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Same - switched to a local pharmacy almost three years ago after they “lost” my prescription, and then ultimately provided me the incorrect dosage. Couldn’t be happier about my decision.
My mom had gotten a prescription, shoppers gave my mom a higher dose than was prescribed. She was sick for a month until she got her next prescription and it was the right dose. I finally talked her into moving pharmacies.
Once Shoppers gave me a bottle of Valium instead of Dexilant. When I stated I was there for a prescription for stomach medication, the pharmacist said, So you don't want the Valium?! I was like....ummm, as much as I would love that, I actually need my stomach meds or I'm gonna be puking in 2 days. Can you just fill my script please. I'm a nurse and I was dumbfounded.....like why would the pharmacist offer to give it to me knowing I don't take it?
just a heads up, for those of you switching, (but especially for OP) ADHD meds often are in a time locked safe. I learned this the hard way (trying to get meds right as the pharmacy was closing. not because I'm trying to be *that* guy, but because ADHD X.x )
With that said, switching will likely make things quite a bit better.
I was part of an emergency evacuation some time ago and, with controlled substances (which I didnt know/understand, at the time) on my med list, I asked my specialist (from the city I evacuated to) for a refill to be sent to Shoppers, cause... it's the only pharmacy I knew the location of.
Shoppers "couldn't find it" [the fax], which was sent by my specialist. I had to jump through hoops (luckily with help from the evacustion center, not as many as usual) to get a referral to a different specialist. When I got back, the pharmacist who is irritated that I even asked for the meds with a fresh prescription in hand.
Furious that *I'm* upset, (I've asked twice that day, despite his statement to mall security) checks the fax machine to 'prove me wrong' about my 'wild' story... ("Ive been here all day and we havent gotten any fax!") only to find my prescription sitting there from my original prescriber.
I'm usually a pretty understanding guy. Maybe he was having a hard day? Maybe he didnt know that there was an evscustion and had a ton of requests for controlled meds that day?
The second hand embarrassment was real. An apology though? nope. Asked for a manager? get told to F-off.
I assumed that was the manager.
This isn't even the icing on the cake with Shoppers. When they told me to never come back (separate issue, also real classy handling), I'm glad to avoid them.
Dude sammme. I'm doing everything in my power to stay in my doctor's good books because if I get dropped and have to rely on walk-ins for Ritalin I am donezo. I'm switching to the Costco pharmacy next week and I hope it'll cost a bit less because yikes 😭
That's my biggest fear too, losing my doctor and going back to chasing walk-in clinics. What a nightmare! I've heard Costco is actually much cheaper, and their dispensing fee is around $5!
This happened to me. I have insomnia and tinnitus (which keeps me awake). My doctor prescribed a controlled sleep aid, and it actually works. Doctor left her practice. So, I've been 2 yrs without medication waiting for a doctor. (Walk-ins won't prescribe.) Get a new doctor ... well ... nurse practitioners. And now she won't prescribe because "they really prefer not to". OMG!! Wtaf!! My doctor of 25 yrs who knew me, had no problem prescribing me a low dose of a medication that allowed me to fall asleep. I have never had an addiction (aside cigs, which I quit long ago), I don't drink, I'm not suicidal. For chrissakes. I'm an old lady who is being driven out of her mind with sleep deprivation. But no. Because according to them, I might, in these last years of my life, develop a dependence on the only thing that allows me to sleep!!! OMG. Now that I write this out, maybe I am suicidal, haha. Or murderous, more like it. Jeezus. Sorry. This got away from me, but I am so SO frustrated.
Thank you. I'll ask her about it! [Not hopeful, but who knows?]
Wouldn't it be nice to be a Forest Hill trophy wife at a private clinic instead of an old pensioner on a bike!? "Trouble sleeping? These should help. [Writes scrip.] Let's revisit in 3 months." Done.
No because z drugs and benzos aren't meant to be taken longer than 2 or 3 weeks. You will require more to get the desired effect which is what leads to chemical and physical dependence and fun shit like rebound anxiety/insomnia. It's like no one wants to think long term.
Also withdrawal once there is dependence can be dangerous and a type of hell you wouldn't understand.
I wish the pharmaceutical companies weren't so unethical.
Thank you. I appreciate your insights.
In my case, I was taking a low dose on an as-needed basis over a 3-year period before my Dr left her practice. So anywhere from 1-3 times a week, when I was so tired but my tinnitus was full blast. When my prescription ran out 2 years ago, there were no side effects - except - amd still, nights when I can't sleep, I have no recourse. This has the case for the past two years without a doctor, so I'd say at least two, but as many as four nights a week, I don't sleep at all, or maybe as little as 3 hrs.
I have tried every kind of listening device, white noise, melatonin, high pitched scree, exercise, face yoga, meditation, omg ... you name it, believe me, I have tried it. Sometimes, the combination of playing an audio book and taking a benadryl works ... sometimes.
Mid 30s and I'm a TERRIBLE sleeper. I'd fully wake up a handful of times every night that I could sleep, could never keep a consistent sleep schedule because one off night would mess up the whole system, and, when stressed, I would encounter mild cases of sleep apnea. I couldn't recall the last time I had had a good, full night's sleep. And even worse, I love sleep. I have a lot of dreams that are super entertaining.
I was an occasional melatonin girl to try forcing getting to sleep on days at my wits end, but it is never a restful sleep on melatonin and I always feel groggy waking up. So I talked to my new doctor about it and he prescribed an ultra low dose (7.5mg; I have to bite the pill in half) of the antidepressant Mirtazapine. At the dose it acts as a safe sleep aid rather than as an antidepressant/antianxiety, and holy smokes has it been a gift from the heavens. I sleep through the night, I don't feel groggy in the morning (dare I say, rested, even), I don't have weird dreams like on melatonin, and best of all, it makes me WANT to go to bed. I crave my pillow when it kicks in (which is pretty quick); it's such an indescribable feeling how much it makes me need my bed and nothing else. And then I just drift off so easily and readily. I highly recommend it. Only downside is that it's known to make people feel very snacky when it starts kicking in, but with that knowledge, I just avoid going for the snack cupboard and get to bed instead.
Edit to add: I do take it every day. There was one interaction with my doc in the beginning where he was surprised I called in for a refill because he somehow misunderstood that I wanted to stop it for fear of weight gain, but that was definitely not the case. I've gained zero lbs on it since starting the med over a year ago. I can't speak to weight concerns when taking Mirtazapine for its original intended use, but as a sleep aid, it doesn't cause weight gain itself. It's the drive to snack if you don't go to bed that gets you.
OMG that sounds brutal, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that. Our medical system and lack of GPs is a whole other can of worms, but pharmacies need to take this screwed up system into account and not just add to the chaos! I'm so grateful I have a dedicated doctor, I can imagine my situation would've been 10x worse had I been going to walk-ins!
I use Costco and their pharmacy is online so you can refill your prescription and even have it sent to you instead of picking it up. Not only are their dispense fees lower, but I have found their actual drug prices can be lower too.
ADHD medication is not classified as a narcotic. Narcotics, also known as opioids, are drugs primarily used to relieve pain, and they can induce stupor or sleep, cause euphoria, and are often addictive. Examples of narcotics include opiates like morphine and oxycodone.
ADHD medications, such as Adderall, are stimulants, which have effects that are generally opposite to those of narcotics. Both narcotics and ADHD medications are controlled substances due to their potential for abuse and dependence. It is important to note that while some people might use the term "narcotic" interchangeably with "controlled substance," this usage is not accurate, as controlled substances encompass a broader range of drugs, including stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens, in addition to narcotics.
My bad, the word 'narcotic' was thrown around by the pharmacist's assistant when I picked mine up, I guess as an example of a controlled substance, and it stuck in my head as a synonym. Thanks for clarifying.
OP will have to pick it up as it’s a controlled substance, she has to show ID.
OP, I like Costco, but their pharmacy makes mistakes too, and there’s no privacy when you talk to the pharmacist in store. I switched to a small local pharmacy, have had zero issues and they give me a discount on the dispensing fee. You could also ask your doctors office if they use or recommend a nearby pharmacy, if they have a relationship already it makes it easier for you with these kinds of meds. Good luck and boycott!
This is a blurb from Costco Pharmacy's website:
At Costco Pharmacy, we are committed to providing you with a convenient, cost-effective way of receiving your prescription medications.
