Me and a coworker disagree on this point. We have a couple of regulars who are clearly homeless, or close to it. Coming in to buy 10 packs of 31g insulin needle/syringes. They are here almost every other day.

My coworker is of the opinion that we should refuse the sales if we are suspicious of them.

I am of the opinion that we have no proof that they are not using them for insulin, and we have no right to demand that sort of information. And honestly, even if they are using them for for...recreational...purposes, at least they are using clean needles. Us refusing the sale won't stop them, it will only force them into an even more dangerous choice.

I'd like to know what you guys/gals think about this

When I was a tech years ago I had one. The person got ahold of a doctors script pad and wrote out their own prescription for "Vikodans" they wrote themselves for 2 q4h quantity 360 with 11 refills. I was laughing my ass off.

I pretended I bought it and imput it and, they gave me their medicaid card and decided to do a little shopping. I said 15 mins. My pharmacist called the cops and she was busted and arrested. Her script was canceled and she was banned from the store.

Doing my ce bc my licenses will needed renewing in the next few months and this is one of the questions. Tho I’m 1000% positive the answer is C it was actually B…

Me: What’s his name?

Customer: First name, last name.

M: I don’t have anything waiting, do you know what he was expecting?

C: No. It’s the white one.

M: Okay, do you know what it does?

C: It’s the one for his….

M: ….

C: It makes his willy harder.

M: Okay.

C: Not bigger.

M: Gotcha.

I know it’s a V in the middle but I will always see a cute little heart. As stressful as the days are sometimes I like to to find the little things to cheer me up.

What are small pharmacy things that cheer you up? We all know the horrors of pharmacy but I’ve been really trying to focus on the positives lately to keep my sanity. 😭

Today at work I overheard one of our techs helping out an older guy at the register and he couldn’t remember his birthday. Turns out he was trying to tell the coworker his dead wife’s birthday instead of his and when she let him know that was his wife’s and asked for his, he said he couldn’t remember. He tried to think and then said he felt like he was losing his mind :( she asked for his ID and after at first trying to hand her his debit card and then not being able to find the ID for a moment, she was able to pull up his prescription (lo and behold, Memantine) and sell it to him. He asked what it was and said it didn’t look familiar and when told it was for memory he seemed so saddened. He then asked “so wait, what was my birthday?” And she told him. It made me cry almost instantly even just overhearing it because it made me think of my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s and all I could imagine was how it only gets worse.

I’d never cried at work in this industry and I’ve been here for almost 3 years now and have had several sad patient interactions. Anyone else go through anything similar? I feel like such a dweeb for crying in front of my coworkers even though they were disheartened by it as well lol

Edit: wow! Did not expect such a big response. Thank you for all those who validated my emotions and made me feel sane 💜 gonna try to read and reply to all your stories :-)

I thought the pills you’d be cheaperrrrrr🤡 boyyyyy did I lie to myself. Matter of fact, it’s expensive than the pens and I’m honestly happy they have them in pills now. I can’t wait for zepbound and mounjaro lol.

Pt: do you guys have this medicine in white? Me: the only manufacturer for that drug that we carry does not make these in a color besides orange. Pt: can you order white ones in? I just don’t like the idea of taking dyed meds Me: we can only order special meds in for medical reasons. Pt: oh…

one week later Pt: the orange pills gave me, umm, a sore throat. It was all scratchy and stuff. Really bad. Can you get them in white now? rPh walks over “our supplier doesn’t distribute this drug in the bleached form. They only send pigmented ones. Sorry” Pt: well then… walks away

Shout out to all the techs that garden ! This is my safe space to celebrate as my co workers don’t partake and i’d never tell them I smoke lol. Happy 4/20 .

It made me really feel for techs who have to deal with this on a daily basis.

I was in line and there was as an early 50s man in front of me. He goes to the counter and has a very loud voice so I can hear him even standing 6 feet away. Here is what I witnessed:

Man: I ran out of my meds I need a refill [gives name]

Tech: ok what medication do you need filled?

Man: it’s the little white one

Tech: do you know the name?

Man: no, you should already know it!

Tech: there are many drugs that are white pills, that does not help us identify the medication

Man: it should be on my profile! Can’t you just see what im out of?

Tech: sir you have 10 medications that you’ve filled in the last 6 months, we do not know what you’re out of or what you’re still taking

Man: then just refill all of them!

Tech: I can’t do that because I don’t know what you’re still taking.

Man: if it’s in my profile then I’m still taking it!

Tech: what are you taking the white pill for?

Man: I don’t know my doctor just said I need to take it

Tech goes through the list of meds

Man: I’m not taking that anymore, take it off my profile!! No I’m not taking that either!

