Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Prescription Dosage Error!!!


MAN!!!! Can you believe this? I just got a call from the clinic, saying that the online prescription service that our medical insurance provider STRONGLY encouraged us to use, had the wrong dosages for my colesterol and allergy medications! This means that for 90 days, I have been taking the wrong dosages of Tricor, Vytorin and Allegra D. YUP!!! I noticed it wasn't quite the same when I first got the medication in the mail; so I called them and they said; "We gave you what your doctor prescribed via fax". So I thought, well, maybe it's a generic version of the real thing and they are not identical. But, now when I went to get the second refill through this company, I decided to check with my doctor to see if I needed my blood re-tested or whatever was required to get a refill. Then I told them about the different dosages; so the nurse practitioner checks my files and says, "Yup, that's what the doctor prescribed". I said, "Oh, so 48 mg. of this generic Tricor must be the same as 145 mg. of the real thing." She said, "WHAT??" So I repeated it and said, "I kept the bottles from both refills and the one I got refilled locally at the drugstore says 145 mg. and the online prescription says 48 mg." I told her the other differences with the other two drugs, too. She paused and said, "You better bring those bottles in." {Boy, I was glad I saved the refill bottles both places!"} So Bob dropped them off this morning with that same nurse pract. and sure enough; the dosage was WRONG! I may have to go in and get another blood test to see if the wrong dosage affected my numbers. I was more than a little STEAMED, with the online service, especially since I called them and they assured me it was the same dosage the doctor prescribed. How could they be so wrong? My clinic is calling the online service and should get it all straightened out. I sure hope so! I also hope they say, "The online prescription may cause migraines and you should not take them." So if you see me swatting the air and batting at imaginary flying objects; just chalk it up to a reaction to my online medication!!!! {wink...wink..}

5 comments:

Tracy said...

OH my gosh, that is just awful... I can't believe they made a mistake like that.. I would be steaming angry.. that is dangerous doing that to people.. I'm so glad you figured it out and were able to get the dosages corrected.

Anonymous said...

MARIE: That is down right scarey! Thank God you were alert and called them on it. I had something like that happen to me too, but one was my PA's fault and one was the druggist, and when I got home and looked at the box I called him and he said, bring it right back and he apologized and said, "and this one, I filled myself!" He has several working for him. It is scarey how much trust we have to put in them.

Marie Starr said...

Yes! I am waiting to hear from the clinic. Thank God it is lower dosages than my dr. prescribed.

Gigi said...

that is so ridiculous! you must feel so frustrated dealing w/ all of this red tape just to get what your dr. ordered! ugh!!! this sort of thing drives me crazy...esp. considering the amount of money these healthcare types make....

& good for you to keep up w/ all of this! i guess now you've got yourself a second job to keep track of it all since it is obvious the others are not. ugh...so frustrating!

Gigi said...

& btw....love the new look of your blog! very pretty!!!