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Denise wrote:
> I also would like to share a related experience. I have been taking =
> Prevacid for GERD. I was told by my doctor that I could take Prilosec
> = which I could buy cheaper and without a RX. So I went to the
> pharmacy = and asked the Pharmacist if Prilosec contained Gluten. Not
> one could = tell me. I also had them look up Prevacid. They looked
> at the package = insert and gave it to me to interpret! When I asked
> them to please = interpret all these chemical names for me, the were
> almost dumfounded. = After a loss of words, I asked them if any of
> them were pharmacists? I = asked them if they knew about Celiac
> Disease? No one knew anything, = except that "Some lady" in a near by
> city, had to look up things for = that sensitivity. I felt like a
> complete nuisance asking them for this = information. they were
> clearly at a loss, and very defensive. They = finally looked up the
> manufactures of these drugs and gave me their = phone numbers.
>
> I educated them about the seriousness and the prevalence of gluten =
> intolerance and celiac's disease. That seemed to care less,and said
> we = have to it out ourselves. The tech said the ingredients in all =
> medications can change on a daily basis, and their there was no way =
> they can provide this information. I figure they should aatleast be
> able = to interpret the chemical ingredients?
>
> I am feeling pretty outraged at the moment. Anyone have any knowledge
> = about how to lobby for prescription labeling?
>
In our state (California) there are three levels of people who can be
behind a pharmacy counter - pharmacy techs (10 weeks of classes),
pharmacists (education equivalent to a masters degree) and
pharmacologists (doctorate level education). The pharm-techs are
useless when it comes to finding out information on drug
constituents, the pharmacists less so (depending on their workload).
You want to make sure that the person you are dealing with is either
a pharmacist or a pharmacologist! Some large chain drugstores are
notorious for staffing with 5 or 6 techs and 1 very overworked
pharmacist. I've found the best time to talk to the pharmacist for
information gathering (at my 24-hour local pharmacy) is between 9 pm
and 8:30 a.m (late night or early morning). Of course, this means
that if I need them to contact a manufacturer, I need to plan for at
least 24 hour turnaround. I do plan for that, and I make my thanks
profuse when they help me.
Part of our responsibility as consumers of health care is to pick the
appropriate person to help us. I've discovered that the pharmacists
(and pharmacologists) at certain drug stores have the *willingness*
to help us stay well - these are the folks I patronize, regularly -
the ones who ask, *every time* I pick up a refill, if I have any
questions or concerns, and make the time to listen and answer
questions. When I ask them to cross-check a new medication for cross-
reactions with my maintenance drugs, I usually find out that it has
already been done - several times, the drug I picked up was not the
drug my doctor told me s/he was ordering - in between my seeing my
doctor, when the prescription was called in, the pharmacist found
contra-indications, called the doctor back with options, and was
given the go-ahead for a substitute drug. These are the pharmacists
you want to have your business!
Also, note the prevalence of generic drugs as a cost-saving measure -
the formulas on generics can be hard to verify - especially when the
generic is made half-way around the world. The words "dispense as
written" or "do not substitute" should be standard on prescriptions
for most of our medications - brand names and individual
manufacturers are easier to keep track of!
Anyone who is on any medication for any length of time, and anyone
who is on multiple medications, should have a regular "brown bag"
review with a *pharmacologist*. This is where the pharmacologist goes
through every pill you put in your mouth (including vitamins and
nutritional supplements) with you, explains each, and makes sure that
there are no mix-ups, overlaps, or cross-reactions with the pills.
I'Ive helped numerous (mostly older) friends gather their things for
one of these reviews, and the results are normally impressive. Most
people go from 7 to 12 prescription drugs to 2 or 3, and not only do
their pocketbooks feel better, they do, too!
FWIW, educating the pharmacy staff needs to come from above, or from
the state regulatory agency, not from an outraged, angry consumer -
they're going to write you off as a wacko if it comes across that
way, and you will not have done anyone (much less your fellow
celiacs) any good.
karen
Karen Davis
Davis and Associates Consulting
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