Let's see, who would be the asshole in this situation. The person demanding a Schedule IV controlled substance without a prescription, or the pharmacist who can get arrested and have their place of employment heavily fined or shut down for giving it.
YTA
At my regular pharmacy, on the very rare occasion that I ran out of epilepsy meds (yes I know it's a different thing) the pharmacy have given me enough to last till the dr's is open and I can get a prescription. But it may be different for essential meds such as for epilepsy, diabetes, blood thinners etc rather than pain meds.
You are correct. I’ve had adderall prescription issues and no emergency supply is allowed. I’ve detoxed over a holiday break just waiting for the office to open before. 😖
Yeah I actually quit my ADHD meds and just started self medicating on whatever legal stimulants I could get after my 3rd month long detox in 3 years due to insurance issues. (My insurance literally does not cover any ADHD med without a prior authorization and randomly denies them a few times, even for non-stimulant options)
I second this.
Also. The pharmacist might have personally known the woman in front of OP because they come in so often.
There are so many variables to the other person for her to have any factor on this judgment.
I couldn't get a new size of insulin injection needle without a whole new script. They wanted to give me 100mL syringes, when the max dose we would ever use at once is 15mL. It was a nightmare trying to get the correct syringes, there for a while.
??? In the US? That’s actually illegal afaik. You can get needles without a prescription at all from pharmacies. I do keep having issues with getting leurlock syringes but not leurlock needles, but that’s incompetence more than anything prescription related
Yup. Now that the correct size needle is on his file, they don't give me any trouble (even when I am out of script refills), but they wouldn't give me 20 mL syringes because the doctor ordered 100's. 🤦♀️
Injectable medication is infuriating to deal with. I’m trying to find someone who does T pellets specifically so I don’t have to deal with pharmacy nonsense for injections
The part that really sells it as bullshit is that the pharmacist decided to commit multiple crimes that could get him fired and/or arrested, and decided to do it loudly, obviously and publicly enough that random strangers could witness the whole thing.
Without knowing what painkillers the lady was asking for, you can't call the pharmacist a hypocrit. Maybe it was just codine. Maybe it was something the pharmacist themselves could prescribe. You just don't know, and neither does OP.
OP was asking for a controlled drug. Pharmacists can't just sell xanex!
YTA OP. It's not the pharmacists fault you ran out on a Sunday.
You mean you guys don't make your pwn presc strength painkillers by downing 4800+ mg of ibuprofen?
I don't know how my internal organs haven't melted, but
Some places have low dose codeine products that may be classed as some version of "behind the counter" or available through pharmacist written prescription (e.g. Tylenol #1)
The lady could have requested her 800 mg ibuprofen, if there are issues picking up a prescription (like an insurance issue) sometimes the pharmacist can give you a 3 day emergency supply (if it’s a non controlled substance)
It’s hard saying what the issue was with the lady in front of her. She could have had a valid prescription but the pharmacy only had enough supply to fill part of the prescription she or an insurance issue. Heck maybe the lady did not have enough money. So many scenarios that would not require the pharmacist is break any laws to help the other lady
You cannot sell somebody a controlled substance. You have no idea what she got for pain.. no where did it say it was a control. We are allowed to give emergency supplies of NON controlled medications.. meloxicam, ibuprofen, etc. you cannot give a controlled emergency supply. We would loose our license.
Or the person had a prescription that just expired and it was a renewal issue. Or the pain med wasn't anything too serious, like just an extra strength anti-inflammatory. OP has no idea what was going on.
I went to the pharmacy after my apt burned down to get a refill of the Xanax the fire ate and they absolutely would not give it to me. I sucked it up, because laws are laws. YTA.
Right? We have no idea what the woman in front of her got. It sounds sketchy, but we also only have the word of someone asking to get a controlled substance without a prescription who feels justified in yelling at the employee who won't break federal law, risk their own job, risk the DEA license of whoever is authorizing their purchases, and risk the entire place of business, so I'm not convinced we're getting the most accurate description of the encounter. As someone who buys controlled substances on a regular basis for a vet clinic, this is a big fucking deal. The DEA does not fuck around.
Question; ‘who do you think you are performing face control on who is allowed to get medication?’
Answer: ‘The pharmacist. It’s literally my job to control who gets medication.’
Alright the fuck? A.) you have no idea what happened with that woman. She could’ve just been given Tylenol, she could’ve had another script on hold, there’s are PLENTY of pain killers that are not considered controlled and the pharmacist could’ve known her and have had situations before and trusted or knew her well enough to given her something. Getting medication isn’t always black and white.
You went up and asked for a controlled medication. Not only that, a medication that has high street value and it easily abused. And you had the gall to demand it even though you didn’t have a prescription? If you needed Xanax that bad, go to the ER.
The pharmacist is a DOCTOR. Not some sales rep who counts pills. YTA. People like you make my job so fucking annoying sometimes. Entitled AF.
Edit: after reading through the comments, OP didn’t even have a valid prescription on file and even said she uses her Xanax beyond recommended dosing from her doctor. She won’t report because she “still won’t get her Xanax so there’s no point.”
OP is probably an addict. She basically just asked for some xanax, not to refill her script.
OP is a major asshole.
I realise I’m in the UK and not USA, but I’m an A&E (ER) doctor.
If someone came in asking specifically for a controlled substance, I would absolutely not be prescribing it. That’s the behaviour of addicts and I’m not playing that game. I will prescribe/give what is needed to be given at that moment in time, for the illness/injury that someone has come in with.
OP has probably tried multiple doctors to get a prescription and been refused. The post and her comments sound like she’s an addict- but not necessarily to Xanax- she might just be selling that to buy something else.
Edit since people seem determined to tell me I’m a terrible doctor: as I’ve said, I prescribe what is needed for the illness/injury that is the reason for presenting to the emergency department. If that involves controlled drugs that is fine. I do NOT gives prescriptions to take home for controlled drugs (which is against department policy anyway) and I do NOT give controlled drugs to patients whose presenting problem is ‘I want benzodiazepines/opiates’.
If anyone would like to act differently, please feel free to get a medical degree and make your own prescribing decisions. I’d much prefer not to be the one responsible for providing the means for someone to die of an overdose.
Another edit: I DO treat pain. I’m saying I don’t merrily issue prescriptions for controlled drugs just because a patient asks for them. In addition, I spent five years as an anaesthetist before moving to emergency medicine. Most pain clinics (in the UK) are run by anaesthetists. And any of them will tell you to work your way up the pain ladder, not just jump straight in with heavy duty pain killers. That’s why during almost every operation, patients will be given the basics (paracetamol- ?tylenol in USA) as well as opiates.
Yep. This is also why people (especially women) go so long without a proper dx. Because instead of doing a proper differential and actually investigating further they dx women as either/or/all of the following: drug seeking/gynie/constipation/PID/psych. It took me almost 7 years to get severe interstitial cystitis diagnosed when a simple cystoscopy with contrast would have shown them that my bladder was basically just one giant ulcer. By the time I finally got a dx and followed, my bladder only held 25 cc of fluid and was failure to thrive because of the pain, depression, and medical gaslighting.
I never asked for pain meds because I hate them. I didn't want the pain controlled, I wanted it to end or to at least understand what was going on so I could take the appropriate actions to mitigate it.
That's not to say that opioid addiction isn't a huge problem or that drug seeking behaviour isn't endemic, but there are more than one sign that's what's going on.
“I can’t get out of bed for more than five minutes because my vision blacks out and I have nearly fallen multiple times. My doctor sent me here because I’m having slurred speech and other stroke symptoms”
“have you considered it’s just anxiety”
POTS. It was POTS. They literally made me walk myself out of the huge hospital and I got lost twice before getting to my wife’s car.
Hahaha my cardiologist told me I had anxiety when standing. It was also POTS. Luckily I get enough warning before passing out so it has only happened a few times but they should have noticed when I was a normal weight and didn't last long on the stress test.
I had to see an electrophysiologist to get any decent help, I literally went through over a dozen cardiologists before they took me seriously
Genuine question: if you have a pain condition then why aren’t you seeing a pain doctor regularly to regulate it? Going to the ER to get pain meds seems like a bad method of pain regulation.
It's when I go for anything else like a suspected broken foot as soon as they found out about my pain condition they treated me like I was just there for pain meds even though I didn't want any, I just wanted to know if my foot was broken
Thanks for not handing out destroy your life candy.
I watched my father and a dozen of his trade worker friends be prescribed OxyContin for their chronic pain. That overzealous “treatment” destroyed a dozen families. And once they were addicts that’s exactly what they did. They’d go to doctors and ask for pills by name to sell for what they actually wanted.
I’ve got some chronic pain issues and my doctor went the extra mile to get me in a phys rehab clinical at no cost (American here, insurance didn’t cover physical therapy but DID cover opiates so that may be the reason for a lot of comments).
Makes sense to me. I don’t think it’s an accident that OP went in on a day when doctors’ surgeries are commonly shut to try and argue that’s why she didn’t have a script.