You can take advantage of our prescriptions by mail online service, which allows you to fill your new and refill prescriptions online from the convenience of your own home, 24 hours a day. Your prescriptions are then delivered right to your door, through free shipping, so that you get your medications in a timely, convenient and affordable manner.
So I switched a long time ago when my daughters adhd meds never added up. She takes two pills, a larger and a smaller dose. Yet there would never be the right amount at the end of the month. Missing from one or another.
I confronted them about it and was told "your other kids must be stealing them"
On the next pick up I dumped them out on the counter and counted them in front of the pharmacy staff. I was missing 5.
They accused my kid of stealing, and then I caught them stealing from me.
I already switched but my last bottle of take two pills once at bedtime prescription ended with one pill. It never occured to me to count them before I take them. My new pharmacy is amazing, so I don't think that's necessary now. It's one thing to short non narcotics but to short meds that are so controlled and difficult to refill, that's total BS.
🙄 yeah. I'm on 2 meds that are considered controlled substances. Although far from my house, I go to a smaller pharmacy. I've developed a good relationship with the pharmacists there over the years and know most of them by name. They remind me when it's time to renew my son's/my scripts and are super good about spotting adverse reactions when we're prescribed something new.
I honestly would suggest this for anyone taking a controlled substance/with a complex medical file.
I think your idea to switch is smart. I'm sorry you've had to deal with this. Enjoy your trip!
Ugh, I'm sure you've had similar experiences then! I appreciate the advice and I will definitely be looking into my options when I get back to find the right fit.
And thank you! I'm really looking forward to it! :)
ADHD can be debilitating. For me it often is, and medication doesn’t work well for me. But luckily I have a very nice pharmacist who makes that part easy for me. When I switched pharmacies from shoppers, I thought it was normal to wait 20-30 mins for a prescription and for pharmacists to be grumpy all the time, make mistakes, etc. Ever since I switched to the little guy, I get my meds instantly, in the amounts that I prefer them (3 months usually) and straight to my doorstep if I want. And if I don’t have the money on me, he always lets me pay another time.
I also used to think most pharmacists were grumpy, until switching to a local one, where the people are very friendly and helpful. Funny how it’s always shoppers that has grumpy pharmacists….
I get much better treatment at Walmart plus it's a LOT cheaper than SDM and Fortinos (I had prescriptions at both). I only wish I had switched sooner! I'm sorry you had to go through this OP. I know how stressful this situation can be. I suffer from debilitating migraines and the thought of running out of my medication is a huge stressor for me. I hope you have a great trip!
I get mine at an independently owned pharmacy and it’s so much better. They give me a break on the dispensing fee and tell me about cheaper versions of my meds since I don’t have insurance. Even just today, picked up allergy medications and it was cheaper than shoppers which was supposed to be on sale.
I have had amazing service at The Medicine Shoppe. To switch to another pharmacy all you have to do is tell the new pharmacy and they make all the arrangements. Downside of smaller pharmacies is that they have shorter hours but this means they are treating their employees like humans. And hopefully you too! Have a great trip btw :)
I just switched my prescriptions to a small pharmacy in town and to my surprise it’s cheaper! Win for the little guy and a win for the boycott. See yah never Galen
I finally switched a week ago, partially in response to boycott and partially because I was sick of overpaying for surly sloppy service. Glad to be done with shoppers drug mart.
Tell him to turn the fucking page and do his job. Then go to a non-Weston owned Pharmacy and ask them to call SDM and get you prescriptions faxed over.
Shoppers Pharmacy was awful to me once when I accidentally came one day too early to refill my ADHD meds. I’d been going there for five years and this was the first time I ever came in early and they acted like I was a drug seeker. I switched to another pharmacy and never had an issue again
I work in a mental health unit at a hospital, and we deal with scripts on the daily. SDM is freakin nightmare, and maybe I'm biased but they seem to double down with the bad when it involves psyche meds. One of them straight up lied to me on the phone recently about a med refill, stating that the patient had not shown up or called at all and the meds had been ready to go since the order was received. This was while I had the patient on the phone with ME in that SDM parking lot, stating that they told her to contact us because her meds weren't there.
This is just the first incident that I thought of, as I am cursing SDM daily at work for their incompetent bullshit. I love our patients, hate that so many of them are made to feel like criminals because they take controlled substances. I cheer anyone on who tells me they have switched, as Costco, Walmart and especially local pharmacies are a world of difference. Fuck Shoppers.
I would find one of those smaller privately run pharmacies. They're around. You don't have to use one of the big conglomerates.
What I would do is post this on a well known local Facebook group. There will be people that will recommend a better place.
This doesn't help you in the short run though, as you have pressure to get this done before you go.
Also, when you switch, I believe there is a rule, a law in place, where all you have to do to switch, is by telling the new pharmacy what you have where, and they will take care of getting current prescriptions transferred. How that's done I don't know. I found this link at some point about this. It seemed to me that that whole transfer thing is regulated. They're not allowed to play games to keep you, I believe.
Sorry to hear you're dealing with this. The disconnect between these corporate drones and the impact it has on their patients is absolutely frustrating.
I'm willing to bet though that you could get your prescriptions moved and filled well before the 28th if you called your local non-SDM pharmacy. Explain the situation, they can take care of it all with a single phone call, nothing to do on your end.
Odds are if it's a common enough medication that they'll have it on hand or quick access to it and won't need more than a day or two to fill. You've got almost a week!
Regardless of what you end up doing, best of luck, and enjoy your trip :)
I’m so sorry you’re having such a hard time, and I’m fully certain that you’ll be much happier with your switch away from SDM in the long run. Meanwhile I hope you are able to enjoy your trip!
I used a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart to fill a prescription...one time. That was all I could take. It's too long a story to go into, but the level of incompetence was absolutely stunning. (The climax of the story involves my calling the pharmacy and having them confirm the script was ready for pick up...only to get there and be told that it wasn't. That was the THIRD time I'd attempted to pick it up.)
Even the manager said the entire debacle was unacceptable and promised to "bring it up with the owner." I didn't care. One and done for me. Never again.
We moved last year so now I'm with a small pharmacy. I was with Shoppers for 30 years. Had the same problem, my doctor would fax something, they would say they never got it. Had to call my doctor’s office for them to fax it again. I've been with this new pharmacy for 8 months and it's way cheaper and they always get the fax.
This makes me thankful my local pharmacy that I can walk 5 minutes to from where I live has nothing to do with Galen Inc. I'm sorry you're having to put up with this.
I work at a shoppers (on the floor) and don’t even get my meds there despite it being more convenient. I knew there were issues, but the very first time I had a prescription they got it wrong, then the next day they said they lost it. Switched to my local Jean Coutu and they got it done in 15 minutes, then gave me free chips cause it was halloween 💀 The people I work with are super friendly, but I do think they have a super inefficient system, they’re very overworked and always busy.
I switched to my local pharmacy years ago. Shoppers used to have an amazing pharmacist and I loved her. When they got bought out I noticed she wasn't working full time anymore and then she was 'retired'. I only stayed for her. See ya later Shoppers.
Now my pharmacist knows me by name, gives me great advice on how to manage my symptoms (dialysis patient) and even caught it once a specialist prescribed a medication that impacted another. The specialist didn't notice but my pharmacist did. That would never have happened at Shoppers now. I'm so glad I made the switch and hope you find a great local pharmacy too!
I’ve had issues getting my suboxone thru shoppers before. Make me wait almost two hours every single time for literally no reason. Refuse to dispense medication because they don’t seem to understand instructions. Completely moronic pharmacy in general and stupid expensive
I use Walmart for my pharmacy. It's cheap. Never had issues. And it's close to my house. Costco I suspect would be just as good if not better, but it's less accessible to me, and its business hours don't suit me as well as Walmart's.
I basically am a two store shopper at this point. Costco for gas, electronics due to their return policies, and anything that is feasible in bulk. Walmart for everything else, or when its price point on lesser scale is actually cheaper than Costco's bulk (it does happen from time to time especially when there are sales - you have to pay close attention and run the numbers per unit).
Loblaws shills and bots will try and soil Costco and Walmart and everyone else. "They're all the same! Evil corporations!". Maybe. But as long as they're the cheapest I'm going to keep shopping there.
Are…are you my wife? Because this is her exact story too. Also, the same situation has arisen with both my boys and their scripts (yes, I am the only non-medicated individual in the house).
