I Think It's Sad When Pharmacists Can't Read Anymore...

[Ashley]

I got placed on some antibiotics for swelling, mucus in the sinus (got circular flow in the left in frontal sinus, if it doesn't clear, more sinus surgery, yippee!!! ) So, the doctor highly recommended I went on probiotics for the time I take it. Went to the pharmacy, got the 'scripts filled and I asked, just to be safe, if the product was gluten-free and explained what gluten was, what it was in ect. The lady goes asks this guy and comes back and says "There's whey in it, and it's from wheat." I really wanted to scream out "DUNCE!!!" So, my mom and I went back and forward with the lady until we said fine, just give us the stupid(that word not said but thought more than once) probiotic anyway.

The back reads: "Lactobacillus GG is grown on whey and will contain trace levels of (less than 15 ppm capsule) of casein and whey, which are proteins found in milk.

MILK!!! Grr...it gets so frustrating sometimes, because people can be so ignorant, so, there's probably been a bunch of times were I’ve gotten something with gluten or deprived of something that actually DIDN'T have gluten in it...

So, the moral is, better recheck it yourself. I'd be happy to read some the experiences of others with problems like this, a lot of them are funny because it really shows how people are really clueless!

-Ash

[flagbabyds]

I completely agree. Just good that you read the ingredients anyway. I am fortunate to have a pharmacist, who when she gets a prescripton in my name, immediately calls the company to make sure it is gluten-free/CF and then puts a note on it so if I come to pick it up when she is not working, then they know that it is gluten-free and I can have it. It is very helpful to make friends with a pharmacist and ask them to call the companies on the products you are not sure of.

[mmaccartney]

I typically go to a pharamacy at a loacl supermarket as the lead pharmacist is great! She will research the ingredients of a medicine for me and even still provides me the ingredients to double check!

Not all of the pharmacists there are good though. One guy was a particular ass. I told him that I couldn't have WRBO or milk and if the medicine contained it I could not have it. He said ok and filled it. When I came back I asked him again if the medicine had WRBO or milk. He responded with "I don't know, I have no way of telling." I said "Can I have the ingredients list then so that I can check?" he said "No, we don't have the ingredients." (I knew this was a lie, the lead Pharma checks every time and gives me the list!). I responded with "OK then, those items are poisonous to me, can I return the medicine if I find that it contains those items when I call the company?" he said "No, we cannot allow returns of medicine"

What an incosiderate jerk! Needless to say I left without the medicine (which he then had to account for somehow, and reverse the sale, etc!) and the very next day I contacted the lead pharmacist and told her all about it. She was quite angry to say the least!

[plantime]

I love my pharmacist and my little, hometown pharmacy. They check everything for me. Yes, it does cost me more than going to Walmart or Walgreens, but I am quite willing to pay extra for the help and service. My health is worth it!