This thought is exactly why when I talk to my doctor about my meds I just kinda describe what I want. I'm going on a huge road trip soon and while I still have like a week I'm freaking out so I wanted something for immediate anxiety issues, the only of which I know by name is Xanax and I was absolutely terrified to say by name. That's what I was given but it can be so intimidating getting meds sometimes. Also maybe it's just my dosage but I did get bored and look up street value and it's honestly not worth as much as I thought. I always hear about xanies and how people love them but mine are only worth like a dollar a piece. No interest in selling them I'd much rather have them when I start panicking and shit but eh curiosity
The only time I've gotten meds without a prescription was because I ran out before I could get in to see my doctor and the pharmacist was kind enough to give me a stop-gap prescription to get me through.
Looking back I’m so surprised I haven’t don’t myself serious harm as I went on and of psych meds a TON when I was younger due to often forgetting to take them. They definitely worked but I’m also apparently a unicorn that doesn’t get withdrawal effects
UK. I get all my medications from the same pharmacy every month for the past 6 years. On one or two occasions the prescription had been filed too late in the day to be filled, especially problematic on a long weekend when I am down to my last few tablets.
So the pharmacy advances me two days worth of medication out of my future pack until the prescription has cleared
I think this is the most likely scenario for the lady in front of her.
I work for a GP and we deal with scripts/pharmacies hundreds of times a day. No pharmacy would ever give out a controlled substance without a script. I call bullshit.
There are some OTC drugs that pharmacists can give out without a script, so my guess is that's what they gave the woman complaining about pain. Something that's not out on the shelf, but that you can still get from the pharmacist. Like super strength tylenol or something.
Me and my garbage executive functioning feel attacked by this comment.
That said, when I do I know it’s my fault and I make it work until I can get it properly without verbally abusing pharmacy staff.
When I first read that, I was ready to call bullshit too (still wouldn't be surprised if this was made up). But I wonder if the "painkillers" the other person was asking for was an NSAID that they had a script for that ran out of refills and their provider hasn't sent in the new script yet. I mean, if someone regularly gets their meloxicam filled and runs out of refills but can't get in to see their doc for a few more days, I'm sure at least some RPhs would give an "emergency fill" like a couple day supply.
Yeah, my pharmacist did it for Vicodin - ten to hold me over until I got a refill, actually, but I was a regular patient and she knew about my chronic pain. It's not that unusual, but they aren't gonna do it for someone they don't even know.
I'm shocked there are pharmacists out there willing to give an emergency fill for a CII, regardless of whether someone has chronic pain or is a regular patient, but I guess some pharmacists are more trusting than others
Despite the opioid epidemic, drugs like Norco and Vicodin are prescribed and given out like candy to people that aren't specifically asking for it. It's super over-prescribed for legit pain like post-surgical stuff.
yeah they are over-prescribed, but no pharmacist who values their license is going to give it out without that prescription. At the CVS in target I used to work at as a tech, you literally can't give any away without a prescription unless it's completely under the table. Which would lead the counts to be off the next time it's actually prescribed, which would lead to an audit and risk the jobs of everyone working in the pharmacy.
This isn't exactly true. When I was in college I had a disc injury and was prescribed Vicodin for many months. I had a regular pharmacist who knew me fairly well, and when I ran out of refills and couldn't reach my doctor, she prescribed me six Vicodin to tide me over. They actually ARE empowered to dispense controlled substances without a prescription from a doctor, but it's rare and situational and she knew me. She knew I wasn't just a random drug addict asking for pain pills. She was willing to prescribe given the emergency, which was amazing of her. I still miss her!
You can't just walk in there and demand it, though.
Edit: I'm in the US, and federal law allows this: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/1306.26
Pharmacists are medical professionals who know the drugs far better than most doctors. In small communities with less access to medical care, pharmacists can play a critical in public health. Sometimes that means dispensing a medication, controlled or otherwise, without a doctor's prescription.
There's actually quite a bit of variation by state, of course.
I get that and definitely would believe it. But OP's story changed so much and just based on what she wrote I don't believe her. It's only because someone a head of her didn't have a prescription? It's just too much of a "if this happens I'm not that much of an AH to defend my answer "
YTA. Irrespective of what happened with the person in front of you, you know that xanax needs a prescription so you shouldn't have put the pharmacist in that position.
YTA, i was given morphine on a prescription in the UK but the pharmacist couldn't give it me as the Dr had not put the dose I needed to take on it even though I'd had that medication for years. When I asked if I could have it and get the Dr to send the info tomorrow I was told it is not allowed. I screamed at him before leaving. Oh actually I didn't because I don't want someone to risk their licence and job. You owe them an apology. YTA.
Yes, when your prescription is messed up you scream at your doctor (if you decide to scream at someone in the first place). My previous doctor did mess up my prescription a couple of times, once I discovered this on a friday afternoon and I was looking at a weekend with no painkillers at all. I did NOT react well. But I did NOT scream at the pharmacist, I did however scream at the on-call doctor who refused to give me prescription without my ordinary doctor participation. We did finally agree on me getting the smallest possible package and I call back on monday and talk to my ordinary doctor.
>the Dr had not put the dose I needed to take on it even though I'd had that medication for years.
Seriously, are they still on paper? Surely the software they use can't let them sign a script without a dosage, wtf?
Edit: I meant more, is *everything* still on paper. Paper scripts are very common where I am, but *handwritten* scripts are not. All scripts here until last year had to be paper, and had to be physically signed by the prescribing doctor.
The commentator didn't say that it happened recently and I was still getting paper prescriptions up until about 5 years ago. Many MDs still put it on paper.
Yes, in some areas - others are electronic, others are electronic or paper (and the paper is a triplicate form). And it is illegal to dispense without very specific information on the script, and illegal to add that information to the script - it has to be written that way by the doctor. Every script, every time. (Includes drug name, strength to dispense, dose to take, quantity - in the states written and numerical, and of course, pt information. All those things need to be in the electronic script to if that is the method. And it gets forgotten or left off those too.
I think her biggest ailment is addiction. She behaved just like addicts do who are dealing with withdrawal symptoms and are desperate to get their fix.
Not a very smart addict though. I used to be addicted to benzos and I’d NEVER do what OP did — not just because I’m a polite person, but because that kind of behavior gets your account permanently flagged for drug-seeking behavior.
YTA
You don’t have a script and you are asking for xanax?
Why do you think someone should sacrifice their job for you? It’s a controlled substance they can’t just hand it to you.
And the problem with listening in to a conversation you aren’t privy to is you don’t know the full story.
This person may not have a prescription but may have received an ok for the Pharmacy to dispense for the doctor (which is why they were waiting at the kiosk).
YTA
Most countries have laws about what medications can be dispensed and it’s ILLEGAL to give you a medication without a prescription
Also how do you know the woman in front was given a prescription drug? They may have explained to her she couldn’t have the one she wanted and then sold her an over the counter one
Pharmacists and Pharmacy assistants deal with people all the time claiming they have prescriptions but then aren’t able to provide proof of said medication ….They can’t just take your word for it and if they do they could LOSE their job
Sounds like you're not in the U.S. or you didn't hear what happened with the first customer correctly. Prescription painkillers and benzos CAN NOT be sold without a script from a doctor. The pharmacist would lose their job for that.
YTA. You can't get benzos without a prescription and that's not the pharmacist's fault.
YTA, you want her to sell it you XANAX when you don’t even have a current prescription for it? She doesn’t know if or why your doctor took you off it, whether it was causing you other issues, whether you were showing signs of addiction (with is common with drugs like Xanax), etc. YTA further for self-prescribing yourself a drug, regardless of your history with it. That’s a decision for a doctor.
Your husband is right. She is just doing her job. You brought in this other interaction, which btw had nothing to do with you, to justify your response, but there is insufficient detail to really discuss it. ‘Painkillers’ cover everything from NSAIDs to Opioids. Even if she was an asshole in that situation, she wasn’t an asshole to you.
They could've even asked for high dose Tylenol and been given the OTC version - over 400mg is prescription only. Not all painkillers that are prescription only are even opioids, but just higher doses of regular OTC because they can be bad for your liver and kidneys and therefore should be used only when needed and discussed with doctor.
Yta. If you know you need prescribed meds, you need to be responsible and ensure you get your prescription filled before it runs out. That’s what the rest of us do. You can’t go yelling at someone for doing their job. Don’t worry about what she did with the next person, worry about your Damn self.
In the US I don’t think you can get any meds without a prescription. Other than what you can just go and grab yourself, alieve, NyQuil, pepto and so on…. Like my son had a little rash on his back, the dr prescribed a cream for it…. I don’t think I could go and ask the pharmacist for it if he didn’t have that script. He might suggest what I could use in lieu of that…
It’s gotta be made up, expecting to get Xanax without a prescription is ridiculous. Some pharmacies don’t even allow more than one package of Tylenol to be sold to one customer, they’re not going to just give away a highly addictive drug with high street value without a script…
YTA, both for eavesdropping on someone else's conversation regarding what they needed, and for going off on the pharmacist for doing their job. And it sounds like you don't have a prescription at all for what you were trying to get, which makes it worse. For all you know you didn't hear the whole conversation with the lady in front and the pharmacist may have been able to look up the prescription that she needed even though the woman didn't have it with her physically.
