Complaint about pharmacy not opening on time

So a lady who owns the local coffee shop decides to complain about our pharmacy not opening on time. The sign says 8.00am and she’s been waiting we opened at 8.04am and she gets upset coz we’re late. Then she threatens to make a complaint to management about this misleading advertisement how we don’t open at 8am on the dot and it is illegally and she will report us to fair trading.

But the funny thing is: 

a) the boss opens up. Is the boss really gonna fire himself? 

b) we’re humans not robots on a timer 

c) she doesn’t know the reason why we opened late (car accident, woke up late, crying baby etc....)

d) the coffee she makes at her coffee shop is shit and doesn’t taste that good. Maybe I should complain about her coffee not being up to standards and not exactly the product that she advertised  

e) opening a few minutes is not a big deal and it is not illegal. What is illegally is you stepping into our store when we don’t want you there - that’s called trespassing onto private property. At the end of the day, it’s also our choice if we want your business or not. 

f) there’s a pharmacy that’s opened at 7am next door! If it was so urgent and you can’t wait, you could’ve gotten your meds there. Not a life and death situation 

g) the thing she want to buy was a nasal spray and Radiant washing powder. Serious? Is that all? 

She must have nothing better to do.......

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. 

Forged Panadeine Forte script

When you forge a script, discreetly walk out rather than make a big scene when you've been outted. That was what happened when we saw the quantity for Panadeine Forte amended. 

Doctor had written a quantity for 50 tablets. The patient (most likely) decides to put a stroke through it to make it look like 80 tablets. We spotted it straight away but we dispensed 50 and turned a blind eye. The patient goes berserk and asked us if we can read it's 80. Calls us stupid m, are we blind, do we know what we're doing. It said fifty in printed letters underneath. 

Fine. He wouldn't budge. Insisted it was 80 and that he will call the doctor to confirm it is 80. He starts dialing on his phone but can't get through to the doctor. 

So we dialed the doctor. The doctor confirmed it was for 50 and retain the prescription and not dispense any tablets.

I took the 50 Panadeine Forte I previously dispensed off them. They were fuming. That's what you get for arguing. You gave me no choice but to call the doctor and now you won't even get that 50 tablets. Ha! 

Dinner is not taken in the morning

I just dispensed a script for Nexium 40mg 1 after dinner for a man. 

Me: This is Nexium for your stomach. You need to take one tablet a day after dinner.
Him: Oh ok. So is that one time or two times a day?
Me: You only eat dinner once in a day so its one tablet a day.
Him: So is it morning or night?
Me: You eat dinner at night so its at night. 

One tablet a day after dinner. Is it that ambiguous? People just keep on asking questions for the sake of asking. 

Stop giving cards when I don't need them

I don't know why people insist on giving you something when you've already said no.

A lady comes in with a script for Pariet and Rulide. 

She: Do you need my cards?

Me: No need, your medicare and concession card details are already on the computer.

Guess what. She fumbles around in her handbag looking for the cards. 

By this time I've already dispensed the first item. 

She hands me her concession card.

She: Here you go, you might need this.

Me: No I already said your details are on the system.

She: But you don't have my concession card.

Me: I do.......

She: Are you sure? 

By this time I've already finished dispensing both items. And she's still going on and on about her cards.

Efficiency! If I said I don't need it and its on the system already, that's means I don't need it! If I'm not sure, I would say. 

Male customer shouting at women

An middle aged male customer walks in the pharmacy asking for his prescriptions which are kept on the file at the pharmacy. I asked him to repeat his full name - I think he got frustrated that I couldn't find it immediately and he starts shouting:

Man: I gave it yesterday! Look properly! 

Me: Hold on who did you give it to, I'm still looking.

Man: I don't know! It's there, it's there! 

Me: Ok found it. 

Man: See! You didn't look properly.

Still shouting ... 

Me: Ok relax. I found it.

Man: Hurry up, I'm in a hurry! 

Still shouting.

Me: Say it again, and I'm gonna do it even more slower (under my breath)

Man: Hurry up!!

Still shouting.

At this stage, I'm already pissed off so I'm dispensing the script pretty slowly. Like very slowly. Typing one letter with my index finger one at a time and then deleting it, logging out of the system and do it again. Checked my Facebook for a bit too. 