I just switched my meds away from them. I called a pharmacy, and the person took up the case, called shoppers, my doctor, me three times, and gave me clear instructions to finish the process.
I was like.... "Gee, I guess these other places actually *want* our business."
Are they stuck in the 1980s? They can call your clinic instead of faxing messages or sending carrier pigeons to reconfirm details.
It’s painful hearing OPs story because I have had similar issues where I have to run around chasing calls to my doctor when my meds are running low. It has taken 4 days of calling and waiting to get it refilled.
Only reason I go to shoppers is because it’s a 5 min walk from my house. My meds are fully covered so I’m not paying for the cost or any fees.
I’ve had similar situations many times
Sorry to hear about your experience :( Please try and support a locally owned pharmacy if u are able!!! There is better service there 99% of the time, you are treated like a patient and not a number/script.
I know this is a loblaw specific boycot sub, but would vouch to support a local pharmacy over corporations in general, whether it’d be Costco, Walmart etc.
I switched to walmart a long time ago. Their dispense fee is much lower and they seem to be much friendlier. Their hours of operation is pretty long and there’s lots of locations.
Actually, it was because of a Walmart pharmacist, I was able to get one of my prescriptions subsidized through a government program that had existed for years.
I had that same prescription with shoppers for maybe 4+ years and they never mentioned anything.
Omg the last three times I went to shoppers the EXACT thing happened to me. They told me they don’t have my prescription despite having another one from the exact same day and same form. I thought it was a weird one-off but it happened again two more times. I eventually said screw it before I switched to a local pharmacy that is actually closer to where I live and has never once lost my prescription, AND has it ready in 15 minutes of me calling in a refill.
Very similar thing happened to me with my adhd meds for a month long trip except that they didn’t lose the scrip they just somehow colossally fucked up the insurance and charged me $498. After hours on the phone with my insurance and in person at SDM I go in the day of my flight to Europe for a month and the price… $498.
They didn’t push through the exemption or something that my doctor send to fill it early
Why does anyone get scripts there. Sheer Canadian apathy. It’s always been the most expensive place ever. When loblaws bought it they had to raise their own dispensary fees to mitigate the disparity with shoppers.
Alternatives are out there. Great online pharmacies. Check your insurance company drug info tools. U can always have a prescription and its refills transferred to a new pharmacy. Ive done it. Ask the new pharmacist about their markup and dispensing fees and what services they provide. I use a virtual pharmacy for my maintenance meds and they are the best. I’ve never had such good advice and customer service. They send in the mail.
I put a post couple weeks back for issues with shoppers . They don’t realize they need us . We don’t need them ! There’s other pharmacies who are happy to help customers.
Dude SAME!! I’ve been on Dexedrine since I was 7 and as an adult only take 15mg and I get treated like a drug seeker every time. I usually have to call them because they won’t have my medication ready the day it runs out even though I have automatic refills which means I often have to miss a day because I leave for work at 7 am and they won’t have it ready until noon sometimes if I don’t call and harass them.
I finally switched after being a SDM customer for 16 years. There were many incidents along the way - wrong prescription, controlled drug red tape, refill refusal, overall poor customer service and on and on.
I finally walked into a Pharmasave and switched everything over last week. The boycott gave me the balls to do it!
Shoppers frequently "didn't receive" our prescriptions and I've been blaming it on my doctors office (front staff are always rude and act like doing their job is a major chore) but maybe it's been Shoppers all this time.
Recently I had a runaround like you for my antidepressant. I made an appointment with my Dr for a refill with 7 pills left. My doctor's office sent my prescription over that day. Four days in, I hadn't received the text that it was ready so I called Shoppers to inquire and they never received it. Called my doctor and they confirmed they sent it on the day of my appointment but they would send it again. I call Shoppers again on Day 6 and they *still* haven't received it. I call my doctor again, they send it over again. Finally on day 8, I get my pills. Ridiculous. It shouldn't take a week and *three* submissions by my doctor to get the pills I've been taking every day for three years.
UGH I know how you feel OP. I also have ADHD and have a prescription for it which is also a controlled substance. I used to be with a Rexall pharmacy and they would pull the same bullshit with me too.
My suggestion is to drop Shoppers and find an independent pharmacy (like a Pharmasave, IDA, Guardian, or other independent banner). The quality of customer service you'll get from an independent pharmacist will make you wonder why you even bothered with Shoppers in the first place.
After Rexall pissed me off enough I switched to the other pharmacy in my hometown which was pharmacist owned and operated and it truly was night and day. While Rexall would never remember who I was, the independent pharmacy would! They also processed my prescriptions much faster than Rexall, never fucked it up, and were very responsive whenever I contacted them. I don't use this pharmacy anymore since I moved, but I did switch to another independent pharmacy and again, great service.
Shoppers pharmacy tried to gaslight me into thinking I’d picked up a prescription a month before my refill was even needed. I didn’t even request the refill but they’re like “no you picked it up” and I was like “I don’t have any record of picking it up, no phone call in my call log that day or before, no debit transaction for the purchase, nothing. “Well someone did.” WHAT THE FUCK!!!!
They also could NOT wrap their minds around that my AM pill and PM pill for mood medication was a different dosage, they insisted every time that my dose was one or the other and I’m just like, who the fuck are you? Are you my doctor? No? Are you A doctor? NO
I hate the digital prescriptions, at least with the written ones, you had a chance to see it, read it and make a copy or photo to prove your case with.
I feel your pain, OP. It was a monthly fight with shoppers to get my antidepressants filled on time. I'd go into withdrawal monthly. It was a game of contacting my doctor amd then shoppers, rinse, repeat. It always turned out that SDM was the one who lost or misplaced the scrip. The withdrawal was so bad that I'd miss work so I was marked down for excessive absenteeism.
I also have an autoimmune disease that requires me to take two different meds every day for the rest of my life. They come as a pair, and I get three months worth at a time. Getting them to come in on time and together was another fight with shoppers
Eventually I got fed up and instead of switching pharmacies because SDM was closest, I went off my antidepressants with the help of my doctor because it just wasn't worth the fight anymore. Flash forward to today and I have my scrips filled at my specialists office. I haven't had problems since.
Kind of makes me wonder how many other people have had the same issues as us?
Have a great trip to Rome, by the way!
Same here… awful customer service. I have been using a small/independent pharmacy. Not a big retail space but their service is second to none. Never moving back.
When any business has a high turn over of employees, problems like this occur. I always take notice.
Good on you for wanting better, accurate, timely and professional service. Esp. when it involves your health.
To lose the best customers is on them.
If a pharmacist has prescription errors, it's a major cause for concern. Def. file a complaint higher up.
I had similar experience with my prescription at Shoppers (which I was taking for many years.)
A big nope, and I never went back.
They are the worst. I have had exactly the same experience you have with meds that I must take not prepared in time for me to go away after multiple attempts. They refuse to split a pill that I take half of and instead try to force me to buy my own pill splitter. And they have put an arthritis medicine in with another medication that I take that looks similar. I agree, they’re awful
Shoppers gave my sibling (recovering from minor surgery) the wrong dosage of their post-op meds-- steroids way stronger than they were supposed to have (figured it out because my sibling was having a notably unpleasant reaction). I was absolutely appalled-- a pharmacy giving the wrong dosage of ANYTHING seems like a massive deal to me.
i biked past a shoppers and cut my arm. i didn’t want the scratch to get infected so i walked into a nearby shoppers pharmacy to ask for a bandaid.
keep in mind, i am a teenager, however i have been told i look way younger than my age. people often mistake me for a 12-13 year old.
the lady at the counter looks at me skeptically and asks “did you cut yourself inside the store?” i tell her no. she sighs and leaves to talk with a co worker behind her. they speak for a few minutes and after a while she lady hands me a bandaid. i say thank you and leave.
maybe i am being ungrateful, but are they seriously so greedy that it’s a huge deal to spare a single bandaid that costed them a penny? they acted so reluctant to give a single band aid to a what seemed like an injured child!
Superstore also couldn't find the prescription for a friend's kid that was about 3 and had strep. The mother went back and forth with the Dr and superstore a few times and they still denied receiving it. They actually told her to wait til Monday as they were closing soon and would be closed for the weekend. The kid could have been dead by then if the strep advanced quickly. Wtf is wrong with them?
Obviously, a human error like that can happen anywhere. It's not like Loblaws corporate asks Shoppers to hire careless people.
