitizer to fling into the face of the customer behind her, hitting her eye.

Customer #1 : “Social distancing! Social distancing! You need to stand back!”

Customer #2 : “Lady, you just got hand sanitizer in my eye!”

Customer #1 : “I don’t care! You could have killed me!”

[Customer #1 ] stormed off. [Customer #2 ] was fine but obviously confused as to why she was yelled at for basically standing there.

A Life-Long Member Of The Hoarding Club
CRAZY REQUESTS, CURRENT EVENTS, JERK, PHARMACY, SWEDEN | RIGHT | APRIL 27, 2020
Most people are hoarding stuff they think they absolutely must have during a possible quarantine, while some people don’t seem to understand that the stores don’t have unlimited stocks.

Older Lady: “I need hand sanitizer!”

Pharmacy Staff: “I’m sorry, but we are sold out.”

Older Lady: “But I’m a MEMBER!”

Yes, lady, you and the rest of this country’s population.

Did You Try Reading The Directions?
EXTRA STUPID, PHARMACY, RHODE ISLAND, USA | HEALTHY | APRIL 25, 2020
A customer comes up to me with a book and a pair of reading glasses.

Customer: “Hi. I have a question. Maybe you can help me.”

Me: “Okay. I can try.”

Customer: “My doctor told me I should get reading glasses, but I don’t understand. Do I put the glasses on over my others? I asked my doctor and he didn’t answer me.”

Me: “Um… no. You just put the reading glasses on.”

Customer: “Oh. Okay. I mean, I can see the writing better this way, but I don’t know why my doctor wouldn’t answer when I asked him. I mean, how am I supposed to wear two pairs of glasses?”

“Opportunistic” Might Be Less Harsh
CRIMINAL & ILLEGAL, FINLAND, PHARMACY | HEALTHY | APRIL 23, 2020
Customer: “To whom can I give this medical waste?”

I notice that the product contains a mild opiate.

Me: “You can give it to me; I’ll make sure it’s properly discarded.”

Customer: “Yeah, I figured that I could have made some money selling it on the street, but that would have been too much of a hassle!”

Me: “Not to mention illegal…”

Definitely The Wrong Call
ALBERTA, CANADA, EMPLOYEES, IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, PHARMACY | HEALTHY | APRIL 19, 2020
I see a missed call on my phone and recognize the number from a store where I used to work over ten years ago. I check my voicemail and it’s from the pharmacy.

Pharmacy: “Hi, [My Name], it’s [Store Pharmacy]. We aren’t able to get your prescription in; can you call us back?”

I moved my prescriptions since I quit and haven’t been to the doctor recently, so I call back, confused.

Pharmacy: “Hello, [Story Pharmacy], how can I help you?”

Me: “My name is [My Name] and I just had a missed call about a prescription?”

Pharmacy: “Yes, we aren’t able to order the cream in but we called [Doctor] to ask about an alternative.”

Me: “That’s not my prescription; I haven’t had anything filled there in years. It must be for someone else?”

Pharmacy: “Is your name [Full Name]?”

Me: “Yes.”

Pharmacy: “Is your phone number [number I called from]?”

Me: “Yes.”

Pharmacy: “Is your birthdate June 2—”

I cut them off.

Me: “That is not my birthdate; I’m not allowed to hear that information. This is someone else’s prescription.”

Pharmacist: “Oh, sorry about that, then!”

Am I glad I switched pharmacies…

Birth Control Doesn’t Just Control Birth
EMPLOYEES, ILLINOIS, JERK, PHARMACY, USA | WORKING | APRIL 15, 2020
(I am on birth control due to uncontrollable periods. I have it set on autofill. I get a notice that my autofill is delayed. I call the pharmacy to find out when it will be ready.)

Rep: *in a snotty tone* “The birth control? Well, probably about a week.”

Me: “Come again?”

Rep: *sighs* “A week. We have to get it from another location.”

Me: “It takes a week to do that?”

Rep: “Yes.”

Me: “Uh… is there any chance of getting it sooner?”

Rep: “Well, instead of us having them drive it here, you could go get it yourself.”

Me: “Where’s the closest pharmacy that has it?”

Rep: “Nearest available fill is [Town two hours north]. They can get it for you today.”

(This particular town and the surrounding area are under an ice storm warning.)

Me: “That’s the area that’s getting that ice storm.”

Rep: “Yep.”

Me: “Are you telling me that there is no [Medicine] in the entire city and I have to drive two hours into an ice storm?!”

Rep: “Yes.”

Me: “Look, I know this is birth control, but I use it to control my cycle. Otherwise, I get very sick when my period shows up. Now, are you sure there’s none in town, anywhere?”

Rep: *pause* “Well, there’s some at [Location ten minutes away]. They can have it here tonight.”

Me: “THANK YOU!”

(I filed a complaint with the store. They claimed that the rep was in the call center and they couldn’t do anything about it. I switched my prescriptions to their main competitor after that. Haven’t had an issue since!)

Harmacist
AUSTRALIA, BAD BEHAVIOR, EMPLOYEES, PHARMACY | WORKING | APRIL 14, 2020
Pharmacist: “[My Name], come here now.“

Me: “*immediately scared knowing I’ve done nothing wrong* “Yes?”

Pharmacist: “Care to explain why you did the stocktake of [Manager]’s area incorrectly and why on [Day I don’t work] the wall display isn’t complete like I asked?”

Me: “Sorry? Well, firstly, I don’t work on [Day] and was not here on [Day], and secondly, the wall display did not get done because, as you would have seen in my note, we had a gentleman come in with a severe concussion, his head was bleeding non-stop, and he was confused and dizzy, so we called an ambulance. [Other Pharmacist] and I were both by ourselves during a busy period so we had to prioritise the customer. By the time we had called the ambulance and assisted the gentleman and paramedics, and cleared the customers who said they were okay to wait and [Other Pharmacist] and I were doing really good and the right thing, it was time to go. [Other Pharmacist] had to leave on time so I was unable to stay back. As you would know, an assistant cannot stay back if there is no pharmacist present.”

