They don't usually apologize. I went into my clinic and ended up with a new doctor. I had a really bad case of poison ivy and she gave me a prescription for some lotion. A few days later it was even worse,I called pharmacy and asked them if this was something used for poison ivy, nope..I called clinic and complained and wanted them to reimburse me for the $30 lotion, I had no insurance so it was out of pocket...They never did nor was there any apology.

My grandparents had their prescriptions mixed up. One had to low and one too high blood pressure, they were lucky to survive that mix up, both ended up in the ER that night. From then on the always checked their pills for anything that looked different.

That is really scary. That is 2070 mg of aspirin and 1440 mg of caffeine a day. Is the label on the outside of the bottle for the correct prescription? Years ago I picked up a prescription for my SIL and when she checked the bottle it had her name, her doctor's name but a prescription she'd never been given.

I would contact the home office for the pharmacy. They need to know that if this happens again they could be in for a big lawsuit.

Wow! That is really scary!! Coming from someone like me, who has been lucky enough to be on VERY FEW prescriptions in her life, how would someone know this stuff? You get a pill; how does the average Joe know it's not the right stuff??? Scary!!!

By the way, Hope your recovery is going well. I forgot to mention, I now, when ever I get a NEW prescription ask the pharmassist if what I am getting is for my condition. It gives them a extra chance to really look at the medication an extra time. Also...ask your doctor exactly what each prescription is for. I really hate it when they give you a Rx then run out of the room without an explanation for the Rx.

Wow!

If they apologize, they are admitting fault - so if you sued them, you would have that against them....sigh.. That's how things work these days.

So glad you are alert and caught the mistake in time.

Three years ago four months after DH had a second bypass he was back in hospital and the nurse brought his evening meds in. He told her those were not his and she argued tell him yes they were. He told her he had been taking his meds for six years so he knew they weren't his. She actually got mad and was insisting on him taking these i walked in door and DH was really upset which because of his health we worked very hard on this not happening. I asked the nurse if i could see the meds. She said, sure i think she thought i was on her side. I had them in my hands and went right out to desk and told a doctor that was sitting there doing his reports about the meds. They checked and Dh was right, they belonged to person two rooms down. Not one apology out of them either.

The name of the drug I was to get was phosrenol,Its to take phosphurous out of your food you eat.
I got Fioinal pain meds.
The nurse asked if he still had the drs original order he said yes looked he saw he was wrong.In dialysis the dr copies everything,funny thing was someone got in my escalade while parked in hospital parking lot stole my original 2 prescriptions I had.Hubby said he locked the doors but I think not.what is butabital thats in here too.I cann get 3x refill.

Bulldinkie doesn't your pharmacy give out literature with all prescriptions? It should say what the drug is,what it is used for,how to take it and explain normal and abnormal side effects.

Why are you asking those questions (in your last post) here at the KT? Call your pharmacy and get solid answers from them.

Oh heck - if they apologize - they're admitting that to a mistake... Something they don't want to do.

that's why i'm sitting here with a uti...unless my kidney doc gives the ok i'm afraid to use anything he doesn't write the scrip for...

Dinkie, I am horrified! The one thing I learned when I found out my kidneys were failing in 2001, is NEVER TAKE ASPIRIN. My doctors told me I can take a little Tylenol now and then. And caffeine - didn't know about it, but I'd definitely bug the doctors about any future medications. Remind them you've told your husband (or any significant other) to file a lawsuit if anything ever happens to you because of a mis-diagnosed medication.

When i get a new prescription,it usually says "Counsel" on top of the papers that come with it,and the pharmasist calls me over to the counsel window and explains what if any side effects etc this med can cause.Also all my meds tell me on the bottle what the pill looks like and the numbers that are stamped on the pill.
Kathi

So sorry but glad you caught it before taking them.
I am fortunate enough to go to a local pharmacy, locally owned and the pharmacist always comes out to discuss any new prescription.

I'm glad you were on the ball and noticed something not right.Most people would never think to question something like that.
33 years ago my cousin had a baby boy by C-Section and the valve in his heart didn't close.Turned out he was about 5-6 weeks early and the doctor scheduled the C-section to coincide with his vacation but that's another story.
Anyway,he had surgery to repair the valve when he was 3 days old and was in the hospital for 5 weeks afterward.The hospital was in another town 60 miles from home.They released him with a prescription for a medication that slows the heartbeat so it can heal.They took the prescription by the pharmacy on the way home and had it filled.By the time they got home it was time to give the baby a dose so mom filled the dropper to the dosage on the bottle,fed him and put him to bed.He slept for 4 hours,which wasn't usual but mom wasn't worried.She figured he was just tired from all the excitement of the day.She checked on him again in about an hour and he was barely breathing and not waking up.They rushed him back to the hospital.Turned out the pharmacist had placed the decimal point on the dosage instructions in the wrong place and mom had given him several times more than the amount prescribed! Doctors said enough to kill an adult! He recovered after a few more weeks in the hospital and is a healthy young man.Until that happened I was never too cautious about reading labels and asking questions but after that incident I became a lot more cautious!
Not long after that the owner of the pharmacy sold out to someone else.Makes me wonder if that wasn't the first time something like that had happened.

I learned a long time ago not to trust any hospital employee or pharmacist when it comes to drugs and dosages.
I've caught too many mistakes in both places.

I know exactly what my prescribed drugs look like, and won't take anything new without looking it up on-line for picture and full listing of contra=indications and interactions.

My doctor and pharmacist have no problem with my caution, they approve...hospital nurses take offense, but that's their problem.

You wouldn't believe how many of my patients don't even know what they take at home. They always say something like, "my wife knows" or "whatever they have in my records." These are grown men! And usually the wife does know because she's the one making sure he gets his meds and how they affect him. A lot of times the wife isn't there, though, so they just down whatever pills we give them.

I always take them in after scanning them in their packets so that they know exactly what I'm giving them. Sometimes they will tell me they don't take something anymore or ask a question about a new drug they were put on in the hospital but most of them time they don't. Blind trust. You have to take care of yourself because no one else will as good as you can.

Got to watch those pharmacies.I worked in a drug store,The pharmacist filled out the patients phone number instead of the RX number,Be aware!!!!!!!

To the people with kidney problems:my hubby 58 just had his right kidney removed due to cancer and they are now saying his left kidney is not up to par, therefore he has an appt. to see nephrologist, but not till end of May. His diet is quite a mess as he has sugar and high blood pressure and now they are saying no chicken or protien.This is making me a mess, thought I would talk to you who have been there. THANKS

Bulldinkie....I'm giving you a big pat on the back for paying attention. Can you use a different pharmacy, or next time you are in mention it to someone in charge?

Wendy, I'm sorry about your DH's medical problems. You sound so stressed and worried. Sounds like a difficult diet to manage, which is probably your responsibility. Sorry.