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Hello Everyone,

I thought I would share what happen to me and my daughter on Labor Day, to
let everyone know to always check your medication for gluten or other
allergens.  I am not one to publicly bash a company, but the pharmacy's I
visited this weekend need to be avoided if you live in the same area as I
do in North Texas.


Katherine and I were taken to the emergency room last night, Katherine has
pneumonia and I have the beginnings of it. We both have lost our voices,
except for a low whisper. I went into our local Eckerd's in Wylie and went
to the Pharmacy counter were several employees were working on a display. I
stood for several minutes and finally said "is anyone working in the
pharmacy this evening" One employee said "Yes" and came around the counter,
I presented my prescription and she then told me they were closed for Labor
Day. As I was turning around to leave the other employee, a young man said
"Oh, by the way, we were just seeing how long you would stand there, before
you got mad." and I told him "obviously" and went and got a manager. She
and the young man apologized and said they were just being sarcastic. After
some apologies they directed me to a 24 hour Eckerd's, which was a 30
minute drive for me.

I went into the pharmacy and it was now around 7PM and this pharmacy closed
at 8 PM. I went to the counter and they told me they would feel the
prescription. I told them of my allergies and listed Gluten intolerance,
with a note that said Gluten is derived from Wheat, Barley, Rye, and Oats.
I gave this to the intake receptionist and also spoke to the pharmacist. It
took until 7:45 to get the medicine ready, all while my Mother and
Katherine were trying to stay comfortable in the car. I went to pick up the
medicine and asked the woman at the counter if they had any problems with
any of the medicines containing gluten. She said she did not even know what
gluten was. I explained that I had already told her, and then I showed it
to her on the notepad in front of her. I then requested to speak to the
pharmacist and asked him if he had any problems with gluten in any of the
medications. He said "gluten" gluten" and I said " " yes, gluten, it is
derived from wheat, rye, barley, and oats".

The pharmacist then told me " I did not check for gluten, we do not know
what the ingredients are in our medicines, they do not send ingredient
labels with our products." I told him I thought he was mistaken, that it is
a law, they must include a list of ingredients" Well this really made him
mad and he then told me that "if I was so worried then I should not take
the medicine anyway, that it was nothing more than sinus medicine, and that
avoiding gluten was not important anyway."

"I then asked if he was a physician and could make that determination,
whether my daughter and I should or should not take a particular medicine"
The medicine's we were trying to purchase were 2 antibiotics and 2 cough
syrups. I told him that we both had Celiac Sprue and that it was a life
threatening disease, and we could not consume anything with gluten in it.
He again told me that "Gluten in the medication was not important". I
said " It is important, it is no different then someone with allergies to
peanuts, milk, eggs, or other food products" He then said, " Like, I told
you before, it is not important, and if you are so worried about a medicine
having something you are claiming to be allergic to, then don't take it."
" I told him, he would think it was important if someone took some medicine
with say peanuts, or penicillin if they were allergic to it, because it
could kill them." I even offered to read the labels myself. I finally told
him that I could not take a chance on the medication and that I would like
to have my money back. He then told me that "I was disrupting his customers
and that he did not appreciate me one bit" " He said, "I am now going to
research it, but it is going to take another 30 minutes for me to do such a
thing" I told him that, I would not be treated in such a rude manner, and
that I wanted my money back". ( I could not possible been that disruptive,
I can barley talk.) Well after arguing over the return, it was 7:40 P.M.
There were five customers in line and he said he was not excepting any more
prescriptions, because he had enough and for them to leave". Anyway I
found the Assistant Store manager, and she could have cared less, she never
even said I am sorry. She just said " Ok, Ok, Ok," Needless to say, there
was a line of customers waiting to complain about bad treatment also.

We then had to drive to a 24 Hour Tom Thumb that took us another 35 minutes
to get too, and they were very busy. Since I have told my bad experience, I
must share a good one. I went to the pharmacy desk at Tom Thumb and they
could not have been nicer. The intake window was great, about all types of
food, dye, and medicine based allergies or diseases. The pharmacist was
great and told me that she had doubled checked all medicine and only one
had gluten, and she had found a replacement for it. We did have to wait an
hour, but they told us it would take a while and they even used my two
favorite words, "Thank you" and "Sorry" I would highly recommend going
their if you need medicine and you have special needs, it is located at
Preston Rd. and Park in Plano, Texas.


It was almost midnight when we got home and Katherine had a very difficult
night, she is doing much better this morning and is reading a book in her
room. She is so mad because she can not go to school this week. She was
also scheduled for a biopsy tomorrow but it has been rescheduled. I too am
feeling better, but can only whisper at times.

I just thought I would share my terrible experience with everyone, I called
Eckerd's Corporate office and they are supposed to have a district manager
call me back. I also called the Texas State Board of Pharmacist and I am
turning in this pharmacist, before he seriously injures someone.


The Eckards is located at Walnut Lane and Shiloh Road in Garland, Texas


Lucy Shriver