Pharmacist: “That is no excuse! Do you have some sort of brain disorder? You should have left the patient and done what you were told! As for the stocktake, everyone else here denies doing it incorrectly. So it must have been you. You must have snuck in without us knowing.”

(I ended up leaving shortly after this incident. This was the last straw from years of bullying. To this day, I’m still scared by the bullying I received from these people)

Finally, Someone With A Dose Of Sense
CALIFORNIA, PHARMACY, RECEPTION, USA, VET | HEALTHY | APRIL 3, 2020
CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content of a medical nature. It is not intended as medical advice.

There are certain medications that can be used in both humans and animals, but usually, the dosages are very different. One of these medications is Phenobarbital, a seizure medication. Our office doesn’t keep this medication in stock so we have to call it in to a human pharmacy.

One of our canine patients is on Phenobarbital. He has been stable on his dose for years, but they do not make a pill in the size he needs, so we prescribe him two different sizes to add up to the right amount. Apparently, this is not regularly done with humans, because every time we call in his medication we get a call from the pharmacy to confirm some things. So, we put a note on his file with what to say when they call back.

I am training a new receptionist and have just had her call in his refill authorization. Soon after. we get the expected call from the pharmacist. She has the pharmacy on hold and asks what to do, so I tell her to open his chart and read the script.

New Receptionist: “Hello. Apparently, I have to read this note to you. Yes, he needs both sizes. Yes, at the same time. Yes, we know this is a very large dose for a human, but he is a dog. He is a very large dog. He has been taking the pills like this for years now. Thank you.”

I am sitting there listening to her side of this, fighting the urge to facepalm, and thinking it was pretty obvious that those were meant to be the responses to questions she would be asked and not to be read straight through like that.

The pharmacist says something and she replies:

New Receptionist: “I’m not sure. Um, looks like the note was dated four years ago.” *Pause* “Um, I think so; let me check.” *Turns to me* “Hey, [My Name], have we been saying this every time we call his medication in?”

I nod and she turns back to the phone.

New Receptionist: “Yeah, we have.” *Pause* “Really? That’d probably save everyone some time. Thanks.” *Hangs up* “They are going to put a copy of our note on their computers so they don’t have to keep calling in every time.”

Me: “Wait, they could do that? I thought it was a requirement for them to confirm odd-sounding doses, and that the phone calls were just formalities so they could check a box saying they did it. How did none of them ever notice that we were having the same conversation every four months?”

We no longer get confirmation calls for that patient.

Do Yourself A Service And Leave Service Dogs Alone
BAD BEHAVIOR, PETS & ANIMALS, PHARMACY, STRANGERS, USA, VERMONT | FRIENDLY | MARCH 26, 2020
(I have a service dog for multiple disabilities. I don’t always work with him with any identifying gear because people are more likely to leave us alone if they can’t tell he’s a service dog. In this instance, he is wearing a vest marking him as a service dog. My father and I are running errands after my classes end for the day and I’m entering the store a few minutes after him so that [Service Dog] could relieve himself. As we approach the door, there is a man in his car in the accessible parking spot who sees my service dog and leans out the window of his car.)

Man: “HEY, PUPPY! Come here, puppy!” *makes kissy noises*

Me: *to my service dog* “Leave it.”

(He doesn’t need the reminder, but sometimes people get the hint and leave us alone when I say that. We start to enter the store.)

Man: “WHAT THE F***?! WHAT THE H*** IS WRONG WITH YOU, TAKING A F****** DOG IN A F****** STORE?!”

(Thanks, random man who decided I needed to be screamed at for taking my vested service dog into a store. Also, to make things worse, I was wearing my jacket from my alma mater so, for all he knew, I was a high school student. It’s always adults, too; we never have issues with kids.)

Unfiltered Story #190348
PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MARCH 22, 2020
So I’m a pharmacy tech working at a pharmacy in a grocery store and usually work the closing shifts during the week along with the other techs as we are all also in school. This happened to one of my coworkers not 5 minutes after he got there.
Patient: I’m here to pick up for [name]
Coworker: Okay let me go get that.
He searches the shelf and it’s not hanging up so he goes and looks it up in the computer.
Coworker: I’m sorry ma’am, it seems we are out of stock on that medication and won’t be able to fill it until tomorrow.
Patient: What!? Why didn’t you guys tell me before??? That medicine is very important I have to get it for my daughter! Why didn’t someone call me?
Coworker: I’m sorry ma’am someone should’ve called you I don’t know why they didn’t.
Patient: Well that’s very unprofessional of you!
She storms off and is heading toward the customer service desk when one of the day techs tells my coworker that she actually did call the number we have for the patient but it was disconnected. She then runs out after the patient with a pen and paper to explain the situation and get a new number. Later in the evening the patient called and asked the tech who answered to tell my coworker she was sorry she yelled at him. So not all raging customers are psychopaths! It was a good reminder :)

Needs A Further Education In Being A Decent Person
AUSTRALIA, BIGOTRY, BOSSES & OWNERS, COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY, JERK, PHARMACY | LEARNING | MARCH 21, 2020
(I am helping the retail manager to get some things ready for the coming catalogue while we are standing at the checkout between customers, so I decide to start some small talk.)

Me: “How are your kids doing?”

Manager: “They are doing good. My son is getting ready for his year twelve exams.”

Me: “That’s exciting! Does he know what he wants to do after high school?”

Manager: “Not yet, but I told him that if he chooses to go to university, he can stay home. But if he chooses to go to TAFE, he needs to move out.”

(TAFE is “Technical And Further Education.”)

Me: “Why’s what?”

Manager: “Well, I don’t want him to grow up and be a nothing by going to TAFE.”

(The manager looks at me, from head to toe, while saying that.)

