Rude pharmacist

[Winniesalot]

I take a medication for a condition that it is not strictly licensed for. I am prescribed it by my consultant long-term. It is also available to buy OTC.

For one reason and another (health) I haven't been able to get to the surgery for a repeat script. It can only be done in person. So last week I bought the medicine, pharmacist asked me what I was using it for and I was honest. My Dr told me to say that it was for nighttime allergies if I had to get it OTC. But I don't like lying so I was truthful. They sold it to me no problem.

I went back in today to get some more and the pharmacist came out and asked why I was buying it. I told her. She then said "Well, I won't be selling that to you again, it's the second time you've bought it in a week." I replied that yes, I'm using it long term. I should also add that this chemist dispense my scripts so she does know I have them on repeat.

She then said in an incredibly patronising, aggressive tone "Like I say, I WILL NOT be selling them to you again." Like I was a bloody child!

"I can bring my repeat script in if you like?"

She then snapped at me before I'd even finished my sentence "Doesn't matter. I won't sell them to you."

"Even if I show you the script?"

"I SAID it doesn't matter. You haven't got a valid prescription."

Her tone was incredibly aggressive, abrupt and patronising throughout. Really horrible. I wasn't arguing with her, I was just trying to find a way to reassure her that I am supposed to been on this medicine.

I'm a tough cookie but I've come away from this situation feeling tearful and embarrassed. There were three other members of staff standing there and we were the only people in the shop. After we left my dd said "She was rude! There was no need for that tone."

I think I'd like to file a complaint. I'm not normally like that, but her manner was so off and horrible that I think it warrants it. But who do I complain to?? Or the other thing I could do I suppose is go back next week, ask to speak to her privately and say how I felt after that exchange.

AIBU?

I had cyclizine through an IV after day surgery last year and ended up being kept in as it induced tachycardia, I didn't know that was a side effect. I was okay on the tablets which I had to take alongside opiates as they make me as sick as a dog.

It's always sounds odd to me that something is an OTC drug - yet people will often refuse to sell any at all.

A second lot in a short space of time I can understand.

I get migraines occasionally and can usually ward off a full attack with co codamol. GP prescribed me the 30mg ones and said I can take 2. 1 nearly knocked me out!
So after speaking to GP and told her and said I tried solphredeine max that's 12.5mg and found it better - she suggested this and 1 paracetamol.
When I bought it from the pharmacy they asked why I wanted it - I explained all this and was sold it easily.
Next visit they asked if if used it before, I said yes and how and why. They asked when I'd bought last box (I thought and said probably about a year ago or more) and they realised it was a long time ago and sold me more.

I think the tone she used was rude but sometimes people take this time of "this is the situation - end of" because they don't want to be drawn into discussion that won't change the situation.

I get they have to query things but I've had an over zealous person before
I'm prescribed 4 x 1 a day antihistamines so total 40mg. Chemist said it's an overdose and wouldn't prescribe it. Consultant rang them to say it's my usual dose, they always prescribe it and I've been on it for 20 years. Chemist still refused to prescribe and then wouldn't give me my prescription back

At one point I was on 385mg antihistamines and decided not to collect from that pharmacy!

I did not argue with her, it was a simple conversation, during which she was very aggressive. I didn't push or persist, I just sought clarification of the issue.

The boxes come in packs of 20 or so and I take three a night.

Oh it's the only pharmacy for quite a way so changing would be a pain.

But honestly, I feel humiliated at the idea of even going in there now. All the staff were there to witness her talking to me like I was a naughty child.

@Winniesalot I can sympathise with being humiliated in that way, something similar happened me with a nursing home manager who decided I wasn't in the pain I was saying I was, (she was a nurse by profession so knew more than I did about my body), the conversation started quietly behind a desk and then she loudly accused me of making it up because was looking for drugs.

She suggested then that I should ask the GP to refer me to the pain clinic if I was that bad. I asked one of the staff to fetch my laptop from my room, The other staff were around the area and some full-time residents whereas I was on respite.

Cut to a minute later, I sat the laptop down in front of her and showed her some hospital letters, she turned colours and apologised and offered to help liaise with the GP surgery and anyone else to sort out better pain coverage for me.

The other staff told me privately that while she was losing it with me, that was sadly the normal way she treated them over any small thing. That was the first time they had ever seen a climb down and an apology,

What was on the laptop?, 5 rejections of the referral from GP / Consultants and a ward dr, all from the pain clinic saying they couldn't help me, didn't have the service to cope with my needs etc.

I just asked her as a nurse would she like to write the referral that was going to get me the help I needed because everyone else had failed.

My pain comes from various sources and is intractable. The fact that I was doing my best to cope as had no other choice was no reflection on the level of it and she was not in a position to judge me as she didn't have the expertise of the GPs / specialist consultants/ward Drs.

