To have walked out of chemist without prescription because of "consultant pharmicist" wouldn't fill DS's prescription?

[mm22bys]

I went to a branch of well-known pharmacists today to fill a repeat prescription for DS2 - he's been on the drug for two months.

He is quite young to be on this medication, but it was prescribed by a consultant pediatrician at a major London teaching hospital, so I trust they know what they are doing.

The "consultant pharmacist" started giving me a hard time about how I actually give it to him - it is a single tablet once a day, and he wanted to change it to liquid form. I explained that I prefer the tablet because based on past experience with liquid antibiotics and pain medication, I never know how much he actually gets (spills out of mouth etc).

He then wanted to know if I crush the tablet or if I give it to him whole, mixed in cereal. I do both, depending on what sort of mood I'm in .

He then said he would have to ring the manufacturer to find out best way of giving it to him.

I waited for 15 minutes, and he got back to me and told me that they would have to ring down to the pharmacy at the manufacturer to find out.

At that point I asked for the prescription back and told him I would go somewhere else.

I went to local pharmacy and got it straight away, no questions asked.

I have since rung the manufacturer myself, and they just take voicemails, but have looked it up on the internet and found out you can crush it.

Was I unreasonable to have walked out of the pharmacy, without waiting for further information?

I've just written something on how to take medication and actually it is often very important not to crush pills - it can change the way the medication's released. I think the pharmacist was doing his job properly.

No, of course you weren't - glad you got it filled no hassle elsewhere.

But neither was he for seeking it.

He doesn't know you and that you know what you're doing and that it came from a consultant who had explained it to you.

He's doing his job and you're doing yours

I agree with MI. There are some forms of medication where it can be dangerous to crush them. In pill form there is a slower release time.

Sorry but I think a tiny bit YABU - I think the pharmacist was being very responsible considering the crushing issue in this much detail. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but crushing meds into food can sometimes significant change their effectiveness.

agree with MI

if this is something that is not prescribed often, or he knows is quite specialised, then he was right to check it ..

I think you were a tiny, tiny bit unreasonable tbh - pharmacist was only trying to ensure a good outcome for you and your son. You and I know that you know what you are doing with the medication - but the pharmacist doesn't - they have a lot of professional knowledge and reponsibility - it's very, very easy for them to do harm in error by making stuff up wrongly. But then - as you might have guessed I have a pharmacist in the family so I would take this line wouldn't I. Hope your ds is in bouncing health soon!

Actually I think the pharmacist was just trying to do his job properly and you should be gratefully at his professionalism.

A pharmacist is accountable for every medication he gives out and even if it was a doctor that made the mistake in the first place the pharmacist would also be accountable for the mistake.

I know it seemed like a faff but he was just trying to do his job

what lauriefairycake said

He was being conscientious and professional, whereas you were being a mum.

You both did your jobs perfectly

He was very "jobsworthy" - he was giving everyone a hard time - I was there for half an hour.

I have to admit I am confused now Mother Inferior, is that all medication? I normally just mix it in with his cereal (whole), but I checked on-line, and it says for this particular medication (for abnormal thyroid) that for children who can't swallow whole pills to crush and sprinkle it on small amount of food.

a tiny bit unreasonable. i tend to go to my local pharmacy, as they know us and our perscription needs. if we go to a big ;chain' or even tesco we get questions about how you shouldnt take thi8s med with this med and they interact etc and who perscribed (transplant team at harefield) and so it goes on and on.

i know sometimes its easier to take a perscription into somewhere like boots or tescos when out and about, but i find the local idependant pharmacy better.

I wish they would give more thought on medication and children (esp with SN) - although I know that's a different issue (we have been given so many things that I wouldn't have a hope of getting into ds1).

Was this Boots? They can be terribly awkward at times- I tend to avoid them and go for a good local pharmacist.

no, not all mediations, some slow release pills cant be crushed or chewed as it means they release too qwuickly and can vcause problems like overdosage.

This was a Boots, and first time I've seen a "consultant pharmacist".

They don't make life easy either when it is liquid medication - always, ever single time, I have to ask for a syringe. Even then I am never sure how much he's got into him....

What squonk says.

Though, to be fair, pharmacists do know loads more about medications and taking them than doctors. I have been saved from several nasty drugs-related errors by an alert pharmacist.

mm - we always end up with liquid medication - and just use the ones from previous times. Don't need a new one each time.

You've all confirmed to me that I need to do what's best for DS2 and find out best / safest way to give it to him (that's the most important thing ), and I was thinking I should see the pharmacist and find out what he's found out.

Given I have gone somewhere else now I have phoned the dispensing chemist, and he told me that as it's only a small tablet I can either give it whole, or mix it.

Thx!

Don't think you were bing unreasonable mm22bys because he could have easily explained why he was concerned and asked you came back later or maybe for your phone number, to make you wait 15 minutes whilst he made calls without letting you know what happening is poor.

Very good that he was trying to make sure you ahd all the info yes- but there are ways of doing things, and making people wait without an update is going to rile most poelpe.

And I'm now wondering whether the reason half a capsule of melatonin works so quickly is because I remove it from the capsule (no other way of getting it into ds1).

Yeah- how do you give Sn kids tablets? never yet gotten one into ds3, and I remember calling a NHS direct eprson and being told to give calpol when he wouldnt have things in his mouth, expalining that I'd tried and had it spat at me and advised tor epeat until he seemed better (no risk of OD there then? like hell!)

DS1 won't take capsules or tablets. He'll take pink liquids. I remember various nurses in A&E trying to get white nurofen into him- they left coated (and decided to stick with calpol)

peachy - what, you just keep on pouring it down his throat until he seems better. What fab advice, you should have asked for their name to nominate them for a helpfulness award

Also, possibly the pharmacist was new-ish at the job and being desperately conscientious just in case he missed something or screwed up, and his nervousness might have made him come across like a jobsworth or a dick.

It was boots who refused to let me have canesten cream when pregnant. I went to a local pharmacist then.

Squonk- yeah I know, fab advice wasn't it?

yurt- once had a boyfriend (well Fiance- guess why i didnt marry him) was admitted to hospital fro severe dehydration with glandular fever and they could only give him pink medicine as thats all he would take - ie 25 year old bloke on calpol. fab.