Lesson learned: Count the pills in your prescriptions

I get multiple prescriptions every month. Actually, we count ourselves lucky when we don't have to refill something on any given week! And, unfortunately, most of them I take multiple pills/day. That means I get large amounts of almost everything.

I love the pharmacy I use through our grocery. They have always been great. But this time I was apparently shorted on one of my scripts. There was supposed to be 90 pills, and it should have lasted me until 3/15. Guess what? I'm within a week of running out. And unfortunately it's a pain med (not a real "good" one either ) so I can't even get more and pay for it out of pocket. I take them morning and evening, so I know for sure that I didn't mess up on the dosing or take more pills more often than I should. I'm guessing whoever was counting them got distracted or something and thought they had finished when they hadn't.

Word to the wise: if you get medications that are larger quantities than the typical 30, count your pills when you get them. If you are shorted, as happens very rarely but still happens, you have a much better chance of the pharmacy believing you and fixing it immediately rather than late in the month.

That really stinks. I had it happen years ago, but I thought most pharmacies had pill counting machines now. You might want to make a note of who dispensed the medication (many times they have to put their initials on the slip to verify that it has been double checked for correct medication, correct strength, and also for correct count.) If it happens again, the pharmacy may have an issue with an employee diverting pain medication (it happens.)

How many people work in their pharmacy? You should let them know even if it will be their word against yours. There may be a tech that is stealing that they need to look out for - it might not even be who counted them.

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

That really stinks. I had it happen years ago, but I thought most pharmacies had pill counting machines now. You might want to make a note of who dispensed the medication (many times they have to put their initials on the slip to verify that it has been double checked for correct medication, correct strength, and also for correct count.) If it happens again, the pharmacy may have an issue with an employee diverting pain medication (it happens.)

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Ditto .. I used to count Moms out though it got way better when the local pharmacy got a auto counter

oh wow, so are you going to have to miss doses because of their screw up? Do you think they won't believe you? I always wondered what happens in a sitation like that because someone's health could actually be compromised..
I also wonder what happens if you lose the medicine after you get it, which is an entirely different situation but could still have potential consequences if the person can't get another prescription.

I would let them know too, in case it is an employee taking them.

I once lost my purse with a prescription in it and the pharmacist reissued the prescription (the amount left on it) so they may do that for you

Oh my gosh that really stinks!! I used to work for a neurologist so I got to see how pharmacies can be about refilling when your not due for it. Of course I saw enough people just looking for drugs too... Makes me undersand why they are like that; but still not fair to you! Hope that never happens again!

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I once lost my purse with a prescription in it and the pharmacist reissued the prescription (the amount left on it) so they may do that for you

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I don't know how tough they are there, but here any sort of narcotic painkiller is fairly heavily controlled. Even those with legit prescriptions are treated like drug addicts because of the stigma that has become attached to it.

Because of that stigma any sort of request for more tends to be met with resistance.

It would be hard to count the pills we take since we order through the mail (MUCH cheaper with my insurance) and they send a 3 month supply. DH scripts - 1st 2 per day 180 pills, 2nd 3 per day 270 pills Mine are 1 per day 90 pills and 2 per day 180 pills.

To demonstrate how cheap with Medco mail order, One month supply of DH 3 per day is $27.99 and 3 month mail order supply is $14.99... Go figure... The best example is DH's other medication... a one month supply is $110 with insurance ($499.06 WITHOUT insurance) and a 3 month mail order supply is $75 . With these prices I should start counting our pills!

For those who have big orders like me, or ordering by mail where you do get a 3 month supply, we found these pill counting tray with spatula for $10-$15 (plus shipping, of course). But that's not too bad at all.

I know I said pain med, and it is, but it isn't a narcotic pain med that I was shorted on. It's actually an anti-seizure drug that I was prescribed on an alternative use as a pain control medication. Approved for that use, but it's more of a longer term pain med, not much good on the short term if that makes sense.

I did let them know what was going on. One of the first things she asked was if I got the number of pills I got was correct. I couldn't answer, I didn't count. I have no rebuttal. They did give me more pills, but only enough to get me through 6 days. We'll see if they will give me the refill a few days early. Truth be told, it's one of those $4 prescriptions. I can certainly afford a few pills to get me through. That's not really the point, though.

Something else, too. You really need to check the dosage and make sure it's correct. I'm on blood pressure pills, the lowest dosage they can give me. Several months ago, I went into the store to pick up my prescription and they had given me the wrong dosage. It was quite a bit higher and I honestly don't know what would have happened if I hadn't caught the mistake and started taking those pills. I took them back and the pharmacist apologized.

We need to be more aware.

Absolutely count your pills. And not only make sure the dosage is correct, make sure they have given you the correct medication. My mom gets her scripts filled thru a mail order pharmacy and they sent her blood sugar meds instead of BP meds. And before my Fil died, he used to swear the pharmacy was shorting him on pain pills on purpose. I don't know if he was correct, but oten they didn't give him the right amount of pills - he always counted as soon as he got hom.

