Lately, I have been tested a few times by local pharmacists and I wonder why they would not hand over what has been prescribed by a doctor without giving you a third degree. I find their comments and questions unnerving either to myself or other patients in the queues. This is especially so when you are decently presented and what you are trying to buy off the counter is not dangerous in any way, AND or the medication has been prescribed by a doctor. It is especially annoying when you are sick and all you want is to buy the medication and go home.
Thalassemia is a disease that affects your body’s haemoglobin production – so the body does not produce Alpha globin. It is an inherited blood disorder. I have the minor trait which only got out of hand recently. Apart from eating well, loading up on green vegetables and staying healthy – I have to take iron tablets (pills). I have taken iron tablets before the birth of my sons and later as a precaution when my haemoglobin count dropped.
Last December and January 2015, I became very ill and stayed ill for almost three months. While doctors could not work out what was specifically wrong, my red count was low. It was found that my haemoglobin level dropped dangerously low and my cells lost their ability to make the other part of cells that complete the haemoglobin process. My doctor gave me the choice between an instant blood transfusion or taking more iron tablets. I was a little scared. I chose to take the tablets over a period of time with a super diet. I have been on the iron tablets for five months.
But, whenever I go to purchase the iron at any of our three local pharmacies, I get questioned over it. I don’t need a prescription for them. Here are some of the questions;
“Have you taken this before?”
“Why do you need it?”
“How long are you taking this?”
“Do you want to try other brands?”
You may say these are normal precautionary questions a pharmacist needs to ask. To me, it is all verbal diarrhoea. The fact is, if you can buy something off the pharmacy counter – you can. If the doctor gives you a script – you can get the medication too. There is not much a pharmacist can do – really – even after questioning.
So two days ago when I got to a crowded pharmacy and handed over the empty box and said – I need one box; the pharmacist (female) walks to the back of the room, picks up my new box and shouts to me: “Do you get constipated when you take these?”
Everyone in the queue, at least seven people looked from the pharmacist to me.
“Have you taken them and got constipated?” I replied (in pretend innocence).
Those that were in the queue giggled.
Embarrassed, she walked up to me and smiling said “I was just asking”.
“Yes, I know and I was asking too, I just love talking about things like that in front of strangers in a public place”. I said.
Tribalmystic Stories 
Opps, ‘their’ not ‘there’ in my comment.
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I got you. 🙂
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People like this are enough to give one the sh….! Great reply.
Like those calling on the phone for unsolicited donations. I ask for all there details and ask for them to donate to the local Rotary Club.
Funny, they hang up on me!
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LOL – yeah true. Thank you Rae.
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Beautifully done!!
Hope you are getting better?? And Chris – saw hime with his arm in the sling the other day – he is SOO tall!
xxx Ginny
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Thank you very much Ginny. I feel so much better. Yes, Chris has not broken any bone – just tore his shoulder muscles so he can’t play rugby for 8 weeks. Come over for dinner soon. xx
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I just stumbled in here as you linked over at My Daily Musing. I don’t even to there often, sort of stumbled there as well. My hemorrhoids stand at attention for you courage.
As to the pharmacists questions, they being bludgeoned by government and corporate interests to get all the information they can for whatever purpose they would like to know about you. You’ve seen ads that some website can tell anyone all about you?
I just old retired dentist and remember how it was. Are you asking your about your patients about so and so? If not, why not? Knew I was being pegged and it might be used against me. You don’t comply so license denied. Past that point now. 47 years practice, 49 years a dentist.
Now, information could go in your record from provider…customer or patient would not answer questions, if not, why not? Oh well, old paranoid fellow, just typing as long as osteoarthritis allows. I just answer no or I don’t be able to hear you so good. Say it again, and again, and again. They give up finally. 🙂 Certain questions you must answer yes to, like “Do you feel safe at home?” Or be ready to have a visitor from some agency at your home. So be on your toes.
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Hahahaha – yes, you have to try to beat them at their own game. It’s true that they are collecting information, and repeatedly. Thank you so much for your feedback. 🙂 I had a good laugh with some of your comments, thank you.
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Thank you for responding to my comment. I will have to do a bit of research as to where on this earth you are. I’m in a rural area of Florida, USA, some call L.A., lower Alabama (Florida just below the AL line). I won’t bother you with comments on your site about things I know nothing of. We in my area, even professional, called “rednecks”. Some like to show pictures of people with missing teeth as examples. But “rednecks” just people working in the sun, head down, tilling the earth, necks got a bit sunburned and later maybe melanoma.
Back to the questioning by healthcare people. It’s generally thought that it is good that professionals are required to accumulate so many hours of continuing education to renew a license. I go back pretty far. Not so far that I didn’t have to have a license, but back before requirement of continuing education. We had a study club that met because we wanted to be the best we could be, and of course maybe it would help us earn a better living. Of course some didn’t join or study with us.
Government getting involved and demanding these C.E. credits just was just a money maker for the state and the institutions and independent practitioners that paid a fee to the state to be approved to offer C.E. courses.
Those who wanted to abuse the system then could and still can pay the price and purchase the credits, often just online now, year a little attendance or online study. CPR does require hands on, but still once every two years is all. I guess that’s good. I never had to do it, but it happens and is needed. But even in a hospital one can’t count on getting it.
The ethical study groups of old times and those who participated was who a person would want to go to for healthcare service. Redneck term now…they mostly “bit the dust.” 🙂 I guess this was like a rant. I be quite now.
I’ll look in at your site from time to time.
Thank you.
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My editor missed. In middle of comment I typed “year a little attendance or online study.” Should have been “yeah a little….”
I don’t know if this correction will be above or below my comment. Anyway enjoyed your blog post today.
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Thank you very much – don’t worry too much about typos, I get you. I make errors in my comments all the time. Have a great day.
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Good for you for thinking so fast on your feet!. Common courtesy barely exists anymore.
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True – people think they have the right to ask you whatever they want and you would just give them the answers. 🙂 Thank you for reading.
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Great response, Joycelin. Is nothing sacred anymore? 😮
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LOL – thank you very much T.
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You are more than welcome. ❤
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GOOD FOR YOU Joycelin 😀 😀 😀
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LOL thank you 😀
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