I have a couple of medications that are set up on auto-refill. One year at Christmas time, I realize that I’ll be out of town when the prescription is due to be picked up. While there isn’t usually an issue, since it is winter, I want to have it with me in case I get stuck for whatever reason. I call the pharmacy to see if they can fill it early.

Pharmacist: “Thank you for calling [Pharmacy]. How can I assist?”

Me: “Hi. I’m calling because I have [prescription #1] coming up for auto-refill around [date], but I’m heading out of town, and I’m wondering if it can be filled on [date about five days earlier], instead? Just so that I don’t potentially run out while I’m gone.”

The pharmacist goes through the identity verification process. 

Pharmacist: “So, it looks like you have [prescription #1], [prescription #2], and [prescription #3], correct?”

Me: “Yes. I just want to see if you can fill [prescription #1] a few days early. I have the other two already, but I’ll be out of town when that one comes due, and while I should be back before I run out, I’d rather get it early if possible.”

Pharmacist: “That’s twenty-three days after you got the last one. You shouldn’t be out yet.”

Me: “I’m not. I’m not calling because I’m out. I’m calling because I’m trying to be proactive and get it before I potentially run out. I’m heading out of town for Christmas and don’t want to get stuck somewhere and then run out.”

Pharmacist: “You shouldn’t be out yet. I can’t fill this.”

Me: “I’m not out. I’m just trying to get it filled a few days early so that I don’t potentially run out.”

Pharmacist: “That’s twenty-three days after you last filled it. You shouldn’t be out yet.”

Me: *Getting slightly frustrated* “I’m not out. I still have enough left currently, but the refill will come up while I’m out of town, and with the time of year, I’m trying to be prepared if I end up with delayed or cancelled flights and don’t get back here before I do run out.”

Pharmacist: “The prescription isn’t due to be refilled for a few days.”

Me: “I understand that. I was just wondering if it’s possible for you to fill it a few days early so that I can pick it up before I leave.”

Pharmacist: *Grudging sigh* “That’s too soon, but let me check if the insurance will let us run it.”

He’s quiet for a second and I kind of hear a keyboard. Then, he comes back.

Pharmacist: “It looks like we can have it filled by [date two days before it would usually be ready].”

Me: “That should work, as long as I can pick it up at any time?”

Pharmacist: “You’ll receive a notification when it’s ready.”

Me: “Thank you.”

It did end up being ready, and I just added a few minutes to my travel plans to stop by on my way out of town. While I could kind of understand pharmacies and insurance not wanting to pay for stuff too early — because of course, I, a thirty-year-old female with a history of needing the exact prescriptions I was calling about to make sure that my body functions correctly, was going to be selling the extra pills off — I still got a little annoyed that rather than listening, the pharmacist basically steamrolled over what I was saying.

It baffles me sometimes the things people tell pharmacists and doctors.

[Customer] comes in and buys medication. She comes to me and wants some advice on using some of the things she bought. I’m happy to help. She bought some liver cleansers and colon cleansers and wants to do a “detox”.

Me: “Just follow the directions on the bottle.”

I don’t really press these customers; she’s not elderly-looking, so I think it’s just those trends they follow online.

Customer: “I’m on blood pressure medication, and I read that medication stresses the liver, so you should do a detox of the liver and stop the medication during that time to ease the stress.”

I take my time questioning and explaining. She understands what I’m saying and why she shouldn’t worry about what she saw or read. BUT…

Customer: “I still feel the stress on my liver!”

HOW? JUST HOW… do you feel the stress on your liver?

Now I’m thinking, “Well, s*** bricks! I studied for years and practiced even more than that, and I’m wrong. Thank you, random information on the Internet. You have defeated me with your expertise.”

Well, I do what I do best. I smile, say okay, and move on to the next customer.

I work for a retail pharmacy. At the end of each shift, we put the money from the cash registers into a small blue bag and take it to the front of the store to “drop” the money into a machine that requires a fingerprint to sign in.

On this particular day, I was exhausted. I had worked a long shift with one of the pharmacy interns who talks a lot and is also quite bossy. I offered to take the money up so I could leave a few minutes early.

As I was putting the money in the machine, a man came up behind me and said, in a joking voice:

Man: “Give me all the money!”

Thinking it was the intern, I said:

Me: “F*** off!”

I turned around.

It was the sheriff.

A young girl comes up to the consultation window.

Customer: “Can you tell me why my birth control isn’t staying in?”

Me: “Sure, just let me look up which kind it is on the computer.”

I looked it up, expecting to see a prescription for NuvaRing or something, which gets directly inserted.

I saw a prescription for an oral contraceptive.

She was putting the pill directly in her vagina and was surprised when it would fall out. We straightened her out and sent her on her way.

I work in a pharmacy in a large grocery store. I am speaking to one of my coworkers about how uncomfortable some of the men who come to the pharmacy counter make me feel. They often call me pretty, try to touch me, or ask me when I’m leaving. 

Coworker: “You know, you’re pretty small, but if you can’t physically beat a man, you can always out-crazy him.”

Later, I am taking the trash out. In order to do so, I have to go into the back of the store which is usually empty of people. As I’m putting the trash into the bins, a man approaches me.

Creepy Guy: “What’s a girl like you doing back here all by yourself? You know there’s no camera back here, right?”

Remembering my coworker’s advice, I put my hands up like a cat and hissed at him. 

He didn’t seem scared, but he did back up. He also now refuses service from me. 

“If you can’t physically beat a man, you can always out-crazy him” was and still is some of the best advice I have ever received.

Related:
Fighting Crazy With Crazy, Part 2
Fighting Crazy With Crazy