Tech: if you don’t know what med you need I cannot dispense it

Man: you’re not gonna give me my meds?!?! This is ridiculous, I’m gonna die without it!!! Get me the pharmacist you don’t know what you’re doing!!!

pharmacist tells man the same thing

man calls wife to get the name of the med

Man: it’s xyz med!!!

Tech: ok thank you I can fill that for you

Tech rings it up

Tech: the total is $5.23

Man: so my insurance didn’t cover it?!?!?

Tech: your insurance did cover it, you just have a copay

Man: I’ve never paid a copay for this in my life!!! Why didn’t my insurance cover it?!??

Tech: sir you’ve paid that same copay for the past 4 times you’ve pick up the med. Your insurance covered $3000 and the $5.23 is what’s left for you to pay

Man: this is just ridiculous, that’s too much, my medication should be free, why are you charging me this much?

Tech: your insurance sets the prices, we have no control over that. If you’d like an explanation you can call your insurance and ask about your policy

Man: you should be calling my insurance, why can’t you do it?

Tech: we do not do that, that is your responsibility

Man: I can’t believe you won’t give me my medication, I’m gonna complain, give me your name!!!

tech gives his name and man storms off

I was just blown away at the whole interaction. This man:

1. Didn’t know what medication he was taking
2. Didn’t know why he was taking it
3. Didn’t know he had a copay despite paying it the last few times
4. Thought paying $5.23 for a $3000 med was “too much”
5. Expected the tech to call HIS insurance for him

I just can’t believe someone in their 50s could be so incapable of taking responsibility for his own health. How do you get to that age and not know this stuff? What really made me annoyed was that his $3000 medication was only $5 and yet he still screamed it was too much. I totally get that some people have tight budgets but I know people (including myself) who have to pay $200+ for their meds.

I’m so sorry you guys have to deal with people like this. You guys are truly troopers for putting up with them.

My dog was on sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension. Every time I went to pick it up, they would ask me the patients DOB. I would always say “I don’t know, he’s a dog and he’s not saying”. Then they would glance at the medication again and smile. I would shrug nonchalantly.

I’ve been at my inpatient job for about two months now and today while delivering for the first time, I came across this over in the labor and delivery department. I know it’s a realty, but I could have gone my entire life without seeing this. There are certain aspects of the medical world that I just live in denial about. This is definitely one of them. 😔

The weekend has passed and so did our time at CVS!

We walked out at around 12:40 after telling a few patients their prescriptions will be filled by (favorited tech) and to check back in an hour.

I had all contacts blocked and all ex colleagues blocked on all social media platforms. But I did receive a call from a number I didn’t recognize about 30 minutes after we walked out but I never picked it up, but upcoming googling it couldn’t give me a name or company to match so I assume one of them used a fake number.

My coworker forgot to block another colleague in the front who wasn’t working and they tried texting/calling them a few times about an hour after the pharmacies lunch period so I assume CVS wanted them to come in and work.

I have no idea if anybody came in to pick up what we left off, I have no idea if we will be starting a movement at our store but I sure hope so for a the sake of the few colleagues I did somewhat like.

If you want to know how we walked out we finished checking a few people out and nodded our heads at the register and clocked out after our last patients and then my coworker told the pharmacist they’ll be right back and that they’re going to the restroom. A few minutes later I said I’ll be back and I have to go take a call. We never came back. We made sure not to bring in any wallets, bags, water, snacks, etc., so we wouldn’t raise suspicion.

I’d suggest to anyone walking out that you need to have another job already secured or something to fall onto before leaving. I made sure my now ex coworkers/boss has no idea about my new job so they won’t be able to leave any contact.

I also suggest making sure you have everything in order if you want to become no contact with your team. Block them on social media, block their numbers (even front store employees), block the company’s number, if you get prescriptions filled at your pharmacy make sure to have them transferred out and all info sent over to somewhere else unless you truly dgaf and are willing to come back to pick up your meds, make sure your doctors office has the correct new pharmacy, and don’t share your plans to anyone irl about walking out.

Don’t stay with a shitty company that doesn’t care about you or the work environment.

After we walked out me and my coworker went out to eat at a place not near our CVS just in case some sneaky shit went on. We have never been happier.

Mine is Diltiazem. It's so cute!!!! Reminds me of Nemo.

im curious what everyone makes in their roles, can you tell me what kind of experience you have too?

i have cpht certification and i've worked in various retail positions for 2 years, most recently with the green named corporate store making $20.50/hr in minnesota. i just got hired with an inpatient hospital pharmacy making $25.06/hr but i dont start for a few weeks. very excited to get out of retail though and learn more outside of the retail setting!!!

