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  • Report:  #199790

Complaint Review: Walgreen's (Bay Area And SchaumburgIl 805 Eulclid Ave.

Walgreen's Irresponsible losses and unnecessary chronic pain and stupidity, failure to help patient Bay Area Palantine Illinois

  • Reported By:
    Schaumburg Illinois
  • Submitted:
    Fri, July 07, 2006
  • Updated:
    Wed, January 03, 2007
  • Walgreen's (Bay Area And Schaumburg,Il 805 Eulclid Ave.
    805 Euclid Ave. Palatine, IL 60067
    Palantine, Illinois
    U.S.A.
  • Phone:
    847-303-5642
  • Category:

In May, 2006, my husband and I had to urgently relocate from Daly City, CA to Schaumburg, IL for very immediate and legal reasons of being victims of harassment issues in an Independent disability apartment complex.

The disabilities that I suffer from in particular are EXTREMELY excruciating and we have been to five back and pain specialists for these problems. We are truly psychologically traumatized because I already suffer from a pre-existing condition involving severe anxiety attacks for which I am under medication for.

However, the issue that I am discussing here is in the case of three prescriptions in which I brought in Sunday June 4, 2006. The three RXs were 2 scripts of prewritten Oxycodone for severe bi-lateral sciatica, two herniated disks, and Lumbar Disk disease.

This condition became a secondary disability back in June, 2004 for which I was rushed into an ER room back in November, 2004 for chronic pain. I was placed on several pain medications to relieve the pain including epidural injections which did not work.

This pain is so excruciating and has not improved at all overtime and worsens with ANY exercise or physical therapy. I was prescribed to have a hospital bed in my home and most of my home care is in this hospital bed. My physician in California was the one to prescribe to take Oxycodone 60 mg. 4xs daily.

This pain is awful and I cannot function to perform any reasonable daily activities of ANY kind with out the pain relief of these medications.

BEFORE we relocated to the Midwest, my best friend and I spoke with a Pharmacist from the Walgreen's' Euclid avenue location (because my friend had lived there for 9 years and he felt confident that I would not suffer with this particular pharmacy as I had NINE times in the Bay Area Walgreen's pharmacies as I had for four years.

We carefully selected this particular Walgreen's' primary for the staff's ability to comprehend the English Language and for the previous experiences that my friend had been through which were positive experiences and felt that I would be psychologically safe at this particular Walgreen's' where he swore that the staff was very intelligent and had not lost any scripts or would place me in a vulnerable situation with losing my scripts.

This is very, very traumatizing to me because NO one should NEVER, EVER, go through NINE pharmacies because of losing a patient's scripts, not being able to find the patient's data base information, having to re-enter my insurance information every time that I come into drop of medications, lose my scripts, manipulate the situation by lying and saying that we had NEVER brought the script in, spelling my name wrong each and every time.

This is what happened in the NINE BAY AREA Walgreen's pharmacies for FOUR years regarding pain medications that were needed for severe and chronic pain and were legitimately written by our physician. The previous accusations based on the errors of the broken English and the ridiculously awful customer service of consistently NINE Walgreen's' back to back is traumatizing to me because the pharmacists completely twisted my refill requests every single time for this particular medication.

I am having a mild anxiety attack just writing this because I am reliving this in my mind right now. This pain in a nightmare ands it is awful and I was so poorly treated by so many pharmacies and had to suffer in agonizing pain due to the pharmacists carelessness that my severe anxiety has worsen over time.

So when this occurred AGAIN today, you can only imagine the kind of severe anxiety I experienced when the pharmacist LOST my prescriptions that were pre-written for me by my California physician just as was told to do by the Illinois pharmacist when relocating to Illinois.

I was told to have my California physician to write hard copy scripts of my Oxycodone THREE MONTHS IN ADVANCE so that I would have them ready to bring in whenever the time to have them refill date would come around. I followed every instruction to the letter.

I have even written down EXACTLY what the pharmacist TOLD ME to do in pre-preparation to bring them to the state of ILLINOIS in advance. SO my physician wrote THREE OXYCODONE scripts for June 5, July 5, Aug 5, for 2006 just as the pharmacists instructed me to tell my physician so that they will be ready to give to the Walgreen's pharmacist.

I had to finish my last filled script of Oxycodone before having the first June 5, 2006 refill. However, my last bottles of Oxycodone refill had to be finished by June 16th as the previous refill was filled May 16th. My scripts have to be refilled exactly every 30 days according to my insurance.

BUT because I was NOT INFORMED that the state of ILLINOIS will only refill a controlled substance script up to SEVEN days when the script was written, was a significant problem for me because had I KNOWN that, my scripts that were written in California would have been filled accordingly so that I would never suffer one full week in pain like I have in June after we relocated from California to Illinois.

I brought the refill in on the exact date of June 16th for the refill even though my script was written for June 5th (which is normally not a problem any where at any pharmacy to pick up a script after the actual date EXCEPT for the state of ILLINOIS which I was not told.