He stands there waiting with an angry look on his face. I ignore him.

When I felt the time was right, I dispense the script, scanned the meds and proceeded to charge him at the till. 

Him: You know its morning and sometimes you gotta be nice to sick people.

Me: Doesn't mean you can go and shout at people like that. 

Him: What DID YOU JUST SAY?

Me: I don't like people who SHOUT at me. 

Him: You are very rude. (throws a $20 dollar note at me) . As a lady, you should act like a lady and be gentle and nice. You are not very nice. 

Me: No you are very rude. You are not a gentleman. You don't shout at women like this. Be a man. (pointing at him with my index finger).

I put the change on the table and walk off. Had enough already. 

Him: Don't put money like this. You need to put the money in my hand! 

Me: Don't throw money at me then. 

He was fuming. 

Dude, this is not your home and I am not your nationality and I don't abide by your cultural thinking/etiquette of women beneath men. You don't come into my pharmacy and start being rude expecting me being nice to you. I stand up to anyone who is rude and you are no exception. There's a fine line and you've stepped over it. Don't care if you're a customer or not. Being sick doesn't mean it's acceptable to vent and treat strangers in a way you don't want to be treated. Especially when you made that comment about how women are suppose to be, shows you are an egotistic dominating demanding male. I don't care how you treat your women at home. You're not gonna get that treatment out in the real world mate. 

Bag checking

Who hasn't been in a store where they do bag checking? Why do people get so surprised and upset when they encounter bag checking?

This afternoon, I was standing behind my assistant who was at the till and so I saw everything. She served customer after customer and simply asked for a bag check please. All of them obliged, opened their bag and walked out the store. Easy. Until this one lady at the end who thought she was special than everyone else. 

Assistant: Can I please have a quick bag check?

Lady: Pardon me?!?!?!?!?

Assistant: Just a quick bag check please. 

Lady shakes her head and slams her bag down on the counter and begins to take everything out. 

Lady: Here happy?

Assistant: Thanks.

Lady: This is disgusting. I'm never gonna shop here again! (and walks out)

2 min later, she walks back in and complains about the bag checking. 

Lady: This is the first time in Australia that I've had my bags checked! Do I look like a thief to you? How dare you accuse me of stealing!

Me: We didn't accuse you. Its just store policy. You saw me standing right behind her all that time, I saw how she asked you. She asked you quite politely to check you bag. 

Lady: I don't care. I've got a degree in psychology and I've been in Australia for 10 years and I've never seen this before. 

Me: I've been to Target, Big W and they all check my bags. Nothing out of the blue. Anyway let me show you something. 

I take her and show her the big sign we have that says we need to do a bag inspection.

Lady: I think that only applies to guilty people or thieves.

Me: Guilty people and thieves have a face? 

Lady: You are just profiling. 

Me: Did you see the 5 people lining up ahead of you before? 

Lady: No

Me: Well I did. And all of them got their bags checked. The person in front of you was an elderly lady. We check school kids, elderly people, men with bags, women... how is that profiling? To make it fair on everyone, we check everyone's bag.

Lady: Have you been to Myer? They're a big store they don't check bags.

Me: Different stores have different policies. Just because some stores don't check doesn't mean all stores shouldn't check. Myer has a whole security department probably about 50 security guards who sit in front of the cameras and watch you. We're just a small business and we don't gonna employ people to watch cameras. 

Lady: Maybe you should have a better way to catch thieves.

Me: Oh if you have a better suggestion, let me know so I can pass it on to management. 

Lady: I don't know. Better barcodes! 

Me: You clearly haven't worked in retail.

Lady: I own a car yard. (how is that retail beats me) Well I'm never gonna shop here again. 

Me: Great. Thanks. 

-------------

Wasted a good 15min of my time. 90% of people who come in are understanding and cooperate. Its only the 10% minority group who are uneducated and unreasonable don't really understand the whole concept of bag checking. 

For the whole day we've been opened, she was the only customer that complained. What does that make her? Maybe I should've rhetorically asked her "We check everyone's bag and they willingly show us. Give me one reason why I shouldn't check you bag? Because you have a so called Psychology degree and you've been here 10 years in Australia?"

