I have a problem with my local chemist (pharmacy)?

Question

The problem is this:
I have diabetes, and I need to test my blood sugar using test strips. These test strips can only be used once, and then must be thrown out. I have a cold, and bad blood sugar, and I needs to test as much as I can! But when I go to my pharmacy and order them, a women name Enigma says I can't have them, but eventuall I explained why I used so many, and she wrote down that I could have them on Monday. I also ordered insulin (medicine for diabetes blood suagr) and needles to inject the insulin. On Monday the chimist said no one ever ordered test strips, and my insulin and needles were all wrong! I need test srips, but I have none now! I'm 14, and I don't know what to do! Please help me!

Thanks everyone. Just a fast thing, my parent is here, my Mom thinks we should call the docter too.

Answer 1

Phone your doctor and ask them speak to the pharmacy, if you need them the doctor will support you.

Answer 2

the chemist can only give you the test strips against a doctors prescription, so if you are asking for more than what the doctor has ordered then they wont give them to you. they are very expensive and they wont get paid by the nhs if they do that. you need to explain to your doctor that you need more so that they give you a larger amount on prescription. if you seriously have a problem with the pharmacy then change to a different one. the other alternative would be to buy a box of the strips but they cost about £26 a box! sometimes chemists are a bit funny about urine testing strips as some people misuse them for testing their urine when they are on the atkins diet but there should be any problem with ones for blood testing only thing i can think of is that not enough have been prescribed. it is very difficult for pharmacies a s there are so many types of insulin and they have similar names, also sometimes the supplier sends the wrong ones. as i said if you really think its the pharmacy then change. also you cold get your parent to have a word with the pharmacist if you get friendly with them you may find them more helpful. good luck

Answer 3

If you're in the UK, the pharmacist will require a prescription from your doctor before s/he is allowed to dispense medications (including blood testing strips).

Either telephone your doctor, or get someone else to do it for you if you don't feel comfortable talking to him/her, explaining why you need more test strips. There really shouldn't be any problem. I'm not medically qualified but I do understand the reason you need to check your blood sugar levels more frequently when you're not well.

In 27 years of diabetes, I've never experienced any problem with obtaining more than my normal supplies from my doctor. (Now, if you talk about receptionists, you'd think it was being paid for out of their own pockets.)

It's imperative (important) that either yourself or someone on your behalf contacts your doctor. Without adequate supplies, I'm sure you realise that your blood sugar levels can quickly get out of hand. You could end up needing hospital admission if you're not careful.

If your doctor's surgery operates a 'repeat prescription' system, whereby you tick a box to request more of a certain medication, it will have listed on there the name of the type of insulin that you require. Have you recently undergone a change in the type of insulin that you're using? (I'm just trying to get my head around why the pharmacist would say that your insulin and needles are all wrong.)

Phone the doctor (or get someone to) as soon as the surgery is open.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

Are you in the UK or USA, if you are in the UK you should see your GP (doctor) and he will give you a prescription for test strips and insulin you can't just order it at the chemist.

Do you use a blood test machine, take it with you to the chemist and say you need the test strips for your machine, show your machine, the silly woman might be new to the store, and may not know what you are talking about.

Answer 5

I've had this problem with pharmacy idiots also. And in addition they won't notify you that you can't get something, they wait for you to make contact. This is when you need to change pharmacy and find one where they know you, understand the problems you have and are willing to work with you. Incidentally I'm not 14, I'm 70 and they still play stupid games with my health. I have a list of reasons why I can't get my test strips from, 'If we give you more than (x) amount you might sell them like they do in Los Angeles' and 'We can only send you a 3 mos. supply in the mail and medicare won't pay for that many at one time.' No sense in fighting stupidity, just take your business where you are appreciated.

Answer 6

go back to the chemist they have to log all dispensing errors and report to local Primary Care Trust. ur right to be worried i have had errors and one chemist didnt put labels on all of my mums medicine boxes ie if there were 6 boxes of each drug they only put label on 1. this is dangerous for an elderly forgetful person, lucky i used to work in a pharmacy so knew about medicines. u could also try reporting the mistake to your local PCT yourself if u are worried

Answer 7

that is bad if you have a precipitation from the doctor its got nothing to do with your pharmacy my 4 year old has type 1 and if they told me no to strips or insulin i would go crazy get your mum to see the doctor asap and i would put a complaint in good luck with the future and hope your cold gets better soon

Answer 8

where do you live?, just take your prescription to a different pharmacy, there should be no problem with that, if the pharmacy always holds on to your prescription then just ask for it back, i do it all the time!


good luck and get better (from the cold i mean)

Answer 9

this is what you do. get your doctor to call them and you talk to them and if they won't give them to you as many as you need you need to talk to the head person of that establishment and raise cane. its not right they have no business telling you nothing and its not their life they are doing it for but yours and you need them. you can get them into trouble by your parents also them them handle it you have to do as many times as the doctor wants you to so there and that is what they should be concerned about not if you can have them its none of their business.

Answer 10

Hi friend
Best solution is give the doctor a call and he would help u.

Please visit

http://www.healthsinfo.com

for more info on diabetes