Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pharmacy

Can I fill my written US prescriptions in person at a local Canadian pharmacy??

soulbarn — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:56:02 -0800

I'm going to be in Canada next week. I was wondering if I could go into a local pharmacy with my written US prescriptions (non-controlled substances) and have them filled at Canada prices. Does anyone know? Pittfalls? (I'll be in Sherbrooke, if anyone ha recommendations.)

Doing Our Homework on For-Profit Colleges

bunnycup — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:39:18 -0800

How does one evaluate the various for-profit colleges? A beloved adult family member who has not completed any significant education since high school is considering a career path in some aspect of pharmacy services. The intention is to first obtain a pharmacy technician certificate to allow interim work, which seems to be available primarily from various for-profit colleges (such as Lincoln Tech, etc.).

I've read many, many articles about for-profit colleges, including the more recent headlining news about the woman who sued her for-profit college for failure to live up to marketing promises such as guaranteed job-placement assistance. I recognize that there are no US News & World Report-esque rankings, and therefore I am trying to get a sense of whether any of these types of schools stand out as more reputable than others. If anyone happens to have a recommendation, it would be appreciated, but is not the main thrust of this question. Do we look to the Better Business Bureau? How do we best analyze the marketing claims? The goal is to find a reputable, basic, pharmacy tech program that will include useful job placement assistance; then to return to more formal schooling to further the professional credentials to a higher level.

We are in Pennsylvania, and have examined our state's licensing application. We are also using the resources available at PTCB.org (the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board). So we are doing our homework, but I thought I would reach out for some insight on how to evaluate the different schools.

Cheap(er) Manhattan pharmacy?

melissasaurus — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:40:38 -0800

Cheap(er) Manhattan pharmacy? I live in Manhattan and need to have a prescription filled. Problem is, it's not covered by my insurance. I usually go to Duane Reade, but without insurance coverage, it seems pricey (about twice as much as the internet says it should be). I'm hoping it's not just a typical NYC mark-up. Anyone have experience with full-price prescriptions at other pharmacies in Manhattan? No need to get specific w/ the type of drug or anything, just trying to narrow down the number of places I should call.

If my doctor says there's no generic, but I can order one, should I?

lumpenprole — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:02:51 -0800

When nobody seems to think there's a generic for a drug, and yet I can order it. Is this an online pharmacy scam? Little bit of background. I've been contracting for the last couple years and the last year I was on a contract with a staffing agency that did medical insurance. So, awesome. Until the contract dies and they can't seem to find me any other work.

I'm not sweating it too bad as I've got some irons in the fire, but in the meantime I have no insurance. This is a problem as I take Symbicort for my asthma. Symbicort is expensive and according to Walgreens and my doctor, there's no generic.

But if I check out online pharmacies, lo and behold, there's a generic version. It's composed of two drugs budesonide and formetrol that are both out of trademark protection, so I don't see any reason why someone couldn't mix them and make a generic.

But for obvious reasons I'm sweating ordering it and killing myself. Help me hive mind, you're my only hope!

Where can I get provogil for cheaper?

Lord_Pall — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:56:13 -0800

Where can I get Provigil/Modafinil for cheaper? So we've covered where to get Provigil or Alertec if you're in canada. We've covered Adrafinil as an alternative.

What about where to get Provigil that's cheaper than the US?

I've been taking provigil for years. It's an amazing medication.
Downside is that now that I'm back in the US, it's 400 dollars a month.

With Insurance. Which is a high deductible plan, but more importantly, that refuses to pay for it

Also, I do not qualify for any prescription assistance programs.

I tried half pills to make it last longer, but that sucked.

Is that the closest I'll get to "real" provigil for <400?

If I understand correctly, Modapro and Modalert (asian variants of Modafinil), don't work quite as well as full Modafinil...

Is Modiadol from Mexico in the same boat?

Am I missing another alternative?

I considered Adrafinil, but the liver problems are a red flag, especially considering that I'd need to take upwards of 600-800mg to give the same result as 200mg of Provigil..

I ordered some Modiadol from MedsMex already and tried one. It seemed to be okay, but I've only tested 1 dose.

Both are great for me, actually

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:29:45 -0800

Please help me choose between nursing and pharmacy school please. I did volunteer work, talked to both nurses and pharmacists, read extensively about both careers, and still feel pretty confused. I can see aspects of my personality that would allow me to do a great job in either field. I was originally interested only in nursing and specifically aspired to be a Nurse Anesthetist.