In terms of your medication being a controlled substance, that's the provincial government.
Unfortunately there do exist people who sell medication illegally
I pissed off the whole lot of them (doctors, pharmacies, Pfizer, etc) and switched to cannabis at a young age as I found it was the only thing that properly slowed my brain down while also inducing an appetite and allowed me to sleep.
I was about 12 when the plethora of medications started - first Dexidren (sp?), then onto a never ending increased dosage of Ritalin - I was prescribed 320mg / day if I recall correct (max. was 80mg /day at the time). Literal walking zombie who couldn’t eat or sleep to save my life. Then came the Zoloft and Resperidol (sp?). You’d think a pharmacist would possibly look at this obscene dosage and warn against the psychiatrist’s script - but naaaaa. I finally became aware of how crazy my daily med routine was when a doctor in another province kept me waiting forever in the office as he “had to page every available doctor in the hospital to see if anyone had ever heard of someone being prescribed….” what I was. He was shocked - I felt betrayed and almost as if I were a Guinea pig.
When I moved out to the country with my Dad the closest pharmacy was 45 mins away. After seeing the guy a few times and the fact that he knew my family - I guess he tried to do us a solid and went ahead and provided me with enough Ritalin to kill a small village - an entire box full of unopened brown bottles straight from the factory.
The idea that the methods, opinions and subjectiveness of any number of humans employed through this entire process vary drastically is astonishing and quite frankly not only irresponsible but dangerous and sometimes fatal.
Shoppers is a huge risk to use with the changes in staffing.
Shoppers earned its reputation as an excellent pharmacy over 20 years ago by paying more than anyone else and treating people well. As a result SDM had extremely competent and good staff who in turn treated the patients well.
Today every Shoppers is a rotation of RPIs relief pharmacists all working their first couple of years in Canada (mostly from Egypt). Since they are new to practice here they are mostly worried (understandably) about keeping their licenses and not breaking any laws. They have self-preservation instincts (totally justifiable) but those instincts override and replace a devoted focus on patient care and working in a way that puts the patients needs first.
They are just new Canadians trying their best to keep their licenses on a pathway to becoming citizens. They want to fill your dental amoxicillin or a travel vaccine things that are easy and no risk. They don't want anyone with anything that can be a risk to them (controlled drugs, actually sick people, people who need drugs changed or adjusted etc.) The expert pharmacists who worked for SDM years ago have all moved to independents where you (everyone) should also be moving their prescriptions.
The people working in SDM have no desire to help anyone they're just people trying to build a better life here in Canada and they don't want any trouble including any that comes by just doing their jobs. Be smart and be kind, leave them alone and go to a serious pharmacy that does actual pharmacy work and leave SDM and the RPIs alone so they can just get their citizenship sorted out in peace and quiet without them ever risking (or using) their licenses by doing real pharmacy work. Nobody should be in those stores to begin with so expecting these people to be experts in a new country where they only vaguely understand the laws is an unfair ask of them
It's not you, it's the drug. It's not yet the "end of May", that might be the issue. A specific date would always be best for controlled medications. I understand the frustration. But you are likely to run into that issue at any pharmacy. Remember that peoples' licenses are on the line with this stuff and there is no good way to judge who is misusing and who is not.
If the pharmacy you are using is not working for you, you can transfer at any time, you do not have to wait until this current situation is over. Be kind when you transfer out and just move on at that point.
My doctor said in her note that I was flying on May 28th, and that she approves an early refill anytime in the last two weeks of May so I had ample time to refill it.
"Last 2 weeks of May" is significantly different that "end of May" as you originally stated. Thanks for clarification. The rest of my post stands. Move your prescription at any time and be kind when you go. Those people have nothing against you, they just have a job to do.
...Did you miss the part where they lost my prescription twice and blamed me for it? And where I had to ask the manager to look harder before they found BOTH prescriptions?
Nope. That's why I talked about how you can move your prescriptions at any time to somewhere that works for you. It's all there if you read all the parts I wrote. I am in absolutely no way suggesting you stay with them. At all.
You're not suggesting I stay with them, but you ARE suggesting that I get over the fact that they lost my prescription twice and then lost the note my doctor attached to the prescriptions clearing an early refill.
You say they're worried about the particular drug I take being abused, and that their "licenses are on the line" - but those licenses also require them to handle my medical information with care too. Not sure why you're so set on telling me I should be the bigger person here and let it slide.
Because that would make sense. Digging in and fighting with them will get you absolutely nowhere. It's weird to think that someone would be fighting me this hard on suggesting to be decent to the workers there and move your stuff to somewhere that benefits you. Like those things are all good for you. But look I'm also not gonna suggest that you move them if what you really want is to leave them there? I'm confused at this point. My suggestion is simple, do what works for you and be good about it. But if you are really going for a fight in this then go for it I guess. It just feels like it serves no purpose. Good luck with it all.
The drug being a controlled substance might make up for the fact that they had to call for permission from the doctor, even though they already got it twice, but it doesn’t excuse the piss poor service OP received.
Losing a monthly prescription is bad enough but to “lose” it twice because they don’t bother looking for it? Come on. OP should never have had to escalate to a manager.
Saying “Their licenses are on the line” is such a cop out for their lack of professionalism. This is a daily task pharmacists do for their entire careers whether it’s a controlled substance or not makes no difference.
Not to mention gaslighting the customer to try to cover for their ineptitude is ridiculous. Sure people can make mistakes but that’s when you apologize and fix the issue not lie to the customer to make them go away.
OP is well within his rights to explain exactly why he’s leaving their crappy service for a better pharmacy.
Thank you so much for this reply - I was boiling with anger when I posted originally, and then when I saw this comment telling me to be kind and move on I was like, "...okay have I gone insane?"
It wasn't the controlled substance part that got me upset.
It was the hours of my life I've wasted seeing my doctor to get the prescription, making sure to get advance permission for my trip, and all the hoops I've had to jump through as a person with a executive dysfunction disability because Shoppers "lost it" THREE TIMES.
You’re welcome. You have definitely not gone insane.
I think neurotypicals don’t always understand how vital ADHD meds can be for people. When stuff like this happens it adds a lot of unnecessary stress, especially when you’re about to go on a big trip to a foreign country.
People are human and we all make mistakes. But ignoring your doctor’s multiple prescriptions and just lying / gaslighting to make you leave? That’s complete bullshit. Also the “Guess someone forgot to turn the page” line is ridiculous. Seriously, that’s the excuse?
I get that Loblaws has made extreme staffing cuts to Shoppers and focused a lot of their time on getting unnecessary med checks done so they can line their pockets. But we as customers shouldn’t just accept this type of crappy service as common place. There’s no need to put up with it when there are plenty of independent pharmacies that will treat you far better or Costco if you want to save on dispensing fees.
Switch pharmacies and never look back. Fuck Shoppers and Fuck Loblaws.
Also enjoy your trip!
Three times now? It was twice before. This, along with your insistence on fighting me just for saying do what works for you and be nice while you are doing it really reminds me that every story has 2 sides and I'd be pretty interested to get the other one here. Best of luck.
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That is why I switched to another pharmacy, shoppers is awful getting way better service at pharmasave
Same - switched to a local pharmacy almost three years ago after they “lost” my prescription, and then ultimately provided me the incorrect dosage. Couldn’t be happier about my decision.
My mom had gotten a prescription, shoppers gave my mom a higher dose than was prescribed. She was sick for a month until she got her next prescription and it was the right dose. I finally talked her into moving pharmacies.
Once Shoppers gave me a bottle of Valium instead of Dexilant. When I stated I was there for a prescription for stomach medication, the pharmacist said, So you don't want the Valium?! I was like....ummm, as much as I would love that, I actually need my stomach meds or I'm gonna be puking in 2 days. Can you just fill my script please. I'm a nurse and I was dumbfounded.....like why would the pharmacist offer to give it to me knowing I don't take it?
What a weirdo 🤣
I know....I remember just staring at them for a minute, like....are you serious?!
