Finding A Good Pharmacy

[Googles]

I am going to be looking for a new pharmacy. I have graduated from school so I wont keep using my school pharmacy (which has be so awesome) when I move. I have heard horror stories on here from people having trouble with pharmacies that aren't helpful or are down right disrespectful. How have people found good pharmacies that they trust? I don't have internet on my phone (a monetary decision that I can't change right now) so checking on line for information isn't going to be an option. So how do you find pharmacies you trust? Are there questions that you have asked that have helped you decide?

Thanks.

[mamaw]

Congrats on making it through school!!! Depending what area in the US you are going to be residing in might help others give you a heads up. In my area I've found The Medicine Shoppe to be very helpful ...

Most public libraries have computer access so you could look up any drug to see if it is gluten-free ... I always look up any drug before I take my script to the pharmancy& still ask once I get there for a double check...

[hexon]

Honestly, there isn't going to be an answer on which pharmacy is best because even though they all have the same store name they are run by different pharmacists. If you lived in Knoxville, TN I'd say to pick my store, haha. But your best bet is just to find ONE pharmacy where they are polite and respectful and explain your intolerance and what you require. Once you develop a good relationship with your pharmacist they will be much easier to work with, and more willing to go out of their way to help you. Be a decent human being! Pharmacist's have to deal with some terrible people all day long ;-)

Here are a few things you may need to consider. Pharmacists use the same trays and other counting equipment on all meds and only clean them occasionally throughout the day. Pills can be quite powdery. You may need to have them note your profile to clean their equipment before filling your medications. This may mean you can't use a pharmacy that uses a robot to count certain meds. I find glutenfreedrugs.com to be really helpful in figuring out safe drug manufacturers. The only way for your pharmacist to know if a drug is gluten-free is to call the manufacturer. If your medication is a brand name, and not available in generic, you can call the manufacturer yourself to find out this information. However, if you are on a generic the manufacturer can change between pharmacies or even change between shipments of meds. So you'd have to have the pharmacist call or ask for the manufacturer's phone number before you purchase your meds. They can't take them back once you've left the store and discovered they weren't gluten-free. glutenfreedrugs.com also has some helpful info about how to figure out if a drug is gluten free when calling the manufacturer.