However, and this might be silly, I started reading various message boards and forums, as well as news articles, and am concerned by what seems to be a huge surge in the number of people going back to school for nursing. I'm also discouraged by the anecdotes regarding healthcare administrators who freeze hiring and rely on a skeleton staff. The message boards seem to be full of recent graduate nurses who passed the NCLEX and can't find jobs.

I've been considering pharmacy school at the same time, even though I know the jobs are fundamentally different. BLS data suggests that the demand for nurses will be higher than for pharmacists (in that there will be more openings). My cousin, who is a doctor, insists that there are way more opportunities in nursing, but I pointed out that there are all these cash cow programs in Healthcare Administration spewing out graduates without any experience actually working in the healthcare field. BLS data suggests that there will be more growth in nursing than in pharmacy.

I'm about to start my pre-reqs and I don't know how to figure out which path would be a better bet.

I'm 32 and a career changer, single, childfree, and I know pharmacy school would be 4 years, and getting a 2nd degree BSN + Masters would be more like 5 years. I'm really just way more interested in how to figure out which field will have more demand/security/stability. (Also, please don't give me platitudes like "Follow your passion.")

Ordering from an online pharmacy

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:09:20 -0800

Logistically, what are some things I should be aware of when ordering from an online pharmacy (for delivery into the U.S.)? This will be my first time ordering from an online pharmacy. What are some things of which I should be aware? I'm thinking about the following:

1) Should I use a prepaid Visa card? Is my own credit card OK? Something else? I realize that this question will depend highly on through whom I order, so for the purposes of this question, let's assume either (a) I'm ordering from a company that has received several recommendations on AskMe, and therefore is probably reasonably reputable; or (b) that "what's a trustworthy online pharmacy" is an alternative reading of this question. If a prepaid Visa is recommended, will any old prepaid that I get at a drugstore work?

2) Do I just give them my home address for shipping?

3) How long will it take to arrive? See the caveat on #1 above regarding the extent to which the answer to this question will differ depending on who I use.

Throwaway email: exviojevlkubez@mailinator.com (I realize I can't respond from there; if anyone sends something that warrants a response, I'll figure out how to get back in touch with you)

Thanks in advance!

What is this asthma-reducing herbal stuff?

Dee Xtrovert — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:56:50 -0800

I'm looking for a strange medicinal herb which alleviates breathing problems from asthma, and sold at pharmacies circa 1970. Can you tell me what it could be? It came in a tin, like chewing tobacco. You opened it up and lighted the dried herb and it almost immediately made it possible to breath again. It had a sweet smell - not menthol-like, though. Sort of a dried-herb incense. Not terribly dissimilar to marijuana in appearance perhaps. It did not require a prescription, but you did ask the pharmacist for it. (I'm asking for a friend.) Anyone have a clue what this is?

I can haz Proscar?

Anonymous — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:28:07 -0800

What's the real deal with offshore "no prescription needed" pharmacies? Which ones (if any) are legit? Okay, the anon is probably overkill, but it's for reasons of vanity. Basically, I'm looking for a way to get cheap-ish Proscar to cut up and take as a substitute for Propecia (hair loss drug; same as Proscar, but in a smaller dose) without going 10 rounds with my somewhat conservative doctor. I've been looking at offshore "no scrip needed" pharmacies, and want to give one a shot. But I'm worried that a) the one I pick will be a scam, or b) the one I pick will be legit, but my order won't reach me.

Googling around hasn't done much good. Have any mefites had luck (good or bad) with any of these services? Any other tips?

Drug Disposal

sandraregina — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:46:35 -0800

I know that when medicine expires or is no longer needed, the best way to dispose of it is to take it to a local pharmacy with a disposal program and hand it off to them to take care of it. But that gets me to wondering - then what? How do pharmacies dispose of unwanted or expired medication? I can't see the little pharmacy in the local strip mall having an incinerator, for example (though hey, they might). Does it go to a medical waste disposal company? What about medications that fall on the floor, or get mixed up, or never picked up at the counter? What kind of tracking systems are in place to ensure the pharmacists don't sweep a couple pills under their shirt when counting them and walk out and sell them? Especially if its already been logged as 'disposed of' (or however its tracked)?

This isn't for any particular, pressing need. I'm just curious. Can anyone shed some light on what happens after I take my meds to the pharmacy to be disposed?

I only get one spam in my gmail - but 30x a day. WTF?

bartleby — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:27:31 -0800

I only get one piece of spam in my gmail inbox. but I get it 30x a day. WTF? I loves me some Gmail. But I've laways wondered why although spam is almost nonexistent in my account, I do get the same "A Great Canadian pharmacy is here at your fingertips!" in my spam folder several dozen times a day. I don't seem to get any other spam, so why this one gets me is a mystery.