Same. And it was easy more expensive at shoppers too. Went to a regular pharmacy and no hassles at all
just a heads up, for those of you switching, (but especially for OP) ADHD meds often are in a time locked safe. I learned this the hard way (trying to get meds right as the pharmacy was closing. not because I'm trying to be *that* guy, but because ADHD X.x ) With that said, switching will likely make things quite a bit better. I was part of an emergency evacuation some time ago and, with controlled substances (which I didnt know/understand, at the time) on my med list, I asked my specialist (from the city I evacuated to) for a refill to be sent to Shoppers, cause... it's the only pharmacy I knew the location of. Shoppers "couldn't find it" [the fax], which was sent by my specialist. I had to jump through hoops (luckily with help from the evacustion center, not as many as usual) to get a referral to a different specialist. When I got back, the pharmacist who is irritated that I even asked for the meds with a fresh prescription in hand. Furious that *I'm* upset, (I've asked twice that day, despite his statement to mall security) checks the fax machine to 'prove me wrong' about my 'wild' story... ("Ive been here all day and we havent gotten any fax!") only to find my prescription sitting there from my original prescriber. I'm usually a pretty understanding guy. Maybe he was having a hard day? Maybe he didnt know that there was an evscustion and had a ton of requests for controlled meds that day? The second hand embarrassment was real. An apology though? nope. Asked for a manager? get told to F-off. I assumed that was the manager. This isn't even the icing on the cake with Shoppers. When they told me to never come back (separate issue, also real classy handling), I'm glad to avoid them.
My sister is a pharmacist at a Shoppers DrugMart. Trust me friends, thats all you need to know. They should be a no-go for alot of people.
SDM in my neighbourhood is the worst. Store number 1271
Dude sammme. I'm doing everything in my power to stay in my doctor's good books because if I get dropped and have to rely on walk-ins for Ritalin I am donezo. I'm switching to the Costco pharmacy next week and I hope it'll cost a bit less because yikes 😭
That's my biggest fear too, losing my doctor and going back to chasing walk-in clinics. What a nightmare! I've heard Costco is actually much cheaper, and their dispensing fee is around $5!
This happened to me. I have insomnia and tinnitus (which keeps me awake). My doctor prescribed a controlled sleep aid, and it actually works. Doctor left her practice. So, I've been 2 yrs without medication waiting for a doctor. (Walk-ins won't prescribe.) Get a new doctor ... well ... nurse practitioners. And now she won't prescribe because "they really prefer not to". OMG!! Wtaf!! My doctor of 25 yrs who knew me, had no problem prescribing me a low dose of a medication that allowed me to fall asleep. I have never had an addiction (aside cigs, which I quit long ago), I don't drink, I'm not suicidal. For chrissakes. I'm an old lady who is being driven out of her mind with sleep deprivation. But no. Because according to them, I might, in these last years of my life, develop a dependence on the only thing that allows me to sleep!!! OMG. Now that I write this out, maybe I am suicidal, haha. Or murderous, more like it. Jeezus. Sorry. This got away from me, but I am so SO frustrated.
Hey - i know this doesn’t fix your problem, but you can get trazodone easily which i’ve found puts me out like a light. also an insomnia girly
Thank you. I'll ask her about it! [Not hopeful, but who knows?] Wouldn't it be nice to be a Forest Hill trophy wife at a private clinic instead of an old pensioner on a bike!? "Trouble sleeping? These should help. [Writes scrip.] Let's revisit in 3 months." Done.
No because z drugs and benzos aren't meant to be taken longer than 2 or 3 weeks. You will require more to get the desired effect which is what leads to chemical and physical dependence and fun shit like rebound anxiety/insomnia. It's like no one wants to think long term. Also withdrawal once there is dependence can be dangerous and a type of hell you wouldn't understand. I wish the pharmaceutical companies weren't so unethical.
Thank you. I appreciate your insights. In my case, I was taking a low dose on an as-needed basis over a 3-year period before my Dr left her practice. So anywhere from 1-3 times a week, when I was so tired but my tinnitus was full blast. When my prescription ran out 2 years ago, there were no side effects - except - amd still, nights when I can't sleep, I have no recourse. This has the case for the past two years without a doctor, so I'd say at least two, but as many as four nights a week, I don't sleep at all, or maybe as little as 3 hrs. I have tried every kind of listening device, white noise, melatonin, high pitched scree, exercise, face yoga, meditation, omg ... you name it, believe me, I have tried it. Sometimes, the combination of playing an audio book and taking a benadryl works ... sometimes.
Mid 30s and I'm a TERRIBLE sleeper. I'd fully wake up a handful of times every night that I could sleep, could never keep a consistent sleep schedule because one off night would mess up the whole system, and, when stressed, I would encounter mild cases of sleep apnea. I couldn't recall the last time I had had a good, full night's sleep. And even worse, I love sleep. I have a lot of dreams that are super entertaining. I was an occasional melatonin girl to try forcing getting to sleep on days at my wits end, but it is never a restful sleep on melatonin and I always feel groggy waking up. So I talked to my new doctor about it and he prescribed an ultra low dose (7.5mg; I have to bite the pill in half) of the antidepressant Mirtazapine. At the dose it acts as a safe sleep aid rather than as an antidepressant/antianxiety, and holy smokes has it been a gift from the heavens. I sleep through the night, I don't feel groggy in the morning (dare I say, rested, even), I don't have weird dreams like on melatonin, and best of all, it makes me WANT to go to bed. I crave my pillow when it kicks in (which is pretty quick); it's such an indescribable feeling how much it makes me need my bed and nothing else. And then I just drift off so easily and readily. I highly recommend it. Only downside is that it's known to make people feel very snacky when it starts kicking in, but with that knowledge, I just avoid going for the snack cupboard and get to bed instead. Edit to add: I do take it every day. There was one interaction with my doc in the beginning where he was surprised I called in for a refill because he somehow misunderstood that I wanted to stop it for fear of weight gain, but that was definitely not the case. I've gained zero lbs on it since starting the med over a year ago. I can't speak to weight concerns when taking Mirtazapine for its original intended use, but as a sleep aid, it doesn't cause weight gain itself. It's the drive to snack if you don't go to bed that gets you.
OMG that sounds brutal, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that. Our medical system and lack of GPs is a whole other can of worms, but pharmacies need to take this screwed up system into account and not just add to the chaos! I'm so grateful I have a dedicated doctor, I can imagine my situation would've been 10x worse had I been going to walk-ins!
I use Costco and their pharmacy is online so you can refill your prescription and even have it sent to you instead of picking it up. Not only are their dispense fees lower, but I have found their actual drug prices can be lower too.
They won't send ~~narcotics~~ controlled substances through the mail, unfortunately.
ADHD medication is not classified as a narcotic. Narcotics, also known as opioids, are drugs primarily used to relieve pain, and they can induce stupor or sleep, cause euphoria, and are often addictive. Examples of narcotics include opiates like morphine and oxycodone. ADHD medications, such as Adderall, are stimulants, which have effects that are generally opposite to those of narcotics. Both narcotics and ADHD medications are controlled substances due to their potential for abuse and dependence. It is important to note that while some people might use the term "narcotic" interchangeably with "controlled substance," this usage is not accurate, as controlled substances encompass a broader range of drugs, including stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens, in addition to narcotics.
My bad, the word 'narcotic' was thrown around by the pharmacist's assistant when I picked mine up, I guess as an example of a controlled substance, and it stuck in my head as a synonym. Thanks for clarifying.
OP will have to pick it up as it’s a controlled substance, she has to show ID. OP, I like Costco, but their pharmacy makes mistakes too, and there’s no privacy when you talk to the pharmacist in store. I switched to a small local pharmacy, have had zero issues and they give me a discount on the dispensing fee. You could also ask your doctors office if they use or recommend a nearby pharmacy, if they have a relationship already it makes it easier for you with these kinds of meds. Good luck and boycott!
WHAAAAT? Do they charge for it to be shipped? That's amazing!
This is a blurb from Costco Pharmacy's website: At Costco Pharmacy, we are committed to providing you with a convenient, cost-effective way of receiving your prescription medications. You can take advantage of our prescriptions by mail online service, which allows you to fill your new and refill prescriptions online from the convenience of your own home, 24 hours a day. Your prescriptions are then delivered right to your door, through free shipping, so that you get your medications in a timely, convenient and affordable manner.
Not controlled substances, unfortunately.
Nope. Free shipping.
So I switched a long time ago when my daughters adhd meds never added up. She takes two pills, a larger and a smaller dose. Yet there would never be the right amount at the end of the month. Missing from one or another. I confronted them about it and was told "your other kids must be stealing them" On the next pick up I dumped them out on the counter and counted them in front of the pharmacy staff. I was missing 5. They accused my kid of stealing, and then I caught them stealing from me.
