Customer who self diagnose and self prescribe Fungilin

People need to get over their ego and start respecting the medical profession.

I had a regular customer who came in first thing in the morning and showed me his severely infected fungi infested tongue.

I proceeded to give him Nilstat drops and he said no he wants Fungilin. Mouth thrush was due to his long term use of corticosteroids (not rinsing mouth aye) and said he has taken a Fungilin before. Look at his history and nothing was dispensed in the pst 6 months. He said he last took it years ago.

Ok well since it's been years ago and not continuing therapy, he'll need to see dr for a script for Fungilin otherwise use the Nilstat in the meantime.

He starts shouting and throw out the "I've used it before." "I'm a long term customer, how dare you not give me a prescription medicine without a script when I want it." Blah blah blah.

So he insisted me call the dr. "So the dr is working today, you can't go to see him today? Infection looks bad, you should see the dr and get it checked out just in case he'll give you something stronger."

Him: "no he is too far!" A 10min drive for him was deemed too far. Fine go see another dr down the road.

Him: "the doctors here are crap and money hungry and don't know what they are doing. My wife had kidney stones and they gave her Buscopan!! I can't trust them anymore."

Me: "that's very unfortunate and disappointed that you weren't satisfied with your experience. Ok then call your dr and get him to fax me script."

He calls the dr and demands the receptionist to tell Dr to fax over the script.

He ends up waiting for 20min whilst I serve other customers. Fax still not received. Then he receives a phone call from the receptionist. The dr won't fax a script over coz he wants to see his infection first before prescribing Fungilin.

He left without argument. I wonder why........

Thank your for coming into our pharmacy to get your scripts dispensed but unfortunately sometimes you just have to accept a NO for an answer. And you shouldn't demand. Ask would be the correct way to approach things.

Tamiflu prices

People need to understand that prices for medicines can be different at different pharmacies. There is no set price for private or general prescriptions and there is no law that says you must sell it for that price.

That saying so, if Chemist Warehouse or any other discount pharmacies sell their Amoxil for $6, other pharmacies are not obliged to sell it for $6. 

This comes to my encounter with a patient today over the pricing of Tamiflu tablets. 

He bought it last week from us for $49 and then finished the packet. His friend then got sick 2 days ago and bought Tamiflu from a discount chemist in his area for $39. Comes in with an empty box of Tamiflu and his friend's half box of Tamiflu to show me the prices and demanded an explanation. 

I explained that different pharmacies sell it for different prices. He said we were ripping people off and you advertise being a discount chemist but look at the prices. 

We advertise discount because we do have some competive pricing on medications and products in the store. But that does not mean we are the cheapest. Never have we advertised we are the cheapest on the market. If you find a cheaper price at another pharmacy, we can certainly price match but it has to be done before you buy the medicine not after. 

He was not happy with the price. $10 difference was too much. He probably hasn't ventured out of this hood but in the CBD and north shore areas, some pharmacies do sell it in the $60+ mark. Chemist Warehouse sells it for $44. That's $5 more than what his friend paid considering they advertise to be the cheapest on the market. 

Anyway, he demanded time to give him $10 back after he has finished the whole packet of tablets. Of course I didn't because that is an unreasonable request. I'm sorry but it's too late. Shop around next time before you buy meds then. You agreed to the price at the time and you bought it. 

Took my name and tried to threaten me with posting his experience on social media. Ha, I'm like ok sure. I'll even give you the number of my manager if you want to complain about me. I don't make the prices and price matching will certainly won't happen after you've taken the whole box dude. 

Who actually thinks like that? He was just cut that he bought it $10 more than his friend. Stop sooking and move on mate.

I understand it's frustrating when you find a cheaper price after you've used it but you learn from your lessons and just shop around before you buy anything next time. It's just plain unreasonable and stupid to demand money back after it happened. And being loud and aggressive is certainly not a good approach to take if you want something.