True born Aussies like me would know bag checks are exist here in this country. Please do not use what kind of education, race, gender to determine your exemption. No one is exempt as long as they have a bag on them. Everyone has potential to be a thief. There's not just one face for a thief. 

We would appreciate if you let us check your bag. If you don't agree we this, we would appreciate that you don't ever this store and purchase goods from us as we don't want to do your business.

Son has peeling skin and wants cortisone

My assistant refers me to help a customer who's son has peeling skin.

The man's son's hands have been peeling. I asked if it was bleeding, red or itchy. The man says no - just peeling skin. I recommended him Dermeze Thickened Cream and then if it starts to flare up or worsen with those above mentioned symptoms, then come back and I'll give him a cortisone cream.

Man: I don't want this Dermeze. I want some medicated cream. Don't you have any?
Me: Well it doesn't seem like its that bad and its not red or itchy, so I don't think your son needs cortisone cream yet.
Man: Well..... can't I get cortisone cream now instead?
Me: I think Dermeze would be most suitable for your son.
Man: I want cortisone.
Me: You told me the symptoms and its not that bad. He doesn't need cortisone yet.
Man: Well how am I suppose to know if its bad or not? I'm not a doctor!
Me: I'm the pharmacist and based on what you told me, all he needs is Dermeze.
Man: Final question. Are you going to give me cortisone or not?
Me: No
Man: Fine that's all i need to know.
Me: Thank you and good bye.

What's the point of asking a pharmacist for an opinion if you like playing doctor when you know you're not a doctor?

Arrogant man.

Doctor prescribes Serenace because patient told her to

One of the local doctors did it again. Let's call her Dr O. Dr O has appeared quite frequently in my stories here on this blog.

She wrote a script for "Serenace 100mg". No instructions. No quantity. Customer is new to the pharmacy so no patient history. 

Now Serenace is only available in the following forms:
Serenace 0.5mg tabs
Serenace 1.5mg tabs
Serenace 5mg tabs
Serenace 5mg/ml injection
Serenace 2mg/ml liquid 

So called the doctor to clarify what she meant and told her the forms available and this was her answer.

Dr: "Oh I don't know. The patient just told me to write Serenace 100mg. Just ask her to show you what she takes and just give that to her."
Me: 100mg is a very high dose. What is she using it for?
Dr: I'm not really too sure. She got it from overseas and she told me 100mg. 
Me: This is very hard for me to pinpoint what exactly she's after. It could be anything. And the dose is unusual. 
Dr: Yeh there's no point asking me. Just ask the customer. I can't help you.
Me: Ok fine. I'll ask the patient and see what I can work out. 

Seriously? How can she be a doctor. She's the one writing the script. She doesn't know what its for, and she doesn't acknowledge that the dose is one bit unusual? Instead she throws the ball to us pharmacists who have no clue what and why the patient is taking it. She relies on whatever the patient tells her to write. 

Dude, you might as well just give me your whole script pad and I'll do the prescribing for you. What's the point of having you has a doctor? Good luck to all those patients who see her. Big GOOD LUCK. I'm surprised she hasn't been audited yet. The way she runs her practice is just so........... ridiculous. 

Anyway, I asked the patient there's no 100mg and to get her to show me the old packaging. Guess what - she doesn't have it. She says its an injection. Well the 100mg injection is not available in Australia. I told her only the 5mg is available. Is that what she's after? Patient says she's not sure of the strength either. 

Everyone's not sure. The patient is not sure. Her doctor is not sure. I took the most reasonable and safest route: don't dispense anything. I am not gonna dispense anything the prescriber isn't sure of. It's her job as a doctor to diagnose and prescribe the most appropriate treatment for the patient. If its not available in Australia, then you prescribe an alternative. If you have no experience, then refer patient to a specialist who will. 

Walking boot for fractures

A man walks into the pharmacy talking on his phone. He doesn't hang up on the phone and instead asks me if we sell those walking boots for fractured foot. 

Me: No we don't sell them. 