Me: “…”

(That got me really angry. Uni does not equal success. I know many people who went to TAFE who are doing a lot better than other people I know who went to uni. I don’t have anything against anyone who choses uni, but it gets me angry when people judge someone in a cold and disrespectful way for choosing TAFE over uni.)

There’s No Need To Behave Like An Animal About It
CRAZY REQUESTS, PHARMACY, USA, VET | HEALTHY | MARCH 19, 2020
(I work as a receptionist for a veterinary hospital. Earlier today, I gave a prescription to a client for a drug that is classified as Schedule II, which means it is considered as having high potential for abuse, so our facility is not licensed to carry it on-site. It can only be picked up from a human pharmacy. Thus, we write prescriptions instead of filling them ourselves at our on-site pharmacy. My first interaction with the client ends like this:)

Client: “So… what do I do with this?” *holds up prescription*

Me: “You take it to a pharmacy, just as you would with a prescription from your doctor. I would recommend calling around to see which places have it first before going anywhere because not all pharmacies can or do carry it.”

Client: “Can you call the pharmacies for me?” *stares expectantly*

Me: “I’m sorry, but I can’t. There are dozens of pharmacies in the area, and I have no idea which places have this drug. And unfortunately, I have other clients waiting so I’m not able to set aside that kind of time.”

(She’s not happy with my answer, but she takes the prescription and leaves. Maybe an hour later, I get a call from her.)

Client: “So, can I use my insurance card to pick up the medication?”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that’s legal.”

Client: “But I’m getting the medication from a human pharmacy. Why can’t I use my insurance?”

Me: “Because the medication is for your dog, and the prescription is filled out to reflect that. The pharmacy will be aware it is for a dog, and your insurance only covers you. If you have pet insurance, that may or may not help cover it, but that depends on your plan.”

Client: “Well, I should be able to use it. It’s a pharmacy, not a vet. Why can’t I use it?”

Me: “I’m very sorry, but I’m not sure what else I can do for you. If you have further questions, I can ask the vet to speak with you.”

Client: “No. Never mind!” *hangs up*

Unfiltered Story #190098
CONNECTICUT, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MARCH 17, 2020
(A customer walks up to the counter)
Me: Hi are you picking up?
Customer: No, uh, I was just wondering, uh, can I have some aspirin?
Me: Oh I’m sorry, we can’t give out medication.
Customer: (stares blankly)…I’ll give you a dollar.
Me: … I’m sorry sir, we just aren’t allowed to hand out any medication, but there is a travel section that might have a small bottle of it if you want to try that.
Customer: Oh yeah that’s a good idea, yeah. (walks away mumbling how that’s a good idea)

Keep Going Like This And The Gloves Are Off!
CRAZY REQUESTS, JERK, MICHIGAN, PHARMACY, USA | RIGHT | MARCH 16, 2020
(I work in a retail pharmacy in a popular US drug store chain. I’m the pharmacist, so I’m used to answering drug information questions specific to certain meds or recommendations for what products to buy. It’s a busy day, with phones ringing nonstop and a huge backup of prescriptions to process. I hear the phone ring and pick it up.)

Me: “Hi, thanks for calling [Store] pharmacy. How can I help you?”

Caller: “Do you have gloves? For kids? That will fit kids?”

Me: *in pharmacy/medical mode* “Hmm, how big is the child? Most latex or plastic gloves are for adults. Did you need latex gloves?”

Caller: “No, I need kid gloves!” *yells at a child in the background* “For a kid!”

Me: “I’m sorry, we have lots of gloves and I need to know what kind you need in order for me to tell you where to get them.”

Caller: “They’re for kids!”

Me: “I don’t think we have medical gloves for children. What do you need them for?”

Caller: *yelling* “KID GLOVES! Jesus! I always have these problems every place I call! NEVER MIND!”

(It dawned on me after the call that she was probably asking about fabric gloves for cold weather. If she had said that, I would have transferred her to someone who handles our floor stock. Don’t call the pharmacy looking for clothing unless you want to really confuse the pharmacist! It was my mistake, but please help me out with more adjectives than just “kid-sized!”)

She’s Unable To Chew On That
CRAZY REQUESTS, HEALTH & BODY, ITALY, NON-DIALOGUE, PHARMACY | RIGHT | MARCH 16, 2020
I have an acquaintance who has some peculiar views on the world and how it should work. She also has a problem on her mandible that renders chewing difficult for her, but there is a paste that is sold in pharmacies that helps her.

The company that makes this paste has recently changed the formula, and now it tastes like vanilla, and she has already complained that she doesn’t like the taste.

Today, she tells my stepfather and me about her latest feat: she emailed the company asking if they could sell her the old paste, and they explained to her that they don’t sell to the public. She then asked if they could give her the formula so a chemist friend of hers could replicate it, and she received a clear no, obviously.

Both my stepfather and I tried to explain to her that a company has no obligation to keep producing something that she likes, and that drug formulas are copyrighted, so it’s not strange that they refuse to give it to a random lady. After half an hour of trying to explain it we left, but we are sure she wasn’t totally convinced.

It’s not a problem of allergy or anything serious. She is on the warpath because she doesn’t like the taste of a medicine.

Unfiltered Story #189642
MONTANA, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MARCH 15, 2020
(An older man comes up to the register at the pharmacy with six boxes of diabetic testing strips. The strips are specifically for monitoring blood glucose levels, not urine. The man knows this because I overheard the pharmacist explicitly tell him that.)

