I just got back from a 24 Right aid with no medicine in my hand, it's 1:00am and I have to get up start work at 8 tomorrow, I am completely out of meds and while I'm not "scared" or "fretting" at the though of not taking my regular dose of adderall in the morning, I am furious and upset at being lied to and discriminated against the "face-ists" at the Right aide pharmacy.

I brought in my script at around 12 at night because I didn't have the time to take it in during the day, and I don't have time to take it in tomorrow morning. When I gave the pharmacist assistant the script and asked if they had generic in stock, she said let me check and came back in about 30 seconds and said they don't have it, and that "it's a rare medicine we'll have to order it"

Immediately I knew I was being lied to, because obviously adderall isn't rare at all, I've been taking it for years and millions of people have been prescribed this medicine by competent professional doctors because it works and is completely safe if used properly.

I look up at the assistant and said, "really, I've been taking this medicine for years and have had it filled here before"

Immediately the pharmacist chimed in, "our computers are down, they'll be up in the morning"

Now it was set in stone that they were lying to me, and they knew I knew they were lying now. I said " I work in the morning and am out of my meds, I'm here now, why can't I fill it."

To save face, the pharmacist said that the computers will be up in two hours. What a bunch of bull ****. They did have it, and the computers were not down. At this point I didn't want to continue this or make any a scene, it was clear I was being discriminated against because of my looks and a phony hyped media-induced perception of what amphetamine is.

Humor me: what do you look like, that would cause a pharmacist to be suspicious of giving you medication?

I'm curious too. But more to my impression on the situation, you can't rule out the possibility that this clerk you had to deal with just likes being a ***** to people. Sometimes, employees that work customer service careers to nowhere act like dicks when ever they can and don't necessarily discriminate between who they're jerks to.

Guys, I really, really believe this guy.

You wanna know why? Because the same exact thing happened to me last week.

I went in to get a refill for my Adderall XR 20mg. The first Walgreens I went to had some lady who just shrieked and said, "we don't have that. Good day."

So I go to a second Walgreens, and a pharmacist (female) says, "Sorry, this is a rare medicine and I don't have that specific dose." BULL****! I've been to that same Walgreens last month and this broad was making it up to my face.

I ended up going to 3 other Rite Aids, 1 other Walgreens, and a CVS pharmacy before finding a Walgreens Pharmacy who were willing to give me my prescription.

I swear to you this is the whole truth. Nobody in my town seems to believe in this "ADHD" and most have horrifying anecdotes about their "brother's friend" who abused it as their evidence. Screw them, I'm quite tired of it.

I'm sorry OP for what you had to go through, but know that you are not alone.

Weird, do you live somewhere in California? I heard from someone online that there were stores there that didn't sell "speed," officially, because they "didn't think it promoted a healthy life style" or something like that.

You should exchange some emails about the stores in question and figure out what exactly is going on, and forward them to Shire (lol, or Teva now actually). If the pharmacy managers are actually implementing a completely unsanctioned boycott of ADHD medications, you should get your favorite stores to restaff the management at their pharmacy departments, which I'm sure Walgreens would be willing to do, given the financial detriment they're incurring by keeping these zealous managers employed.

At the end of the school year, after the finals week for my college, it becomes more difficult to get Adderall at my Target. (I've been denied at that time of the year 2 or 3 times in a row now). The shortage is either due to the fact that demand naturally decreases at that time and so the stock fewer units, or they do it intentionally to keep people who abuse it from getting it (although that strategy would do nothing for the rest of the 9months of the year they sell it). I don't really care, I try to go to another pharmacy now whenever I can. I would be ****ed if everystore in town denied sale though.

I don't have a problem so much with Walgreen's as I do with my insurance company. They already refuse to reimburse me for my compounded bio-identical HRT products and now they're requiring prior approval for many prescriptions - of course, all of mine! What gives them the right to second guess a prescription my doctor gave me? But they do and they'll find any excuse to do so; I've been taking Ritalin LA 40 mg twice a day along with first Provigil and now Nuvigil 200 mg twice a day. Last month my doctor was writing out several prescriptions for me and accidentally reduced the Ritalin to once a day. I didn't realize it until I'd had the prescription filled and now based on that single prescription they're refusing to pay for more than 30 capsules a month even though they already approved the higher dose! Same thing with Nuvigil - I was approved for 200 mg bid Provigil. Cephalon brought out Nuvigil and I believe they are discontinuing Provigil - I have to go through the whole approval process again. That entails a group of pharmacists and I think one MD sitting around a table deciding without ever having even met me whether or not I need x amount if any of any particular medication.