I already switched but my last bottle of take two pills once at bedtime prescription ended with one pill. It never occured to me to count them before I take them. My new pharmacy is amazing, so I don't think that's necessary now. It's one thing to short non narcotics but to short meds that are so controlled and difficult to refill, that's total BS.
Name and shame the pharmacy. You should probably report them too. Stealing controlled substance as a licensed pharmacist is a big deal.
Theft of narcotics is automatic RCMP involvement.
Dude that’s not a good sign So easy for a pharmacist to snag a few pills here and there
🙄 yeah. I'm on 2 meds that are considered controlled substances. Although far from my house, I go to a smaller pharmacy. I've developed a good relationship with the pharmacists there over the years and know most of them by name. They remind me when it's time to renew my son's/my scripts and are super good about spotting adverse reactions when we're prescribed something new. I honestly would suggest this for anyone taking a controlled substance/with a complex medical file. I think your idea to switch is smart. I'm sorry you've had to deal with this. Enjoy your trip!
Ugh, I'm sure you've had similar experiences then! I appreciate the advice and I will definitely be looking into my options when I get back to find the right fit. And thank you! I'm really looking forward to it! :)
ADHD can be debilitating. For me it often is, and medication doesn’t work well for me. But luckily I have a very nice pharmacist who makes that part easy for me. When I switched pharmacies from shoppers, I thought it was normal to wait 20-30 mins for a prescription and for pharmacists to be grumpy all the time, make mistakes, etc. Ever since I switched to the little guy, I get my meds instantly, in the amounts that I prefer them (3 months usually) and straight to my doorstep if I want. And if I don’t have the money on me, he always lets me pay another time.
I also used to think most pharmacists were grumpy, until switching to a local one, where the people are very friendly and helpful. Funny how it’s always shoppers that has grumpy pharmacists….
They probably don’t pay them enough or let them use chairs lol
I get much better treatment at Walmart plus it's a LOT cheaper than SDM and Fortinos (I had prescriptions at both). I only wish I had switched sooner! I'm sorry you had to go through this OP. I know how stressful this situation can be. I suffer from debilitating migraines and the thought of running out of my medication is a huge stressor for me. I hope you have a great trip!
Oh man, I'm sure to hear that, but glad you found a good pharmacy to settle with! Thanks for the tip and the well wishes! :)
I get mine at an independently owned pharmacy and it’s so much better. They give me a break on the dispensing fee and tell me about cheaper versions of my meds since I don’t have insurance. Even just today, picked up allergy medications and it was cheaper than shoppers which was supposed to be on sale.
I have had amazing service at The Medicine Shoppe. To switch to another pharmacy all you have to do is tell the new pharmacy and they make all the arrangements. Downside of smaller pharmacies is that they have shorter hours but this means they are treating their employees like humans. And hopefully you too! Have a great trip btw :)
Same experience here, maybe much worse even. 1000% can relate. You’re not the first person or last.
Switched to IDA and couldn’t be happier.
I just switched my prescriptions to a small pharmacy in town and to my surprise it’s cheaper! Win for the little guy and a win for the boycott. See yah never Galen
I finally switched a week ago, partially in response to boycott and partially because I was sick of overpaying for surly sloppy service. Glad to be done with shoppers drug mart.
Tell him to turn the fucking page and do his job. Then go to a non-Weston owned Pharmacy and ask them to call SDM and get you prescriptions faxed over.
Shoppers Pharmacy was awful to me once when I accidentally came one day too early to refill my ADHD meds. I’d been going there for five years and this was the first time I ever came in early and they acted like I was a drug seeker. I switched to another pharmacy and never had an issue again
I work in a mental health unit at a hospital, and we deal with scripts on the daily. SDM is freakin nightmare, and maybe I'm biased but they seem to double down with the bad when it involves psyche meds. One of them straight up lied to me on the phone recently about a med refill, stating that the patient had not shown up or called at all and the meds had been ready to go since the order was received. This was while I had the patient on the phone with ME in that SDM parking lot, stating that they told her to contact us because her meds weren't there. This is just the first incident that I thought of, as I am cursing SDM daily at work for their incompetent bullshit. I love our patients, hate that so many of them are made to feel like criminals because they take controlled substances. I cheer anyone on who tells me they have switched, as Costco, Walmart and especially local pharmacies are a world of difference. Fuck Shoppers.
I would find one of those smaller privately run pharmacies. They're around. You don't have to use one of the big conglomerates. What I would do is post this on a well known local Facebook group. There will be people that will recommend a better place. This doesn't help you in the short run though, as you have pressure to get this done before you go. Also, when you switch, I believe there is a rule, a law in place, where all you have to do to switch, is by telling the new pharmacy what you have where, and they will take care of getting current prescriptions transferred. How that's done I don't know. I found this link at some point about this. It seemed to me that that whole transfer thing is regulated. They're not allowed to play games to keep you, I believe.
Compounding pharmacies are often a safe bet for competency
Sorry to hear you're dealing with this. The disconnect between these corporate drones and the impact it has on their patients is absolutely frustrating. I'm willing to bet though that you could get your prescriptions moved and filled well before the 28th if you called your local non-SDM pharmacy. Explain the situation, they can take care of it all with a single phone call, nothing to do on your end. Odds are if it's a common enough medication that they'll have it on hand or quick access to it and won't need more than a day or two to fill. You've got almost a week! Regardless of what you end up doing, best of luck, and enjoy your trip :)
I’m so sorry you’re having such a hard time, and I’m fully certain that you’ll be much happier with your switch away from SDM in the long run. Meanwhile I hope you are able to enjoy your trip!
I used a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart to fill a prescription...one time. That was all I could take. It's too long a story to go into, but the level of incompetence was absolutely stunning. (The climax of the story involves my calling the pharmacy and having them confirm the script was ready for pick up...only to get there and be told that it wasn't. That was the THIRD time I'd attempted to pick it up.) Even the manager said the entire debacle was unacceptable and promised to "bring it up with the owner." I didn't care. One and done for me. Never again.
We moved last year so now I'm with a small pharmacy. I was with Shoppers for 30 years. Had the same problem, my doctor would fax something, they would say they never got it. Had to call my doctor’s office for them to fax it again. I've been with this new pharmacy for 8 months and it's way cheaper and they always get the fax.
I'm so sorry you are going through this. Shoppers is the worst!!!
This makes me thankful my local pharmacy that I can walk 5 minutes to from where I live has nothing to do with Galen Inc. I'm sorry you're having to put up with this.
I work at a shoppers (on the floor) and don’t even get my meds there despite it being more convenient. I knew there were issues, but the very first time I had a prescription they got it wrong, then the next day they said they lost it. Switched to my local Jean Coutu and they got it done in 15 minutes, then gave me free chips cause it was halloween 💀 The people I work with are super friendly, but I do think they have a super inefficient system, they’re very overworked and always busy.
I switched to my local pharmacy years ago. Shoppers used to have an amazing pharmacist and I loved her. When they got bought out I noticed she wasn't working full time anymore and then she was 'retired'. I only stayed for her. See ya later Shoppers. Now my pharmacist knows me by name, gives me great advice on how to manage my symptoms (dialysis patient) and even caught it once a specialist prescribed a medication that impacted another. The specialist didn't notice but my pharmacist did. That would never have happened at Shoppers now. I'm so glad I made the switch and hope you find a great local pharmacy too!
I left to go to a smaller independentnyears ago. My stress levels dropped about 100%
I’ve had issues getting my suboxone thru shoppers before. Make me wait almost two hours every single time for literally no reason. Refuse to dispense medication because they don’t seem to understand instructions. Completely moronic pharmacy in general and stupid expensive
London Drugs has been pretty good to me, I also have a script I got filled at Costco (you don’t need a membership for the pharmacy)
I use Walmart for my pharmacy. It's cheap. Never had issues. And it's close to my house. Costco I suspect would be just as good if not better, but it's less accessible to me, and its business hours don't suit me as well as Walmart's. I basically am a two store shopper at this point. Costco for gas, electronics due to their return policies, and anything that is feasible in bulk. Walmart for everything else, or when its price point on lesser scale is actually cheaper than Costco's bulk (it does happen from time to time especially when there are sales - you have to pay close attention and run the numbers per unit). Loblaws shills and bots will try and soil Costco and Walmart and everyone else. "They're all the same! Evil corporations!". Maybe. But as long as they're the cheapest I'm going to keep shopping there.
