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I regularly take a prescription drug which, for the past year, has been in a shortage nationwide. The fda has it on its list of drugs for which there is a shortage. But some pharmacies have some of the drug.

When you get your prescription for the drug you have to phone around to as many pharmacies as you can and ask them if they have any in stock.

The CVS pharmacy where I managed to find some the last 3 times I was able to fill it was one that I called this time. The pharmacist there said, "I won't tell you on the telephone whether I have the drug in stock or not" I said, "But I'd have to drive over two hours to ask you in person, and if you didn't have any, it would have been a terrible waste of my time and money". She said, "Too bad. That's a CVS policy" what she didn't realize that I had just called 15 other CVS's and they were all too happy to check their inventory for me on the phone. I am upset because I need to get this filled, and I can't help but think that she probably DOES have it in stock, otherwise why wouldn't she have just said, "NO I dont' have any" ? This person is playing some kind of power game and I'm absolutely furious about it.

Her name is Elizabeth Odu, she's 26 years old and works at the CVS in Eustus, FL.

Location: Orlando, Florida

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Brandi B Hgy

BTW, I am in Tampa, FL area. Two different CVS's both same treatment. Apparently pharmacists are doctors now and determining patient care so should I just address them as "Dr." and start making appointments?

Brandi B Hgy

I thought I was the only one getting lied to and the runaround from this pharmacy chain! Every month, different excuse, lie, or "out of medication and need to order". How is this even legal?

Guest

Same thing happened at CVS Pharmacy in Wilton Manors , Florida.

Guest

I stopped going to CVS because they were always out of my medication. Every single month. When I'd ask them when they'd be able to refill, I'd get an "I dunno." I won't even stop in there now for toilet paper.

Anonymous

The fact that you know a lot about her, her name, age, ect makes me wonder if you are causing trouble for an ex girlfriend or something. How did this even cause you problems in the first place?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1049389

BS this person is observant. When I get pissed I find out al I can about the person.

Guest

Appreciate your honesty

Guest

I just had an experience similar to this. When given the run around about CVS policy includes, "they cannot call another pharmacy to check stock on my behalf".

Their reasoning was because they cannot share information if the meds are narcotics, adderall in this instance. I called the next closest CVS while standing face to face with the Pharmacy Tech and Pharmacist. Bottom line, the Pharmacist I spoke with provided the information i needed in order to drive there, or avoid wasting more time searching for this over prescribed medication. Without a formal policy, how do these healthcare workers get away with being blatently untruthful to legitimate, paying customers?

Something needs to be done regarding the many holes in communication system amongst the FDA-Insurance-Pharmacy-Patient relationship. They should NOT be able to have a pass to LIE to patients in need of routine medication therapy.

Guest

I also, called 8 different pharmacies and very single pharmacy had no problem telling me what brand of Percocet they carried, except for CVS. The Amneal brand made me so sick and I can only fill my prescription during my short lunch break, so I needed to know what brand they carried to prevent wasting time riding out if they too carried the Amneal brand.

There is no reason they can't tell me what brands they carry over the phone. I was in a horrible accident and am prescribed pain medication because I shattered bones in both legs and am just now beginning to walk again. Not everyone who asks for pain medication is just trying to take it for no reason. When someone is calling about a medication, it is because they NEED it and life is unbearable without something to help with pain relief.

I understand not filling it, but to not talk about the brands over the phone, but want me to drive 30 minutes out to have a brief conversation about what brand they carry is ridiculous. CVS is by far, the least helpful pharmacists I have ever talked to.

They should be more helpful to help make life a little easier for people who actually are in pain and NEED the medication to survive.

Guest

I work as a pharmacy technician at CVS and you say you called 15 other CVS and they were all happy to help, well let me guess they all said no that they didn't have it in stock or not enough in stock, right? Well I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that is the standard answer they give to all customers who call asking that questions.

Even if they do have it in stock they will lie and say no.