This resulted in Walgreen's' calling my physician in California (who is THE WORST AND THE SLOWEST physician in returning and in sending any medication which is needed in a severe and chronic pain case). They called his office over FOUR times and my physician gave the Walgreen's' on Euclid two different dates when he actually sent the script (which he had to update because unbeknownst to any of us, the June 5th script was EXPIRED (because we waited until the THIRTY days were up from the PREVIOUS REFILL WHICH ENDED JUNE 16th) because of this Illinois seven day law that none of us were told or knew of which resulted in me having to wait to have my prescriptions refilled upon arrival of a script which was to arrive from California.

My physician PROMISED the Walgreen's' that it would BE THERE and it NEVER arrived so luckily I had already made my appointment with my NEW Primary care specialist to have an emergency refill and to cancel the re-written script supposedly arriving from California. The IRONY is that PENNY said that my OTHER TWO pre-written scripts for Oxycodone were FINE. SO I brought them and a third script for Lorazepam (with 3 refills) in on Sunday June 4th to another female at the Euclid Ave Walgreen's.

One week earlier, Penny said to me that I would have NO problems at all with the other TWO scripts. When I came in TODAY JULY 7th to check on the scripts being in the system for July and August 5th, I was told that they LOST my August 5th script and that it was NOWHERE to be found and that they had to call my new pharmacist so that the JULY script would be ready when I needed.

These scripts are over nearly 900.00 WITHOUT INSURANCE and were PREWRITTEN by a physician in CALFORINA WHO IS VERY SLOW AND DIFFICULT TO REACH IN THE FIRST PLACE. What makes this worse is that I have brought a very detailed letter on exactly what I take and why I take them and the scripts that I have on hand written and signed by my physician in California to GIVE to my physician in ILLINOIS. WE were JUST AT OUR NEW PHYSICIAN' S OFFICE TODAY JULY 7th 2006 reassuring HIM that my pre-written scripts for July and AUGUST were just fine according to PENNY at Walgreen's' pharmacy.

My husband and I go there to follow up to see if this request was properly entered and to find that they had LOST one August script (which I turned in Sunday June 4th and was told by Penny that I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THESE SCRIPTS to be told today that I am going to have a problem with NOT ONLY MY JULY Script but now that my AUGUST script is missing and now CHRISTINE (whom I have NEVER MET BEFORE has the ONLY KNOWLEDGE OF MY SCRIPTS minus the missing August 2006 script THAT WAS NOT THERE WHEN I ENTRUSTED THESE PHARMACISTS TO BRING IN MY SCRIPT TO THEM ONLY TO LOSE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SCRIPTS TO CONTROL THIS CHRONIC PAIN AND NOW I HAVE TO CALL CHRISTINE IN THE MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ONLY SHE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SCRIPT WHEN WE GAVE OUR SCRIPTS TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PHARMACIST!!! ON top of that NO ONE FROM WALGREEN"S CALLED ME SINCE SUNDAY JUNE 4th to LET ME KNOW ABOUT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE SCRIPTS.

AND NOW I have to call Christine and explain this to my doctor that not only did they LOSE a script but now it is probably my word against theirs that I have even brought the script in at all!!! I am extremely angry because it is hell having to endure this crap in picking up simple medication and then Penny has the nerve to behave AS IF I LACK UNDERSTANDING IN THIS PROCESS. I am NOT the one WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND NOR SHOULD NOT BE UPSET ABOUT THIS.

It is as IF SHE LACKS UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS AND I HAVE EVRY RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED AND VERY UPSET. I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THE ER FOR THIS IF MY PHYSICIAN HAS GIVEN ME A LEGITIMATE SCRIPT AND SHE HAD THE NERVE TO SAY THAT TO ME!!! NO, THEY SHOULD NOT LOSE MY SCRIPTS WHICHG ARE LEGITIMATELY WRITTEN AND CLEARLY EXPLAINED AND ARE EXPENSIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS PAIN IS THE WORST PAIN! I HAVE NERVE DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF IDIOT PHYSICIANS WHO KNEW NOTHING OF HOW TO TREAT THIS PROBLEM AND I AM THE ONE WHO OPTED OUT FOR THE DAMNED SURGERY TO AVOID GOING THROUGH THIS LIVING HELL EVERY MONTH.

THIS IS HUMILIATING WHEN I AM THE RESPONSIBLE AND CLEAR ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT EXACTLY NEEDS TO BE DONE AND AM SPOKEN TO AS IF I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A PHARMACY BEFORE WHEN THESE IDIOTS ARE THE ONES TO NOT ONLY LOSE MY MEDS BUT ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE TO BE REWRITTEN BECAUSE THE DATES WILL EXPIRE AGAIN!!!! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE AND I NEED SERIOUS HELP NOW. I SHOULD NEVER, EVER GO THROUGH THIS AS A DISABLED PERSON. I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO RUN AROUND CALLING DOCTORS THAT I HAVE ALREADY SEEN TO CALL THEM AGAIN TO RE-WRITE SCRIPTS THAT THE PHARMACIST SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM IN GETTING THE NEXT MONTH.

The economic damage that this had created was that I now have to pick up another set of scripts that my insurance will not cover, not only because none of the seven day Illinois law was explain to me in the first place, but now each of these scripts have to be rewritten by my new physician whom I reassured was okay because they were written by the previous physician in California in advance to prevent this very problem.