Ringing him up:
Me: Will this be all for you today?
Customer: I put my water on these. (Pointing to the test strips.)
Me: Sorry. What?
Customer: My water. I put these in my water.
Me: (Really hoping this isn’t the urine question again) Your tap water, sir?
Customer: No *my* water. You know, like making water.
Me: I’m sorry, sir, did you have more questions for the pharmacist on the proper use of these items?
Customer: No. Do you know what I mean? My water.
Me: (Realizing this is a hopeless situation, and wanting to move him along) Sir, your total is $xx.xx.
Customer: But do you know what I mean? You know, your water, my water. Do you know what ‘making water’ means?
Me: Sir, your total is $xx.xx. The pharmacist will be more than happy to discuss the proper use of these items after we have finished this transaction.
Customer: Did I embarrass you? I didn’t mean to embarrass you. But do you know that I mean by ‘my water’?
Me: Sir, the pharmacist will be here momentarily to answer your questions. Your total is $xx.xx, please.
(He finally paid for the test strips and then stood at the counter, ostensibly to repack his shopping bag, while staring at the tech and I. The pharmacist asked if he had any more questions, to which he didn’t respond, but he finally did leave.)

Mondays And Medicine And Babies, Oh My
BIZARRE, GEORGIA, PHARMACY, USA | RIGHT | MARCH 13, 2020
(After delivering medicine and receiving payment by a customer, I’m ready to leave so I can go home.)

Me: “All right, Ms. [Customer], have a great evening.”

Customer: “All right, I’ll probably be calling you on Mon… Oh, wait, y’all are closed Monday.”

Me: “No, ma’am, we’re open on Monday, same hours as usual.”

Customer: “Oh, right, tomorrow is Saturday; that’s what I meant.”

Me: “No, ma’am, we’re open tomorrow, as well. We are open every day except Sunday.”

Customer: “My stomach has been hurting. I’m gonna take some of the medicine now.”

(The medicine in question is a cream for itching/discomfort on the skin.)

Me: “Uh…”

Customer: “You know, I don’t have any kids, so I can buy myself anything I want.”

Me: “Oh, well, that sounds really nice.”

Customer: “I used to live in New York, you see.”

Me: “Yes, ma’am.”

Customer: “I had to go to the movies to see how a baby came out.”

Me: “Pardon?”

Customer: “I’ve never been married, so I had to go to the movies to see how a baby came out.”

Me: “Oh, really?”

Customer: “Okay.”

Me: “Okay, Ms. [Customer], have a nice evening.”

Being A Pill About The Pills
CALIFORNIA, PATIENTS, PHARMACY, STUPID, USA | HEALTHY | MARCH 12, 2020
(I work in a community pharmacy. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this story in some variation, as have my staff and coworkers in this field.)

Patient: *comes up to the counter* “Hi, I need to fill my medication.”

Clerk: “Oh, of course. Which medication did you need today?”

Patient: “I don’t know; it’s on my profile.”

(The clerk reviews the patient’s profile, which has more than 25 prescriptions dating back years.)

Clerk: “Do you know which one? There’s a bit of a list on your profile.”

(At this point, they will usually say one of two things:)

Patient: “I don’t know. Just fill all of them.”

(Or…)

Patient: “It’s the white pill.”

(This is where the clerk will grab one of the pharmacists.)

Pharmacist: “I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t just fill everything on your profile, as we don’t know which of these medications you take or have stopped taking.”

(Also, the staff hate having to fill a dozen or more prescriptions, only for the patient to say they need one or two of them; the rest we have to put back, wasting all the time and effort we needed to fill.)

Pharmacist: “Do you know what you take it for? Diabetes? Blood pressure?”

Patient: “I don’t know. It’s the white pill.”

Pharmacist: “Most of the pills on your profile are white. Do you know how many times you take it? Was it big or small? The first letter of the name or the doctor who wrote it?”

Patient: “How am I supposed to know?! You’re the pharmacist! You should know this! IT’S A WHITE PILL! I KNOW IT’S ON THE COMPUTER!”

Pharmacist: “Sir, I need a little more information to go on than just the color. Here’s our card; you can go home, find it, and then call it in. Or bring the bottle with you next time and we can help you more.”

(The patient stomped off. Seriously, if you come to the pharmacy, please know something about what you want to pick up. The vast majority of all the pills on the shelf are white. Bring the bottle, take a picture of the bottle, write down the name. Something!)

Unfiltered Story #189057
PHARMACY, TEXAS, USA | UNFILTERED | MARCH 11, 2020
(I work at a pharmacy. A few feet back from the pick-up counter, there is a yellow line on the floor, marked with large letters instructing customers to wait behind this line until called. There are also large signs on each side of the line with the same instructions. This line exists so that customers picking up medications or receiving consultations at the counter will have some privacy from the customers waiting in line. Often, people will ignore the yellow line and come up to the counter, and depending on what is happening at the counter, we may have to ask them to step back. I don’t like doing that, because while some customers don’t have a problem with it, some do, and you never know what will set someone off.)
(I am consulting a customer at the counter. Another customer approaches, stops behind the yellow line, and waits to be called. While he is waiting, a third customer barges up, passes the waiting customer, and stands right next to the customer I am consulting. I mentally brace myself and quickly try to think up the politest way I can tell the impatient customer to step back, when the waiting customer speaks up)
Waiting Customer: “Oh, that’s fine, sir, you can go ahead of me.”
(The impatient customer turns around to see the waiting customer giving him both a smile and a glare at the same time)
Impatient Customer: “What? You weren’t in line. If you were in line you should have moved up!”
Waiting Customer: “You’re right, sir, what was I thinking? I’ll move up as far as I’m supposed to.”
(The waiting customer very deliberately looks down at the yellow line, then back up to the impatient customer and maintains eye contact. He raises up his foot dramatically, and takes a tiny step forward so his toes are on the line. The impatient customer reads the line and the signs, blushes, and moves back behind the waiting customer.)
Impatient Customer: “Oh, fine, you go first.”
Waiting Customer: “Oh, thank you sir, that’s very kind of you.”

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Cashback, Self-Attack
AT THE CHECKOUT, EMPLOYEES, JERK, MASSACHUSETTS, NON-DIALOGUE, PHARMACY, USA | WORKING | MARCH 4, 2020
I am picking up a small item at a well-known pharmacy chain and I use a self-checkout machine with a sign that says, “No cash, card only.” That’s fine because I don’t have any cash on me anyway; however, it is late, and in a moment of auto-pilot, I press the “cashback” button.

