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Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

Every drug has side effects. Statin drugs have horrendous side effects. My # are fine. I don't want to be subjected to the side effects from taking a statin drug.My DH has to take statins because he has very high cholesterol, even with the drugs, and has already had a small stroke.I see him getting weaker and weaker all the time, he constantly complains he can't do things because he has no strength in his arms and legs. He exercises every day just to maintain some strength. This is a common side effect of statins. I'm already weak and in constant pain, I don't want to add the side effects of these drugs on top of that.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,572
Registered: ‎07-29-2012

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

it was an error in judgment for the pharmacist to call the patient.  Having worked for physicians for many years, I can tell you that pharmacists were frequently calling to let the doctor know of some interaction or other issue with the drugs.  

 

It was then up to the physician to pass the information on to the patient with a recommendation.  The pharmacist has an obligation to inform, preferably the doctor, of any potential problems with the drug.  It is a safety issue, not a money issue.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,485
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@NYC Susan wrote:

@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.  

 

 


Do you really think we have enough information to know exactly what happened and in what way and context this actually happened?  Aren’t we jumping to a lot of conclusions?  Have you had a pharmacist call just to recommend a drug?  

 

I have had them call about a prescription then started talking to them. Are calls like this common in your area?  If so that is different. And uncalled fot

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@SilleeMee wrote:

@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.


But not every pharmacist gets a PhD. Many just have a bachelors degree. Just like nursing - you can have a nurse who has an Associates degree - 2 years at community college or just a diploma from a nursing school so they can get their RN. Then they may have a BSN - MSN or a PhD.But usually anyone with a MSN or a PhD is not doing any job caring for patients. They are in administration.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@Sooner wrote:

@NYC Susan wrote:

@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.  

 

 


Do you really think we have enough information to know exactly what happened and in what way and context this actually happened?  Aren’t we jumping to a lot of conclusions?  Have you had a pharmacist call just to recommend a drug?  

 

I have had them call about a prescription then started talking to them. Are calls like this common in your area?  If so that is different. And uncalled fot

 

 


Oh for cripes sake - the phone rang - it was Walgreens - not the store - it was from their home offices in Indiana. A person said the pharmacist needed to discuss my Rx with me and would I please hold on - she kept me waiting for about 5 min which had me Po'ed to start with - then when she got on she starts with the Oh how are you feeling today. I'm calling because I have noticed on your drug profile that you are taking metformin and here at Walgreens it is our policy to inform you that any diabetic who is under 75 years old needs to also be taking a statin drug.We'd like to notify your PCP that he has to order you a statin drug per the newest guidelines from the ADA....

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,605
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

[ Edited ]

@151949 wrote:

@SilleeMee wrote:

@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.


But not every pharmacist gets a PhD. Many just have a bachelors degree. Just like nursing - you can have a nurse who has an Associates degree - 2 years at community college or just a diploma from a nursing school so they can get their RN. Then they may have a BSN - MSN or a PhD.But usually anyone with a MSN or a PhD is not doing any job caring for patients. They are in administration.


 

Anyone, other than a licensed, board-certified medical professional, can perform certain direct patient care. But that has to be done, by law, under the supervision of a licensed,certifed individual(s). I speak from a personal pov and experience as well as a professional.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,485
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@151949 wrote:

@Sooner wrote:

@NYC Susan wrote:

@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.  

 

 


Do you really think we have enough information to know exactly what happened and in what way and context this actually happened?  Aren’t we jumping to a lot of conclusions?  Have you had a pharmacist call just to recommend a drug?  

 

I have had them call about a prescription then started talking to them. Are calls like this common in your area?  If so that is different. And uncalled fot

 

 


Oh for cripes sake - the phone rang - it was Walgreens - not the store - it was from their home offices in Indiana. A person said the pharmacist needed to discuss my Rx with me and would I please hold on - she kept me waiting for about 5 min which had me Po'ed to start with - then when she got on she starts with the Oh how are you feeling today. I'm calling because I have noticed on your drug profile that you are taking metformin and here at Walgreens it is our policy to inform you that any diabetic who is under 75 years old needs to also be taking a statin drug.We'd like to notify your PCP that he has to order you a statin drug per the newest guidelines from the ADA....


