I think the pharmacy shorted me (for real!)

[imanaddict]

I had a Sub Dr. appt on Monday (May 11th) and every month I am prescribed 180 2mg Subs. I am supposed to take 6 a day, but rarely do I take that many. I had opened my bottle to take a pill last night and thought the bottle looked a little short so I counted them. I had 120 pills in it. Now I KNOW I have NOT had 60 pills in 3 days! And no one has had access to them, nor would anyone want to. I was starting to think that maybe the pharmacy didn't have the full amount or something because they have done that in the past, but my bottle has the "180" circled, meaning they counted twice? Would it do any good to call the pharmacy, or do you guys think they would just think another addict is trying to screw them over (NOT the case)?

[Eva505]

I just had this happen to me.  I called the police and reported it.  Not to get my strip replaced but I am sure it is not just me it has happened to.  If we report it to the cops and they get enough reports, I suspect they will investigate.  Sure, they have cameras in the pharmacy but a good thief or drug addict working there will know how to divert some of what he/she wants without it appearing on camera.  

[imanaddict]

Thanks Nick. I don't know why, but I am just that way. My BFF shoplifted a couple of times when we were teens, and we got caught. Still to this day I feel like I have something to prove when I walk into a store. It's like I go to lengths to prove that I'm not stealing anything and that I feel like all the cameras are staring right at me. I guess it's just an old guilty conscience that will not go away! It's the same when I walk into a pharmacy. From all the old stunts I used to pull, it's the same thing. I always feel like they are looking at me and whispering behind my back. How stupid is that! And I know no one is whispering behind my back, they don't even know me, but for some reason I still feel that way, and probably always will.

[nick30]

pharmacists are usually very nosy about peoples meds and they just like to know where are the unused drugs end up i suppose. i think they feel infereior to dr's and they try to make themselves feel important any way they can. i don't think there's actually anything wrong with that, most people want to feel important don't they?
If you've done nothing wrong then it's time to stop feeling like you have.

Nick

[nick30]

yes, they take them back. it would help them believe you in future as not many patients return unused drugs. i'm not saying that you have anything to prove to them though. they throw them out, they would never re-use them. it doesn't look suspicious or anything, they are just missed doses that's all.

[imanaddict]

They have shorted me in the past, like if they didn't have them all, but would always tell me. They didn't say anything about that and evidently they think they gave me the full 180 since it was circled on my bottle. It S*CKS that I live in fear of people thinking I'm still up to my old ways. And of course, that is no one's fault but my own.

Nick, I don't always take 6 a day like I'm supposed to. Sometimes I take 4 or 5, so there usually isn't that many left over at the end of the month. The usual amount I will have left is 10 and I always just flush whatever is left. I guess I could give them back to the pharmacy, I never really thought of that. Would they even take them back from a patient? Wouldn't they fear they had been tampered with our something?

[nick30]

maybe there was supposed to be two bottles?

[dominosarah]

That is a big number to be short tho and they will know you didnt take 60 of them in a day or 2.  

[nick30]

you say you are supposed to take 6 a day, but you also say that you normally don't take that many. where do the rest go may i ask? I hope down the toilet. :-)  or back to the pharmacy?

[imanaddict]

I am leary of calling because I don't want them to look at me as a dope head. Especially when I'm NOT anymore. Or even worse, that I'm selling them or something. I pulled a fast one when I was an active addict with that pharmacy so I'm sure they will not believe me anyway.

[nick30]

If you are really being honest then you have a right to find out where the rest of them are.
you might want to talk to your dr as well. sub is normally dosed once a day for opiate replacement. surely that would be easier than 6 times a day. it has a very long half-life. and you'd need far fewer pills each month.

[dominosarah]

All you can do is call them and see what they say.  I know they have a count on those pills everyday.