Shoppers Drug Mart

The last couple of years I have been having stomach problems. I have been vomiting without warning for no reason. I have had multiple tests with various doctors and nothing shows up. On my last visit the Doctor had asked me why I went off the Testosterone. I told him the pharmacy had given me enough for about 6 months and said that it was discontinued. I had told him this before but there was a communication problem and was overlooked. He said this may be the cause of this problem. He arranged for a new Medication to replace the old Testosterone. He knows of the problems I have had with Shoppers Drug Mart because he has also had to deal with them. I have been going there for the same prescription for about 25 years now. They still never get anything right! For example, why would they give me a huge batch of Testosterone and tell me that was it? why was my Doctor not informed of this so he could prescribe a replacement? I thought he was? Another confusion caused by shoppers.

The thought of this medicine being able to cure this stomach problem brightened my outlook on things.

So I had specifically asked the doctor to make sure the Medicine was cleared with WSIB for payment before being sent for a prescription and could he call me when this was done so I was ok to pick up. A couple of days later his assistant Julie called me and left a message stating the letter was sent to WSIB and a prescription was called into the pharmacy.

On or about June 13/2023 I went to pick up my prescription. There was a male working behind the counter, someone I have never seen before, in the last couple of years I have noticed constant turn over of pharmacy staff. He said my prescription was not ready? I said but it was called in by my Doctor. He said yeah we have it but they did not make it up because the doctor ordered repeats but did not mention how many? So rather then call the Doctors office to ask the number of repeats they just threw it aside? And what do the repeats have to do with me picking up the first prescription? He said, and I quote, "I don't know" I can get it ready for you now, I asked how long and he said 45 minutes! I will have to come back it's hot outside and my Dog is in the car. I can't remember the last time this store had anything ready when it was suppose to be. I order my re-fills through their online phone system. It even confirms when it will be ready to pick up but it is never ready on time!

They usually state they never got the order, and there must be something wrong with the system?

I went back to Shoppers the next day to pick up the prescription and it was ready! Then she asked me for $315.00! I said no WSIB is paying for this. So she went away and was having a conversation with another girl about the charges. The other girl took over and she was very nice and professional. It was around 7:30 PM and she said WSIB is still open I will give them a call. I said great I'll wait. She came back about 5 minutes later with the bad news. She said the girl at WSIB said it looks like it's going though b ut has not reached her dept. yet. Maybe I should call and they might push it through faster. OK, I understood and it was nice of her to call WSIB and get it straightened out. So I was going to call WSIB when I got home and talk to them about the approval. I got home about 10PM that night and thought I would wait until the next day to call WSIB. The next day before I called WSIB they called me! the ADJUDICATOR called and she said you have been having a problem getting a prescription approved and it's all done now. She said I sent it through and you should be able to pick it up at the pharmacy by tomorrow morning. Great!

It's to the point now that I fear going to Shoppers because of the terrible service and the rude staff. Not all of them but the majority. It's Friday June 16th and I am about to leave to go pick up my prescription at Shoppers. I decided I was going to call and confirm everything before I go so I will have no problems when I get there.

I call Shoppers and the Person who answered the phone could barely speak English. I was having a real hard time to understand her. I told her I wanted ot make sure it was ready to go and paid for. She came back and told me it was not approved by WSIB? I said that can't be they called me and told me it was approved? I told her I would call her write back. I called WSIB 1-800 number and they confirmed that it was approved for payment! So I called back Shoppers and spoke to Danny, she said was her name and she was the pharmacist on duty. I told her I was talking to WSIB and it was all approved. SO then she started asking me if I had a card? A card for what? She said with a number to punch in? I said no I have never had a card and you people have had all m y information there for over 20 years. I said you have my claim number on file. I got it from the girl the other day to call back WSIB! Then she started asking me about how to punch it in the computer? I said I don't work there how the hell do I know. She didn't know how to check if it was approved for payment? So then she said I will put you on hold and check. I was on hold for over 12 minutes when I hung up and called back. She answered again, after about the 4th time I called! I said you put me on hold for 12 minutes what's going on? She said yeah your prescription is not approved? I said that can't be I just spoke to WSIB and they assured me it is paid for! I said how do you know this did you call WSIB and she said yes I spoke to WSIB and it's not approved and she hung up! Now I was starting to get upset. I called back about 5 tines before she answered again! I said listen just let me speak to someone else, I was hoping to get the girl I spoke to the other day, but she said we are very busy and only 2 of us so I will put you on hold.

So 10 minutes later I hung up and called back and she answered again after about the 6th time I called. I said listen just let me speak to someone else that works there. She said they were busy I would have to go on hold and I said no don't put me on hold again! and she put me on hold! So I held for 16 minutes before I called back! it took about 10 calls before she answered again! I said I wanted to speak to the owner but she said she was not in I would have to call back Monday! I said I don't want to do that I need my prescription now! I said I need to speak to someone who knows how to check WSIB and she said it again, she spoke to WSIB and it is not approved! I was starting to get very upset now. I said you should let me speak to someone else because if you don't it will only take me 10 minutes to drive there and I will be extremely upset when I get there. Just let me talk to someone else! She said call back Monday and hung up!