I wasted my time with the California doctor in having him write this extensive and detailed letter about my meds and what is upsetting is that THEY LOSE my script and now it will be my word against theirs when I was told to bring them in advance so that they will be in the system when the time comes to obtain them.

This is very serious and important. It should have NEVER EVER happened and I am extremely and psychologically distressed. I already suffer from this is as it is for over 20 something years and now the psychological is deeply affect. I began to shake literally in severe anxiety when dealing with any physician or pharmacist because of the number of errors that I have been through for five years.

I am a mess because I am very careful about what I say and explain and ask and do and still I am being treated as if I am the idiot when THEY LOST of script which I brought in dutifully to be responsible to have them in the system. I followed the guidelines and I now have to needlessly suffer again. I should not have to call and call and call again. I am DISABLED.

They should never lose my scripts and they should make extreme concessions when they are not careful in explaining and when they are aware that I am in the kind of pain that I am in. I NEVER asked any one to change the laws and Penny should have NEVER said that to me in even sarcasm.

These people need to be retrained because they are triggering OTHER pre-existing disabilities that are already under going treatment because of their snide and disrespectful tones of voice and it is THEIR fault that they lost my scripts.

I should NEVER be in this position period. I follow the rules and I am responsible for my meds and THEY are losing these very expensive meds for which they are telling me that I have to pay full price because they are the ones who screwed this up.

I am on Medicare and a supplemental prescription and PENNY is telling me that I have to call pharmacists Back who SHOULD BE CALLING ME BECAUSE THEY LOST MY SCRIPT WHICH IS WORTH OVER 400.00!!! WHY SHOULD I CALL ANYONE BACK WHEN I BROUGHT MY SCRIPT TO THEM> WHY SHOULD I CALL MY DOCTOR BACK WHEN I JUST VISITED HIM YESTERDAY AND TOLD HIM THINGS WOULD BE FINE WITH MY PRE-WRITTEN SCRIPTS FROM CALIFORNIA.

WALGREEN'S SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME FIRST AND FIXED THE ENTIRE PROBLEM . THEY SAID THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THESE SCRIPTS AND NOW I AM HAVING A PROBLEM AGAIN. I AM VERY UPSET. BECAUSE PENNY WAS THE ONE WHO SAID THIS AND NOW AI HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET WHEN NO ONE EXPLAINED THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE ABOUT THE SEVEN DAY LAW. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS IS SERIOUS AND SHE IS TELLING ME TO GO TO A ER WHEN I HAVE LEGITIMATE SCRIPTS!!! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE AND YES I WANT A LAWYER!!

Anita
Schaumburg, Illinois
U.S.A.

17 Updates & Rebuttals


Allen

WAXAHACHIE,
Texas,
U.S.A.

same problem my self

#18Consumer Comment

Wed, January 03, 2007

I take pain medication daily as well. Oxycontin 80mg's for a few years. I ran into a problem today with my medication which lead me to this report. After I read it, I do agree she has a problem. The main problem is that it has me so confused that well- never mind I forgot what I was going to say.

I live in Texas as well and back to my problem. I dropped my bottle this morning when I was half asleep. Something just told me to count them. I did. Exactly 25 short, which means that I will be in trouble for 10 days.

I use nothing but a small family owned pharmacy as well. They are the best. Problem was I ran out on Sunday and had to go to Walgreens to get it filled. Now I'm 25 short and this is the first time for me.

Does anyone have any ideas about my options with walgreen's? I'm going to contact my doctor tomorrow to see if he will write a script for those missing then buy them out of pocket I guess. But I'm sure that will be reported to the DEA as well. I hate to ask him to do that but I have no other choice but to quit. Then what do I do about the pain?

Anyway you would think that Anita would be more observant. Especially if she has taken it a long time. Man, they treat this stuff like a nuclear war head. Can walgreens count what they have in stock to see if they did short me. I'm sure if they did it on purpose, it went out the door in someone's pocket.


Allen

WAXAHACHIE,
Texas,
U.S.A.

same problem my self

#18Consumer Comment

Wed, January 03, 2007

I take pain medication daily as well. Oxycontin 80mg's for a few years. I ran into a problem today with my medication which lead me to this report. After I read it, I do agree she has a problem. The main problem is that it has me so confused that well- never mind I forgot what I was going to say.

I live in Texas as well and back to my problem. I dropped my bottle this morning when I was half asleep. Something just told me to count them. I did. Exactly 25 short, which means that I will be in trouble for 10 days.

I use nothing but a small family owned pharmacy as well. They are the best. Problem was I ran out on Sunday and had to go to Walgreens to get it filled. Now I'm 25 short and this is the first time for me.

Does anyone have any ideas about my options with walgreen's? I'm going to contact my doctor tomorrow to see if he will write a script for those missing then buy them out of pocket I guess. But I'm sure that will be reported to the DEA as well. I hate to ask him to do that but I have no other choice but to quit. Then what do I do about the pain?