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

My grandfather's paying an arm and a leg to cure his GERD.

metalheart — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:14:38 -0800

What is a good, reliable online Canadian pharmacy for Americans to purchase from? (Particularly interested in finding one with AcipHex.) My grandfather needs AcipHex/Rabeprazole. Even the generic brand costs a great deal in the States, though, so he's looking to buy it elsewhere, from Canada.

Does anyone know of a good online Canadian pharmacy? We're a bit wary of trying just any of them.

Thanks so much!

Can I fill my prescription under the radar?

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:25:04 -0800

How can I be sure that the prescription I'm about to fill won't appear in a for-profit prescription database? I have a prescription that I need to fill but I'm sort of weird about privacy and I'd rather not have it appear in the mega-database of prescribed medications.

According to the above article, people who pay cash (and apparently they mean full price, not the $4 discounted Target/Wal-Mart prices) are "generally" excluded from this database. I'd like to be a little more confident about my exclusion from this database, so I've got questions:

Is paying cash/full price a reliable way to keep my prescription info private? Would I be better off buying from a Canadian or other non-US pharmacy since I'm already paying full price? I'm buying generic, so cost isn't really an issue. Mostly I'd prefer not to wait the three weeks it'll take to get them from Canada.

(Anonymous because I really am that much of a privacy weirdo) Questions, anonymous replies, etc: prescriptionparanoid@gmail.com

Where can I order melatonin online, which will ship internationally?

chrisbucks — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:40:37 -0800

What are some reputable American websites which will ship supplements internationally? More inside specifically regarding melatonin. (I've checked the other online pharmacy questions and they all appear to be in regards to prescription only meds rather than OTC)

After trying a lot of different things to help ease my problematic sleeping patterns I've finally found the miracle that is melatonin supplements. However, I've found that it is also prohibitively expensive in my country. In New Zealand it is prescription only and to compound things it is also a "Section C Restricted" (?) medication, meaning I cannot pick it up the same day as I give the pharmacy my script, since they have to order it in from a specific company.

Currently it is costing me about $20 - $30 per 30 tablets (3mg). Unless the pharmacist (and my doctor) are incorrect, I don't need a prescription if I'm ordering it from a country where it is an over-the-counter supplement (eg: USA).

I found one place which I can get 100 tablets for $2, given this price is substantially lower than brands I question the quality. (I note though that the same site has the same brand I'm getting at the moment for only about $6 or so for 120 tabs).

So:
What sites are reputable?

and what brands of melatonin supplement are likely to be the safest bet? (prerequisites being that the site ships internationally and without charging some huge fee).

(bonus points if the site sells other supplements as well, since I've noticed a lot of stuff is cheaper overseas than locally).

New career

TigerCrane — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:44:59 -0800

Help me change careers. I'm a technical writer. I get paid well, but most of the work is contract based, so I get laid off every year or so and then become unemployed and depressed. I would like to get something more steady.

Is there a profession that could be learned in a short time that has sufficiently high demand that one could count on steady employment and a reasonable income?

I looked into pharmacy, but I don't have the undergraduate science...I would essentially have to get a second bachelors to catch up.

I have a college degree and I'm smart enough to do most stuff. I'm thinking in terms of skilled professions that I would do a degree or certificate to qualify. There must be professions I don't even know about. Court reporter? Librarian? Medical technology?

Please, I don't want to be a Typhoid Mary!

aetg — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:13:13 -0800

Will I get typhoid? I purchased the oral typhoid vaccine (vivotif) at the pharmacy last week and have taken two pills so far on schedule.

My pharmacist said to take it on an "empty stomach" and when pressed clarified that to mean at least two hours before eating or two hours after eating. This whole not eating thing seemed rather important so I've been taking the vaccine in the middle of the night by setting my alarm. However, now I find that it is recommended to take the vaccine one hour before one eats or two hours after, which is rather different. I've been not eating for up to 8 hours before and after these pills.

Obviously I am going to call the pharmacist to clarify, if not the doctor, but I want to know if I should expect the pharmacist to replace these pills since the directions given are not actually how I should take the pill.

If I can't get the pills replaced I will probably just get the shot because of a completely different problem : my power went out yesterday and my pills were in the fridge. Any idea how hot a fridge gets in two hours if the door stays shut? I just noticed it was hot enough to curdle some milk.

Is there a generic form of the sleep aid medicine Restoril (temazepam)?

isopropyl — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:32:04 -0800

My prescription is ourageous for brand name temazepam and my pharmacy doesn't offer any generics of it. Why would one pharmacy carry it and others not? Where can I find it.

