Walgreens

On April 12, 2010 I took a prescription for ten 75mg. Fentanyl Duragesic Patches and Hydrocodone 750mg. I picked the ten 75mg. Fentanyl Duragesic Patches up on April 12, 2010. The Hydrocodone 750mg. Was not filled because they said that it was not covered by medical. I said it must be covered because this is medication that I take. I was asked what was the last pharmacy that filled that prescription and I told them. I left the Walgreens pharmacy and gave a contact number. I called and was told the Treatment Authorization Request (TAR) at the other pharmacy expired and they would do another TAR. So I said please do the TAR, when I ended the conversation it was my understanding that the TAR would be done. On April 15, 2010 I called to see if the TAR was done and I was told the prescription was ready. I was surprised it was ready so fast and went and picked up the medication. While picking up the medication I was given a consult for the medication and at no point was I told this was a different medication than what was on the prescription.
I could not read and assumed that the medication they gave me was the Hydrocodone 750mg, I sat the bag of medication on the passenger seat and drove off.
On April 18, 2010 I asked my daughter to get my bag of medication and told her what I thought it was. My daughter returned and said that it was Hydrocodone 500mg and not Hydrocodone 750mg. I immediately called the Walgreen pharmacy in Banning, CA and spoke to the pharmacist Joann. I explained what I had and I wanted the medication that was on my prescription. I was told by Joann that medical does not cover Hydrocodone 750mg., at all and I said it does because this is what I take. Then she said they called the doctors office and spoke with someone besides the doctor and they approved the change. They said they called the doctors for a change because the wait for the TAR would be a couple of days. Buts obviously I was ok with the wait because I didn’t tell the person not to do the TAR I couldn’t wait.
I asked why wasn’t I told when I picked up the medication and why was I told that I would have a Treatment Authorization Request done of my behalf for this medication. I was told as long as the doctors representative approved the change I didn’t have any say so. In speaking with the pharmacist I was told I had to call back and speak with the pharmacy manager. When I called back ad spoke with Brian, he was very vague and unconcerned. He gave me the feeling that what I need as a patient and what they are willing to do for me a a patient are to different things. With Walgreens pharmacy benefiting, there getting paid for medication that will not do the patient any good. The following really made me uncomfortable with this pharmacy:
They disregarded me a the customer and person receiving the service.
I wasn’t told the TAR would not be done.
I wasn’t told the medication was different. The pharmacy manager said once a doctors representative approves the medication change, it remains that way.
The contact with me the customer was not provided.
The understanding that if the doctor is prescribing a certain strength of pain medication its for a reason.
The consequences was me being in severe pain, I could not walk, my knees cracked and joints hurt tremendously. The economic hardship was trying to return this medication and get the correct medication via a TAR and going to my doctor for another prescription to take to the pharmacy.