CVS Products/customer Service

[WinterSong]

To save a little money I tend to use a lot of CVS brand products. I've called their customer service number twice, and they are so very helpful and nice! How refreshing. They were able to answer my questions about most of the specific products I had on the spot, and if they couldn't they contacted the manufacturers and were sure to return my call within a day or two. So for those of you who have a CVS nearby and don't want to necessarily have to buy expensive brand names, here are my findings so far:

CVS Chap Block SPF4 Cherry Lip Balm - gluten-free

CVS Sugar Free Black Cherry Cough Drops - gluten-free

CVS Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 15 (comparable to Neutrogena) - gluten-free

CVS Oil Free Moisturizer Combination Skin (comparable to Neutrogena) - gluten-free

CVS Deep Action Nightly Cleanser (comparable to Neutrogena) - gluten-free

*Also, I called Neutrogena, and they said that while they can guarentee that many of their products are wheat free, they haven't been tested for barley and rye (ugg!). But when I called CVS about their products that are comparable to Neutrogena, many of them were completely gluten-free. So glad that there are some companies who are concerned about thoroughly testing their products for people with Celiac and gluten sensitivities.

I also asked about a body wash and moisturizer, and they're contacting the manufacturer. I'll post more info as I find out!

[IrishHeart]

Jessica,

Thanks for this info!

[mbrookes]

I have also found the pharmacist at my local CVS to be totally helpful in tracking down ingredients in meds, prescriptopn and OTC. I am a CVS fan!

[eatmeat4good]

I am now a CVS fan too. I needed a medication the other day. I told the pharmacist I didn't want to buy it unless it was gluten free. She stood there and searched and called for 10 minutes until she was sure it was gluten free!! I was so happy, I thanked her profusely.

I always used another discount pharmacy, but the pharmacist there was so unhelpful. He would say, it is not my job to find out about gluten, I don't have time for that. I said OK, then keep my prescriptions until I look it up myself because I'm not buying something that will make me sick.

The first time he said that I thought-aw...he's just busy. The second time I thought, he's rude. The third time he said that to me I thought...I need a new pharmacy.

Thank you CVS.

And thank you OP, because I want to use their lotion too now. Post your findings when you can! Very cool!

[Takala]

Totally opposite of my last experience with this chain, last autumn of 2010, when I had the counter clerk/pharm tech totally blow me off, and I had to insist on seeing the actual pharmacist, who also was unprofessional, and tried the same thing with a prescription I was trying to get filled.... Looked at the package, when I said I had to avoid gluten, which is the protein in wheat,rye, and barley, in addition to allergies to "x, y, and z" and the pharmacist said, "I don't think so." WTF you "don't think so ?!" Could you at least tell me who makes this ?!

I know my rights, and I insisted that they open the package, find the inner package insert since the # contact of the manufacturer was not on the outside of the box, and find the number for me to call. Because they were not going to do it.

Then stood there in the store with cell phone, and had to call a distributor who gave me another number to call, at least that number's person was helpful. They were pretty sure there were no gluten ingredients nor the other antibiotic I was allergic to. But they wanted me to call the helpline for the manufacturer, to confirm, which was, of course, closed because they were in another time zone. But during this, the distributor wanted to know not only the physical address of the store I was in, but the "location code" for the store, which they said I could ask at the counter- and then they could listen to me trying to get the attention of said counter clerk/pharma tech again "excuse me m'am but what store is this, the distributor would like to know" and being ignored. Same snotty Counter/Tech actually leers at me and tells me to get in line if I have a question. Person on phone listening to this said, wait a minute, "I'll look it up here" and found out.

So much for getting this script filled on the way home from the doctor. (and it was for antibiotics, which I try to avoid as much as possible, because I have allergies to some antibiotics on top of this. this was why I was so appalled at the initial reaction of the store. I will say "I have allergies to name of substance, name of antibiotic, name of next antibiotic, and wheat proteins, does this medication contain any of these ingredients?" The reaction of the counter clerk who acted like this was no big deal flabbergasted me. I then said "please, I need a pharmacy consult before filling this," and got the pharmacist who wouldn't check. )

I went home and did some internet research on this particular item and each ingredient, and was pretty sure it was going to be gluten free, but went to a different CVS pharmacy the next day, closer to my home, which has filled scripts for me before, and was not treated like a nuisance this time. But by then I had to confirm that their version was the same version that I had previously researched.

Excuse me for not carrying a laptop and wireless broadband access everywhere I go.

Perhaps there has been some feedback from the last round .

[WinterSong]

Oh wow, that sucks. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with them. I normally find in-store people pretty unhelpful, but in calling CVS they were very nice and understanding.

Two more gluten-free products:

CVS exfoliating body wash (similar to Dove)

CVS cocoa butter deep conditioning moisture

I'm taking a CVS trip this weekend!

[glutenfr3309]

CVS- Iron 65 USP MG (325 MG Ferrous Sulfate) tablets are safe.

On the label it says 'no yeast, wheat, gluten, milk or milk derivatives, lactose, sugar, preservatives, soy, artificial flavor, salt.