Healthy Reminder: Always Ask Your Pharmacist This Question (Every Single Time!)
Dropping off a new prescription at the pharmacy today or sometime soon? Whenever you visit the pharmacy, always--always!!--ask the clerk this question when she takes your prescription. It could save your life!
Everyone jokes about doctors' handwriting, and for good reason! While some doctors print legibly, yes, many don't. And my doctor's penmanship looks sort of like a third grade boys'! Anywho, so what should we all ask our pharmacist when we fill our next prescription?
Related: How to Avoid Getting Sick This Winter!
Here's your script:
You: "You can read what that says, right?"
Your pharmacist/clerk, scrutinizing the handwriting: "Yes, does it say [INSERT NAME OF PRESCRIPTION HERE]?
You: "Yes/no."
Here are two reasons why this is soooo important:
Exhibit A: In a recent story in Parents magazine, I read about a mom who filled a prescription for her daughter. The prescription was for some sort of allergy medicine that began with the word "A." What did she go home with? Amoxicillin, which she accidentally gave her daughter. Here's where it got scary: Her daughter was allergic to Amoxicillin and ended up breaking out in hives and swelling up! Fortunately, she ended up being OK, but still, so frightening!
Exhibit B: I dropped off a new prescription a few weeks ago, and gave my usual "you can read what that says, right?" speech. And guess what? The pharmacist tech couldn't read it. In fact, she said she was certain it was written for a different medication--a medicine I had never heard of! Yikes, yikes, yikes. If I hadn't said anything, I may have assumed I was getting the right medication, and well, yikes.
Clearly, pharmacists have precautionary steps in place to make sure we get the medicines we're supposed to be getting, but it pays to be extra diligent. After all, gals, we are our best health advocates! Look out for yourself!
Monday hugs! (P.S. I Need. More. Coffee.)
Have you ever had a pharmacy mishap?
P.S. Don't wash your pills down with this beverage--here's why! Could your doc be prescribing you fake pills? Are you avoiding filling prescriptions that you need to save money?
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