Anyway you would think that Anita would be more observant. Especially if she has taken it a long time. Man, they treat this stuff like a nuclear war head. Can walgreens count what they have in stock to see if they did short me. I'm sure if they did it on purpose, it went out the door in someone's pocket.


Rhonda

Irving,
Texas,
U.S.A.

Walgreen's, chronic pain and people who are out of control.

#18Consumer Comment

Sat, November 11, 2006

I am also a chronic pain patient who takes opiates. I live in Texas and we have the seven day rule and it's a pain but it's one of the things that keeps the docs out of jail. As pain doctors who prescribe opiates, our doctors are constantly under a DEA microscope. I have to seriously question the competency of a doc who would write or accept a patient with three months of opiate prescriptions written in advance.

First of all, it's illegal to do that - it's like post dating a check only a lot more serious. I can't believe a doctor who wants to keep his license would actually do this sort of thing. I KNOW that it's against Walgreens policy to accept post dated prescriptions for anything but especially opiates and especially in a state where the day law is active.

Add to all of this, the lack of cogency and cohesive verbiage in the first post and I seriously question whether the original writer was truly in a physical and mental position to explain and understand also don't get why the two Anita's would jump down the throats of two kind people who took time our of their days to commiserate with a fellow CIP victim... unless Anita and Anita and the original poster are either the same people or taking the same opiates incorrectly.

The only thing I will agree with the original poster about is the lack of consistent quality control at Walgreen's. I've had many problems with them - I even rec'd the wrong opiate once. Obviously, I don't go there anymore. In fact, I've quit all of the big pharmacies and go to a locally owned and managed one where the staff knows me by name. It's less convenient because the hours are 8 to 6 but I've had far more success getting my scripts filled correctly and I no longer pull out the PDR every time I pick up my meds and they deliver!


Jim

Springfield,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

Pain medication problems

#18Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 12, 2006

I sorry to hear about your encounter with Walgreen's Anita. I also suffer with chronic pain and have problem receiving my meds on time. I receive mine from the military pharmacy and they are a narcotic pain pill that is controlled by the DEA. I suspect this is who is behind your problem, receiving your medication on time. Walgreen's is simply playing with you hoping you will give up and live in pain. Instead of treating you for pain they would much rather give you anxiety and psychological pills. This is a problem for many Americans. Instead of treating someone who has or suffers from chronic pain they would rather treat you for depression. You need to write your congressman and senate leader and state officials and complain. Maybe if enough of us do it we will start to be treated for our chronic pain problem and not depression. Treat a person for chronic pain and they most likely will not have any depression on any need for high dollar psychological medications. Then they will get back to as normal life as possible. Good Luck! Anita


Jim

Springfield,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

Pain medication problems

#18Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 12, 2006

I sorry to hear about your encounter with Walgreen's Anita. I also suffer with chronic pain and have problem receiving my meds on time. I receive mine from the military pharmacy and they are a narcotic pain pill that is controlled by the DEA. I suspect this is who is behind your problem, receiving your medication on time. Walgreen's is simply playing with you hoping you will give up and live in pain. Instead of treating you for pain they would much rather give you anxiety and psychological pills. This is a problem for many Americans. Instead of treating someone who has or suffers from chronic pain they would rather treat you for depression. You need to write your congressman and senate leader and state officials and complain. Maybe if enough of us do it we will start to be treated for our chronic pain problem and not depression. Treat a person for chronic pain and they most likely will not have any depression on any need for high dollar psychological medications. Then they will get back to as normal life as possible. Good Luck! Anita


Jim

Springfield,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

Pain medication problems

#18Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 12, 2006

I sorry to hear about your encounter with Walgreen's Anita. I also suffer with chronic pain and have problem receiving my meds on time. I receive mine from the military pharmacy and they are a narcotic pain pill that is controlled by the DEA. I suspect this is who is behind your problem, receiving your medication on time. Walgreen's is simply playing with you hoping you will give up and live in pain. Instead of treating you for pain they would much rather give you anxiety and psychological pills. This is a problem for many Americans. Instead of treating someone who has or suffers from chronic pain they would rather treat you for depression. You need to write your congressman and senate leader and state officials and complain. Maybe if enough of us do it we will start to be treated for our chronic pain problem and not depression. Treat a person for chronic pain and they most likely will not have any depression on any need for high dollar psychological medications. Then they will get back to as normal life as possible. Good Luck! Anita


Terri

Tupelo,
Mississippi,
U.S.A.

Just a suggestion

#18Consumer Suggestion

Tue, July 11, 2006

My heart goes out to the victim of this situation. However, I do have a suggestion to prevent problems due to the carelessness of Walgreen's employees or any other pharmacy. Don't give them your prescriptions early. If your physician gives you several prescriptions in advance, I would suggest that you find a safe place for them in your own home. This way, you don't have to rely on the pharmacy to keep up with your prescriptions. You can depend on yourself to keep up with something so important.

Good luck and best wishes,

Terri
Mississippi


Jennifer

Levittown,
New York,
U.S.A.

One Anita, Two Anita

#18Consumer Comment

Mon, July 10, 2006

I'm not sure if we have one Anita or two so I will respond as if there are two. I will call the OP Anita 1 and the other Anita 2.