He's still talking on the phone and he doesn't answer me ... talking and laughing. Rude as he was already when he walked into the store, I answered his question and whether or not he heard it that's his problem. So I walk away to serve other customers. 

When he hangs up on his phone, he sticks his head to find me and he yells out 'excuse me'.... Excuse me what, I'm serving another customer. Hold up mate. So I just looked at him and continued to talk to my other customer before attending to him.

Me: Yes?

Him: I just wanted to know if you sell those boots for fractured foot.

Me: (thinking in my head I already answered you) Well I already told you, we don't sell it. You can try a specialist clinic, hospital or physio for those kind of items. 

Him: Oh so you don't have it?

Me: No we don't.

Him: Do you know where I can find it then?

Me: As I said, you can try a specialist clinic, hospital or physio. 

Him: I went to the doctor and they told me that you might have it here. Do you have it?

Me: I already said we don't keep it and we can't order it in for you either.

Him: Oh ok, well I really need it so can you tell me another place that I can get it from?

Me: There's a physio in the medical centre across the road if you want to ask them. I'm really not sure. 

Him: Oh do you think the hospital might have it then?

Me: You can try calling them. I'm not sure. 

Him: So you can't order it for me?

Me: NO. 

-------------

Sigh..... First he was already rude by trying to talk to me whilst on a call. And then my first sentence already answered all your subsequent questions. Why does he keep on asking the same questions over and over again and asking me to repeat the same thing over and over again.

It's like people either don't listen or don't believe what I say. Makes simple things rather complicated. 

Customer lying about generics

A customer comes in with a script for Keflex 500mg which was for his wife. I asked him for generics and he said he'll check with his wife. So he calls her. 

He tells me that his wife is ALLERGIC to Ibilex 500mg and that she wants the Keflex brand. 

Now Keflex and Ibilex are cross-licensed products so the components and constituents, even the capsule it comes in are completely 100% the same.  

I explained to him, if his wife is allergic to Ibilex then that means she's allergic to Keflex. Apparently she gets a rash when she took Ibilex. In that case, Keflex would be unsuitable for her as well.

The husband insisted that the wife doesn't get a reaction with Keflex and he wants Keflex, which doesn't really make sense. Unless he is lying about the allergic reaction........ So I played along, and said I'm obliged to let his doctor know that she's allergic to Ibilex and see if he wants to change her to a different antibiotic. 

He was reluctant to let me call but I called anyway. First thing the doctor said was, "oh she has an allergy to Ibilex, then can't give her Keflex. Change it to Alprim." 

The husband overhears our conversation and said: "No I don't want to change. I want Keflex."

Me: "Doctor, the husband insists to get Keflex even though they are cross-licensed with Ibilex. You still want to go ahead with it?"

Dr: Nah, better to get Alprim, in case she's also allergic to Keflex. Change it over."

Me: Thanks doctor.

Me to husband: Ok I spoke to the doctor and I'm sure you've heard. He didn't know she was allergic to Ibilex so now that he knows, he will change it to Alprim which is a different antibiotic. 

Husband: No, give me the script back. I want Keflex! 

Me: As you wish. But the doctor doesn't want her to take it. You can have the script back, up to you if you want to take the risk. 

He doesn't say anything and walks away...... 


Hahaha.... I have a feeling he was lying just to get out of not taking generics. But seriously, if you don't want generics just say so, don't have to lie. If you are going to make up a stupid lie that doesn't make sense, then I don't mind going through the hassle to cancel everything so you can't have neither. 

Then again, he could be telling the truth - in that case, maybe he is being misinformed, ignorant or have the wrong perception that Keflex would be ok. And if the patient ends up taking Keflex and ends up getting a reaction - who's fault would that be? The pharmacist knew you had an allergy to cephalexin yet still dispensed it - is that professional misconduct or act of incompetency?

Savlon lady who bases her buy on nothing

A lady comes in with a small burn on her face which she burnt with an ice pack. 

Woman: do you have anything for this burn on my face? 

Me: sure I'll give you savlon an antiseptic cream. That will help with burns. 

Woman: no I want something that's really good. 

Me: have you used this already? 

Woman: no I haven't used this before.

Me: how do you know it's not good? 

Woman: I don't want just any cream. I want something for burns. 