Messed up BP meds are a scary thought. Anything that can drastically affect your BP and heart rate can possibly kill you.

And here I thought my pharmacy (and the doc responsible) allowing interacting meds to slip through was bad - I was lucky that I have tachycardia, a person with a more normal heart rate might have had bradycardia from the combo.

Unfortunately this has happened to me once. I also have scripts that are 90 pills but one time the weight just didn't feel right and I actually counted the whole bottle. They shorted me a whole lot, I called the pharmacy and they said to come in for the rest, it was just a mistake, uh yeah!!! That was the one and only time it happened.

I had a PICC line for a couple of weeks last year, which is an IV line in your arm that you go home with to get drugs pumped into you intravenously 24/7 pretty much.

I got my delivery after the first week for the next weeks medications, and realised the bag was a bit bigger, and then I noticed that the list of what drugs were in the bag was a LOT more than what I had. Mine was just an antibiotic - this was a cocktail of drugs. If the bag hadn't been a different size, I don't know if I would have noticed, and these were drugs being delivered straight to the blood stream near my heart.

Always check ANY medications you have!

yes i once was supposed to get 60 of something but they only gave 30. of cousre i didn't realize it til i got home

Originally Posted by sarahp

I had a PICC line for a couple of weeks last year, which is an IV line in your arm that you go home with to get drugs pumped into you intravenously 24/7 pretty much.

I got my delivery after the first week for the next weeks medications, and realised the bag was a bit bigger, and then I noticed that the list of what drugs were in the bag was a LOT more than what I had. Mine was just an antibiotic - this was a cocktail of drugs. If the bag hadn't been a different size, I don't know if I would have noticed, and these were drugs being delivered straight to the blood stream near my heart.

Always check ANY medications you have!

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Oh my goodness, Sarah! I am so glad you realized the mistake.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Messed up BP meds are a scary thought. Anything that can drastically affect your BP and heart rate can possibly kill you.

And here I thought my pharmacy (and the doc responsible) allowing interacting meds to slip through was bad - I was lucky that I have tachycardia, a person with a more normal heart rate might have had bradycardia from the combo.

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Isn't it more common that bradycardia causes low output of blood which could lead to low blood pressure, light-headedness, dizziness, etc rather than a symptom ?

I'm only wondering because it is something my dad is dealing with at the moment. One fainting episode on vacation in Houston two weeks ago. Saw the regular GP yesterday who discovered a slow heart rate and is now adjusting his HBP (Lasix ??? Sorry I forgot the class he is on ) medications. But is that really the underlying cause ? How is blood pressure regulation going to stimulate heart beats ? :?

It's different in his case. But BP (trypically beta or calcium blockers) meds can make the heart beat more strongly. Without getting technical, the more thoroughly it beats the better the output can be. Regulating BP will control heart rate because the body sends the signals back to it. (Baroreflex)
My tach, for example, causes part of my heart (left ventricle) not to fill and empty as it should. It shows up on EKGs as inverted T waves. It's not efficient so my BP doesn't raise from it, and oxygen levels fall. Note: my autonomic nervous system is messed up, most people don't have this.
Normal people get high BP from high tach. Normal healthy people's bodies will have a modest heart rate increase when blood pressure starts to fall- meds can interfere with that, hence he fainted.

I hope they can get him stablized. Has he had any recent tests on his heart function?
Bradycadia is serious and I hope they just don't pile on more meds. Make sure he's careful this coming summer (in the heat).

Originally Posted by strange_wings

It's different in his case. But BP (trypically beta or calcium blockers) meds can make the heart beat more strongly. Without getting technical, the more thoroughly it beats the better the output can be. Regulating BP will control heart rate because the body sends the signals back to it. (Baroreflex)
My tach, for example, causes part of my heart (left ventricle) not to fill and empty as it should. It shows up on EKGs as inverted T waves. It's not efficient so my BP doesn't raise from it, and oxygen levels fall. Note: my autonomic nervous system is messed up, most people don't have this.
Normal people get high BP from high tach. Normal healthy people's bodies will have a modest heart rate increase when blood pressure starts to fall- meds can interfere with that, hence he fainted.

I hope they can get him stablized. Has he had any recent tests on his heart function?
Bradycadia is serious and I hope they just don't pile on more meds. Make sure he's careful this coming summer (in the heat).

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Thanks ! After his 'very brief fainting' his blood pressure and heart rate went back to normal for him. Was fine for almost 2 weeks, and then his blood pressure went down to low again, and his heart rate was lower than normal. Last night and today it has gone back up again and he is feeling great - "back to normal". They did switch the BP meds, though, so will find out any detail on that.

It is in the mountains of NC so very cool there - nice and stormy - but just beautiful.