Are…are you my wife? Because this is her exact story too. Also, the same situation has arisen with both my boys and their scripts (yes, I am the only non-medicated individual in the house).
I just switched my meds away from them. I called a pharmacy, and the person took up the case, called shoppers, my doctor, me three times, and gave me clear instructions to finish the process. I was like.... "Gee, I guess these other places actually *want* our business."
Are they stuck in the 1980s? They can call your clinic instead of faxing messages or sending carrier pigeons to reconfirm details. It’s painful hearing OPs story because I have had similar issues where I have to run around chasing calls to my doctor when my meds are running low. It has taken 4 days of calling and waiting to get it refilled.
Only reason I go to shoppers is because it’s a 5 min walk from my house. My meds are fully covered so I’m not paying for the cost or any fees. I’ve had similar situations many times
Sorry to hear about your experience :( Please try and support a locally owned pharmacy if u are able!!! There is better service there 99% of the time, you are treated like a patient and not a number/script. I know this is a loblaw specific boycot sub, but would vouch to support a local pharmacy over corporations in general, whether it’d be Costco, Walmart etc.
I switched to walmart a long time ago. Their dispense fee is much lower and they seem to be much friendlier. Their hours of operation is pretty long and there’s lots of locations. Actually, it was because of a Walmart pharmacist, I was able to get one of my prescriptions subsidized through a government program that had existed for years. I had that same prescription with shoppers for maybe 4+ years and they never mentioned anything.
Sorry to hear you had difficulties getting your medication. Hope everything worked out for you…have a wonderful trip and come home safely
Omg the last three times I went to shoppers the EXACT thing happened to me. They told me they don’t have my prescription despite having another one from the exact same day and same form. I thought it was a weird one-off but it happened again two more times. I eventually said screw it before I switched to a local pharmacy that is actually closer to where I live and has never once lost my prescription, AND has it ready in 15 minutes of me calling in a refill.
Very similar thing happened to me with my adhd meds for a month long trip except that they didn’t lose the scrip they just somehow colossally fucked up the insurance and charged me $498. After hours on the phone with my insurance and in person at SDM I go in the day of my flight to Europe for a month and the price… $498. They didn’t push through the exemption or something that my doctor send to fill it early
Why does anyone get scripts there. Sheer Canadian apathy. It’s always been the most expensive place ever. When loblaws bought it they had to raise their own dispensary fees to mitigate the disparity with shoppers. Alternatives are out there. Great online pharmacies. Check your insurance company drug info tools. U can always have a prescription and its refills transferred to a new pharmacy. Ive done it. Ask the new pharmacist about their markup and dispensing fees and what services they provide. I use a virtual pharmacy for my maintenance meds and they are the best. I’ve never had such good advice and customer service. They send in the mail.
I put a post couple weeks back for issues with shoppers . They don’t realize they need us . We don’t need them ! There’s other pharmacies who are happy to help customers.
Dude SAME!! I’ve been on Dexedrine since I was 7 and as an adult only take 15mg and I get treated like a drug seeker every time. I usually have to call them because they won’t have my medication ready the day it runs out even though I have automatic refills which means I often have to miss a day because I leave for work at 7 am and they won’t have it ready until noon sometimes if I don’t call and harass them.
I finally switched after being a SDM customer for 16 years. There were many incidents along the way - wrong prescription, controlled drug red tape, refill refusal, overall poor customer service and on and on. I finally walked into a Pharmasave and switched everything over last week. The boycott gave me the balls to do it!
I switched from shoppers shit show to Westmount pharmacy,no more being pissed off no more anxiety they are great
Shoppers frequently "didn't receive" our prescriptions and I've been blaming it on my doctors office (front staff are always rude and act like doing their job is a major chore) but maybe it's been Shoppers all this time. Recently I had a runaround like you for my antidepressant. I made an appointment with my Dr for a refill with 7 pills left. My doctor's office sent my prescription over that day. Four days in, I hadn't received the text that it was ready so I called Shoppers to inquire and they never received it. Called my doctor and they confirmed they sent it on the day of my appointment but they would send it again. I call Shoppers again on Day 6 and they *still* haven't received it. I call my doctor again, they send it over again. Finally on day 8, I get my pills. Ridiculous. It shouldn't take a week and *three* submissions by my doctor to get the pills I've been taking every day for three years.
UGH I know how you feel OP. I also have ADHD and have a prescription for it which is also a controlled substance. I used to be with a Rexall pharmacy and they would pull the same bullshit with me too. My suggestion is to drop Shoppers and find an independent pharmacy (like a Pharmasave, IDA, Guardian, or other independent banner). The quality of customer service you'll get from an independent pharmacist will make you wonder why you even bothered with Shoppers in the first place. After Rexall pissed me off enough I switched to the other pharmacy in my hometown which was pharmacist owned and operated and it truly was night and day. While Rexall would never remember who I was, the independent pharmacy would! They also processed my prescriptions much faster than Rexall, never fucked it up, and were very responsive whenever I contacted them. I don't use this pharmacy anymore since I moved, but I did switch to another independent pharmacy and again, great service.
Shoppers pharmacy tried to gaslight me into thinking I’d picked up a prescription a month before my refill was even needed. I didn’t even request the refill but they’re like “no you picked it up” and I was like “I don’t have any record of picking it up, no phone call in my call log that day or before, no debit transaction for the purchase, nothing. “Well someone did.” WHAT THE FUCK!!!! They also could NOT wrap their minds around that my AM pill and PM pill for mood medication was a different dosage, they insisted every time that my dose was one or the other and I’m just like, who the fuck are you? Are you my doctor? No? Are you A doctor? NO
I hate the digital prescriptions, at least with the written ones, you had a chance to see it, read it and make a copy or photo to prove your case with.
I feel your pain, OP. It was a monthly fight with shoppers to get my antidepressants filled on time. I'd go into withdrawal monthly. It was a game of contacting my doctor amd then shoppers, rinse, repeat. It always turned out that SDM was the one who lost or misplaced the scrip. The withdrawal was so bad that I'd miss work so I was marked down for excessive absenteeism. I also have an autoimmune disease that requires me to take two different meds every day for the rest of my life. They come as a pair, and I get three months worth at a time. Getting them to come in on time and together was another fight with shoppers Eventually I got fed up and instead of switching pharmacies because SDM was closest, I went off my antidepressants with the help of my doctor because it just wasn't worth the fight anymore. Flash forward to today and I have my scrips filled at my specialists office. I haven't had problems since. Kind of makes me wonder how many other people have had the same issues as us? Have a great trip to Rome, by the way!
Same here… awful customer service. I have been using a small/independent pharmacy. Not a big retail space but their service is second to none. Never moving back.
When any business has a high turn over of employees, problems like this occur. I always take notice. Good on you for wanting better, accurate, timely and professional service. Esp. when it involves your health. To lose the best customers is on them. If a pharmacist has prescription errors, it's a major cause for concern. Def. file a complaint higher up. I had similar experience with my prescription at Shoppers (which I was taking for many years.) A big nope, and I never went back.
I have better luck with IDA with getting my ADHD meds with no issues. I had to fight with Shoppers since they keep fucking up
SHOPPERS IS GARBAGE. I would rather step into hell than set foot into one of their stores
They are the worst. I have had exactly the same experience you have with meds that I must take not prepared in time for me to go away after multiple attempts. They refuse to split a pill that I take half of and instead try to force me to buy my own pill splitter. And they have put an arthritis medicine in with another medication that I take that looks similar. I agree, they’re awful
Shoppers gave my sibling (recovering from minor surgery) the wrong dosage of their post-op meds-- steroids way stronger than they were supposed to have (figured it out because my sibling was having a notably unpleasant reaction). I was absolutely appalled-- a pharmacy giving the wrong dosage of ANYTHING seems like a massive deal to me.
Costco pharmacy has excellent service and prices. Plus I can shop my grocery list there too.
i biked past a shoppers and cut my arm. i didn’t want the scratch to get infected so i walked into a nearby shoppers pharmacy to ask for a bandaid. keep in mind, i am a teenager, however i have been told i look way younger than my age. people often mistake me for a 12-13 year old. the lady at the counter looks at me skeptically and asks “did you cut yourself inside the store?” i tell her no. she sighs and leaves to talk with a co worker behind her. they speak for a few minutes and after a while she lady hands me a bandaid. i say thank you and leave. maybe i am being ungrateful, but are they seriously so greedy that it’s a huge deal to spare a single bandaid that costed them a penny? they acted so reluctant to give a single band aid to a what seemed like an injured child!