To Anita 1
Again, I am so very sorry for all you went through. As I said, I've been a CIP patient myself and know full well the anxiety of not having your pain controlled. I do have two questions however. 1) If you've had so many problems with Walgreens in the past, why did you choose to continue doing business with them both in CA and IL? I know you said your friend trusted this Walgreens but I would be so skeptical of them.

2) Why, oh Why did you let them hold your future prescriptions? I would never have let them out of my sight until it was time to fill them. Too much can (and obviously did) happen.

To Anita 2
Aefss never belittled the original poster. He was mearly trying to warn her that some people who post here might try to. CIP patients know full well that many people don't understand their pain. In 2003, I had a collapsed femoral head. My right leg was several inches shorter than my left. Still I had people tell me that the pain was all in my head or to suck it up. I had others tell me I shouldn't take anything more than a tylenol for it. BTW, from what I've seen on these boards, Aefss has lived in the United States and quite often has some good advice for posters. It was you who "assumed" because his current address is in Europe that he's never lived in the US.

Also, it is you who should learn to read. The OP (Anita 1) said she had assured her new local doctor, based on what Walgreens had told her, that the two existing prescriptions she had (from her CA doctor) were OK. She was upset because now she had to go back to him and tell him that she did indeed need an August prescription. So, they were still out of state prescriptions.

I was the one who bought up the information about NYS law. I was only doing so to point out how laws vary from state to state. Like most of my post, I was only trying to provide some insight and give some advice from someone who has "been there, done that" My reason for bringing up a pain management doctor is that sometimes they know of newer and perhaps less costly ways to treat pain.

PS..thanks to all who defended me!


Karla

Sylvan Springs,
Alabama,
U.S.A.

Just Be Glad You got a New Doctor

#18Consumer Comment

Sat, July 08, 2006

In reading your comments, I picked up on the topics of your being treated in an emergency room for your pain and that you already have a new doctor to write your prescriptions. Before I ended up in the ICU because of my doctor's non care about what withdrawals symptoms I would go through, my husband took me to the emergency room several times. When they would come in and examine me, we told the whole story about my surgery which included removing a 13cm sarcoma from my chest wall along with four left ribs, part of my left lung, part of my sternum and reconstruction of my diaphragm.

After you told your history, they would look at chest which is not a very pleasant thing to look at and then they nonchalantly told us that they did not treat patients with chronic pain in the emergency room. So, 10/2005 was a very bad month for my family because it was constantly tryint to find someone to help me and it seemed that "nobody cared". Also, here in Birmingham, AL, there are pain clinics that use breathing exercises, cortison injections, etc. to treat patients and when you tell them that you are on Oxycontin, etc. they immediately tell you that they do not use prescription medicines in treating their patients with chronic pain.

So, it is very hard to find a new pain doctor. If I were healthier, I would like to find a way for all patients with chronic pain would have access to doctors, hospitals, etc. without these so called "professionals" looking at you like you just want the drugs for a high. The medicine I take in no way makes me feel "high". It does not take away all the pain but doctors will not at this time try to change my medications.

When I finally a new pain doctor at the first of November, 2005 after my visit to ICU. The doctor is at a state funded hospital because I am disabled and fall into he category of "indigent". I was upset about having to go to this hospital, but the doctor is actually nicer than the one at a "private hospital" and I think that even if I do ever get insurance that covers medications, etc. I would still continue seeing him because I in no way want to see Dr. Ness who screwed me over with his four week detox program.


Kent

Sandy,
Utah,
U.S.A.

In defense of Jennifer and Aafes

#18Consumer Suggestion

Sat, July 08, 2006

Anita Let Me introduce you to a little thing called freedom! The ripoff report is a place for people to come and express their views. You have no right to blow up and sound off at people because they don't happen to agree with you personally.

I have run across some rude people on this board but I think you have out done them all. As far as well written and intelligent check the site again this is a place for a lot of people who have no place else to turn, do to lack of education or a language barrier or finance issues.

I don't know if what was posted was true or not about wallgreens. However I can tell someone who likes to point fingers and blame the world when I see them.

I'm not sure if there are two posters or one. On this topic,
Named Anita from Schaumburg! Illinois if its one lay of the scripts a little before posting. If it's two someone needs to take away the keyboard of Anita #2 and teach her some manners.
So you can spell so you can type big deal now move on, don't over rate your own importance.

I also read the first post it was long and boring and as hard to follow as a 6 year old in Toys R us and straight out sounds like poor planning if you move half way across the country and are dependant on medication you make sure you have your basses covered. It's called preparing for emergencies. And yes pharmacy's do not like to fill out of state prescriptions especially for Oxycodone. Im sure there was some fault by Wallgreens. But get real California to Illinois.

The rules of thumb keep it short direct and to the point when posting. Allow others the courtesy of having there own opinion.

Now go read your own long drawn out post Because after your nasty attitude you are most likely the only one left who cares what they say!


Aafes

Viernheim,
Europe,
U.S.A.

