Wanted to share a potentially aweful situation?

Yes, Laurie, do report it, even if it is an accident at the pharmacy, it needs to be reported. When I was in moderate withdrawal at the drs office waiting to be inducted onto suboxone, my dr told me to count my suboxone when I picked them up. I have never not even once ever counted any medication at the counter and felt the pharmacist would be upset and offended, but the dr really stressed that I should. Thankfully, the pharmacist did NOT become offended or upset. She had no idea I was feeling awful physically and in withdrawal, or that I really was embarrassed to ask her to count those pills. She showed me the sealed bottle of suboxone, and helped me count them. I was pretty mortified for that to happen, but she understood and was kind. She then asked me what suboxone made you feel like and other general questions about it, not medical information, just general.

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I responded, well, I am in withdrawal and had to be to take it, haven't used this before, this is my first rx for it. She said, wow, you don't look like you are in withdrawal, ugh, but I felt it. I felt like everyone knew. Anyway, it is unfortunate that many people become so dependent or addicted to opiates, that they would use their position to steal meds that don't belong to them to feed their habit, but it happens. It was my understanding that certain rx's were counted by at least 2 pharmacy workers before they were bagged up and dispensed and perhaps there really is a problem at the pharmacy you use if this has happened over and over. Good thing you caught it tho, very glad you did and yes you should report it, TODAY!!! Patti

If you are on Medicare or Medicaid-you can collect a reward for reporting this. They can say that they're short and owe you, when you catch them. If you belong to an insurance or HMO, you can report it, especially that many. Ethical pharmacies say that you're short 10 pills or how many, when you pick it up. They call you to pick up the missing pills when they come in. I would consider the places that you're talking about as unethical. Pharmacists need a state license-you can call or better yet, write the licensing board. You also can contact the local or state AMA association, and they will talk to them about it-strongly. About 2002-Walgreens was sued because they did this nationwide to save money. They mixed placebos with the meds, so sometimes you had the med and the next dose was a placebo. The special meds in capsules they reduced to 30%.

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Had a profesor with a head injury, he almost died from this and was hauled away in an ambulance. He became a very rich man. He was attacked by muggers at the University of NO, and his head beat in with steel pipes-all he had was $5. Almost every hormone that the body needed was in the form of a suppliment. Wether they take drugs for illicit profit or for their own use, these people should be stripped of their clothes and hung upside down from a light pole like Mussolini.

Same happened to me! Walgreens in Barnegat NJ... didn't realize until I opened bottle upon returning to Staten Island an hour away (was visiting friend over holidays but didn't need to open refill until return home). Long story short, the managing pharmacist had the audacity to tell me "go get a police report, tell them you were robbed elsewhere, and we'll replace the difference" (which was HALF of my monthly script - the PD was literally across the street... I would have been a felon myself had I'd comply with his instructions). So for a month I had to deal with HALF my usual dosage (this past January to be exact) as I had no proof. The pharmacist told me 'if it was only 2 or 3 pills we could get away with replacement, but not 83'.

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If I would have reported this to Barnegat PD, they would have treated me like nothing but a junkie - in the meantime, I am legally disabled and in constant pain due to a car accident - rear ended by someone on their cell phone doing 90+mph - and this is what I have to deal with. I know how you feel. ALWAYS do a count in front of your pharmacist no matter how uncomfortable you feel about it. I now just tell them 'it's for both our protection as I've been shorted before'.
Thanks for the sharing... now I don't feel so alone on this one. Much peace to you.
-Anna :)