Ricky Buchanan (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} rickybuchanan) wrote,@ 2008-06-08 00:58:00 |
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Why I Love My Pharmacists, By Ricky Age 33 1/3
My local pharmacist is a true god amongst men. Honestly!
Here's why:
He copes with my 10 different repeat prescription meds (including the obscure and expensive must-be-ordered especially for Ricky ones) and the 4 more PRN script meds and the one-off script I have this week and I can't remember how many doctor-indicated-but-not-requiring-actua
He catches it when the Idiot GP[*] has prescribed something at a bizarre dose or something which will react with one of the above in a weird way, and even phones the GP to suggest replacements and get the GP to fax replacement paperwork.
He lets me know when there's a generic version of the same drug and what the cost difference is and if there's any significant differences between the two versions.
He understands when Specialist prescribes something requiring injections and finds out how to order the correct needles and a sharps bin without once treating me like some drug addict... and then suggests a different gague/length of needle which makes the whole insert-pointy-object-into-stomach part a lot less painful and difficult.
He notices when my intake of PRN med X goes up and asks if everything's OK and suggests I check with my doctor about it... before I had even realised I was taking more.
He calmly chases up the GP's receptionist over and over until she makes the GP cough up repeat scripts and does it so politely that she mentions what a "nice young man" he is when I speak to her.
He tells me how to get the maximum government rebates that I'm eligible for with the scripts - the government keeps making this more difficult and paperwork-ridden - and makes sure I get them.
He makes sure Weekend Pharmacist is aware of whatever current pharmacy-related-drama is going on and that she knows what needs to be done or obtained or whatever, and then follows up on Monday to check that the doing/obtaining/whatevering was successful.
He keeps track of dates and doses and reminds me when I should have tests for blood levels of this-and-that because I've been taking tablet X for 3 months now and it might mess up vital-organ-of-the-week, for multiple values thereof.
He tells me if it's possible that a new symptom is a side-effect of the newest drug (with obligatory but-you-must-see-your-doctor-about-it disclaimers).
He's happy to give me the REAL version of the med information from the MIMS along with the tinsy consumer information leaflet people usually get because he knows I won't get med-student-hypochondria from the list of 128 possible side-effects.
He fills my dosette every week even though it has so many tablets it's pretty difficult to even close the damm thing when it's filled, and he get's the boy on a bike to deliver it and pick up the empty one every Wednesday afternoon.
On the odd occasion weird emergencies have cropped up with night visiting doctors prescribing drugs needed Right Now, and Flatmate not being available for courier duty, he's even been known to go so far above-and-beyond as to drop them off in person on his way home. So have various other people who work at the pharmacy, to give due credit.
... and he jokes with me and asks how I am (and actually wants to know!) when I have to phone up Yet Again to ask him something and never, ever says it's a dumb question even when I think it is.
If that's not the definition of God, I dunno what is!
He won't marry me though - I asked :(
Ricky
[*] For those who are not regular readers: I mean absolutely no disrespect to GPs in general here. My particular GP does not get along with the type of patient I am, and vice versa. I suspect the type of disease/disability I have wasn't even invented when he was in medical school and it makes him defensive because I am the "ask many questions" type of patient - who also weren't invented when he was in medical school.
My local pharmacist is a true god amongst men. Honestly!
Here's why:
He copes with my 10 different repeat prescription meds (including the obscure and expensive must-be-ordered especially for Ricky ones) and the 4 more PRN script meds and the one-off script I have this week and I can't remember how many doctor-indicated-but-not-requiring-actua
He catches it when the Idiot GP[*] has prescribed something at a bizarre dose or something which will react with one of the above in a weird way, and even phones the GP to suggest replacements and get the GP to fax replacement paperwork.
He lets me know when there's a generic version of the same drug and what the cost difference is and if there's any significant differences between the two versions.
He understands when Specialist prescribes something requiring injections and finds out how to order the correct needles and a sharps bin without once treating me like some drug addict... and then suggests a different gague/length of needle which makes the whole insert-pointy-object-into-stomach part a lot less painful and difficult.
He notices when my intake of PRN med X goes up and asks if everything's OK and suggests I check with my doctor about it... before I had even realised I was taking more.
He calmly chases up the GP's receptionist over and over until she makes the GP cough up repeat scripts and does it so politely that she mentions what a "nice young man" he is when I speak to her.
He tells me how to get the maximum government rebates that I'm eligible for with the scripts - the government keeps making this more difficult and paperwork-ridden - and makes sure I get them.
He makes sure Weekend Pharmacist is aware of whatever current pharmacy-related-drama is going on and that she knows what needs to be done or obtained or whatever, and then follows up on Monday to check that the doing/obtaining/whatevering was successful.
He keeps track of dates and doses and reminds me when I should have tests for blood levels of this-and-that because I've been taking tablet X for 3 months now and it might mess up vital-organ-of-the-week, for multiple values thereof.
He tells me if it's possible that a new symptom is a side-effect of the newest drug (with obligatory but-you-must-see-your-doctor-about-it disclaimers).
He's happy to give me the REAL version of the med information from the MIMS along with the tinsy consumer information leaflet people usually get because he knows I won't get med-student-hypochondria from the list of 128 possible side-effects.
He fills my dosette every week even though it has so many tablets it's pretty difficult to even close the damm thing when it's filled, and he get's the boy on a bike to deliver it and pick up the empty one every Wednesday afternoon.
On the odd occasion weird emergencies have cropped up with night visiting doctors prescribing drugs needed Right Now, and Flatmate not being available for courier duty, he's even been known to go so far above-and-beyond as to drop them off in person on his way home. So have various other people who work at the pharmacy, to give due credit.
... and he jokes with me and asks how I am (and actually wants to know!) when I have to phone up Yet Again to ask him something and never, ever says it's a dumb question even when I think it is.
If that's not the definition of God, I dunno what is!
He won't marry me though - I asked :(
Ricky
[*] For those who are not regular readers: I mean absolutely no disrespect to GPs in general here. My particular GP does not get along with the type of patient I am, and vice versa. I suspect the type of disease/disability I have wasn't even invented when he was in medical school and it makes him defensive because I am the "ask many questions" type of patient - who also weren't invented when he was in medical school.