Anita, my apologies

#18Consumer Comment

Sat, July 08, 2006

Anita, I offer my apologies if you believe I misinterpeted your post and was being critical of you.

I simply was pointing out the fact that it is difficult for any patient to get a controlled substance prescription filled when it is written from an out of state physician. This is true of Walgreens and many other pharmacies.

Pharmacies and their pharmacists must be licensed to dispense in the state they are located in. While they are required to follow federal laws, states may place additional restrictions on pharmacies as well.

In retrospect, the local physician could simply have rewritten the prescription and it would have been much easier to fill. Walgreens should not have lost any of the prescriptions, that is a blatant error on their part.

I am sorry, as a pain patient, you were not treated with more care and concern. No one should be made to suffer due to someone else's mistakes or their simple ignorance. The pharmacist at Walgreens was not empathetic and is not well suited for his job.

I wish you many pain free days in life and the best in everything.


Nicole

Sitka,
Alaska,
U.S.A.

Something about the rebuttals...

#18Consumer Suggestion

Sat, July 08, 2006

Something readers need to take into account is the names that appear on the rebuttals that attack Jennifer and Aafes. They all say Anita. So does the OP. In some of the rebuttals signed by Anita she refers to herself as a different person than the OP. In at leasst one, she refers to herself as the OP. This seriously hurts your credibility when you post, pretending to be other people. But of course, "Anita" will post again saying she is not the OP and "Anita" will post again saying she is not the rebutter.


Anita

Schaumburg,
Illinois,
U.S.A.

Regarding Aafes European????

#18Author of original report

Fri, July 07, 2006

Hello, The entire point of my report is that NO I could not have "gone for a time with out them." Your response was extremely pointless and I am frankly surprised that they would even allow your comment to be posted (especially since Rip-Off Report does mention that only "solid, productive criticism" will be accepted only).

Your response was not only evidence that you had failed to read my report, however, it seems that you were responding to an entirely different report. It is caustic for you to have even said to m that I would be belittled. Well I think that you may have even beaten others to that punch because your comment lacked any sincerity and it reads as if you are offended by what I have written, which is psychotic for you to feel anything other than what even Jennifer commented.

If you disagree with what I have written, at least have sound and justified commentary than what you have written. It was completely useless to me and you have NO idea what I have been through and your lack of sincerity precludes the very attitudes prevalent in the industry today. It isn't about you and apparently you are not dealing with any kind of pain as I or as others have and still do.

It's like with comments like yours, who needs insults. I am glad that you have relieved yourself of such anger, especially that you do not know me or even reside in the US to even know what I am talking about. In fact, your response reads very strange as if you had just awakened out of some stupor. It is sad. Thank you for nothing, though.

To Jennifer: Thank you for being sincere and helpful. I have the physicians that I need and it was not the laws that I am troubled by (I was a Criminal Justice Major before I became afflicted with this secondary disability). I respect the law very much and much more than the average individual. The problem here is that out of the 10 Walgreen's (the Euclid Ave being the 10th~ seriously, no exaggeration) at least 3 of them literally lost my prescriptions (there were different prescriptions and not the same one). I am frightened that any pharmacy would have the audacity to deny that or take responsibility of having lost the scripts at all. This is criminal to me because I view this as theft (Evelyn at the Euclid Ave. Walgreen's ~revealed to me today by the Pharmacy manager~ was the one to have stolen the script as we asked the Walgreen's Store manager to review the security cameras to locate my presence and the THREE scripts I physicially brought in on Sunday July 2,2006 at or around 2pm). The Store manager claimed to have no cameras in the pharmacy~ which I find to be rather suspect~ this would have shown that I was there and did bring in three scripts and my husband stood right there when I handed them to Evelyn.

After we deducted the series of events, we know that she falsified even saying that she has not been given three scripts. The fortunate thing is that I have a typed letter from my physician in Calfornia stating that he gave me 3 scripts for Oxycodone and 1 script for Lorazepam. We gave the signed letter to our NEW physician and he has the letter in his file. There is absolutely no reason for me to act in any dishonest manner because I cannot use another script unless it is written for that month. I cannot use two different scripts anyway. It shows that Evelyn stole the script herself or why else did she even deny having recieved them when my husband witnessed the entire transaction. I would not benefit from lying and it would only harm me and furthermore, there is no reason for me to do so. I barely am able to leave my home and let alone get around or enjoy going outdoors for anything any more. I cannot. So why in the heck would I want to make unnecessary trips to the doctor and the pharmacy to play these types of games. This is a very serious issue and that other Aafes person lacked intelligence to know that I very much need these medications and I cannot go with out them for even a day because nerve damage is unspeakable.

So it was a pretty ignorant thing to say and if he does not know what this is, he has the internet to find out what kind of pain this is. And yes, I really prefer to have microdisctomy instead of taking any medication at all. The original pain specialist in California suggested it and 5 of the actual sugeons are fearful to paralyze me as a result.

So someone capable has got to figure this out because it is either I go through with this surgery (which I prefer and end this ridiculous game with the pharmacies because I loathe them now) so that I can move on with my life. I am a young person and I sould not be going through this much pain at this age at all. I have my life ahead of me and I am being treated as if I am....well, that really doesn't matter.