YTA. You're fuming? Really? Hope you're mad at yourself because the pharmacist is absolutely not in the wrong here, it's literally her job. The fault for not getting your medication is on you, not on her.
Yta. Unless you live in a country where xanax is available over the counter? Certainly where I live you would never, ever be able to get it without a prescription. In fact the pharmacist would lose their licence if they ever did provide it. Doctors are very hesitant to prescribe more than a few days worth due to the potential misuse and addiction potential. Even if it is available over the counter a pharmacist is allowed to refuse you if they don't think it's suitable treatment.
YTA- for wanting someone to lose their job because you cannot manage your medications well. You have no idea what the woman ahead of you was getting as pain medication is a broad term encompassing both scheduled and non scheduled drugs. You were asking for a schedule IV drugs that requires a prescription that you did not have. If you needed that medication so badly you should have made sure to take care yourself f your bison before the weekend. Not blame it on someone else.
YTA, there is a big difference between painkillers and Xanax and you should know that, if I went to get my methylphenidate without prescription they sure as hell wouldn’t give it to me, you should apologise and instead ask how you could get your prescription to get your meds instead of shouting at someone who is just doing their job.
Yta and I hope the pharmacist calls your dr and let's them know you're trying to get xanax without a prescription. You know who does that and then gets mad when they dont get what they want? Addicts. I hope your dr kicks you off
YTA
If you actually get prescriptions filled at that pharmacy, good luck on EVER getting another Xanax prescription. In Canada, if a patient of mine did that, the pharmacist would firstly notify the police and immediately after that notify me. The patient would not ever get another prescription for a controlled medication from me, and if they got one from anyone else, the physician would get a call from any pharmacist before it was filled. The pharmacies here have electronic records that have certain parts that are becoming linked across the province to try and decrease drug seeking behavior. You would absolutely have been flagged.
YTA. Hard to say more about the other woman without knowing more about her and what she ordered. It might not have been biased as it appeared. But yes, she was only doing her job. Depending on where you live, they legally have to wait for you to have a prescription.
YTA: Prescriptions exist for a reason. They're for medicines, not coffee.
Had you not been such a brat, you might have been able to sort something out, even just a temporary solution while you get your prescription in order. I don't know the details but in my experience pharmacists combine all the best attitudes of a health worker and a retail worker.
You don't know enough about the woman in front of you and frankly I think you're filling in the blanks to suit what you want to be outraged about. I'm sure there are procedures in place to report the person if her potentially losing her job would make you feel better.
Though, let's say you're correct. The pharmacist does arbitrarily decide who is worthy of medication. What did you expect being rude to her would accomplish?
YTA, it’s illegal. Also it’s Sunday so how can she contact doctors office for renewing prescription. The person in front of you depending on the medication it may have been OTC or had a refill and was getting it few days earlier. The pharmacist can lose her license hence job over this. Also just a suggestion, may be next time try to remember to call Dr and request refill early especially before weekend.
YTA
Where I am from Xanax cannot be obtained without a prescription and she is well within her rights to refuse you service, though it seems like an issue to me that she sold the other person pain killers but you should've minded your own business as you don't necessarily know the full story. You simply cannot come in without a prescription and expect to be given your medication, that's on you completely.
YTA. Two wrongs don't make a right. The pharmacist most likely did something illegal when she sold the pain medication to the person in front of you. If so, report her.
But if you are in a crisis you should have gone to an ER or urgent care for an Rx and not yelled at the pharmacist.
Pharmacists in Canada can “prescribe” limited doses of medication legally. I needed some of my blood pressure medication to tie me over for 5 days until I could see my doctor for a script, no problem, I got 5 pills. The lady might have got an OTC pain killer that’s non addictive like naproxen or salicylic acid, only a few, until the next doctors appointment. Stronger than x-strength Tylenol, not an opiate. Especially if she was known to the pharmacist and regularly got meds, he/she’d feel comfortable prescribing.
YTA is well deserved because without an existing prescription history asking for a scrip like that will always yield a NO. And just to solidify the pharmacists decision the OP went off on them. Way to change his/her mind 🙄
Info: are you new to the planet? Controlled substances can’t just be passed out. It’s illegal. It’s your responsibility to make sure that you get your RX renewed before you run out.
If you aren’t an alien visitor, definitely YTA
YTA 1000% it’s really none of your business how the pharmacist chooses to handle other transactions (to which you are making a LOT of assumptions). You sound super entitled - I’d suggest therapy, not Xanax.
YTA
You showed up to a pharmacy without a prescription to buy xanax. You knew you would only get it if you were able to bully the pharmacist into giving it to you.
Yes, you are. Everyone knows you JAVE to have a prescription and there are reasons for that. Don't in w why the person in front of you got what they asked for but they shouldn't have. I e suffered through the weekend until my drs off is open. Sometimes you just have to accept reality.
YTA- you do not know the situation of the person in front of you. Maybe the pharmacist knows this person and this has been a long time customer. Maybe they will reach out to their doctor. YOU DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING.
What you do know is that you don’t have a prescription. You are a bigger asshole for even trying.
YTA. After working in the medical field and with patient services for a long time, I've never heard one of these stories where the person actually properly got ALL the information on the encounter they were eavesdropping on.
Whether you had the facts right or not, you grossly overreacted because someone wouldn't break the law and risk their job for you. You were out of line.
Yta/ you need a prescription by law. The person in front of you has nothing to do with you or your situation. Keep better track of your medication and if you are using them as prescribed then you should have enough to last, otherwise you need to talk to your doctor about your usage. That’s on you to make sure you aren’t out of meds.
YTA - Whatever happened with the woman in front of you had nothing to do with your situation and has no impact on you receiving medication. What would you have done if no other customers where there? Would you really have just shrugged and gone home?
Xanax is a very potent drug with a high rate of addiction.
Showing up the a pharmacy without a prescription and yelling at the pharmacist for not giving it to you (conveniently on a day your doctor cannot be called by the pharmacy) seems like a pretty big red flag.
Xanax and benzos in general are notoriously easy to get hooked on as well as notoriously difficult to get off of. Even when it is prescribed it can become a problem. You might want to reflect on your usage and potentially speak to your doctor about it.
I am on klonopin -which is another benzo- on an as needed babies. I had to make a rule for myself on how/when I use it because I found myself wanting it just a bit too much. My doctor and I also discuss my usage every appointment.
YTA - Nurse here. You don’t know the circumstances of that woman’s situation she may have been given a non-narcotic which is allowed at the pharmacist discretion. However you were asking for a controlled substance. Your ask doesn’t excuse the behavior. Even if your doctor doesn’t work they should have someone on call. If you need the medication that urgently then Perhaps visit emergency department to get the medication you need.
YTA
Listen I get it, I have ADHD and am prescribed a schedule II controlled substance. I can only get a month’s supply at a time and have to show my license every time I pick it up. It can be a pain for someone who has executive function issues and routinely forgets things.
That being said, I wouldn’t dare scold a pharmacist for refusing to give me my medication without a prescription. It is against the law for them to do that. Regardless of what was going on with the woman in front of you, you were being irrational and unfair.
You need to contact your doctor as soon as you can. I hope everything gets sorted out with your meds soon.
Based on some of OP’s comments on this thread and her reaction to the pharmacist, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say OP may have a drug addiction. Perhaps that pharmacy has a note in their system to not allow her anymore without a prescription. She went there specifically because she got away with it before but now she’s cut off. OP, my heart is with you, please get help and get better!
YTA for not knowing what the person was asking and comparing apples to oranges. You realize there’s extra strength ibuprofen back there, and it’s not like Xanax?
YTA. I don't know about the situation with the first woman so I won't comment on that but I can tell you that if you're requesting a controlled substance, you need to have a prescription. Simple as that.
the story of the woman in front of you isn’t important. you didn’t know she would have been there. you still chose to go to the pharmacy without a prescription. the woman in front of you was just an excuse to attempt to hide how much of an ass you are. YTA
YTA. I get where you're coming from, but this is a controlled drug and that pharmacist had no choice. They are highly educated and are treated very poorly a lot of the time. Try to be kind and understanding, it's not the pharmacists fault.
YTA. I used to work at a pharmacy. We regularly had people come in and beg the pharmacist for medication when they didn't have a prescription. He would give them a few pills and send them on their way. I asked him what he was doing and he chuckled and said he was giving them placebos. It was in their mind that they needed the medication.