“Is this amount correct?” the machine asks me, and I press the “no” button, but somehow it is too late and the machine has already processed my payment. One staff member comes over and gives me a huge eye roll and has to find a manager to fix it.

The manager comes over and has to unlock the machine and manually take out the cash box to give me the cash. “I’m sorry,” I say, and offer to take a refund on the cashback but she says that’s not possible and makes a big show of how annoyed she is opening the machine. She says to me, “It’s a really big sign.”

Listen, I work in customer service, too. I’m sure these staff members deal with people who make this mistake all day and I’m certain that it is super annoying, but I’m human, okay? Save your snide comments for rude people instead of shaming the apologetic ones.

One Catty Pharmacist
CALIFORNIA, IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, JERK, NON-DIALOGUE, PETS & ANIMALS, PHARMACY, USA | HEALTHY | MARCH 2, 2020
I work as a veterinary assistant at a cat clinic and know basic information about feline pharmacology. My friend’s cat takes 5 mg of a medication every day to control stress-mediated urinary crystals. His prescription is for 45 of the 10 mg tablets, with directions to give half a tablet each day.

My friend went to pick up the cat’s prescription from a large corporate pharmacy after work and did not think to check the prescription until she got home. What the pharmacy gave her was 90 of the 10 mg capsules, which cannot be cut in half, with instructions to give one capsule each day, which would be a double dose. The margin for error in many cat medications is pretty small, and a double dose could well cause serious harm. They also charged her about three times what that particular drug should cost from that pharmacy.

My friend called the pharmacy to complain and was put on with the pharmacy manager, who angrily insisted she had called the vet, the vet had changed the prescription, and the pharmacy had filled it according to the vet’s instructions. My friend knew this was nonsense but couldn’t prove it at that time because the vet clinic had closed for the evening.

The next day, my friend called the vet, whose receptionists confirmed that the prescription hadn’t changed and the pharmacy had never called them. My friend went back to the pharmacy after work with the information from the vet clinic, and they refunded her money and filled the correct prescription so fast she didn’t even get to ask for a manager. Another friend and I are encouraging her to make a formal complaint with corporate, as the mistake of instructing a patient to take a double dose could get the patient killed if the drug was, say, heart medication or a sedative.

Wait Until She Discovers The Beatles!
MUSIC, PHARMACY, USA | RIGHT | MARCH 1, 2020
The county fair is currently going on, and a band popular in the 60s and 70s is playing tonight. I am delivering medicine to a customer.

Customer:
“Are you going to the fair tonight? I know a lot of people are going tonight. Hey, what are [Band]?

Me:
“They’re a band that was popular in the 70s, I think. Have you ever heard[lists off their most popular songs]?”

Customer:
“Yeah, I guess. I didn’t know it was their song, though. I’m too old to keep up with that stuff!”

I thanked her and left, trying not to laugh at the fact that the band had formed in the early sixties, before my parents were even born, and I knew who they were. She had to have been about in her thirties at the time they were popular. But hey, maybe thirty is the new sixty for her!

Unfiltered Story #187697
PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | MARCH 1, 2020
(I work at a very well n own pharmacists as a cashier. It’s Easter and we’ve been getting a lot of calls asking whether we’re are open and if we close early. I start work at 11am)
The phone rings
Me: hello this is you pharmacy how can I help you?
Callers: yea I just wanted to know if you guys close early today?
Me: nope. We close at 10
Callers: so is that 10 this morning or 10 tonight?
Me:…

Having A Meow Meow Pow Wow
BIZARRE, NON-DIALOGUE, PHARMACY, SERBIA | RIGHT | FEBRUARY 24, 2020
I was in a pharmacy with two pharmacists working. I was waiting in the left line while in the right there was one of “those” customers, a woman who wanted a “spray that heals cuts.” There was previously an antibiotic spray on the market which did something similar but it’s not available anymore.

The pharmacist explains and explains and the woman says that’s not even it; this spray she is talking about basically heals the injury instantly. (NASA would love to have those, probably!) They go back and forth for a long time.

We all watch with sympathy as the scene unfolds. Since I can be a bit of a complicated customer, I also watch and think, “Whew, there you go. You are not the worst one; that one is definitely crazier!”

As I get called up to the pharmacist on the left, I tell her what I need and she turns around to get it for me. I sort of stare into space and get lost in thought and start quietly singing to myself, “Meow, meow, meow…” to the tune of an ad jingle. Before you ask, I have no idea why.

The pharmacist turns around to see me quietly meowing to a melody to myself and, as our eyes meet, I can just see her thinking, “The crazies are everywhere.”

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Unfiltered Story #187020
NEW YORK, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 24, 2020
(I work at a pharmacy/ general store near my house. I usually work behind the register closest to the door, so i get asked about where certain products are. I am also the guy who has to deal with all the refunds. On this day, a old lady and a little girl walk in together. I greet them, and they go on their way. A few minutes later they are at my register.)

Me: “Hello, how are you?”

Old Woman: “I’m good, thank you. I’d like to buy these.”

She hands me a box of tampons.

Me: “One moment please.”

I scan her item, and hand it to her. She pays in full, and the old woman, takes the girl, who I’ve assumed to be her daughter with her.

Four days later, the women return, clearly angry. They approach me.

Old Woman: “I’d like a refund.”

She holds up the box, with has been opened. We have a strict policy for not refunding opened items.

Me: “I’m sorry, I can’t give you refunds on used items.”

Old Woman: “Your goddamn faulty products got my daughter pregnant!”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Old Woman: You heard me, you son of a b****! These tampons didn’t stop my daughter from getting pregnant.”

By now the whole store is hearing what the lady is saying, and a few of the women on line are laughing quietly.

Me: “I’m sorry ma’am, but tampons don’t stop pregnancy.”

Old Woman: What the hell are you talking about? Are you trying to bulls*** me?”

