Dear Steve,
I found your info while trying to figure out WHY/HOW,I was denied by the Pharmacy, inside Gelson’s market in Calabasas, CA! I have multiple health issues that are excruciating! I had been with Dr. Brown in Woodland Hills, well….. after over 8 years, she decided (with no notice), to stop treating folks!!! I was on the same maintenance meds for all those years! Even asking her to lower some of the amounts, because I really do my very best to get by on as little meds as possible!!! Ok… that whole nightmare is a whole different issue, but is intertwined. After I tried to ‘manage’ without any Western medicine help, for a few months, and was unable to leave my house/bed, I finally went to another specialist! Mind ya, I have been through every ‘ologist’ there is and have been diagnosed with multiple issues! I would not wish all of this on ANYONE!!! Ok, once my new doctor sent me off with my scripts, I called the pharmacist mentioned above, and was told that they would no longer take my business! I have great Ins., and had been going to them for the same maintenance meds (and prior at a bit higher # even), but was treated so harshly!! The pharmacy manager said, “Tell her to go to re-hab”! She then follows up with, “I know Dr. Brown, but not your new doctor”. I was thinking why should that matter? It is the same meds….(?) And this is a soul that knows I have serious issues!!! This is no game!!! I am trying to LIVE my life not escape it!!! I felt belittled and treated like a criminal or worse!!! Well, then trying to find a different pharmacy has been a nightmare! And again, I am being treated like a criminal!
I have CF/ME, a raised Ana (a not yet found immune issue), FMS as well as a jumble of other fun stuff, being an retired stunt person, gymnast and all around active/athlete, in my youth! And, now paying for all that fun, on top of my other medical issues!
I was just put through a battery of tests by my new doc. She said beyond my ‘issues’, all my organs and such look great! If there were only a cure for all the other stuff…..
Sorry to go on, I am just very confused, frustrated, hurt AND hurting!!! Any advice would be appreciated!
Blessings,
Apparently Gelson’s is a 8 store grocery store chain in S California. Who knows why this pt was “tossed”… was there a new district manager that has decided that this company was going to fill less/fewer/no opiates. After all, most likely the pharmacy dept in these grocery stores – like most grocery store chains – is a very very small part of the store’s revenue and profits. While the DEA keeps tell the general public that they want those who have a valid medical need for opiates to get them. One has to wonder what the DEA agents in the field are telling prescribers and pharmacies/pharmacists to make these healthcare providers to act and make decisions that they are doing.
What could have been said to cause the pharmacy manager to tell this long term pt to “go to rehab”
I haven’t posted this in a while but it is the Pharmacist’s Oath and pay attention to the first bullet point …
Oath of a Pharmacist
http://www.pharmacist.com/oath-pharmacist
“I promise to devote myself to a lifetime of service to others through the profession of pharmacy. In fulfilling this vow:
- I will consider the welfare of humanity and relief of suffering my primary concerns.
- I will apply my knowledge, experience, and skills to the best of my ability to assure optimal outcomes for my patients.
- I will respect and protect all personal and health information entrusted to me.
- I will accept the lifelong obligation to improve my professional knowledge and competence.
- I will hold myself and my colleagues to the highest principles of our profession’s moral, ethical and legal conduct.
- I will embrace and advocate changes that improve patient care.
- I will utilize my knowledge, skills, experiences, and values to prepare the next generation of pharmacists.
I take these vows voluntarily with the full realization of the responsibility with which I am entrusted by the public.”
Filed under: General Problems
Why as disabled people do they not have any legal ramifications against pharmacist who say ” go to rehab”. Also against the bulling and disrespectful treatment they show disabled people?
Like the doctor who just sued CVS for a cool million for defamation? Disabled people don’t have the same rights?
Why can States sue Big Pharma, but disabled people don’t have that ability? If the pills were bad for the people in their States why can’t disabled people who were prescribed the same pills be concerned like the States and be compensated? Are these double standards?
Why can’t the doctors that treated the disabled person’s painful conditions successfully for many year’s with narcotics who just reduced, stop them or abandoned their patients causing their painful conditions to be worse not be sued or be held accountable for their actions?
Where is the disabled person’s justice? Where are their lawsuits and compensation for their suffering? Heck where is a replacement pain med for the one’s that was ripped away?
It seems to me every entity is snubbing the real suffers and every entity is making money and new regulations daily while the disabled just suffer not only with their now worse conditions, but with the reality of losing their normalcy and feeling like they did something wrong.
Unfortunately,I see the greed and stupidity of the government.
I just keep waiting for that lightbulb moment to go off when someone realizes what loophole the disabled person can get threw to stand up to all this. I call BS!