The truth of the matter is that The Walgreen's on 805 Euclid Avenue LOST my August 5, 2006 script, the pharmacy manager admitted to this loss and now has to call my new physician to take care of it as they should. It is unacceptable to lose prescriptions of that magnitude and expense. It is too important and my pain (for the info of Mr. Know it all Aafes) is way too excruciating to miss a "couple of days". Perhaps if Mr. Aafes were to go through this pain, perhaps he can swollow a Tootsie Roll and it will all go away for him.

But thank you Jennifer for your more helpful and sincere comments. Well written.


Anita

Schaumburg,
Illinois,
U.S.A.

Learn to read

#18Author of original report

Fri, July 07, 2006

Listen, BEFORE actively responding to the report in Schaumburg, regardless of how long it is..READ IT FIRST. It is aggravating to read commentary which reads as if this person's report was not read AT ALL. To Jennifer to responded: Good ending paragraph. Disabled individuals SHOULD NOT be made to jump through hoops when they present a LEGAL PRESCRIPTION and especially that the customer is TOLD by the pharmacist that they transfer of scripts from out of state was allowed.

It wasn't as if the complaintant simply brought the scripts to the Walgreen's and demanded that her scripts be filled. If you read the entire report, it says that BEFORE she even LEFT California, she and a friend of her SPOKE to a PHARMACIST in ILLINOIS about how to transfer the scripts and the complaintant did what was instructed for her to do.

Rebuttals should be written IF the response correlates with having READ the report and not to merely sound off to simply write anything. This is why this person is having problems today because society has a listening deficit. Society fails to pay attention to the needs of pateints who present an agonizing issue and the problem here is that both repondents really did not take the time to really read what the original complaint really said. Furthermore, that European Aafes character is completely riddled with ADD. There are NO WALGREENS IN EUROPE!!! ANd if You are with Aafes, then, this means you are a military other and you recieve your prescriptions through the military pharmacies and military pharmacies DO NOT DISPENSE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

So why did you even respond. Your commentary sounds as if you wanted to read your own words rather than to contribute anything of a substantial nature. Aafes needs to stay out of commentary which does not involve or relate to any experiences that you have not had. It was pretty dumb to respond at all. In fact, YOU may be the one to be belittled for even writing something that totally does not relate to what the complaint is saying. It is just a shame to write something that makes absolutely NO sense at all. Walgreen's lost a prescription and that is a pretty serious issue.

Additionally, what does the state of NY have to do with the two states mentioned in the original complaint? If the regulations are even different from your own, then, what is your point?

Please have a point responders. If the report is long it is because the individual wants to illustrate the pattern of frustration with many of these negligent pharmacies. It seems that BOTH responders forgone the entire point of the report. The primary words in the report is LOST PRESCRIPTIONS, ENTERED WRONG INFORMATION.

And what difference does this make that she needs a pain managerment specialist? Her report has nothing to do with what type of doctor she needs or why the physicians are not in the business of pain management. It sounds totally inane to even mention that she needs a doctor when she writes that she has a doctor and the focal point is that Walgreen's lost her prescription. It does not sound as if she is not using her medication within the means or is not following directions.

The report has nothing to do with why doctors do not prescribe pain meds or what doctors she needs to have. It appears that the original author is fully aware of that, which is why she did not expound on the advice for the search of physicians.

This was not her problem. The problem was that Walgreen's gave her wrong information and that they lost her scripts. In this case, she is right and the customer is right not all of the time but most. Most people do not want to go through problems. Most people simply want to pick what their scripts and go. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to participate in this type of trouble. The author says that she is disabled. Well, let's break it down for those who need a Cliff notes, if this individual is disabled, I'd assume that this was problematic for he to even have to write this report. Obviously, she feels that there was a case of carelessness which has occurred. I do not remember the last time that any one with pain (especially the type of pain she is enduring) found any joy in having to write such a report. It is a long report and she obviously believes and has been through a lot and it sounds as if the care she is recieving is coming from a Third World Country instead of the United States.

Another clue here is that it also reads that she is being mistreated because there are a lot of morons in our society that believe that the disabled do not have a voice. Apparently, this Rip-Off Report service is the best around for many of those who are not being heard. The number of times that anyone should have to go to different pharmacies is ridiculous. Apparently, where she lived in California (in the advent of mass immigration) has a serious problem with language barriers. From what I gathered, it appears that much of the staff in the Bay Area Walgreen's were not trained properly and had issues with language barriers in that area. If you live in the Bay Area, you will understand that point much better than if you do not.

SO it is easy to offer pat answers when you haven't a clue what this individual must have been through. We do not have a clue and that she has had to write this, should offer a larger clue that this person is in a significant amount of pain and emotional distress over the retardation of not being able to do their jobs. It's a dismal outlook for the future of our country if this does not change. Resources are not available to just everyone.

Try not to victimize this indidual any more than they are. Offer sound advice and read the complaint BEFORE offering useless advice. She has a physician locally and this has nothing to do with NOT understanding the regulations. IT IS the responsibility of Walgreen's to actively take responsibility in their errors and make sure that the patient is not having to do the job of the pharmacist. The patient is sick. Get it? So that means, if they have a legal script, give them what they are there for. This has nothing whatsoever to DO with ABUSE of drugs. This has to do with negligence and being ill-trained.