Me: this is not just any cream. It's an antiseptic cream which you use for burns. 

Woman: are you sure? 

Me: did you have some cream in mind then if you don't want this one? 

Woman: no I jsut want a good one.

Me: savlon is a good cream but you don't want it. There's these other ones here you can use: betadine, medicream, solugel etc.....I'll leave you to it to have a browse then.... Just call me if you need further assistance .

What a waste of my time. Comes to me for advice then don't like my recommendation even though she hasn't used it before and she doesn't have a cream in mind. She can look at it herself and Google which cream to use. 

Statutory declarations and pharmacists

This man was standing at the counter. 

Me: hi can I help you?

Man: hello I just need a quick signature from you

Me: let me just finish this off and I'll attend to you in a sec.

After a sec I'm free, I attend to him

Me: yes?

Man: yes just sign down the bottom please (shoves an unfilled statutory declaration form in my face)

Me: this is a stat dec. we don't sign stat decs anymore.

Man: yes you do. Someone did it for me last week. 

Me: I don't sign stat decs because pharmacists have been removed from the stat dec list.

Man: are you sure? Ok then ......

He later comes back and asks my assistants for my name because apparently he called somewhere and they said pharmacists are still listed and I told him we weren't so he wants to make an official complaint. 

My question is: 

a) who are you gonna make that complaint to and 

b) complain that I didn't fulfil this voluntary service?

He demanded me to sign his papers without asking if I was willing to. And even if we were still eligible to sign, it's voluntary meaning I can say no and I don't need to explain to you why if I don't want to. 

People always get upset when I say no which I don't understand. I don't know you, you're not a customer of our store, work is busy and you want me to drop everything and sign your papers without getting paid a cent. On what grounds do you have the right to be 'upset'. Always waste my time. So many pharmacies in the area and you go and pick the most busiest one ......... Expect to be turned away!

Dr prescribing Desyrel

There's this doctor in the area that writes whatever the patient tells her to write even though she's never heard of it. 

Overseas patient comes in with a script for Desyrel. Haven't heard of it, checked all our medical resources and supplier - nothing comes up. A quick google search brings up a Trazodone, an antidepressant that is not available in Australia.

Call the doctor to let her know it's unavailable in Australia and that she'll need to prescribe an alternative. 

Dr: yeh I thought it wouldn't be available in Australia but I thought I'll try. I don't know what it is, the patient was using this when they were overseas and they just asked me to write a script for it.

Me: it's an antidepressant. Do you want me to send them back to see you for an alternative?

Dr: don't worry about it. They insisted on getting that one, just send them to another pharmacy and see if they can find it. 

Are you serious dr? 

a) You are prescribing random medications you haven't heard of it 

b) you didn't even check your resources to see if it's available in Australia

c) no duty of care - didn't even go and seek an alternative for your patient 

Feel sorry for the patient, it's like they got no choice but to see this doctor even though she's quite pathetic because she's one of the few doctors in the area who speak their language 

Clueless doctor does not know formula of cream yet still prescribes it

Sometimes doctors do not know what they're prescribing. If I was the patient, I'll be a bit concerned of who I'm seeing. My advice is to doctors - if you don't know what it is, or what you're prescribing, don't prescribe it. Refer the patient to another doctor that may know, or prescribe an alternative medicine that you do know, or seek help from another doctor or pharmacist.

A customer drops in a script that said:

Compounded acne cream with clindamycin or erthromycin 50g


First of all, the doctor writes 2 active ingredients. Secondly, there's no strength. Thirdly, no ingredients has been specified.

So I call the doctor to clarify what she means.

Me: Hi doctor. Just need to clarify what ingredients and strength for this acne cream?
Dr: Oh I don't have a formula. Ain't you a compounding chemist?
Me: No we're not. But depending on the ingredient, we can make some extemporaneous preparations. You just need to let me know what ingredients are required.
Dr: Oh I don't know. Just send them to a compounding chemist. They will know.


Really? So I call my contact at a compounding chemist and asked all my pharmacy colleagues. They have no idea what the doctor is talking about.

All I could do is, give the script back to the patient, and told him the doctor wants him to go to a compounding chemist to get it made. Good luck.