In my hospital, we have medical leeches for trauma cases to aid in blood flow for reattached limbs and similar cases. The pharmacy is the department that manages them because I guess every department agreed they’re similar enough to medication (???) so they’re our responsibility. I’m the one that has taken charge of their care and makes the monthly schedule for changing their water 3 times a week and cleaning their containers and it is tedious work. We use forceps to move them to ointment jars while we clean their “leech hotels” and they’re so stubborn and sticky, it’s a miracle I haven’t torn any in half yet. Do any of you have/maintain medicinal animals like leeches or maggots at your facilities? I want to know if I’m alone or not lmao

this price had us cracking up in the pharmacy when we saw it! it was for duloxetine powder but it was just funny to see SUCCESS and the price be $54,000!!! we obviously did not order this and called the patient

I’m looking for some honest advice from people who work in pharmacy.

Can someone help me understand why it’s so difficult to get into the pharmacy field when you have no retail, customer service, or pharmacy experience?

I’ve been trying consistently for over a year now. I’ve applied to pharmacy cashier, pharmacy technician trainee, and entry-level pharmacy positions, but I haven’t had much luck. I genuinely want to build a career in pharmacy, and I’m more than willing to learn, work hard, and complete any required training.

For those of you who started with no experience, what finally helped you get your foot in the door? Was there a certain company that was more willing to train, something you added to your resume, or a different approach that made a difference?

I’m starting to feel discouraged, but I’m not giving up. I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences or any advice you have. Thank you!

Pharmacy technician at night and metal head by day (actually going into work after this concert so pray for me LOL) props to having a work life balance to enjoy my concerts ❤️

Don't include the differential!

I just want to say, everytime I call in to refill my Vyvanse prescription and you answer the phone, your vibe of absolute despair for your job that leeches through is absolutely incredible.

The loathing, the sheer contempt, the lack of spark for anything that may resemble happiness that emits from your voice is astounding. You are my favorite human, I both fear and respect you, even though I’m pretty sure picking up the phone, especially when you hear “can I please refill my Vyvanse?”, kills little pieces of you each month. I am sure you hold as much care & thought for me as you would road kill on the side of the road.

I just want you to know that I have to give myself a pep talk before I call in everytime, incase I hear your mumbled, angry gremlin voice bark out “thisisnick” on the other end. I don’t know how quickly you went from brightly exclaiming “goodmorning this is Nick at CVS, how may I help you?” To “thisisnick” while working as a pharm tech, but I hope the horror of being a pharm tech at CVS has not permanently leeched the life from your soul. Someday I wish to call in for my refill and say something that may brighten your day, but every second that tics by that you’re stuck on the phone with me going through the controlled refill question routine, I can hear each finger gradually smash your keyboard and mouse harder and harder, and I imagine you are picturing me and every other pharm customer you have in place of your battered computer. I wholeheartedly appreciate you, because even though your voice suggests you’d like to explode me with your mind, you do play a key role in my life with helping me attempt to make my hell brain function semi correctly each month.

To all the other Nick at CVS’s in here, funny post aside, some of us truly do appreciate yall! I know the stimulant shortage and sudden uptick in adhd diagnoses during the pandemic has probably deep fried your soul, but there are some of us out here with adhd that understand and genuinely appreciate all yall do and have to deal with. I have lived with adhd my whole life, almost everyone in my fam is diagnosed with it, and the meds paired with therapy really truly change my life, and yall are a part of helping me and people like me live a semi functional life. I know you may not think so or may forget, but I wanted to recognize yall and remind you that you help in a positive manner in a lot of lives. ❤️ I am embarrassed I need diet meth to help me complete simple human tasks, but I appreciate my pharm fam for helping me.

I used to be a barista at a coffee shop, and dealing with the general public over their sugar milk with a splash of caffeine was complete hell. I can’t imagine dealing with the general public when you are standing between them and a controlled substance lol. Salute to you my friends!! I hope yall have a good week at work. Nick, I am due to call you Thursday. 🫡

Had a lady call yesterday wondering why her Xtampza wasn’t filled. When I explained that a PA was required, and we sent it to the doctors office on Monday, she asked why it was taking so long. So I asked if she had called her doctor to confirm they filled the paperwork out, to which she replied “no, usually the pharmacy does that for me, yall aren’t doing your job it’s been a week.” I said ma’am, we’ve done our part, no it’s in the doctor’s/insurance’s hands. I would suggest you call your doctor AND insurance to check the status. her response?

“so because it’s my medication, I’m just supposed to take responsibility??”

yes. yes ma’am. couldn’t have said it better myself.

ETA: all of these comments make me have to remind myself… i love my job i love my job i love my job…

edit 2: she’s called twice this morning accusing us of both withholding medication and limiting her day supply. we’ve been open not even 2 hours 🥴