So when I got there I was extremely upset just like I said I would be. I could not believe this women was doing this out of spite! Keeping me from getting my medication on purpose when she knew she was lying, she never spoke to WSIB. So I get out of my car and about to walk in the door when I see the Pharmacist coming down the side walk with Coffees! I recognized her because about 3 weeks prior I was in the store and she was telling some gentleman if he didn't like it he could go some place else. So I asked her, are you the Pharmacist? She said yes. I said are you the one I was talking to on the phone who refuses to give me my medication? She mumbled something then said no I finished work at 4pm. So I walked away but she kept coming up behind me. She asked me if I knew the name and I said she said it was Danny? I was trying to ignore her because I realized it wasn't her and the one at the back. But this woman was getting all excited and would not leave me alone? She was apparently extremely upset I had confused her for someone else? I wasn't really listening to her I was trying to find and speak to the girl on the phone. This woman is screaming at the top of her lungs and drawing a crowd. At the time I had no idea what she was screaming at me for? But she kept getting in my face telling me I am not a man and screaming all kinds of crap! I finally got fed up with her and yelled back "We are done, I have nothing to say at the moment now Back Off! She just kept coming and I am trying to get this prescription. I am begging the girls at the pharmacy to call WSIB with me there to verify it was approved for payment! None of them would call? So I said ok do you want me to call! and one of them said yes! I could not believe I was going through this in the pharmacy in front of all these people! I was just there to pick up a prescription that was already paid for! So I got WSIB on the phone. While I was calling WSIB they were calling their boss again. Now I was to leave the store and they would have my file sent to another store right away. But they would not give me my prescription. I held my phone up for all to listen while the guy at WSIB on the other end of my phone line was yelling out that my prescription was approved for payment! They refused to listen and to serve me. This was all because I called ahead to make sure I could get my prescription without hassle! And because this so called Pharmacist name Danny refused to call WSIB and then lied about it? Why? I just wanted to pick up my prescription? Why the hell did this have to happen? After I got home I was feeling terrible, I could not believe what just happened and it really disgusted me! These people have are suppose to be professionals and have all my medical information?

It turns out the other woman was the off duty Pharmacist? Why was she there? she was chasing me around the store screaming and yelling at me to apologize to her for confusing her for someone else? Can you freaking believe that? I was trying to get my medication and not having a good time doing it and she was making it 10 times worse. Had it not been for her I would have never yelled but she gave me no choice. It's a very good thing she was a woman and not a man! She was screaming at me so I began to scream back to leave me alone and back off! I don't know how many times I told her we had nothing to discuss and I just want to get my medication!

Everyone in that pharmacy that participated in this should be fired! When I had the gentleman from WSIB on the line and Danny (so called Pharmacist) standing right in front of me when he said on speaker phone it was approved I looked at her and said you lied to me and everyone here and you never called WSIB, you lied! And I turned and walked out of the store. I asked them to transfer everything to another store in Beaconhill for now. I went down there to try and get my prescription. Of course the girl there talked to me like I was a criminal trouble maker.

She asked me if I had a number for WSIB and I said I never needed it you guy's have it all and it is suppose to be checked before any prescriptions are made. She said"SIR"I'm just asking you for the number so we have it on file. I said you have it on file, I don't know it off hand but if you show me what information you have on me I can show you the number as I know most of the number. She was about to use the"SIR" crap again when I noticed the sheet she had in her hand had my file number for WSIB and I said is that it there in your hand. She looked at the number on the sheet she had and said oh, good. So I asked, you have my entire file now? she said yes and I said so you have more on me then I have. I said and my prescription? She said well I can't do it right now. I said really, you have to make it? She said yes, although I knew she didn't, all she had to do was count out the number per month. So wait another day for my prescription. I was done and wanted no more arguing!

I asked what time it would be ready and she said 8AM! I said great, I won't be that early but great, and smiled at her and she smiled back. The next morning around 11 AM I went and showed my ID to the clerk and left with my prescription, just like it should have been yesterday! The Staff at the other store were the cause of everything that happened!

I am getting Legal advice now but I have every intention of taking Shoppers Drug Mart to court over this incident. It was a disgusting display of ignorance and total lack of professionalism and simple respect from the staff. I cannot believe the way they treat Customers. I cannot believe what they put me through for just trying to pick up my prescription!

As I have all plans of taking this to court I am asking Shoppers Drug Mart Head Office to do the right thing and not force me to subpoena a copy. I need a copy of the store video from 5-730 PM, June 16 2023, and any phone audio that is taped! This will show how I was verbally attacked from the moment I walked in the front door by the off duty Pharmacist! Any phone audio will totally validate how I was lied to and hung up on while trying to get a confirmation on my prescription.