I haven't as I said run into noticeable pharmacist's prejudice regarding Adderall or Ritalin but I absolutely do if I need pain medication as the only one I can take is Percodan. I'm 53 years old - I'm not inclined to accept it gracefully when someone who is paying neither my mortgage nor my medical bills has the temerity to question any damned thing I want to take!

And the board overseeing whatever health care reform we get is made up entirely of health insurance executives......that should be jolly:rolleyes:.

Humph.

December


Guys, I really, really believe this guy.

You wanna know why? Because the same exact thing happened to me last week.

I went in to get a refill for my Adderall XR 20mg. The first Walgreens I went to had some lady who just shrieked and said, "we don't have that. Good day."

So I go to a second Walgreens, and a pharmacist (female) says, "Sorry, this is a rare medicine and I don't have that specific dose." BULL****! I've been to that same Walgreens last month and this broad was making it up to my face.

I ended up going to 3 other Rite Aids, 1 other Walgreens, and a CVS pharmacy before finding a Walgreens Pharmacy who were willing to give me my prescription.

I swear to you this is the whole truth. Nobody in my town seems to believe in this "ADHD" and most have horrifying anecdotes about their "brother's friend" who abused it as their evidence. Screw them, I'm quite tired of it.

I'm sorry OP for what you had to go through, but know that you are not alone.

Wow, this is nutty, however, personally I do not think the peeps at Rite-aid are fascists.
Is that what you meant, Nokiraga? I think probably the pharmacy people are just arrogant $h!Theads. I have extreme dislike and intolerence for people like that. You should call their corporate offices or something. That is despicable behavior.
Next time...(I have learned the hard way) stay at home and pic up the phone and call around, find someplace that is ready to fill your rx for you. Target pharmacy here on the east coast (Northern Virginia) has been very helpful to me.

I hope you got your pills filled.
I am expecting USPS to deliver my brand Adderall XR from "medco pharmacy" today.
I went to the website, signed in, it says that they have not recieved any rx's for 120 days (whateverrrr) and this morning we got a call that we should expect a package from USPS today that needs signature. Nothing noted on Medco about the rx received, processed or anything... I am planning on sending them an email later.
Why have a website if you do not update it.
btw, this is my first Medco fill and I specifically asked for brand (my NP also checked DAW) so I am interested to see what I receive today.... stay tuned

I've been getting my scripts filled by Medco for about 2 years now. I get a 90-day supply of Adderall XR. They ship mine via UPS 2-day shipping and always require an adult signature (they won't leave a package with a C-II script on the front stairs). I've never had a single problem with Medco.

Yeah, I've had to wait nearly a week sometimes to get my prescription "prior authorization" which is always a hassle, but once you get it for a med you like and will continue to use, it stays in the system for a year I believe.

To those of you using Medco online, is there a way to specify which generic you want to buy? I'm looking at the cost difference and unforunately I don't have $40 to drop a month on the brand name. Any info?

I always get mine filled at Wal-Mart's pharmacy, Walgreens or USA Drug (a regional pharmacy here). I've never had problems like those mentioned above, and things have gotten much better since Adderall became a generic - I can get my prescription filled now for $10!:D

I'm not saying I don't believe you, because I wasn't there. But, based on my 10 years experience with getting these Rx's filled, it does appear to me that you may have overreacted to something that is really quite common.

They may have misspoken by calling Adderall a "rare" drug, but I have had it happen many, many times where they did not have my meds in stock and had to order them.

It only takes a day or two, but they always show up without a problem. If I have ever been in a rush to fill the Rx that day, I just called around to different pharmacies until I found one that had inventory of the dosage and quantity I needed.

I can confidently proclaim that I have never experienced a conspiracy against ADHD meds that led to me being lied to by pharmacy staff. But, I can't even count the number of times I encountered employees who just didn't care about providing decent customer service.