Sadly the GPs don't believe in morphine for long-term use and no option of changing surgery. Its only for cancer patients.

I am however on an opioid it takes the edge off slightly and is potentiated with paracetamol.

I understand how it feels to be challenged over a medication you need and what your need is for it and it's absolutely horrible.

As its the only pharmacy, I would ask the GP to write a letter to cover you for the times you might get your prescription out of synch and so run out of this medication.

As you also get it dispensed to you on prescription at the same pharmacy, the GP letter would explain that in the event of you running out until you can get the new script sorted and into the pharmacy, that it is reasonable to sell you the medication as it is available otc and that asap you will have a script in for your next dosages.

I have to say I'm lucky that I have a good relationship with my pharmacist as we work together closely on making sure my dossette is right, he phones me if any problems or changes and I do the same for him with a heads up if possible.

As I take 48 tablets a day my dossette is time-consuming to do so needs to be right first go. Its got to the point that when I phone, he knows my voice as soon as I speak

That sounds like Boots, they seem to specialise in rude and aggressive pharmacists, especially since they were taken over by Walgreen. I, and my GP when one phoned him in my presence, had an encounter that caused my GP to report her to her professional body. I hadn't seen her there previously and I didn't see her there again.

I'd complain to her employer. It sounds like she was within her rights but her attitude was far from acceptable.

There is no excuse for rudeness, but it is possible (from her perspective) that you were over-using the drug. As another poster said- for all she knows you have filled your prescription at another pharmacy and are now seeking extra from her, when she has already sold it to you once recently. Pharmacists risk their registration if they knowingly providing drugs for off-licence use (if it is prescribed, then the prescriber would be held primarily responsible)- and can be held responsible for any morbidity or mortality associated with medication they have supplied in such as situation. The fact you have it prescribed this drug makes no difference to the pharmacist if you are seeking it without a prescription, especially if you have stated it is for an off-licence use. If a prescriber issues it for off-licence use, then the responsibility for that is largely on the prescriber (and the pharmacist wouldn't necessarily know if it is off-licenced or licensed use anyway). In addition, you could have filled the script elsewhere for all she knows.

Cyclizine is a drug of abuse, or rather used as an adjunct by those abusing opiates and other substances. They do have to be wary.

All that said, she should not have been rude and you could complain about that if you wanted to.

You are asking them to sell a drug for an unlicensed indication that is abused by heroin addicts so it is no wonder that they don't want to sell it. The fact that you have had in on prescription makes no difference- they would still be responsible if anything goes wrong and the fact that you have bought it twice even though you get a prescription suggests you may be abusing it.

I think it will be pretty pointless writing a letter saying that you felt she was rude when she refused to sell. It is your word against hers (and probably other employees in the shop) and considering that you were expecting her to sell you a drug that is abused, who do you think they will believe?

Just go elsewhere or maybe ask gp to give chemist a call and explain that you need it. I don't see why you were told to lie about reasons for taking it though..if it helps with certain conditions surely that's all that matters if it's been legally prescribed ? Don't complain if she was only doing her job.

I actually don't believe a doctor would ask you to lie to a pharmacist. And why did you go in for it twice in one week ?

Honestly? She was aggressive because she thought you are one of the many MANY people getting unusual amount of certain medicines and selling them.
It's a problem and it actually gets back to the pharmacies in the area.

Go get your prescription.

Doesn’t matter if the gp writes a letter authorising the pharmacist to sell it if you run out, it’s a meaningless letter and the pharmacist is well within their rights to ignore it.
The GP doesn’t get to tell the pharmacist how to do their job, they work side by side as qualified professionals.
The only legal authorisation is a valid prescription from your GP.

I actually don't believe a doctor would ask you to lie to a pharmacist. And why did you go in for it twice in one week ?

Yes, the whole scenario sounds unlikely.

I promise this entire scenario happened exactly as I have recounted it. It was a consultant psychiatrist who said to say about allergies if necessary. I had no idea what the drug is licensed or not for, I just followed medical advice.

Anyway - UPDATE.

I went back to the chemist today to get my prescription filled which included cyclizine and I also had a medicine owing slip for cyclizine as they hadn't had enough last time.

The rude pharmacist was there and came over to deal with me especially and she did look a little guilty and her tone was a lot softer.

I'm not going to take this any further. She was just doing her job, albeit rudely. I do understand the situation and her sheepish demeanour today shows that she does know that she was out of line.

cyclizine has significant potential for abuse and can cause alarming side effects in overdose. While the pharmacist could perhaps have been more diplomatic, I suspect they may have been concerned about the amount you were getting through without a prescription (and their own professional registration if it turned out their selling the drug was supporting inappropriate drug use).

Are you sure you can get cyclizine OTC? Are you in England? My local area has stopped prescribing OTC meds but I still get cyclizine as I was under the impression it was prescription only.