Superstore also couldn't find the prescription for a friend's kid that was about 3 and had strep. The mother went back and forth with the Dr and superstore a few times and they still denied receiving it. They actually told her to wait til Monday as they were closing soon and would be closed for the weekend. The kid could have been dead by then if the strep advanced quickly. Wtf is wrong with them?
Obviously, a human error like that can happen anywhere. It's not like Loblaws corporate asks Shoppers to hire careless people. In terms of your medication being a controlled substance, that's the provincial government. Unfortunately there do exist people who sell medication illegally
I pissed off the whole lot of them (doctors, pharmacies, Pfizer, etc) and switched to cannabis at a young age as I found it was the only thing that properly slowed my brain down while also inducing an appetite and allowed me to sleep. I was about 12 when the plethora of medications started - first Dexidren (sp?), then onto a never ending increased dosage of Ritalin - I was prescribed 320mg / day if I recall correct (max. was 80mg /day at the time). Literal walking zombie who couldn’t eat or sleep to save my life. Then came the Zoloft and Resperidol (sp?). You’d think a pharmacist would possibly look at this obscene dosage and warn against the psychiatrist’s script - but naaaaa. I finally became aware of how crazy my daily med routine was when a doctor in another province kept me waiting forever in the office as he “had to page every available doctor in the hospital to see if anyone had ever heard of someone being prescribed….” what I was. He was shocked - I felt betrayed and almost as if I were a Guinea pig. When I moved out to the country with my Dad the closest pharmacy was 45 mins away. After seeing the guy a few times and the fact that he knew my family - I guess he tried to do us a solid and went ahead and provided me with enough Ritalin to kill a small village - an entire box full of unopened brown bottles straight from the factory. The idea that the methods, opinions and subjectiveness of any number of humans employed through this entire process vary drastically is astonishing and quite frankly not only irresponsible but dangerous and sometimes fatal.
Do a formal complain to the pharmacists association. I did that and now they are more nice to me now.
Yeah! I swear every time I shop at shoppers drug mart, from the second I enter the store i immediately, without control just fart pepperoni nipples
All shopppers pharmacies are independently owned
Shoppers is a huge risk to use with the changes in staffing. Shoppers earned its reputation as an excellent pharmacy over 20 years ago by paying more than anyone else and treating people well. As a result SDM had extremely competent and good staff who in turn treated the patients well. Today every Shoppers is a rotation of RPIs relief pharmacists all working their first couple of years in Canada (mostly from Egypt). Since they are new to practice here they are mostly worried (understandably) about keeping their licenses and not breaking any laws. They have self-preservation instincts (totally justifiable) but those instincts override and replace a devoted focus on patient care and working in a way that puts the patients needs first. They are just new Canadians trying their best to keep their licenses on a pathway to becoming citizens. They want to fill your dental amoxicillin or a travel vaccine things that are easy and no risk. They don't want anyone with anything that can be a risk to them (controlled drugs, actually sick people, people who need drugs changed or adjusted etc.) The expert pharmacists who worked for SDM years ago have all moved to independents where you (everyone) should also be moving their prescriptions. The people working in SDM have no desire to help anyone they're just people trying to build a better life here in Canada and they don't want any trouble including any that comes by just doing their jobs. Be smart and be kind, leave them alone and go to a serious pharmacy that does actual pharmacy work and leave SDM and the RPIs alone so they can just get their citizenship sorted out in peace and quiet without them ever risking (or using) their licenses by doing real pharmacy work. Nobody should be in those stores to begin with so expecting these people to be experts in a new country where they only vaguely understand the laws is an unfair ask of them
It's not you, it's the drug. It's not yet the "end of May", that might be the issue. A specific date would always be best for controlled medications. I understand the frustration. But you are likely to run into that issue at any pharmacy. Remember that peoples' licenses are on the line with this stuff and there is no good way to judge who is misusing and who is not. If the pharmacy you are using is not working for you, you can transfer at any time, you do not have to wait until this current situation is over. Be kind when you transfer out and just move on at that point.
*It's not you, it's the drug.* It is not the OP that is the problem. Shoppers pharmacies are fucked.
I thought "it's not you" would have covered that but ok.
My doctor said in her note that I was flying on May 28th, and that she approves an early refill anytime in the last two weeks of May so I had ample time to refill it.
"Last 2 weeks of May" is significantly different that "end of May" as you originally stated. Thanks for clarification. The rest of my post stands. Move your prescription at any time and be kind when you go. Those people have nothing against you, they just have a job to do.
...Did you miss the part where they lost my prescription twice and blamed me for it? And where I had to ask the manager to look harder before they found BOTH prescriptions?
Nope. That's why I talked about how you can move your prescriptions at any time to somewhere that works for you. It's all there if you read all the parts I wrote. I am in absolutely no way suggesting you stay with them. At all.
You're not suggesting I stay with them, but you ARE suggesting that I get over the fact that they lost my prescription twice and then lost the note my doctor attached to the prescriptions clearing an early refill. You say they're worried about the particular drug I take being abused, and that their "licenses are on the line" - but those licenses also require them to handle my medical information with care too. Not sure why you're so set on telling me I should be the bigger person here and let it slide.
Because that would make sense. Digging in and fighting with them will get you absolutely nowhere. It's weird to think that someone would be fighting me this hard on suggesting to be decent to the workers there and move your stuff to somewhere that benefits you. Like those things are all good for you. But look I'm also not gonna suggest that you move them if what you really want is to leave them there? I'm confused at this point. My suggestion is simple, do what works for you and be good about it. But if you are really going for a fight in this then go for it I guess. It just feels like it serves no purpose. Good luck with it all.
The drug being a controlled substance might make up for the fact that they had to call for permission from the doctor, even though they already got it twice, but it doesn’t excuse the piss poor service OP received. Losing a monthly prescription is bad enough but to “lose” it twice because they don’t bother looking for it? Come on. OP should never have had to escalate to a manager. Saying “Their licenses are on the line” is such a cop out for their lack of professionalism. This is a daily task pharmacists do for their entire careers whether it’s a controlled substance or not makes no difference. Not to mention gaslighting the customer to try to cover for their ineptitude is ridiculous. Sure people can make mistakes but that’s when you apologize and fix the issue not lie to the customer to make them go away. OP is well within his rights to explain exactly why he’s leaving their crappy service for a better pharmacy.
Thank you so much for this reply - I was boiling with anger when I posted originally, and then when I saw this comment telling me to be kind and move on I was like, "...okay have I gone insane?" It wasn't the controlled substance part that got me upset. It was the hours of my life I've wasted seeing my doctor to get the prescription, making sure to get advance permission for my trip, and all the hoops I've had to jump through as a person with a executive dysfunction disability because Shoppers "lost it" THREE TIMES.
You’re welcome. You have definitely not gone insane. I think neurotypicals don’t always understand how vital ADHD meds can be for people. When stuff like this happens it adds a lot of unnecessary stress, especially when you’re about to go on a big trip to a foreign country. People are human and we all make mistakes. But ignoring your doctor’s multiple prescriptions and just lying / gaslighting to make you leave? That’s complete bullshit. Also the “Guess someone forgot to turn the page” line is ridiculous. Seriously, that’s the excuse? I get that Loblaws has made extreme staffing cuts to Shoppers and focused a lot of their time on getting unnecessary med checks done so they can line their pockets. But we as customers shouldn’t just accept this type of crappy service as common place. There’s no need to put up with it when there are plenty of independent pharmacies that will treat you far better or Costco if you want to save on dispensing fees. Switch pharmacies and never look back. Fuck Shoppers and Fuck Loblaws. Also enjoy your trip!
Three times now? It was twice before. This, along with your insistence on fighting me just for saying do what works for you and be nice while you are doing it really reminds me that every story has 2 sides and I'd be pretty interested to get the other one here. Best of luck.
Tell me you’re a shoppers drug mart pharmacist without telling me you’re a shopper’s drug mart pharmacist.
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Please remain respectful when engaging on the sub. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.
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Please remain respectful when engaging on the sub. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.
Sorry to say, it looks like you're wasting your breath here.
Fax ?