Thank you for more detail. I have never experienced this and have not heard of anything like this before. Perhaps it is related to your specific care system or insurer. You have a lot of health care issues that are different and so details are important because we all have so many plans and choices now. Perhaps it is a feature of some plan you are enrolled in or signed up for. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,256
Registered: ‎05-11-2012

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

Pharmacists have an extensive knowledge of prescription medicines, including how they work, how to take them, how they might affect people, and how they interact with other drugs.

 

Physicians prescribe medication to their patients, and patients take their prescriptions to a pharmacist, who dispenses the drug and counsels the patient on its use. Pharmacists may also provide health screenings and administer vaccinations to the public.

 

What kind of training is required to become a pharmacist?


Pharmacists must have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree to practice. Many students enter Pharm.D. programs after only two or three years of undergraduate study. If you want to apply to a Pharm.D. program, look for one that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Focus on earning high grades in undergraduate prerequisite courses like general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, biology, calculus, and statistics.

 

Applicants to Pharm.D. programs must also take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). The PCAT consists of seven different subtests that measure writing ability, verbal ability, reading comprehension, quantitative ability, and biology and chemistry knowledge.

 

Students in Pharm.D. programs take courses in several disciplines, including:

 

Pharmaceutical chemistry: the use of chemistry to design and evaluate drugs


Pharmacognosy: the study of drugs derived from plants and animals


Pharmacology: the study of the effect of drugs on the human body


Pharm.D. programs also focus on the practice of pharmacy, including dispensing medication and counseling patients, and on business principles. Pharmacists are often responsible for managing a staff of technicians and may eventually open their own pharmacies, so knowledge in accounting, merchandising, and legal issues can be useful.

 

Students in pharmacy programs complete hundreds of hours of clinical training in a variety of settings, including community, hospital, and compounding pharmacies. Toward the end of their programs, students are assigned long-term clinical rotations in hospitals, physicians’ offices, and pharmaceutical companies. Clinical rotations give students the opportunity to work closely with patients, physicians and other health care professionals, and pharmacists working in industry and research.

 

Are there any certification or licensure requirements?

 

Pharmacists in all states must obtain a license to practice. Licensure typically involves completing an accredited Pharm.D. program and passing two licensing examinations: the North American Pharmacist Licensing Exam (NAPLEX) and the Multi-State Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE).

 

How long does it take to become a pharmacist?

 

The length of time it takes to complete a Pharm.D. program and begin practicing depends on the program you choose. Most stand-alone Pharm.D. programs take four years to complete. If you complete a bachelor’s degree before entering your program, it will take eight years to become a pharmacist, but if you enter a program after two or three years of undergraduate study, you can start practicing sooner. Some Pharm.D. programs accept students directly out of high school, and these programs take six years to complete.

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,322
Registered: ‎02-22-2015

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist

[ Edited ]

@Sooner @151949  Seems like the "rest of the story" finally began to show up on 7/12/18 at 8:52 AM. As usual, we get complaints and drama, which doesn't cover both side of the story. Seems like her insurance probably has something to do with this call from Walgreen's, but the OP was too defensive to give the caller a chance to explain the call. Not surprised at all. She knows it all without listening.  Sounds like the individual from Walgreen's was doing their job and is probably very competent! The OP could have taken the information and contacted her own physican if she had questions. It wasn't like Walgreen's was providing a prescription for her - just a suggestion. Most patients would have taken the phone call as helpful; not the OP. Another excuse to complain and blow up! 

Money screams; wealth whispers.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,345
Registered: ‎05-01-2010

Re: Call I just got from a Walgreens pharmacist


@151949 wrote:

Every drug has side effects. Statin drugs have horrendous side effects. My # are fine. I don't want to be subjected to the side effects from taking a statin drug.My DH has to take statins because he has very high cholesterol, even with the drugs, and has already had a small stroke.I see him getting weaker and weaker all the time, he constantly complains he can't do things because he has no strength in his arms and legs. He exercises every day just to maintain some strength. This is a common side effect of statins. I'm already weak and in constant pain, I don't want to add the side effects of these drugs on top of that.


@151949.  All drugs can have side effects, not just statins. That's great that your numbers are fine, but don't say that if you take them you will definitely have horrible side effects. 

I take them and they have never bothered me. I don't have any of the problems your husband has.

I am not advocating these drugs. I hate that I have to take them. All of my siblings take a statin as all of our cholesterol is bad. No one is overweight but me. It is heredity in my family.