Me: “No, I’m serious. Tampons are for your periods. If you wanted a contraceptive, I would’ve gladly help you out.”

The woman is clearly embarrassed now, since the whole store is laughing at her.

Old Woman: *whisper* “Where are the contraceptives?”

Me: “Aisle three, by the tampons.”

The woman quickly hurries off, and grabs the birth control pills.

Old Woman: “I’m so sorry.”

Me: “It’s alright.”

The lady pays, takes her daughter and runs out the door. My coworkers and I start laughing, and one of the female employees said, “She was a woman right? How did she not know what tampons are?”

Me: “I don’t know, but at least her daughter knows what to look for.”

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Unfiltered Story #187008
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 24, 2020
(I’m ringing out a customer who wants to update the information on her card. This requires scanning it twice, once for the update, and once for the actual transaction)
Me: Alright, let me see your card so I can update your phone number. Thank you, and please leave it out so I can scan it again during the transaction.
Customer: *puts card away*
Me: Okay then, your current phone number is now attached to your card. Can I please see your [Store] card again? I need to scan it so that you can receive the sale prices on our items.
Customer: Oh…I didn’t know you actually meant what you said earlier.

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Unfiltered Story #186928
CANADA, PHARMACY | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 19, 2020
(The pharmacy I work at offers a drive-thru service. A customer pulls up, looking irate and holding his medication bag up to his window. Keep in mind I’m very obviously a teenager, voice cracks and all.)

Customer: You f***ing idiots overcharged my medications!

Me: I’m sorry about that, give me a moment and I’ll take care of this.

Customer: You better! If you bunch of jacka**es can’t handle something as simple as charging the right amount, I’ll take my business elsewhere!

(This customer has a complicated billing arrangment between us and his insurance company. The pharmacist who knows the situation is at home, so I call this pharmacist from the drive-thru window. Every few seconds, the customer starts shouting about how stupid I am, how long I’m taking, and that he’s going somewhere else. I assure him I’m working on it, but his shouting gets so loud it overpowers the pharmacist on the phone, making this take even longer. Finally, I have enough.)

Customer: I CAN’T BELIEVE –

Me: *hand over the receiver, almost growling* Shut. Up. Now.

(The customer sputters to a stop, clearly surprised that a teenager still voice cracking would stand up to him like that. But he stayed quiet for the rest of the transaction. I understand being frustrated when a business screws up. But once the employees start fixing it, just be quiet and let them do their job!

Unfiltered Story #187020
NEW YORK, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 24, 2020
(I work at a pharmacy/ general store near my house. I usually work behind the register closest to the door, so i get asked about where certain products are. I am also the guy who has to deal with all the refunds. On this day, a old lady and a little girl walk in together. I greet them, and they go on their way. A few minutes later they are at my register.)

Me: “Hello, how are you?”

Old Woman: “I’m good, thank you. I’d like to buy these.”

She hands me a box of tampons.

Me: “One moment please.”

I scan her item, and hand it to her. She pays in full, and the old woman, takes the girl, who I’ve assumed to be her daughter with her.

Four days later, the women return, clearly angry. They approach me.

Old Woman: “I’d like a refund.”

She holds up the box, with has been opened. We have a strict policy for not refunding opened items.

Me: “I’m sorry, I can’t give you refunds on used items.”

Old Woman: “Your goddamn faulty products got my daughter pregnant!”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Old Woman: You heard me, you son of a b****! These tampons didn’t stop my daughter from getting pregnant.”

By now the whole store is hearing what the lady is saying, and a few of the women on line are laughing quietly.

Me: “I’m sorry ma’am, but tampons don’t stop pregnancy.”

Old Woman: What the hell are you talking about? Are you trying to bulls*** me?”

Me: “No, I’m serious. Tampons are for your periods. If you wanted a contraceptive, I would’ve gladly help you out.”

The woman is clearly embarrassed now, since the whole store is laughing at her.

Old Woman: *whisper* “Where are the contraceptives?”

Me: “Aisle three, by the tampons.”

The woman quickly hurries off, and grabs the birth control pills.

Old Woman: “I’m so sorry.”

Me: “It’s alright.”

The lady pays, takes her daughter and runs out the door. My coworkers and I start laughing, and one of the female employees said, “She was a woman right? How did she not know what tampons are?”

Me: “I don’t know, but at least her daughter knows what to look for.”

Unfiltered Story #187008
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 24, 2020
(I’m ringing out a customer who wants to update the information on her card. This requires scanning it twice, once for the update, and once for the actual transaction)
Me: Alright, let me see your card so I can update your phone number. Thank you, and please leave it out so I can scan it again during the transaction.
Customer: *puts card away*
Me: Okay then, your current phone number is now attached to your card. Can I please see your [Store] card again? I need to scan it so that you can receive the sale prices on our items.
Customer: Oh…I didn’t know you actually meant what you said earlier.

Unfiltered Story #186928
CANADA, PHARMACY | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 19, 2020
(The pharmacy I work at offers a drive-thru service. A customer pulls up, looking irate and holding his medication bag up to his window. Keep in mind I’m very obviously a teenager, voice cracks and all.)

Customer: You f***ing idiots overcharged my medications!

Me: I’m sorry about that, give me a moment and I’ll take care of this.

Customer: You better! If you bunch of jacka**es can’t handle something as simple as charging the right amount, I’ll take my business elsewhere!

(This customer has a complicated billing arrangment between us and his insurance company. The pharmacist who knows the situation is at home, so I call this pharmacist from the drive-thru window. Every few seconds, the customer starts shouting about how stupid I am, how long I’m taking, and that he’s going somewhere else. I assure him I’m working on it, but his shouting gets so loud it overpowers the pharmacist on the phone, making this take even longer. Finally, I have enough.)

Customer: I CAN’T BELIEVE –

Me: *hand over the receiver, almost growling* Shut. Up. Now.