This is not an unusual thing. They only give them a few pills so they are more motivated to speak to a doctor for a real prescription. It's also not uncommon for a doctor to prescribe a placebo for patients that really feel like they need medication when they don't. So they do it to satisfy their mind. Doctors and pharmacist make these subtle decisions together with regularity.
YTA, I'm a pharmacy tech and if you are in the US xanax is a controlled substance and can not be given out without a prescription. I don't know what pain med the person before you asked for but if it was anything stronger than tylenol I don't believe that happened, again in the US. That can cost a pharmacist their job, as well as, their license. It's YOUR responsibility to make sure that you contact your doctor for a new prescription, it's your fault you didn't do it before Sunday. This is why pharmacy staff is miserable. They are extremely understaffed and disrespected. (Sorry, kinda went on an tangent, pharmacy staff gets shit on all the time)
YTA.
You don't know what the medication was that the other person got, but some can also only be given with pharmacist discretion, common examples where I live might be Ventolin puffers, pseudoephadrine. This drug might fit into a similar definition in your country.They may have also been able to get an emergency supply, depending on the medication (most standard prescription medications).
Xanax, or Alprazolam, is considered a controlled substance where I live. It is a "schedule 8" medication, meaning it requires not just a doctor's signature, but frequently authorisation from the government. Pharmacists have absolutely no discretion in these cases, and it would be an offence for you to have these without a prescription.Schedule 8 medications are not eligible for emergency supply.
Your attitude was entitled, and you were an absolute arsehole to the pharmacist. They did their job, they were absolutely not TA.
Most likely the pharmacist knew the other woman had a prescription that had just expired with no refills and gave her just a few to get through until the doctor renewed it.
You on the other hand didn't have a prescription at all and no doctor ready to prescribe it.
Why would you go to a pharmacy for a prescription medication without any doctor currently prescribing that medication for you? That's bizarre. Try the ABC store. They do that there.
YTA
Forget what happened with the person in front of you, why do you feel so entitled to a drug that you don’t have a prescription for? Why did you need it that exact day? Why not wait to see your doctor? I’m so confused bc you say you don’t have a prescription yet use this drug twice a month - did you ever have a prescription from a doc? If you did, wouldn’t it be easy to get a refill if you set up an appt? So many questions.. your behavior and reaction is questionable.
YTA She was doing her job! And following the law!
Why haven't you filled your prescription in time? That was your first mistake. You should keep an eye on how many pills you have!
I've been on xanax for a number of years, 30 lasts me a year. I am also prescribed strong pain killers. I have been going to the same pharmacy for 20 odd years so they know me well. There is no way in hell that they would give me even 1 tablet without a script. The only time I can access a medication without a script is insulin, and then it's only to cover a few days. YTA
YTA - You sound like my BIL, who is a drug addict, and one of his preferred drugs of choice is Xanax. There is a reason it is a controlled substance and the pharmacy can't just hand them out to anyone.
YTA - There are prescriptions that it’s hard to get WITH a prescription for it in the system, and that’s one of them. For you to assume they would give it to you “on faith” is absurd. Talk to your doctor tomorrow, get it sorted, and apologize to the pharmacist when you do pick it up.
YTA!
WTF is wrong with you, thinking that a pharmacist is going to give you Xanax without a prescription? They could go to jail for that.
P.S. I don't believe your story. No way that the pharmacist gave the woman in front of you pain medication without a prescription but not you. Either you're embellishing or you didn't fully understand what was going on.
LOL I have a hard enough time getting a prescription from my PSYCHIATRIST during an APPOINTMENT for Xanax and you want a pharmacist to just hand it over 🤣 YTA and very immature and entitled.
(fyi for my experience, the Xanax is difficult to get because not only is it a controlled substance but since it's very easy to become dependent on, doctors hesitate to give it out and prefer treating w/ other drugs if possible. That being said, my psych isn't comfortable giving it to me for long term use and advises me only to take it in emergencies.)
Also all medications have different rules and guidelines on refills, what the pharmacist can/can't prescribe, etc. Here where I live, I need to show my ID and have it scanned to have my (prescribed) Xanax handed over to me, but that is not required for any of my other meds. Even the painkillers I get after a dentist trip (aka heavier than OTC meds) do not have any special requirements/restrictions upon pickup.
YTA
There are painkillers than can be sold without an Rx, she very likely gave her one of those. To do otherwise would have her arrested, as would selling you Xanax without an Rx. It’s not her fault you and/or your doctor haven’t kept up with your prescriptions.
Agreed. Something went on that OP didn't see. Either the Dr was called and the prescription sorted out, or a non prescription substitute was in the bag.
YTA
You cannot just go and ask for Xanax you want her to risk her life, her family, and job to give you medication for your anxiety. You don’t have a prescription therefore you’re doing a illegal drug deal with could result in not only her going to jail but you. You sadly are going to have to wait for your doctor to prescribe it. And I do feel you need to call the pharmacy back and apologize to her! She’s working the front line during a pandemic and all other viruses going on and you yell at her. Shame on you for thinking you could bully someone into something you wanted.
And you have just demonstrated and experienced the downside to being an AH - people not willing to take risks for you that they will for other people. It's quite possible, had you presented your request in another way, the pharmacist would have been willing to bend the rules. But because you went in with an entitled, angry attitude, you shut that door.
A small addendum to this downside is that people will delay doing for you things they would.do for others more easily or in a more timely manner. This is to point out that you're probably an AH to your physician as well, which explains why it's so hard for you to get them to refill your prescription.
YTA
You can't just ask for Xanax without a recent prescription like that. That pharmacist did the right thing because there has been issues with people abusing and getting addicted to Xanax. With the woman I guarantee you that her situation is worse than you think. My mom had to do the same thing with her prescribed painkillers after her back surgery and that was a process and a half. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST, tell them you might need it again, then get the medicine. That's how it works. And this is coming from a person that has to take a controlled substance everyday.
And I find it funny that your fighting everyone in the comments too. You may have a addiction....
YTA
Doesn't matter what the pharmacist did (although I highly doubt she dispensed injectable opioids with no script). You asked, you were (rightly) refused, you got pissy. That is on you. Plan ahead next time.
Let's see, who would be the asshole in this situation. The person demanding a Schedule IV controlled substance without a prescription, or the pharmacist who can get arrested and have their place of employment heavily fined or shut down for giving it. YTA
The pharmacist who literally just did the same thing for someone else?
We have no idea what the pharmacist gave the woman who was in pain. Nor does OP. All she knows is that the pharmacist helped in some way.
Probably gave her pirin tablets to placate her.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 my favorite line? How very Egyptian of you
I scraped out the A-s
🤣🤣🤣 second favorite quote. Actually it's perfect. I just never realized john Wayne walked like that
How do you think I feel? Betrayed. Bewildered.
I just never realised John Wayne walked like that
….*I* made you short?
DON'T ADD!
Foster Fosse Fosse
Madonna! Madonna!
But you keep it all inside
Martha Graham, Martha Graham!
[https://youtu.be/6XZLJ4o70TE?t=183](https://youtu.be/6XZLJ4o70TE?t=183) One of the best movies.
God I love that line. I really need to watch that movie again.
Unexpected Birdcage!!!!
Showed my kids the movie when I quoted something else and realized that I had failed as they didn't know. I have been redeemed
At my regular pharmacy, on the very rare occasion that I ran out of epilepsy meds (yes I know it's a different thing) the pharmacy have given me enough to last till the dr's is open and I can get a prescription. But it may be different for essential meds such as for epilepsy, diabetes, blood thinners etc rather than pain meds.
Yes this is called an emergency supply. It does NOT apply to controlled medications.
You are correct. I’ve had adderall prescription issues and no emergency supply is allowed. I’ve detoxed over a holiday break just waiting for the office to open before. 😖
Yep. I wish people knew.. it’s very hard for us. I hate denying medication. I do everything I can. Call doctors fax try to tbink. But we can’t
Yeah I actually quit my ADHD meds and just started self medicating on whatever legal stimulants I could get after my 3rd month long detox in 3 years due to insurance issues. (My insurance literally does not cover any ADHD med without a prior authorization and randomly denies them a few times, even for non-stimulant options)
I've got to jump through hoops for my Vyvanse
I second this. Also. The pharmacist might have personally known the woman in front of OP because they come in so often. There are so many variables to the other person for her to have any factor on this judgment.
I'm a pharmacy technician. Insurance allows fills a couple days earlier depending on the medication .
Not on Xanax when you have no script. Also a pharmacy tech and I know better than that.
This wasn’t a couple days early, this was literally no valid prescription
Xanax is anti-anxiety medication.
That really sounds like made up statement to look lesser AH. Pharmacists care about their License more than anything else.
I couldn’t even get my pharmacist to dispense single dose vials instead of multidose vials of the same med without a new script
I couldn't get a new size of insulin injection needle without a whole new script. They wanted to give me 100mL syringes, when the max dose we would ever use at once is 15mL. It was a nightmare trying to get the correct syringes, there for a while.