But why would a doctor prescribe a cream she doesn't even know what the formula is????!!!!

Biaxsig lady

Elderly people just need to calm down sometimes. An old ethnic lady comes in with a script from for Biaxsig 150mg. 

After I dispense it, she takes out an old packaging of Biaxsig 300mg from her bag and starts comparing to the Biaxsig 150mg. She looks at it, glares at me and throws the packet of 150mg back at me and starts yelling in her language. 

I got some help from other customers who spoke her language and it turns out she wants the 300mg but she thinks I gave her the wrong one. Contacted the doctor (who tells me he thinks she's a nutcase anyway) to change it to 300mg. She's still yelling, complaining about me until someone told her it's because the doctor wrote 150mg then she stopped and started to complain about the doctor. 

Ok fine so problem solved. I dispense the 300mg. She opens the box. The printing on the blister pack is now black instead of blue which she got before. She yells again. Oh dear. She asks me why is it black and not blue. I said - the company changed their packaging which I have no control over. But the words and milligrams are all the same. In the end she didn't want it because she thinks its different. 


I should've got a texta and coloured it first ...

Man thinks Advantan Cream should be OTC

Man: Do you have Advantan Cream?

Me: Yes we do.

Man: Can you please tell me the prices? I know it comes in 2 sizes.

Me: No actually it only comes in one size and that's 15g. $20 for the 15g

Man: Oh I see I see. I need to the doctor for a prescription first right?

Me: That's right. It's a prescription only medicine so you need to the see the doctor first.

Man: Yeh I don't know why they have to do that. It's just a cream nothing special, why do they have to make it difficult. Anyone can you use it.

Me: Actually no, the reason why it's on prescription is because NOT everyone can use it. Depends on the area you're using it on, the severity of the problem, the age of the patient ..... It's a potent cream - that's the reason you can't buy it just like that.

Man: Oh reallyy.......... but I know how to use it. 

Me: Just go see the doctor.

Mr Know It All. First you thought the cream comes in 2 different sizes and then secondly you think it shouldn't be on prescription because you know how to use it. 

Elderly man available

I have this elderly regular customer who used to come in from time to time but I haven't seen him for ages. He came in today to ask for a Safetynet printout of him and his wife's medications. I look on the system and he hasn't actually been in our pharmacy since January 2014.

Upon talking to him, he tells me his wife passed away in February. So it's been a while. Offered my condolences and asked how he's coping and he seems to be happy

Him: Yeh I'm fine. I've put on so much weight. If you know any young, rich widows, let them know I'm available!! 

Me: haha ok ok I'll keep an eye out for you! 

Hahahha what a funny bloke!  


He's about 85, Caucasian, has his own car and house, and knows how to cook. 

Apply within if interested. 

Conjunctivitis lady wants reassurance about Systane

A lady comes into the pharmacy today wanting advice on eye drops. She's holding a packet of Systane eye drops and asked me if it was suitable for her. I asked her what symptoms does she have?

She: There's a lot of discharge, and its all sticky. Its kind of red and a bit uncomfortable.
Me: Its sounds like conjunctivitis to me. Systane eye drops is only for dry eyes. For eye infections, I can give you an antibiotic eye drop which would be more suitable for you.
She: But my friend used Systane and it worked for her.
Me: Well maybe your friend only had dry eyes so that's why she used Systane. You have an eye infection so you will need a different eye drop.
She: Can you show me?
Me shows her Chlorsig eye drops: This is Chlorsig eye drops, which will help with your eye infection.


Holds the Chlorsig and scrutinizes over it for a long time.

She: Oh I don't know about this one, my friend used Systane. You don't think Systane will help me?
Me: No. They are for 2 different things. Your friend needs Systane because she has dry eyes. You need Chlorsig because you have conjunctivitis. You don't have the same problem. But of course, if you don't believe me, you can feel free to take the Systane - that's up to you.
She: So you think Chlorsig will help me?

This went on and on in circles. Eventually she got the Chlorsig, but a 2 minute job turned out to be 10min because she wanted me to say that Systane is good for her. Why bother asking a pharmacist for advice if you don't take it? Some people just trust their friend more......