(The customer sputters to a stop, clearly surprised that a teenager still voice cracking would stand up to him like that. But he stayed quiet for the rest of the transaction. I understand being frustrated when a business screws up. But once the employees start fixing it, just be quiet and let them do their job!)

Unfiltered Story #186490
PHARMACY, USA, WASHINGTON DC | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 8, 2020
(I am the customer and I am picking up cough meds and an inhaler because I have bronchitis/walking pneumonia. Also, I haven’t slept much in the last week because I’m up all night coughing.)

Me: Hi, I’m here to pick up a prescription.

*pause*

Me: Obviously, since I’m at a pharmacy.

Pharmacist: laughs

(I am the customer and I am picking up cough meds and an inhaler because I have bronchitis/walking pneumonia. Also, I haven’t slept much in the last week because I’m up all night coughing.)

Me: Hi, I’m here to pick up a prescription.

*pause*

Me: Obviously, since I’m at a pharmacy.

Pharmacist: laughs

Unfiltered Story #185167
CALIFORNIA, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | FEBRUARY 6, 2020
(I work in a pharmacy and this scenario happens almost weekly)

Tech: I’m sorry, we can’t fill your prescription, we don’t have the medication in stock

Patient: Why can’t you?! I have a prescription!

Tech: I know you do, but we don’t have the medication. We can order it for you for tomorrow or you can take it to another pharmacy

Patient: I always get my medication here, why can’t you fill it?

Tech: Well we can order it for tomorrow, but I don’t have the medication in stock

Patient: But I need it today, just fill it!!

Tech: We don’t have the medication, I can’t give you something we don’t have.

Patient: I don’t get why this happened! You should always have it, I need it now.

Tech: We can order it for tomorrow or you can go to a different pharmacy. There’s nothing else I can do for you. We don’t have the medication *walks away*

Tech: *to me* I don’t get why people come last minute and demand their medication, that prescription was a week old and she knew she was going to run out anyways.

Me: And I don’t get why they always think we should have every medication in stock, like we are a magic vault that can hold every single medication

Unable To Digest That Women Have Other Parts
BIGOTRY, FRANCE, HEALTH & BODY, JERK, PHARMACY | HEALTHY | FEBRUARY 5, 2020
(My aunt wakes up one day with very bad stomach pain and gas. My uncle goes to the pharmacy for her and has this conversation with the pharmacist at the counter.)

Uncle: “My wife has stomach pain; what kind of medicine should she take?”

Pharmacist: *in a nonchalant tone* “It must be period cramps. Don’t worry.”

Uncle: “My wife who’s menopaused for two years? I don’t think so.”

Pharmacist: “Then it’s her menopause. Again, no worries.”

Uncle: “I didn’t know menopause could cause stomach pain.”

Pharmacist: *now with a more pedantic tone* “Well, you see, it’s not her stomach. Don’t worry about it.”

(By now my uncle is getting a little pissed off by the pharmacist’s insistence, so he puts his hands on the counter and speaks slowly.)

Uncle: “Listen here. My wife wakes up with stomach pain. The upper part of her belly is swollen; that’s where the stomach is. And she has gas coming from her digestive system, where the stomach is connected. Can I have a medicine for that or not?”

(The pharmacist went to his manager, who found the correct medicine in one minute. We don’t know why he was so insistent with his false diagnosis.)

They Need Brain Drops
FINLAND, IGNORING & INATTENTIVE, INSURANCE, PHARMACY, STUPID | HEALTHY | JANUARY 26, 2020
(I work in a pharmacy. The national Finnish health insurance covers certain medicines — insulin, medicine for glaucoma, etc. — almost 100%; you only pay 4,50 euros for three months’ use. But there is a price range the insurance covers and if there are less expensive generic alternatives, the insurance covers only the cheapest for 4,50€. You can still have the more expensive brand, but you have to pay the price difference yourself. Some medicines don’t have generic alternatives for years, but when they eventually come available, this is often the discussion:)

Me: “This eyedrop used to be 4,50€ but now there’s another brand that is 19€ cheaper so the health insurance covers only the cheaper one for that price. If you don’t want to change brands, you have to pay 4,50€ plus 19€; that is 23,50€.”

Patient: “Okay, I don’t want to change brands; I want to talk with my doctor first. I’ll take the original.”

Me: “Yes, that’s fine. You can have either one, but for the original, you now have to pay 23,50€.”

Patient: “Yes, but I don’t want another brand. I’ll just take the original today and talk with my doctor about the generic alternative. I’ve always used [Brand]. I’ll take that one.”

Me: “All right. I understand the situation. There used to be only [Brand] but last month [Cheaper Brand] became available and they set their price much lower. That is why the health insurance doesn’t cover the original [Brand] anymore, even though it used to cost only 4,50€. But you can still always choose the original one if you want. It’s just a bit more expensive now.” *enters the original brand on the computer and sends the customer to pay*

(An hour goes by and the telephone rings:)

Patient: “Yeah, I was there earlier and bought my glaucoma drops. They should be 4,50€ but it says on the receipt that I paid 23,50€ ! Why was it so much?”