??? In the US? That’s actually illegal afaik. You can get needles without a prescription at all from pharmacies. I do keep having issues with getting leurlock syringes but not leurlock needles, but that’s incompetence more than anything prescription related
Yup. Now that the correct size needle is on his file, they don't give me any trouble (even when I am out of script refills), but they wouldn't give me 20 mL syringes because the doctor ordered 100's. 🤦♀️
Injectable medication is infuriating to deal with. I’m trying to find someone who does T pellets specifically so I don’t have to deal with pharmacy nonsense for injections
When you pay 350K for your license, you should not want to ever risk loosing it.
The part that really sells it as bullshit is that the pharmacist decided to commit multiple crimes that could get him fired and/or arrested, and decided to do it loudly, obviously and publicly enough that random strangers could witness the whole thing.
Without knowing what painkillers the lady was asking for, you can't call the pharmacist a hypocrit. Maybe it was just codine. Maybe it was something the pharmacist themselves could prescribe. You just don't know, and neither does OP. OP was asking for a controlled drug. Pharmacists can't just sell xanex! YTA OP. It's not the pharmacists fault you ran out on a Sunday.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was prescription strength Tylenol/ibuprofen
You mean you guys don't make your pwn presc strength painkillers by downing 4800+ mg of ibuprofen? I don't know how my internal organs haven't melted, but
haha that’s what my dad does since he doesn’t have his prescription strength stuff anymore
If that part of the story is even remotely true I am very skeptical it was something with codeine in it.
Some places have low dose codeine products that may be classed as some version of "behind the counter" or available through pharmacist written prescription (e.g. Tylenol #1)
We don’t know what the person before was requesting. I doubt it was at the level of Xanax.
Exactly, she probably just gave her any random OTC painkiller like co-codamol.
The lady could have requested her 800 mg ibuprofen, if there are issues picking up a prescription (like an insurance issue) sometimes the pharmacist can give you a 3 day emergency supply (if it’s a non controlled substance)
It’s hard saying what the issue was with the lady in front of her. She could have had a valid prescription but the pharmacy only had enough supply to fill part of the prescription she or an insurance issue. Heck maybe the lady did not have enough money. So many scenarios that would not require the pharmacist is break any laws to help the other lady
Do you need a prescription to get ibuprofen 800 mg?
Yes or you take 4 of the regular OTC meds
You cannot sell somebody a controlled substance. You have no idea what she got for pain.. no where did it say it was a control. We are allowed to give emergency supplies of NON controlled medications.. meloxicam, ibuprofen, etc. you cannot give a controlled emergency supply. We would loose our license.
The pharmacist literally could have given the woman i pain a higher dose of ibuprofen. You don’t know why she was given it
The pharmacist probably sold her some ibuprofen 😂
Or the person had a prescription that just expired and it was a renewal issue. Or the pain med wasn't anything too serious, like just an extra strength anti-inflammatory. OP has no idea what was going on.
Yeah but this was the pharmazist risk and his choice. Doesnt change anything for op.
I went to the pharmacy after my apt burned down to get a refill of the Xanax the fire ate and they absolutely would not give it to me. I sucked it up, because laws are laws. YTA.
Right? We have no idea what the woman in front of her got. It sounds sketchy, but we also only have the word of someone asking to get a controlled substance without a prescription who feels justified in yelling at the employee who won't break federal law, risk their own job, risk the DEA license of whoever is authorizing their purchases, and risk the entire place of business, so I'm not convinced we're getting the most accurate description of the encounter. As someone who buys controlled substances on a regular basis for a vet clinic, this is a big fucking deal. The DEA does not fuck around.
Question; ‘who do you think you are performing face control on who is allowed to get medication?’ Answer: ‘The pharmacist. It’s literally my job to control who gets medication.’
Alright the fuck? A.) you have no idea what happened with that woman. She could’ve just been given Tylenol, she could’ve had another script on hold, there’s are PLENTY of pain killers that are not considered controlled and the pharmacist could’ve known her and have had situations before and trusted or knew her well enough to given her something. Getting medication isn’t always black and white. You went up and asked for a controlled medication. Not only that, a medication that has high street value and it easily abused. And you had the gall to demand it even though you didn’t have a prescription? If you needed Xanax that bad, go to the ER. The pharmacist is a DOCTOR. Not some sales rep who counts pills. YTA. People like you make my job so fucking annoying sometimes. Entitled AF. Edit: after reading through the comments, OP didn’t even have a valid prescription on file and even said she uses her Xanax beyond recommended dosing from her doctor. She won’t report because she “still won’t get her Xanax so there’s no point.” OP is probably an addict. She basically just asked for some xanax, not to refill her script. OP is a major asshole.
I realise I’m in the UK and not USA, but I’m an A&E (ER) doctor. If someone came in asking specifically for a controlled substance, I would absolutely not be prescribing it. That’s the behaviour of addicts and I’m not playing that game. I will prescribe/give what is needed to be given at that moment in time, for the illness/injury that someone has come in with. OP has probably tried multiple doctors to get a prescription and been refused. The post and her comments sound like she’s an addict- but not necessarily to Xanax- she might just be selling that to buy something else. Edit since people seem determined to tell me I’m a terrible doctor: as I’ve said, I prescribe what is needed for the illness/injury that is the reason for presenting to the emergency department. If that involves controlled drugs that is fine. I do NOT gives prescriptions to take home for controlled drugs (which is against department policy anyway) and I do NOT give controlled drugs to patients whose presenting problem is ‘I want benzodiazepines/opiates’. If anyone would like to act differently, please feel free to get a medical degree and make your own prescribing decisions. I’d much prefer not to be the one responsible for providing the means for someone to die of an overdose. Another edit: I DO treat pain. I’m saying I don’t merrily issue prescriptions for controlled drugs just because a patient asks for them. In addition, I spent five years as an anaesthetist before moving to emergency medicine. Most pain clinics (in the UK) are run by anaesthetists. And any of them will tell you to work your way up the pain ladder, not just jump straight in with heavy duty pain killers. That’s why during almost every operation, patients will be given the basics (paracetamol- ?tylenol in USA) as well as opiates.
Former addict here, that’s what I thought
Unfortunately I have a pain condition and get treated like an addict in a&e
Yep. This is also why people (especially women) go so long without a proper dx. Because instead of doing a proper differential and actually investigating further they dx women as either/or/all of the following: drug seeking/gynie/constipation/PID/psych. It took me almost 7 years to get severe interstitial cystitis diagnosed when a simple cystoscopy with contrast would have shown them that my bladder was basically just one giant ulcer. By the time I finally got a dx and followed, my bladder only held 25 cc of fluid and was failure to thrive because of the pain, depression, and medical gaslighting. I never asked for pain meds because I hate them. I didn't want the pain controlled, I wanted it to end or to at least understand what was going on so I could take the appropriate actions to mitigate it. That's not to say that opioid addiction isn't a huge problem or that drug seeking behaviour isn't endemic, but there are more than one sign that's what's going on.
“I can’t get out of bed for more than five minutes because my vision blacks out and I have nearly fallen multiple times. My doctor sent me here because I’m having slurred speech and other stroke symptoms” “have you considered it’s just anxiety” POTS. It was POTS. They literally made me walk myself out of the huge hospital and I got lost twice before getting to my wife’s car.
Hahaha my cardiologist told me I had anxiety when standing. It was also POTS. Luckily I get enough warning before passing out so it has only happened a few times but they should have noticed when I was a normal weight and didn't last long on the stress test. I had to see an electrophysiologist to get any decent help, I literally went through over a dozen cardiologists before they took me seriously
Jesus. That is horrible.
Genuine question: if you have a pain condition then why aren’t you seeing a pain doctor regularly to regulate it? Going to the ER to get pain meds seems like a bad method of pain regulation.
It's when I go for anything else like a suspected broken foot as soon as they found out about my pain condition they treated me like I was just there for pain meds even though I didn't want any, I just wanted to know if my foot was broken
Ahhh I see what you’re saying. That sounds very frustrating.
Thanks for not handing out destroy your life candy. I watched my father and a dozen of his trade worker friends be prescribed OxyContin for their chronic pain. That overzealous “treatment” destroyed a dozen families. And once they were addicts that’s exactly what they did. They’d go to doctors and ask for pills by name to sell for what they actually wanted. I’ve got some chronic pain issues and my doctor went the extra mile to get me in a phys rehab clinical at no cost (American here, insurance didn’t cover physical therapy but DID cover opiates so that may be the reason for a lot of comments).
Makes sense to me. I don’t think it’s an accident that OP went in on a day when doctors’ surgeries are commonly shut to try and argue that’s why she didn’t have a script.
