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Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,928
Registered: ‎11-01-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

@151949

 

Good for you! All they want is your money. And everyone else’s money, too.

 

Statins actually increase one’s risk of getting diabetes (among lots of other health problems). Very few people taking statins need to take them. Statins are making people sick and big pharma is laughing all the way to the bank.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,025
Registered: ‎05-23-2011

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

Just once I would like to see a positive post! Smiley Frustrated

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(You don't Know) How Glad I Am- Nancy Wilson
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,889
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

[ Edited ]

@VaBelle35 wrote:

But the issue here is that this is between her and her doctor.

 

I think it's great if Walgreens wants to provide a pamplet in her medication about the research for her information, but they really have no business calling her and telling her that she has to be on a statin.


They are not doctors.


 

That was my reaction too.

 

My PCP makes those decisions, not a pharmacy.  I happen to have a pharmacist I know and trust, but he always defers to what my doctor recommends and what my doctor prescribes.  The pharmacist hasn't examined me, doesn't know my medical or family histories, etc.  Maybe I've taken statins and had an adverse reaction.  My doctor would know that, but my pharmacist probably wouldn't.

 

I appreciate his input and he's great at answering my questions, but my doctor is the one who decides what should and shouldn't be prescribed.  That's the way it's supposed to be.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,889
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@VaBelle35 wrote:

@Cakers3 wrote:

I don't understand what the big deal is about this-other than this incident has shown up on a diabetes help site. 

 

The same situation-the pharmacist only recommended, not prescribed.

 

So I guess it's a common incident-and not a whoop do. 

 

 


That's interesting.  If I were a doctor, I would be annoyed that Walgreens is asserting themselves in patient care like this.

 

As a patient, I would be annoyed if they did anything other than say "hey, we want you know about this.  Here's a sheet of paper to talk to your doctor about."


 

Exactly.  They may have had her best interests at heart, but it was handled inappropriately.  

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 966
Registered: ‎03-24-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@SilleeMee wrote:

@Q4u wrote:

WHAT MAKES THIS PERSON AT WALGREENS THINK HE/SHE IS A DOCTOR???

 

A pharmacist is NOT a doctor!!.  I'm on Metformin and have been for 11 years.  I can't take a Statin.  I've tried three of them even tho my numbers are ok... and they nearly crippled me.  I'm NOT about to argue with a highly educated pill distributor/dispenser.... but I think they are definitely not for everyone. I'll save my personal information and discussions for my DOCTOR and let my DOCTOR discuss her decisions with ME.

 

 

 

 


 

 

FYI - Pharmacists are doctors. they have a professional doctorate in pharmacy.


No, they are not medical doctors.  She is referring to MD's, not the same as a Pharm.D. or Ph.D. in pharmacy.  At the University where I work, students complete 2 years of pre-pharmacy and then can earn a BS in pharmaceutical sciences with 2 additional years of professional training (4 years total).  They can continue and earn a Pharm.D. with 2 more years of professional training (6 years total).  Students also have the option of earning an MS or a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences.

Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it will surely change the world for that one dog
Richard C. Call
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,776
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

A pharmacist SAVED MY LIFE.    My physician had mis-prescribed a drug, (which would have caused a massive stroke),  and the pharmacist caught the error.   My MD resigned a couple weeks later due to "poor vision"............

♥Surface of the Sun♥
Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,562
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@151949 wrote:

I just got a call from Walgreens. The pharmacist informed me that because I am on metformin I need to be on a statin drug.I told her No I don't - my total cholesterol is only 121. Heck , my cholesterol is what a person on statins hopes to achieve. She said it doesn't matter - any diabetic under 75 years old is supposed to be on statins no matter if they need it or not. I told her no I don't and that this conversation was over. 

For a long time now I have found that I feel the standards of caring for diabetics is very questionable. They have lowered the FBS number to a very low number(95 unless they lowered it again this year) after decades of it being a standard that FBS of 110 is the normal and you medicate those with FBS of 140.  Now the standard is to give statins - which can cause some people some pretty significant side effects -when they don't even have high cholesterol. ANYTHING TO MAKE A BUCK. 