Me: “…” *loses a little bit more faith in humanity every time*

Unfiltered Story #183942
CALIFORNIA, PHARMACY, USA | UNFILTERED | JANUARY 22, 2020
The Life of a Pharmacy Tech.
(Customer 1)”Hello, how can I help you? Are you going to wait or come back? Great we’ll see you tomorrow.”
*phone rings*
“the price of #120 Endocet? $89…Yes, we have the yellow ones”
*Hangs up*
(Customer 2) “Are you going to wait or come back? Ok it’ll be 5-10 minutes”
*starts filling customer 2’s script*
*phone rings* (once…twice…three times.. Damn.)
*cancels out of script*
*answers phone*
“Yes, we have #90 Morphine ER 15… how much are they? let me go check… $150.. no I’m sorry we don’t fill for that doctor.I’m not sure who will fill for that doctor, sorry. I know. I know. . I know. . I’m sorry. Yes sir. .(5 minutes later) Uhhhuhh. Uhuh. Have a good day”
*hangs up*
*starts customer #2’s script again*
“I have a waiter! “[Where are my counters!?]
*counter counts & pharmacist checks*
(Customer 3)”are you going to wait or come back? Ok it’ll be 10-15 Minutes.”
*phone rings*
“Yes can you hold on just a second? ”
*puts line 4 on hold*
“Customer 3? It’s too soon to fill your Xanax. Oh You’re going out of town?[yeah right] can I call your doctor to fill it earlier? Yeah hold on just a sec”
*calls dr. Has to leave message*
“I’m sorry customer 3 I had to leave a message, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll be”
*phone rings* [crap I forgot line 4]
“Heyyyyyyy line 4! What can I do for you? Fill all 15 scripts for you? You’ll be here in 20 minutes? We’ll see you then” [double crap!]
*customer 1 comes back*
“Hey customer 1 I thought you were coming back tomorrow? Ok you decided to get it today? Ok I’m doing it right now! ”
[Why is customer 2 is still here?]
“Why is customer 2 still here! ?”
[Where are my cashiers!?]
*grabs customer 2’s script and rings him up, along with the 2 people inline behind him*
[Customer 1 is still waiting. Damn]
*starts to runs customer 1’s script*
*phone rings. ..once twice three times*
*answers caller 3*
“You have a new insurance card? Ok does it have a BIN #? A GRP #? A PCN #? ID #? It doesn’t have a ID number? Are you sure? It could say ‘subscriber ID’.. no? Ok I’ll need you to bring in the card”
I have a call on like 2?
“Hello? Hi! Yes! It’s not ok to fill customer 3’s Xanax early? Ok I’ll let him know”
“CUSTOMER 3? yes I just spoke to the nurse and she said we couldn’t fill your Xanax early. I’m sorry! I know. I know. That’s what she said. Yes, you can have your script back. [Let me dig through this giant stack right quick]
*writes on back that it was filled 01/01/2016* [good luck getting that filled somewhere else buddy]
(15 script customer) hi, are my meds ready? [You called it in 5 minutes ago! ] “we’re working on them right now for you! ”
(Cashier 1) this customer doesn’t want these 3 can you return them?
*returns 3 scripts *
(Customer 5) never mind I’ll go ahead and take those 3!
*rebills the 3 again*
(Cashier 2) I can’t find the medication for customer 6
“Have you checked the computer? Computer says it’s scanned into bin GH”
(Whole pharmacy stops to look for customer 6’s medication) [where does it go! ?!]
“Found it in the “Z” bin! !!”
(Customer 7)” you just called and someone quoted you $150 for #90 Morphine ER 15? Yes that was me.we can’t fill for this doctor. You want to speak to the pharmacist? Ok.” [Let me stop them from checking my waiter just to tell you no…]
(Pharmacist) I’m sorry we cannot fill foot this dr.
(Caller 3 walks in) “You bought in your insurance card? Let me take a look. .. ma’am this is an Aflac business card for their business”
*knock knock knock *
(Delivery man) The medication order is here & someone needs to go sign the delivery forms
*knock knock knock*
*heads for the deliver*
*phone rings*
*smashes head on keyboard*

Try Dispensing A Little Information?
AUSTRALIA, PHARMACY, STUPID | HEALTHY | JANUARY 18, 2020
Me: “Can I help you find something in particular?”

Customer: “I’m looking for a box of medicine.”

Me: “Okay, is it for you?”

Customer: “No, my friend.”

Me: “What was it for?”

Customer: “I don’t know.”

Me: “Do you know what it looks like?”

Customer: “I don’t know.”

Me: “What do you use it for?”

Customer: “Err, I don’t know.”

Me: “Is it for stomachache, headache?” *pointing to these areas*

Customer: “I don’t know.”

(I pause to try and think of some way to help.)

Customer: “Can I go in there?” *points to the dispensary*

Me: “No.”

Customer: “Oh. I’ll ring my friend.”

(She went outside to ring her friend but she never returned! I never got to find out what box of medicine she wanted!)

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Mental Health Professional Can Do Nothing For Retail Workers
DOCTOR/PHYSICIAN, PHARMACY, RETAIL, USA | RIGHT | JANUARY 16, 2020
(I am ringing out a patient of my pharmacy who also happens to be a mental health professional. He gives me a new discount card to see if it will give him a smaller copay than his insurance does. I am skeptical, as the prescription is an expensive one, but I’ve been wrong before, so I process the card anyway, just to be sure.)

Me: *when the copay comes up significantly smaller* “Oh, hey, I was wrong! Here’s your new total; that’s a nice deal!”

Customer: *with practiced couch-side manner* “You didn’t have to say you were wrong so enthusiastically. Is there someone at home who demands that sort of subservience from you?”

Me: *blinking* “No one at home, sir. But, y’know, I work in retail.”

Customer: “Oh, right. You poor thing.”

(He left me his card, but I haven’t taken him up on the matter yet. If you’re reading this, sir, I’m completely okay! I’m humble enough to admit when I’m wrong, but retail has also endowed me with the backbone to stand up for myself when I know I’m right, too!)

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Their Blood Glucose Level Must Be A Bit Low…
PHARMACY, STUPID, TEXAS, USA | RIGHT | JANUARY 7, 2020
(I overhear this conversation between a customer and technician at the reception counter.)

Customer: “When do you do your blood glucose tests?”

Tech: “We do those on our ‘Second Saturday Screenings.’”

Customer: “So, when are those?”

Tech: “Our ‘Second Saturday Screenings’?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Tech: “They’re on the second Saturday.”

Customer: “So, they’re every other Saturday?”

Tech: “No, they’re on the second Saturday… of the month.”

Customer: “So, you already had one this month?”

(Today is the 17th.)

Tech: “Yes.”

Customer: “Oh, okay.” *walks off*

(A few seconds later, I noticed the tech with her head on the counter… probably silently weeping for humanity.)