There was a similar situation at work today and I told her honestly that we couldn't give that info out over the phone. The other pharmacies were just lying to you to avoid a fight with you.

Guest

I just got back from dental surgery with an RX for Percocet. I sent my husband to the same CVS I got my antibiotics from two days ago.

This is the same CVS that has never (in the 15 years I have been going there) been "out of stock" on any of the narcotics I have picked up for my elderly mother. Suddenly they say they don't have percocet and they refuse to tell him what store does.

The numbness is wearing off, it is rush hour, every pharmacy has a 20m minimum wait just to talk to someone about this, and now he has to come back to get my insurance card so he can play musical pharmacies until he finds one that will fill it. If he looked like a junkie before, imagine how bad it looks now?

CVS just lost 3 customers.

Regarding the safety argument, no one is asking you for a detailed inventory report. We are asking if you can fill a prescription or not.

The attitude from pharmicists on this thread is shameful. If I were a junkie I would assume all pharmacies have drugs - really, that's why you exist, not to judge people and deny them medications.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-943882

as a safety issue pharmacist will always till you they don't have it. because of the bad people out there a person can call the pharmacy and ask if they have pain meds in stock and if they say yes, they might be robbed.

so please don't blame the pharmacist. its a matter of life or death for them. my tech and i have been on the opposite side of the gun and its not beauty.

having said that i think if you are a regular patient and there is a legit reason for pain medication then you should speak to your md and have the md call the pharmacy to very the mediation or ask the md where to go..... but you can not and should not call any pharmacy for pain meds bc you will always get the same answer, "sorry no"

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1010835

Forgive me if I don't believe a word about you guys claiming about being in a life or death thing, people comes in stands right in front of you people and with your new training masters the art of deceptions and lying to the customers saying your out of stock, that a big fat lie,, many of the pharmacists are starting to come out whistle blowing how they are made to lie to keep their jobs, I understand a lot of you people are right at home being you are natural born lyres, the facts is your customers you lie too are the people that are in a life or death thing not the tech who feel they can be acting as if they are gods. Before you tech blame it on the DEA and now that the DEA and our doctors got into your *** by doing all those class actions law suits against CVS for blaming them,, now your changing you tune saying robbers are making you lie, Wow I guess robbers will have to sue CVS next,,

Andrea Ahw
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1069451

Believe or not, we all do the same. I am not going to risk being robbed or killed over some pills.

So when someone calls and asks if we have a specific narcotic, I say we are out.

If a pharmacy chooses to risk their life, that is them. MOST do not.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1010835

You lie to customers you should be ashamed

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1672363

How can you tell if they are lying?........"They're Mouth's Are Moving!!!"

Guest

Simple answer. If you're 1 day early they are out of stock. They are simply checking the computer to see if you are early and then lying to your face.

Guest

To tell you the truth, most pharmacies don't give out their narcotic inventory information over the phone. They just say they don't have it because they don't know you and can't verify that the prescription is legit without seeing it in person.

You might have better luck if you fax your prescription over just so that the pharmacist can check the prescription and make sure everything is good then they will probably feel more comfortable checking stock for you.

Don't forget to bring the hardcopy to the pharmacy when you come to fill it though. Just an idea.

Guest

Just went to the CVS that fills all our Rx.s. I had a script from my DR, but they did not have what I needed in stock.

I asked if they could call the other CVS right down the road, and they said no, that state law (NJ) prohibits that. WTF?!? I understand if I called, but from one CVS to another cant be done?

I think it was BS. Does anyone know if there really is a law, or were they just too lazy to do make the call?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-862330

I don't know NJ law, but honestly, even between CVS to CVS. they will not give out their narcotic inventory information over the phone.

It's just a waste of time and they are putting up a show if they do call. The other pharmacy is going to say no, we don't have it in stock without even checking it unless the employees from two different pharmacies are buddy buddy and they know each other personally.

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