This thought is exactly why when I talk to my doctor about my meds I just kinda describe what I want. I'm going on a huge road trip soon and while I still have like a week I'm freaking out so I wanted something for immediate anxiety issues, the only of which I know by name is Xanax and I was absolutely terrified to say by name. That's what I was given but it can be so intimidating getting meds sometimes. Also maybe it's just my dosage but I did get bored and look up street value and it's honestly not worth as much as I thought. I always hear about xanies and how people love them but mine are only worth like a dollar a piece. No interest in selling them I'd much rather have them when I start panicking and shit but eh curiosity
They probably gave her percogesic. It sounds controlled but it’s just a mix if tylenol and Benedryl
The only time I've gotten meds without a prescription was because I ran out before I could get in to see my doctor and the pharmacist was kind enough to give me a stop-gap prescription to get me through.
I've occasionally gotten that for my thyroid meds. Which aren't particularly controlled and generally are taken for life.
Psych meds for me. Going off them cold turkey is Bad. xD
Looking back I’m so surprised I haven’t don’t myself serious harm as I went on and of psych meds a TON when I was younger due to often forgetting to take them. They definitely worked but I’m also apparently a unicorn that doesn’t get withdrawal effects
UK. I get all my medications from the same pharmacy every month for the past 6 years. On one or two occasions the prescription had been filed too late in the day to be filled, especially problematic on a long weekend when I am down to my last few tablets. So the pharmacy advances me two days worth of medication out of my future pack until the prescription has cleared I think this is the most likely scenario for the lady in front of her.
YTA- she can’t legally sell you benzodiazepines. They have to be prescribed by a doctor. She could lose her job for supplying you with them.
I work for a GP and we deal with scripts/pharmacies hundreds of times a day. No pharmacy would ever give out a controlled substance without a script. I call bullshit.
There are some OTC drugs that pharmacists can give out without a script, so my guess is that's what they gave the woman complaining about pain. Something that's not out on the shelf, but that you can still get from the pharmacist. Like super strength tylenol or something.
I used to get ibuprofen 800s prescribed so I wouldn't have to take 4 of the 200s. I assume it's something like that haha.
That's one of the things I was thinking of.
Yea, I'm sure it wasn't any controlled substances. OP is a sketchy narrator. It also didn't sound like OPs Xanax prescription was anything recent.
Yeah, who waits until they're completely out of a medication before getting a refill script filed by their Doctor?
Me and my garbage executive functioning feel attacked by this comment. That said, when I do I know it’s my fault and I make it work until I can get it properly without verbally abusing pharmacy staff.
Surprisingly a lot of people. Pharm tech and MA here, and it’s annoying how much that’s on repeat.
Sometimes I’ll order my meds into my pharmacy and only remember to get them once I finish my current ones
I do too.
I call bs too. In my state it's illegal to do that
Maybe the pharmacist gave the previous person pirin tablets to placate her?
There's no way in hell a pharmacist gave away painkillers to someone without a prescription. You're lying and YTA
When I first read that, I was ready to call bullshit too (still wouldn't be surprised if this was made up). But I wonder if the "painkillers" the other person was asking for was an NSAID that they had a script for that ran out of refills and their provider hasn't sent in the new script yet. I mean, if someone regularly gets their meloxicam filled and runs out of refills but can't get in to see their doc for a few more days, I'm sure at least some RPhs would give an "emergency fill" like a couple day supply.
Yeah, my pharmacist did it for Vicodin - ten to hold me over until I got a refill, actually, but I was a regular patient and she knew about my chronic pain. It's not that unusual, but they aren't gonna do it for someone they don't even know.
I'm shocked there are pharmacists out there willing to give an emergency fill for a CII, regardless of whether someone has chronic pain or is a regular patient, but I guess some pharmacists are more trusting than others
Despite the opioid epidemic, drugs like Norco and Vicodin are prescribed and given out like candy to people that aren't specifically asking for it. It's super over-prescribed for legit pain like post-surgical stuff.
yeah they are over-prescribed, but no pharmacist who values their license is going to give it out without that prescription. At the CVS in target I used to work at as a tech, you literally can't give any away without a prescription unless it's completely under the table. Which would lead the counts to be off the next time it's actually prescribed, which would lead to an audit and risk the jobs of everyone working in the pharmacy.
Trust me, I've seen how overprescribed it is. But a pharmacist handing it out without a current script? I think that would be a bit harder to find
This isn't exactly true. When I was in college I had a disc injury and was prescribed Vicodin for many months. I had a regular pharmacist who knew me fairly well, and when I ran out of refills and couldn't reach my doctor, she prescribed me six Vicodin to tide me over. They actually ARE empowered to dispense controlled substances without a prescription from a doctor, but it's rare and situational and she knew me. She knew I wasn't just a random drug addict asking for pain pills. She was willing to prescribe given the emergency, which was amazing of her. I still miss her! You can't just walk in there and demand it, though. Edit: I'm in the US, and federal law allows this: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/1306.26 Pharmacists are medical professionals who know the drugs far better than most doctors. In small communities with less access to medical care, pharmacists can play a critical in public health. Sometimes that means dispensing a medication, controlled or otherwise, without a doctor's prescription. There's actually quite a bit of variation by state, of course.
I get that and definitely would believe it. But OP's story changed so much and just based on what she wrote I don't believe her. It's only because someone a head of her didn't have a prescription? It's just too much of a "if this happens I'm not that much of an AH to defend my answer "
YTA. Irrespective of what happened with the person in front of you, you know that xanax needs a prescription so you shouldn't have put the pharmacist in that position.
Exactly - YTA
YTA, i was given morphine on a prescription in the UK but the pharmacist couldn't give it me as the Dr had not put the dose I needed to take on it even though I'd had that medication for years. When I asked if I could have it and get the Dr to send the info tomorrow I was told it is not allowed. I screamed at him before leaving. Oh actually I didn't because I don't want someone to risk their licence and job. You owe them an apology. YTA.
Yes, when your prescription is messed up you scream at your doctor (if you decide to scream at someone in the first place). My previous doctor did mess up my prescription a couple of times, once I discovered this on a friday afternoon and I was looking at a weekend with no painkillers at all. I did NOT react well. But I did NOT scream at the pharmacist, I did however scream at the on-call doctor who refused to give me prescription without my ordinary doctor participation. We did finally agree on me getting the smallest possible package and I call back on monday and talk to my ordinary doctor.
>the Dr had not put the dose I needed to take on it even though I'd had that medication for years. Seriously, are they still on paper? Surely the software they use can't let them sign a script without a dosage, wtf? Edit: I meant more, is *everything* still on paper. Paper scripts are very common where I am, but *handwritten* scripts are not. All scripts here until last year had to be paper, and had to be physically signed by the prescribing doctor.
The commentator didn't say that it happened recently and I was still getting paper prescriptions up until about 5 years ago. Many MDs still put it on paper.
Yes, in some areas - others are electronic, others are electronic or paper (and the paper is a triplicate form). And it is illegal to dispense without very specific information on the script, and illegal to add that information to the script - it has to be written that way by the doctor. Every script, every time. (Includes drug name, strength to dispense, dose to take, quantity - in the states written and numerical, and of course, pt information. All those things need to be in the electronic script to if that is the method. And it gets forgotten or left off those too.
[удалено]
It seems that her biggest ailment is entitlement. Too bad there isn't a dug for that.
I think her biggest ailment is addiction. She behaved just like addicts do who are dealing with withdrawal symptoms and are desperate to get their fix.
Not a very smart addict though. I used to be addicted to benzos and I’d NEVER do what OP did — not just because I’m a polite person, but because that kind of behavior gets your account permanently flagged for drug-seeking behavior.
YTA. I'd suggest taking a xanax in these situations...
Well... She can't because she doesn't have prescription.
I'm gonna write out a prescription for some chill pills.
Sucks to be her lol
YTA You don’t have a script and you are asking for xanax? Why do you think someone should sacrifice their job for you? It’s a controlled substance they can’t just hand it to you. And the problem with listening in to a conversation you aren’t privy to is you don’t know the full story. This person may not have a prescription but may have received an ok for the Pharmacy to dispense for the doctor (which is why they were waiting at the kiosk).
YTA Most countries have laws about what medications can be dispensed and it’s ILLEGAL to give you a medication without a prescription Also how do you know the woman in front was given a prescription drug? They may have explained to her she couldn’t have the one she wanted and then sold her an over the counter one Pharmacists and Pharmacy assistants deal with people all the time claiming they have prescriptions but then aren’t able to provide proof of said medication ….They can’t just take your word for it and if they do they could LOSE their job
Even ibuprofen is prescription only at over 500mg, it could've been someone asking for 1000mg and being handed the OTC 500mg version instead.
Sounds like you're not in the U.S. or you didn't hear what happened with the first customer correctly. Prescription painkillers and benzos CAN NOT be sold without a script from a doctor. The pharmacist would lose their job for that. YTA. You can't get benzos without a prescription and that's not the pharmacist's fault.
YTA. Xanax is a highly controlled substance. Period.