Know what you mean and mean what you know. And try a little sensitivity and maturity before sounding off on things completely unrelated to the report. We come here to read what is well written and intelligent and not junk that carries no relevance to the circumstances discussed in this report.


Anita

Schaumburg,
Illinois,
U.S.A.

To Aafes Europe

#18Author of original report

Fri, July 07, 2006

Apparently, you did not read the entire report of the Schaumburg Walgreen's Issue. The lady says that SHE HAS A LOCAL PHYSICIAN.

Secondly, if you truly WERE reading the entire complaint, you also would have read it WITHOUT the need to comment: " YOU will be belittled" I am amazed that you are as well psychic for the future comments of what others may say.

Thirdly, literacy is the NUMBER ONE problem OUTSIDE the United States as well. Aafes in Europe needs to learn comprehension and context clues in reading any form of writing BEFORE hot tagging your commentary when you truly have no basis of constructive or literary contribution.

For the future readers: Read the complaintants article CAREFULLY. She DOES mention that Walgreen's LOST her scripts SEVERAL times throughout her written report. The complaintant NEVER seems to veer off any course of rambling or empty accusation. THIS may happen to you as well and I assume that is WHY this is written.

Regardless of what happens in your state or any other, this incident happened to THIS PERSON and they have the right to explain this AS IT OCCURRED. YOU WERE NOT PRESENT and I doubt that this individual would have written such an extensive report IF IT DID NOT happen.

If you do feel sympathy for this individual, THEN, AT THE least read the ENTIRE report WITHOUT skipping the KEY parts of the report. THE complainant NEVER said anything outside of what has happened and the bottom line is that Walgreen's SHOULD NOT BE LOSING ANY SCRIPTS AT ANY TIME. Please learn to read reports carefully BEFORE offering ignorant commentary as Aafes has. HIS or her commentary makes them appear illiterate or reveals an inability to understand the incidents depicted in the complaint. The bottom line of the complaintant's report is that Walgreen's told her one thing and another thing occurred (which there should be a STANDARD set of guidelines across the board.) The complaintant did not come off as some one that DID NOT KNOW what what happening to her and she has written a clear and intelligent report UNLIKE Aafes who did not even READ the part where it SAYS that the complaintant HAS A LOCAL PHYSICIAN!!! Right there Aafes has lost ALL reasonable credibility in any future commentary that he or she has to offer.

READING is important and Aafes missed the entire point of what was written. The second commentary was at least more reasonable, but all of you must understand that this DID NOT HAPPEN TO YOU AND IT MAY HAPPEN TO YOU AS WELL. So when responding to another's experience, be sure to be helpful rather than foaming at the mouth without a ball to bat because it make YOU appear to be the fool without a frontal lobe cortex.


Jennifer

Levittown,
New York,
U.S.A.

So Sorry

#18Consumer Comment

Fri, July 07, 2006

First of all, I am so sorry that you have to suffer with pain. I have suffered in the past with pain issues due to a degenerative bone disease but luckily surgery usually helps me.

I agree with the first response that I don't think Walgreen's is the real problem here. State laws vary and the person who failed to inform you of the 7 day law may not have known it was different in California so didn't think to inform you. I'm, frankly, very suprised they were willing to take an out of state prescription for a controlled substance. Here is NY, all prescriptions for controlled substances must be written on a NYS issued prescription form. The form must be dated within 30 days and they can only issue a 30 day supply. The pharmacies cannot dispense any controlled substances without it so it would preclude them from accepting an out of state prescription. NY is becoming even stricter soon, all prescriptions will have to be issued on a NYS form even for things like antibiotics. The doctors will need to order their prescription pads from the state.

I think you need a good pain management doctor. If you go to the "Doctors for Pain" website, you may find one in your area.

It's a shame that people who suffer from Chronic Irretractable Pain are forced to jump through hoops to obtain the necessary pain relief. The DEA actively investigates doctors who they feel prescribe too much pain medication. This has forced many good pain management doctors to get out of the field.


Aafes

Viernheim,
Europe,
U.S.A.

Walgreens responsibility

#18Consumer Comment

Fri, July 07, 2006

I won't belittle your problem, pain control can be difficult. Be aware some responders on this board may be accusatory and belittle you.

I believe first, that if you now live in Illinois you need to get a local physician. It sounds as if the physician in California was problematic for you before you left the state.

Walgreens has a legal responsibility to treat controlled substance prescriptions with a careful hand. While it is not your case, there are many, many instances of "doctor shopping" by patients that are simply abusers or that wish to resell the medication.

An out of state prescription brings up red flags for most pharmacies especially when controlled substances are involved. Walgreens must comply with ANY state and federal laws regarding controlled substances or risk losing their license to dispense, additionally the responsible pharmacist can lose his/her license.

I am sorry the situation has caused you additional expense and you may have done without your medication for a time. I don't, however, think Walgreens was in error.

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