I got a different prescription from the pharmacy, what can I do about it?

Question:

My doctor prescribed me a 75 mcg dose for my syntrhoid. He told me to hold off on it until after the bloodwork. But after I spoke to PCP she told me to go ahead, so I put it in. After my apt, I got a new lower does saying it was too high and to try this one. So I went back to my pharmacy, told them to cancel the first one and put this one through with 3 refills and a 50mcg dose. I pick it up later hoping to start it that night. I check out the baggie, said 50 mcg so that was fine, said 3 refills. I get to the bottle and it read purple pill, I am what? I know they are color coated and the purple is the 75. So I look at the bottle and it said 75 mcg with the 3 refills. I am what in the world?
I want to complain but since this could have been worse I would like a lawyer's opinion. I hope to speak to one first.
I had taken the 75 mcg a long time ago when my TSH was higher, but now it could do me bad. Should I get a lawyer or just contact the pharmacy HQ and tell them what happened?

Answers:
Since you originally put in the Rx for 75mcg and then cancelled the order and put in for 50 mcg I would say that it would have been wise for you to check the dosage. Yes, the pharmacy tech made an error and gave you your old order and is to blame. I would suggest you go back to the pharmacy and ask to speak to the head of the pharmacy and let them know what happened.

Hiring a lawyer for this won't really do anything but cost you money. I believe there isn't a case - there was no harm done and as a smart consumer you discovered the error before you took the medication. You bring up a good example of why people should be aware of their medication - dosage and what it looks like. If there are any questions, don't take it and go back to the pharmacy.

Just contact the pharmacy, better yet, go there and speak with the pharmacy. With the difference in mg's and prescriptions it could have happened. Just be thankful you caught it before you took the medicine! It's not like they gave you powerful pain relievers or heart medication on accident.

Well, luckily you caught the mistake. No harm was done, and you aren't traumatized. Why would you want to call a lawyer? So you can sue? Seems trivial to me.

I would call the pharmacy HQ and let them know what happened. At best, they will come down on the employee/manager who overlooked this problem and it won't happen to someone else with terrible consequences.

Since you caught the medication error yourself, no harm was done. There was potential for harm but it didn't reach the patient (you). Just return the med and get the correct dosage. Don't contact a lawyer, you don't have a case anyway, and don't contact the pharmacy headquarter's (I think you mean corporate office). Why do you want to take it this far? Notify the pharmacy manager who is also a PharmD. They have an internal auditing system and this needs to be included in it so that they can prevent such errors in the future.

Be glad you are savvy enough to know the wrong tablet when you see it and next time you pick up a prescription, take the vial out of the bag and check it yourself.

Just take the bottle, receipts, bag, etc back to the pharmacy and speak to the technician or pharmacist. You will be surprised how helpful they can be and solve the problem with a correction or explanation immediately. Maybe it's just a typing error.

You don't need to contact a lawyer since you were not harmed. I would simply speak with the pharmacist and resolve it in that manner. Pharmacists are human beings and they are prone to make mistakes. So long as the mistakes are caught, a resolution can be made. My pharmacist doesn't often make a mistake on my medications, but they do happen and we have a good working relationship. Nothing will destroy that relationship more than going to an attorney which, since you were not harmed, would be unnecessary at best.

Contact the pharmacy itself. This has happened with my Synthroid. This also happened, at a different pharmacy, where I was given 7.5 mg instead of 2.5 mg hydrocodone. The fact that you prescription was changed, and the manner in which it was changed, may have contributed to the error. Two different pharmacists may have been involved also.

I have seen, and heard of, many instances of pharmacists making medication errors. Often you have to be proactive--be aware of what your medication looks like and check it every time it is refilled.

Suing the pharmacy is, of course, an option but I would not recommend it. You are worried and alarmed, but have not suffered physical damage from taking the "wrong" strength of medication. I am not opposed to lawyers, but suing the pharmacy for this will probably only benefit the lawyer.

I got a different prescription from the pharmacy, what can I do about it?

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