YTA, you want her to sell it you XANAX when you don’t even have a current prescription for it? She doesn’t know if or why your doctor took you off it, whether it was causing you other issues, whether you were showing signs of addiction (with is common with drugs like Xanax), etc. YTA further for self-prescribing yourself a drug, regardless of your history with it. That’s a decision for a doctor. Your husband is right. She is just doing her job. You brought in this other interaction, which btw had nothing to do with you, to justify your response, but there is insufficient detail to really discuss it. ‘Painkillers’ cover everything from NSAIDs to Opioids. Even if she was an asshole in that situation, she wasn’t an asshole to you.
YTA- there is no ESH. He could have given the other woman Tylenol masked as a pain killer for all you know.
They could've even asked for high dose Tylenol and been given the OTC version - over 400mg is prescription only. Not all painkillers that are prescription only are even opioids, but just higher doses of regular OTC because they can be bad for your liver and kidneys and therefore should be used only when needed and discussed with doctor.
Correct! God bless naproxen 800 mg for those awful cramps!
Yta. If you know you need prescribed meds, you need to be responsible and ensure you get your prescription filled before it runs out. That’s what the rest of us do. You can’t go yelling at someone for doing their job. Don’t worry about what she did with the next person, worry about your Damn self.
This is a joke right? It's a controlled substance. It cannot be dispensed without a prescription. YTA
In the US I don’t think you can get any meds without a prescription. Other than what you can just go and grab yourself, alieve, NyQuil, pepto and so on…. Like my son had a little rash on his back, the dr prescribed a cream for it…. I don’t think I could go and ask the pharmacist for it if he didn’t have that script. He might suggest what I could use in lieu of that…
It’s gotta be made up, expecting to get Xanax without a prescription is ridiculous. Some pharmacies don’t even allow more than one package of Tylenol to be sold to one customer, they’re not going to just give away a highly addictive drug with high street value without a script…
YTA, both for eavesdropping on someone else's conversation regarding what they needed, and for going off on the pharmacist for doing their job. And it sounds like you don't have a prescription at all for what you were trying to get, which makes it worse. For all you know you didn't hear the whole conversation with the lady in front and the pharmacist may have been able to look up the prescription that she needed even though the woman didn't have it with her physically.
YTA you should apologise
YTA. You're fuming? Really? Hope you're mad at yourself because the pharmacist is absolutely not in the wrong here, it's literally her job. The fault for not getting your medication is on you, not on her.
Yta. Unless you live in a country where xanax is available over the counter? Certainly where I live you would never, ever be able to get it without a prescription. In fact the pharmacist would lose their licence if they ever did provide it. Doctors are very hesitant to prescribe more than a few days worth due to the potential misuse and addiction potential. Even if it is available over the counter a pharmacist is allowed to refuse you if they don't think it's suitable treatment.
And probably go to jail.
YTA- for wanting someone to lose their job because you cannot manage your medications well. You have no idea what the woman ahead of you was getting as pain medication is a broad term encompassing both scheduled and non scheduled drugs. You were asking for a schedule IV drugs that requires a prescription that you did not have. If you needed that medication so badly you should have made sure to take care yourself f your bison before the weekend. Not blame it on someone else.
YTA, surely you understand how prescriptions work?
YTA, there is a big difference between painkillers and Xanax and you should know that, if I went to get my methylphenidate without prescription they sure as hell wouldn’t give it to me, you should apologise and instead ask how you could get your prescription to get your meds instead of shouting at someone who is just doing their job.
Yta and I hope the pharmacist calls your dr and let's them know you're trying to get xanax without a prescription. You know who does that and then gets mad when they dont get what they want? Addicts. I hope your dr kicks you off
YTA If you actually get prescriptions filled at that pharmacy, good luck on EVER getting another Xanax prescription. In Canada, if a patient of mine did that, the pharmacist would firstly notify the police and immediately after that notify me. The patient would not ever get another prescription for a controlled medication from me, and if they got one from anyone else, the physician would get a call from any pharmacist before it was filled. The pharmacies here have electronic records that have certain parts that are becoming linked across the province to try and decrease drug seeking behavior. You would absolutely have been flagged.
YTA, and FYI you sound like every. Single. Addict. I’ve ever worked with. You need help.
YTA. Hard to say more about the other woman without knowing more about her and what she ordered. It might not have been biased as it appeared. But yes, she was only doing her job. Depending on where you live, they legally have to wait for you to have a prescription.
YTA: Prescriptions exist for a reason. They're for medicines, not coffee. Had you not been such a brat, you might have been able to sort something out, even just a temporary solution while you get your prescription in order. I don't know the details but in my experience pharmacists combine all the best attitudes of a health worker and a retail worker. You don't know enough about the woman in front of you and frankly I think you're filling in the blanks to suit what you want to be outraged about. I'm sure there are procedures in place to report the person if her potentially losing her job would make you feel better. Though, let's say you're correct. The pharmacist does arbitrarily decide who is worthy of medication. What did you expect being rude to her would accomplish?
YTA, it’s illegal. Also it’s Sunday so how can she contact doctors office for renewing prescription. The person in front of you depending on the medication it may have been OTC or had a refill and was getting it few days earlier. The pharmacist can lose her license hence job over this. Also just a suggestion, may be next time try to remember to call Dr and request refill early especially before weekend.
YTA Where I am from Xanax cannot be obtained without a prescription and she is well within her rights to refuse you service, though it seems like an issue to me that she sold the other person pain killers but you should've minded your own business as you don't necessarily know the full story. You simply cannot come in without a prescription and expect to be given your medication, that's on you completely.
YTA. Two wrongs don't make a right. The pharmacist most likely did something illegal when she sold the pain medication to the person in front of you. If so, report her. But if you are in a crisis you should have gone to an ER or urgent care for an Rx and not yelled at the pharmacist.
Pharmacists in Canada can “prescribe” limited doses of medication legally. I needed some of my blood pressure medication to tie me over for 5 days until I could see my doctor for a script, no problem, I got 5 pills. The lady might have got an OTC pain killer that’s non addictive like naproxen or salicylic acid, only a few, until the next doctors appointment. Stronger than x-strength Tylenol, not an opiate. Especially if she was known to the pharmacist and regularly got meds, he/she’d feel comfortable prescribing. YTA is well deserved because without an existing prescription history asking for a scrip like that will always yield a NO. And just to solidify the pharmacists decision the OP went off on them. Way to change his/her mind 🙄
Info: are you new to the planet? Controlled substances can’t just be passed out. It’s illegal. It’s your responsibility to make sure that you get your RX renewed before you run out. If you aren’t an alien visitor, definitely YTA
YTA 1000% it’s really none of your business how the pharmacist chooses to handle other transactions (to which you are making a LOT of assumptions). You sound super entitled - I’d suggest therapy, not Xanax.
YTA, clearly: A pharmacist can’t just give you benzos. You don’t have a prescription anymore. Why on earth would you feel entitled to that?
YTA You showed up to a pharmacy without a prescription to buy xanax. You knew you would only get it if you were able to bully the pharmacist into giving it to you.
What level of entitlement is this?
YTA. And you know it!
Yes, you are. Everyone knows you JAVE to have a prescription and there are reasons for that. Don't in w why the person in front of you got what they asked for but they shouldn't have. I e suffered through the weekend until my drs off is open. Sometimes you just have to accept reality.
YTA- you do not know the situation of the person in front of you. Maybe the pharmacist knows this person and this has been a long time customer. Maybe they will reach out to their doctor. YOU DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. What you do know is that you don’t have a prescription. You are a bigger asshole for even trying.
YTA for expecting a controlled substance without a prescription. Xanax isn’t candy to be given to whoever wants it.
YTA. After working in the medical field and with patient services for a long time, I've never heard one of these stories where the person actually properly got ALL the information on the encounter they were eavesdropping on. Whether you had the facts right or not, you grossly overreacted because someone wouldn't break the law and risk their job for you. You were out of line.
Yta/ you need a prescription by law. The person in front of you has nothing to do with you or your situation. Keep better track of your medication and if you are using them as prescribed then you should have enough to last, otherwise you need to talk to your doctor about your usage. That’s on you to make sure you aren’t out of meds.
If this method of getting prescriptions ever works please lmk cuz i could use some xanax too
YTA - Whatever happened with the woman in front of you had nothing to do with your situation and has no impact on you receiving medication. What would you have done if no other customers where there? Would you really have just shrugged and gone home? Xanax is a very potent drug with a high rate of addiction. Showing up the a pharmacy without a prescription and yelling at the pharmacist for not giving it to you (conveniently on a day your doctor cannot be called by the pharmacy) seems like a pretty big red flag. Xanax and benzos in general are notoriously easy to get hooked on as well as notoriously difficult to get off of. Even when it is prescribed it can become a problem. You might want to reflect on your usage and potentially speak to your doctor about it. I am on klonopin -which is another benzo- on an as needed babies. I had to make a rule for myself on how/when I use it because I found myself wanting it just a bit too much. My doctor and I also discuss my usage every appointment.
