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Had a prescription called in for antibiotic for strep throat. Went to pick up medication, and started taking this. This was on Wednesday, on Monday called doctor to complain about not getting better, read the prescription bottle and found out that CVS gave someone elses medication to me. The medication given was for high blood preasure and water retention and has warnings concerning not taking if you have liver or kidney which of course I have.
Really not a very dependable company anymore for service you can trust, and the side effects are hitting hard from the wrong medications.
I recently brought a prescription to my local CVS pharmacy to be filled for my 2 year old daughter. She was diagnosed with an ear infection and was given a prescription for an antibiotic (Cefzil) by her pediatrician. When I dropped the prescription off the Pharmacy "Tech" (student) informed me that this medication did not come in this particular strength but they would "adjust" it for her. I did not think too much of it when they said this because I know that sometimes practitioners are not always aware of all the strengths that a medication comes in. What I did think was odd was that they were not going to call the doctor to verify this. I proceed to wait at the store for it to be filled. After waiting a while I was handed a box with the medication Cipro in it, also an antibiotic.
I quickly got back in line and waited to question the Pharmicist about this because I was quite sure that this was not the medication that the doctor told me about. The pharmacist was on the phone and was weakly notified that someone was waiting with a question. As I grew more impatient and weary with a sick child waiting I spotted the "Tech" that I originally gave the script to and questioned him about the medication again.
He reassured me that this was the correct medication that the physician wrote for. He still did not call the doctor's office. I left feeling a bit reassured assuming that the tech new what he was talking about and it was checked with he pharmacist. Three days later after taking the medication my daughter woke up with rash on her body. I called the pediatricians office to see what I should do for the rash thinking she was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. When I told the doctor that my 2 year old was taking "Cipro" he proceeded to ask again what she was taking. The doctor then informed me that "Cipro" is not usually indicated for children under the age of 16. As the doctors office again checked her chart they saw that the script was written for Cefzil NOT Cipro.
They retrieved a copy of the original script from the store to find that it looked tampered with. It appeared that the docotrs handwriting was changed in a lighter ink to alter Cefzil to Cipro.
My daughter is thankfully o.k. I confronted the pharmacist that was working that night and she openly admitted that the wrong prescription was given but asked why would she change the script if she admitted that it was wrong? I believe that the night I was in the store the tech changed the script after I left the store realizing that he made a mistake and wanted to cover it up.
I've contacted the Corperate offices and I 'm still waiting for them to check the security tapes to see if they can see any unusual happenings. PLEASE CHECK ALL OF YOUR MEDICATIONS! If you have a doubt MAKE them call the doctors office!
I think that this is a situation where all 3 parties could have done more (mom...you did the right thing by trying to get the pharmacists attention...but your gut was probably telling you that something was indeed wrong).
As a former pharmacy employee...I almost lost my own sick baby when my very own supervisor made a very deadly mistake. You see, my baby...already failure to thrive following multiple bowel surgeries...was prescribed Valium. Well, the pharmacist actually dispensed an ADULT dose to a very, very tiny baby. I called the pediatrician's office and was told the prescription was correct. Then I called 2 of my previous supervisors and was told two more times that the dose was correct. While I held the bottle in my hands trying to figure out what was wrong (meanwhile my baby is screaming from his ungodly amount of pain) I realized. This was a 5 mg per 5 mL solution...and the label said to give him 5 mL. Well...I know that I myself was given 5mg before an MRI and it put me to sleep...so what would have happened to my 11 lb 6 month old?
Anyway...I wanted to share this with you so that you didn't think me heartless...or not understanding.
I will NOT walk out of a doctor's office without a printed (in type-set, not handwriting) list of the medications as well as the info (dose, how often it should be taken, etc)...and I KNOW how to read prescriptions. The problem is, a lot of pharmacy staff don't! This is something I think ALL doctor's should do. Period. Ask or DEMAND this each and every time you walk out with prescriptions in hand. For you. For your child. For your PET!
The pharmacy failed by not calling and verifying the medication. You said they had to call to tweek the dose...why didn't the doctor's staff catch it then? Ah...see...so many things happen and it all leads up to a mistake that could have been caught. Thank GOD your baby was and is okay. I agree that it sounds like the tech did a cover up of their mistake. Don't let this go. Pursue the HELL out of this. The tech needs to go!
I'm a pharmacy intern and I completely agree with you. That tech should be fired. Cipro should never be prescribed for anyone under the age of 18. The worst part is, even though the technician who is a student made a mistake in entering Cipro into the system, the pharmacist should have known that Cipro is contraindicated in people under the age of 18.
Had a prescription called in for antibiotic for strep throat. Went to pick up medication, and started taking this. This was on Wednesday, on Monday called doctor to complain about not getting better, read the prescription bottle and found out that CVS gave someone elses medication to me. The medication given was for high blood preasure and water retention and has warnings concerning not taking if you have liver or kidney which of course I have.
Really not a very dependable company anymore for service you can trust, and the side effects are hitting hard from the wrong medications.
1st responsibility is to the pharmacist and pharmacy to ensure you get the correct medication at the counter .
This is vital for safety and good practice.
2nd responsibnility is that you are not in such a hurry you dont get a consultation on the medication
- how about this: think its cute to get an rx in 5 minutes? consider that you are not the only one that needs service and needs their stuff yesterday.
- courtesy is to call in at least 24 hrs ahead or how about be prepared and call 3 to 4 days before running out.
- got a new rx? dont go during peak hours or call 1st to make sure its ready.
3rd- read the bottle idiot before taking it.
- common sense if you dont get a consult.
.
yeah dude, I always make sure I know what I'm putting in my mouth, real talk
So for almost a week, you never even glanced at the bottle? How does that work?
WARNING! WARNING!
MOLLYMILDOO, THE TOP RATED WHINER AND CRYBABY DESCARTESS LURKING AROUND THE TOILETS AGAIN!
WARNING! WARNING!