lack of counseling

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeannette:

Here is another situation I found interesting. I realize its not a study

question (although it is a learning experience) so not sure you would think

that it shoudl be included on this forum and maybe on one of the other

pharmacy discussion groups, but here goes.

I take thyroid replacement and for years have taken Levoxyl. I just switched

doctors and I said to him " Oh, I need a new prescription for my synthroid

which is about to run out " This was my fault really putting it this way, but

he wrote a prescription for " synthroid " which I didn't notice. I went to my

pharmacy and handed it in to be filled. I picked it up and did not receive

counseling. I went home, took 1 pill and noticed the container said

synthroid. I thought that odd. Then I remembered that the prescription had

said that(which I hadn't thought about)

SO the next day while in the pharmacy I asked about this becasue I know

that thyroid drugs are one of the few drugs that they don't switch around

on. I was told that they will substitute generics or other brands (unless

the doctor indicates no of course) except on thyroid and in this case the

doctor wrote the prescription for " synthroid " . I asked politely, " wouldn't

it have been in the computer that I took Levoxyl " and he said " yes, it would

be. Normally we would call the physician's office on a case like this to ask

if he really wanted to switch. Check with your doctor about what to do on

this one "

Thought this woudl be an interesting story.

Chris

[Guest guest]

Dear

I think that it is a great discussion for all forums. Here we are

studying law as well. while it is a bit personal it still hits the

mark. Which is this: clearly the pharmacist who filled it was not

doing their job correctly. If they had been they would have caught

this. While you would not 'die' right away there is evidence that

they are not bioequivalent, and that is why they are not

interchangable, andover time there would be changes in your

therapeutic response. The doctor may switch to get a different drug

delivery or availbilty, pharmacokinetically, but if you were on a

different brand then the pharmacist should have questioned this- was

it intendedor not? A call should have gone to your doctor to verify

that this is what he/she wanted. This would be in a court of law

negligence on the part of the pharmacist.

Thank you for this discussion,

Jeanetta

> Hi Jeannette:

>

> Here is another situation I found interesting. I realize its not a

study

> question (although it is a learning experience) so not sure you

would think

> that it shoudl be included on this forum and maybe on one of the

other

> pharmacy discussion groups, but here goes.

>

> I take thyroid replacement and for years have taken Levoxyl. I just

switched

> doctors and I said to him " Oh, I need a new prescription for my

synthroid

> which is about to run out " This was my fault really putting it this

way, but

> he wrote a prescription for " synthroid " which I didn't notice. I

went to my

> pharmacy and handed it in to be filled. I picked it up and did not

receive

> counseling. I went home, took 1 pill and noticed the container said

> synthroid. I thought that odd. Then I remembered that the

prescription had

> said that(which I hadn't thought about)

>

> SO the next day while in the pharmacy I asked about this becasue I

know

> that thyroid drugs are one of the few drugs that they don't switch

around

> on. I was told that they will substitute generics or other brands

(unless

> the doctor indicates no of course) except on thyroid and in this

case the

> doctor wrote the prescription for " synthroid " . I asked

politely, " wouldn't

> it have been in the computer that I took Levoxyl " and he said " yes,

it would

> be. Normally we would call the physician's office on a case like

this to ask

> if he really wanted to switch. Check with your doctor about what to

do on

> this one "

>

> Thought this woudl be an interesting story.

>

> Chris

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeannette:

Oops sorry- thought the past message about chatty messages referred to this.

I do think it was educational and I see you do too. That's why I decided to

go ahead and post it. Real life situations can be very educational.

I tended to blame myself and my doctor for the mistake. He should have

asked me what I normally took (or checked my records) but then I should have

known better not to just refer to any thyroid medication as synthroid!

However, I can also see the negligence on the pharmacists part as my

previous drug record was in the computer system and I know that this is one

of the drugs that you shouldn't switch back and forth on. . I asked my

doctor a few weeks later and guess what he said - " well, doesn't matter that

much. I wouldn't worry about it " So we're (change that to I, don't think

he's too worried) going to see what the lab tests show next month after 3

months use of the new brand.

The reason I thought of this incident was the discussion on patient

counseling. IF I had had counseling, (it would have been a new prescription

i think because of the situation) I am sure I would have realized that I

was receiving Synthroid instead of Levoxyl and would have questioned it

right then and there. Instead, i didn't notice it till next morning.

Chris

Re: lack of counseling

> Dear

> I think that it is a great discussion for all forums. Here we are

> studying law as well. while it is a bit personal it still hits the

> mark. Which is this: clearly the pharmacist who filled it was not

> doing their job correctly. If they had been they would have caught

> this. While you would not 'die' right away there is evidence that

> they are not bioequivalent, and that is why they are not

> interchangable, andover time there would be changes in your

> therapeutic response. The doctor may switch to get a different drug

> delivery or availbilty, pharmacokinetically, but if you were on a

> different brand then the pharmacist should have questioned this- was

> it intendedor not? A call should have gone to your doctor to verify

> that this is what he/she wanted. This would be in a court of law

> negligence on the part of the pharmacist.

>

>

> Thank you for this discussion,

> Jeanetta

>

>

>

> > Hi Jeannette:

> >

> > Here is another situation I found interesting. I realize its not a

> study

> > question (although it is a learning experience) so not sure you

> would think

> > that it shoudl be included on this forum and maybe on one of the

> other

> > pharmacy discussion groups, but here goes.

> >

> > I take thyroid replacement and for years have taken Levoxyl. I just

> switched

> > doctors and I said to him " Oh, I need a new prescription for my

> synthroid

> > which is about to run out " This was my fault really putting it this

> way, but

> > he wrote a prescription for " synthroid " which I didn't notice. I

> went to my

> > pharmacy and handed it in to be filled. I picked it up and did not

> receive

> > counseling. I went home, took 1 pill and noticed the container said

> > synthroid. I thought that odd. Then I remembered that the

> prescription had

> > said that(which I hadn't thought about)

> >

> > SO the next day while in the pharmacy I asked about this becasue I

> know

> > that thyroid drugs are one of the few drugs that they don't switch

> around

> > on. I was told that they will substitute generics or other brands

> (unless

> > the doctor indicates no of course) except on thyroid and in this

> case the

> > doctor wrote the prescription for " synthroid " . I asked

> politely, " wouldn't

> > it have been in the computer that I took Levoxyl " and he said " yes,

> it would

> > be. Normally we would call the physician's office on a case like

> this to ask

> > if he really wanted to switch. Check with your doctor about what to

> do on

> > this one "

> >

> > Thought this woudl be an interesting story.

> >

> > Chris

>

>

>

>