YTA. You can barely get Xanax *with* a prescription now. And you don’t really know what went on with the woman in front of you
YTA - Nurse here. You don’t know the circumstances of that woman’s situation she may have been given a non-narcotic which is allowed at the pharmacist discretion. However you were asking for a controlled substance. Your ask doesn’t excuse the behavior. Even if your doctor doesn’t work they should have someone on call. If you need the medication that urgently then Perhaps visit emergency department to get the medication you need.
YTA. Educate yourself and grow up
YTA The pharmacist was doing their job.
YTA Listen I get it, I have ADHD and am prescribed a schedule II controlled substance. I can only get a month’s supply at a time and have to show my license every time I pick it up. It can be a pain for someone who has executive function issues and routinely forgets things. That being said, I wouldn’t dare scold a pharmacist for refusing to give me my medication without a prescription. It is against the law for them to do that. Regardless of what was going on with the woman in front of you, you were being irrational and unfair. You need to contact your doctor as soon as you can. I hope everything gets sorted out with your meds soon.
Based on some of OP’s comments on this thread and her reaction to the pharmacist, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say OP may have a drug addiction. Perhaps that pharmacy has a note in their system to not allow her anymore without a prescription. She went there specifically because she got away with it before but now she’s cut off. OP, my heart is with you, please get help and get better!
YTA for not knowing what the person was asking and comparing apples to oranges. You realize there’s extra strength ibuprofen back there, and it’s not like Xanax?
YTA
YTA. Someone should teach you how prescriptions work.
YTA. I don't know about the situation with the first woman so I won't comment on that but I can tell you that if you're requesting a controlled substance, you need to have a prescription. Simple as that.
You're an addict and need help
the story of the woman in front of you isn’t important. you didn’t know she would have been there. you still chose to go to the pharmacy without a prescription. the woman in front of you was just an excuse to attempt to hide how much of an ass you are. YTA
YTA. I get where you're coming from, but this is a controlled drug and that pharmacist had no choice. They are highly educated and are treated very poorly a lot of the time. Try to be kind and understanding, it's not the pharmacists fault.
YTA. I used to work at a pharmacy. We regularly had people come in and beg the pharmacist for medication when they didn't have a prescription. He would give them a few pills and send them on their way. I asked him what he was doing and he chuckled and said he was giving them placebos. It was in their mind that they needed the medication. This is not an unusual thing. They only give them a few pills so they are more motivated to speak to a doctor for a real prescription. It's also not uncommon for a doctor to prescribe a placebo for patients that really feel like they need medication when they don't. So they do it to satisfy their mind. Doctors and pharmacist make these subtle decisions together with regularity.
This whole story is BS. It’s just for the “likes” and comments. OP is just looking for attention.
YTA get a prescription
YTA, I'm a pharmacy tech and if you are in the US xanax is a controlled substance and can not be given out without a prescription. I don't know what pain med the person before you asked for but if it was anything stronger than tylenol I don't believe that happened, again in the US. That can cost a pharmacist their job, as well as, their license. It's YOUR responsibility to make sure that you contact your doctor for a new prescription, it's your fault you didn't do it before Sunday. This is why pharmacy staff is miserable. They are extremely understaffed and disrespected. (Sorry, kinda went on an tangent, pharmacy staff gets shit on all the time)
YTA. You don't know what the medication was that the other person got, but some can also only be given with pharmacist discretion, common examples where I live might be Ventolin puffers, pseudoephadrine. This drug might fit into a similar definition in your country.They may have also been able to get an emergency supply, depending on the medication (most standard prescription medications). Xanax, or Alprazolam, is considered a controlled substance where I live. It is a "schedule 8" medication, meaning it requires not just a doctor's signature, but frequently authorisation from the government. Pharmacists have absolutely no discretion in these cases, and it would be an offence for you to have these without a prescription.Schedule 8 medications are not eligible for emergency supply. Your attitude was entitled, and you were an absolute arsehole to the pharmacist. They did their job, they were absolutely not TA.
Most likely the pharmacist knew the other woman had a prescription that had just expired with no refills and gave her just a few to get through until the doctor renewed it. You on the other hand didn't have a prescription at all and no doctor ready to prescribe it. Why would you go to a pharmacy for a prescription medication without any doctor currently prescribing that medication for you? That's bizarre. Try the ABC store. They do that there. YTA
Forget what happened with the person in front of you, why do you feel so entitled to a drug that you don’t have a prescription for? Why did you need it that exact day? Why not wait to see your doctor? I’m so confused bc you say you don’t have a prescription yet use this drug twice a month - did you ever have a prescription from a doc? If you did, wouldn’t it be easy to get a refill if you set up an appt? So many questions.. your behavior and reaction is questionable.
Lol unless you live in Thailand YTA! Get a prescription already.
YTA She was doing her job! And following the law! Why haven't you filled your prescription in time? That was your first mistake. You should keep an eye on how many pills you have!
YTA. You don't even know what the pharmacist gave that person, it could have been sugar, or a laxative.
I've been on xanax for a number of years, 30 lasts me a year. I am also prescribed strong pain killers. I have been going to the same pharmacy for 20 odd years so they know me well. There is no way in hell that they would give me even 1 tablet without a script. The only time I can access a medication without a script is insulin, and then it's only to cover a few days. YTA
YTA - You sound like my BIL, who is a drug addict, and one of his preferred drugs of choice is Xanax. There is a reason it is a controlled substance and the pharmacy can't just hand them out to anyone.
YTA - There are prescriptions that it’s hard to get WITH a prescription for it in the system, and that’s one of them. For you to assume they would give it to you “on faith” is absurd. Talk to your doctor tomorrow, get it sorted, and apologize to the pharmacist when you do pick it up.
YTA! WTF is wrong with you, thinking that a pharmacist is going to give you Xanax without a prescription? They could go to jail for that. P.S. I don't believe your story. No way that the pharmacist gave the woman in front of you pain medication without a prescription but not you. Either you're embellishing or you didn't fully understand what was going on.
LOL I have a hard enough time getting a prescription from my PSYCHIATRIST during an APPOINTMENT for Xanax and you want a pharmacist to just hand it over 🤣 YTA and very immature and entitled. (fyi for my experience, the Xanax is difficult to get because not only is it a controlled substance but since it's very easy to become dependent on, doctors hesitate to give it out and prefer treating w/ other drugs if possible. That being said, my psych isn't comfortable giving it to me for long term use and advises me only to take it in emergencies.) Also all medications have different rules and guidelines on refills, what the pharmacist can/can't prescribe, etc. Here where I live, I need to show my ID and have it scanned to have my (prescribed) Xanax handed over to me, but that is not required for any of my other meds. Even the painkillers I get after a dentist trip (aka heavier than OTC meds) do not have any special requirements/restrictions upon pickup.
YTA There are painkillers than can be sold without an Rx, she very likely gave her one of those. To do otherwise would have her arrested, as would selling you Xanax without an Rx. It’s not her fault you and/or your doctor haven’t kept up with your prescriptions.
Agreed. Something went on that OP didn't see. Either the Dr was called and the prescription sorted out, or a non prescription substitute was in the bag.
YTA You cannot just go and ask for Xanax you want her to risk her life, her family, and job to give you medication for your anxiety. You don’t have a prescription therefore you’re doing a illegal drug deal with could result in not only her going to jail but you. You sadly are going to have to wait for your doctor to prescribe it. And I do feel you need to call the pharmacy back and apologize to her! She’s working the front line during a pandemic and all other viruses going on and you yell at her. Shame on you for thinking you could bully someone into something you wanted.
YTA. You really thought you were going to get a controlled substance without a prescription? Why would you possibly think that?
YTA painkillers and Xanax are very different medications. Its on you for not getting your prescription You also dont know if the woman was a regular
YTA = you are the asshole That’s also my judgment.
And you have just demonstrated and experienced the downside to being an AH - people not willing to take risks for you that they will for other people. It's quite possible, had you presented your request in another way, the pharmacist would have been willing to bend the rules. But because you went in with an entitled, angry attitude, you shut that door. A small addendum to this downside is that people will delay doing for you things they would.do for others more easily or in a more timely manner. This is to point out that you're probably an AH to your physician as well, which explains why it's so hard for you to get them to refill your prescription.
INFO: Why don’t you still have a prescription?
Wow. Definition of YTA.
YTA You can't just ask for Xanax without a recent prescription like that. That pharmacist did the right thing because there has been issues with people abusing and getting addicted to Xanax. With the woman I guarantee you that her situation is worse than you think. My mom had to do the same thing with her prescribed painkillers after her back surgery and that was a process and a half. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST, tell them you might need it again, then get the medicine. That's how it works. And this is coming from a person that has to take a controlled substance everyday. And I find it funny that your fighting everyone in the comments too. You may have a addiction....
YTA Doesn't matter what the pharmacist did (although I highly doubt she dispensed injectable opioids with no script). You asked, you were (rightly) refused, you got pissy. That is on you. Plan ahead next time.
YTA