 

 

@151949

 

???    Even if your MD did put you on statins, that pharmacist won't be getting any of the money.   Did you even consider that he was trying to be helpful?   

Super Contributor
Posts: 277
Registered: ‎01-31-2011

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

[ Edited ]

@StephaniM wrote:

I’d call my doc and explain what happened.  Ask his/her opinion on adding the statin.  I’m certain the pharmacist was acting in your best interest.


@StephaniM I don’t think the pharmacist was acting in her best interest at all. The pharmacist was acting on orders of the company s/he works for to sell more pills, period.

 

I was briefly prescribed metformin for barely borderline elevated numbers. The pill was too strong, I got dizzy, and emailed my doc, who told me to try cutting it in half. I did that and was still dizzy so she recommended I stop taking it and my numbers lowered due to increased exercise.

 

My pharmacy about had a cow, gave me a “Report Card” (yes, really) with a failing grade on metformin because I wasn’t filling It often enough for them. !!! I told the pharmacist if they ever gave me such a thing again I’d take my business elsewhere.

 

Also, they automatically, without asking me, increased the refill to a 90 day supply. When I went to pick up and saw this and said I didn’t want that, they tried to sell me on how much cheaper it was. Metformin is cheap anyway. Refused that, and as it turned out I had to stop taking it at all because of the dizziness. They were just trying to push sales on pills.60 of those 90 pills would’ve gone in the trash.

 

Next my insurance company went berserk, calling and trying to up me to the 90 day supply routine.

 

There must be huge money in all this, for all these companies to be trying so hard to push metformin.

 

My doc had also tried to convince me to take a statin, but my numbers are very low and I refused due to side effects. She has not mentioned it again and my numbers remain good. She said the same things, that it is just standard to prescribe statins for safety sake.

 

I also told the pharmacist that she was not my doctor and I would only take medications based on my doctor’s advice and in quantities and strengths she prescribed.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,583
Registered: ‎06-25-2012

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@151949 wrote:

I just got a call from Walgreens. The pharmacist informed me that because I am on metformin I need to be on a statin drug.I told her No I don't - my total cholesterol is only 121. Heck , my cholesterol is what a person on statins hopes to achieve. She said it doesn't matter - any diabetic under 75 years old is supposed to be on statins no matter if they need it or not. I told her no I don't and that this conversation was over. 

For a long time now I have found that I feel the standards of caring for diabetics is very questionable. They have lowered the FBS number to a very low number(95 unless they lowered it again this year) after decades of it being a standard that FBS of 110 is the normal and you medicate those with FBS of 140.  Now the standard is to give statins - which can cause some people some pretty significant side effects -when they don't even have high cholesterol. ANYTHING TO MAKE A BUCK. 


Your pharmacist is absolutely correct! It is highly advised that diabetics take a statin drug. Do your research and/or consult your doctor for the latest info on prolonging a diabetics life. 

"Pure Michigan"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,608
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

[ Edited ]

@katiescarlett wrote:

@SilleeMee wrote:

@Q4u wrote:

WHAT MAKES THIS PERSON AT WALGREENS THINK HE/SHE IS A DOCTOR???

 

A pharmacist is NOT a doctor!!.  I'm on Metformin and have been for 11 years.  I can't take a Statin.  I've tried three of them even tho my numbers are ok... and they nearly crippled me.  I'm NOT about to argue with a highly educated pill distributor/dispenser.... but I think they are definitely not for everyone. I'll save my personal information and discussions for my DOCTOR and let my DOCTOR discuss her decisions with ME.

 

 

 

 


 

 

FYI - Pharmacists are doctors. they have a professional doctorate in pharmacy.


No, they are not medical doctors.  She is referring to MD's, not the same as a Pharm.D. or Ph.D. in pharmacy.  At the University where I work, students complete 2 years of pre-pharmacy and then can earn a BS in pharmaceutical sciences with 2 additional years of professional training (4 years total).  They can continue and earn a Pharm.D. with 2 more years of professional training (6 years total).  Students also have the option of earning an MS or a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences.


 

 

It takes EIGHT YEARS, not six, to get the title of Pharm D. With some exceptions, a registered pharmacist can practice sooner. Which ever the case, that's a long darn time! Woman LOL