Online pharmacy for Canada?

cascando — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:49:33 -0800

I am in Canada, looking to get provigil or modalert from an online pharmacy that delivers to Canada. Anyone know a reputable one?

What takes pharmacists so long?

BuddhaInABucket — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:26:59 -0800

Why does it take 20 minutes for the pharmacy to fill my prescription, even when there's no other people in line? I assume they're doing something, but what else is there besides putting my pills in a bottle?

Recommendations for online pet pharmacies?

Stacey — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:11:59 -0800

Can you recommend a good online pet pharmacy? The only vet specialist in town who deals with my cat's immune problems is moving, and it's going to be hard for me to get to her for refills from now on, so I'm looking into pet pharmacies. Specifically, places I can order Atopica in 50-mg capsules and dexamethasone in .5 mg pills (or other sizes I can reasonably cut down to .5 mg doses.)

I've checked out 1800petmeds and a couple of other places I found while googling, but their prices are significantly higher than I'm getting from my vet. If I have to, I'll accept that as the price of the convenience, but I'd like to look at some other options. Are there any reputable pet pharmacies out there with decent prices that I might not have thought to look at yet?

Safe pharmacies?

anybirds — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:14:28 -0800

What are some safe online pharmacies to buy cheap generic drugs from? Just the links please (I dont need any lectures). I am looking for pharmacies that are considered safe and trustworthy, where people have actually gotten what they ordered. Google isnt great for this as theres too much spam. Im looking to save money buying generic Zoloft online. Any success stories?

How to not be treated like a criminal at a pharmacy

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:04:55 -0800

My pharmacy screwed up on my Xanax prescription, and I'm afraid they're going to hassle me for what might appear to be drug seeking behavior. I'm on some heavy meds for my ADHD, Adderall XR plus Xanax and Ambien for its side effects. Please don't give me grief about the medication, I'm very aware of the risks and work closely with my doctor to make sure that I'm not headed for trouble.

This month my regular pharmacy was out of the Adderall, so I took my prescriptions to another (different chain) that I've only been to once before. The problem is that when I got home I counted the pills and the Xanax bottle contained 40 instead of 45. I called the pharmacy and they told me to bring in the bottle tomorrow to get things straightened out.

Now, I know that the new prescriptions and scheduled drugs involved are going to raise some red flags. But I also know that I use the meds completely legitimately and they should straighten out their mistake. Am I likely to be hassled/disbelieved/black marked in their database?

If it's at all pertinent, our state has no central DB for them to look up my history, and I've had a long term relationship with my doc who knows I'm not out to get high.

Thanks a bunch!

Can I safely do business with a Mexican pharmacy?

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:38:09 -0800

Should I order Aricept from a Mexican pharmacy for my senile, old mother? The doc gave her a month's worth of free samples and, for the first time in years Mom seems much better. The thing is, at $165.00 per month the stuff is very pricey. I've found it on the web in Mexico for $125.00 per month. She's on a fixed income. I've pretty much exhausted avenues for additional aid. Would the feds show up at my door? Should I risk it?

Why Does Wellbutrin Cause Weight Loss?

WCityMike — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:10:53 -0800

Why does Wellbutrin cause weight loss? Even my doctor doesn't seem to know for sure. Are there unproven medical hypotheses or studies amongst doctors or pharmacists or anyone else that lean towards an as-yet-unofficial answer? (Feel free to get technical. If I don't understand, I'll Google.)

All out invasion from overseas telemarketers...

soulbarn — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 10:38:09 -0800

I made the unfortunate mistake of ordering medication from an overseas pharmacy; it was for a drug that I'd originally been prescribed in Europe, which was not available in the US (then.)... My mistake wasn't that the meds weren't genuine. The error is the aftermath: a half-dozen calls a day from telemarketers offering to "refill my prescription." It appears my phone number has been sold, over and over again, and now there's a feeding frenzy. I'm already on the national and California do not call lists, and asking the folks who call me to take me off this list does nothing. Here's a twist, though: in the past few weeks, my calls have been coming from overseas; I'm guessing they're from India or Pakistan, by the accent, but obviously I can't tell for sure. And I bet, being from overseas, the "do not call" laws don't even apply. I find this kind of interesting, since telemarketing jobs are already insanely low-paid in the US. In any case, the weirdest thing of all is the Caller IDs from these international calls: 0110404224113 (the latest three calls.) I can't even figure out what country code this is - and I thought I'd throw open the question: who's calling me - and from where?