Just something to chew on...

Haha, as the phrase goes: " Do not attribute to malice that which can be attributed to stupidy".

I have found mom and pop pharmacies tend to have much better customer service than do the chain stores.

Always know of a "back-up pharmacy". Some pharmacies run out because they aren't too keen on stockpiling addictive meds. As for the clerks attitude, maybe she didn't get her meds that day!

pharmacy refusal project has started to include ADHD meds in the types of medications becoming more at risk of refusal.

Greetings, It's only natural that you would be upset when treated in such a manner, but I think much of what you encountered at Rite-Aid was not discrimination, but more or less, the stresses and crazyness of a drive-thru-chain (Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, Kroger) pharmacy. Drive-through (24 hour) pharmacies have taken front stage lately and are taking in a hoard of business. They are often micro-managed, understaffed, and behind with orders. If you will take time and observe the onslaught they receive (the phone-ins, fax-ins, drive-thrus, and the lines at the counter) you may be able to rationalize some of their lack of bedside manner. I've also noticed that when filling a prescription for a schedule two or three type drug (Adderall and the likes) they have to submit the order in their data-base and wait for some type of clearance. This may be more red-tape of micro-management and I noticed one will often have to wait a few hours to get their adderall prescription filled. Secondly, there has been a shortage in the generic adderall supply for reasons I'm not exactly sure, but it's likely that they were telling you the truth with not having any on stock. When filling my adderall Rx, I stopped using the drive-thru drug stores and went back to my local mom & pop owned pharmacy. Where as they seemingly inventory and document their own outgoing supply of adderall and often have me out the door within twenty minutes of submitting my presription. If you have a small family owned pharmacy in your area, you might consider giving them a try and taking a break from the trendy drive-in-chains for a time, as they seem to be in over their heads with business.

I've had the exact same thing happen to me with all kinds of meds. My partner was on chemotherapy and sometimes I'd have to go to 4 pharmacies to get a script filled, other times it would be something as simple as a prescription hemhoroid treatment -- really (yeah I know, TMI) -- or they'd say they could have it the next afternoon and they did.

My insurance allows refills after 75% usage of the previous fill, so I try never to be out. If I am, I ask for a 1 day supply while they get the remainder of the script filled. Often they will do that.

So it does happen with other meds and yes the pharmacy workers are probably underpaid and over stressed, so I always try to make friends with the people who work there so that when I come in, they already know my name. I find that this approach works best.

BTW I am not on Adderall but have had scripts for other controlled substances.

I don't want to deviate this conversation into regions that will unnecessarily devide and annoy the community, but permit me a traditionally divisive example to illustrate a point.

I believe that pharmacist refusal/discrimination may very well be at play as it is well documented to have happened before with another class of medications. Of course, it is also possible that the pharmacy was overworked or out of stock and the clerk was an idiot giving a pat response.

I noted that someone above mentioned to write to Shire so they could pressure the chain to stock the meds and force a biased pharmacist's hand. The suggestion was that the corporate execs at the pharmacy chain should be motivated by profit to want to sell the drug. I wouldn't bet on it.

I am an absolute boycotter of WalMart. Not because of labor practices or lack of benefits for workers or the like, but because of their pharmacy. Allow me to explain.

In many small towns, WalMart moves in, opens shop, undercuts all mom & pop competitors, and puts them out of business. This can and has included pharmacies in the vicinity. In many areas, they have no pharmacies for more than 50 miles around a WalMart (no not in LA, CA but think Iowa or Oaklahoma here).

Now picture a young scared female who is raped by her father, presents to her doctor, and is prescribed Plan B (the "morning after" pill). She has only 48-72 hours to have it filled and take it to be maximally effective, and with each passing hour the effectiveness diminishes.

Let's say the girl has no car and has a friend drive her to the only pharmacy she has access to, in this case WalMart. She presents the Rx, and the pharmacist refuses to fill it out of religous beliefs. There is no other pharmacist on staff. No other pharmacy in town. What is such a patient to do?


WlaMart for many years supported pharmacists such as the one in this example. I haven't looked into their policy for a numer of years but no longer care and no longer shop there. To me it should be illegal. But it isn't, and WalMart did not miss the profits.

I know this is a horrible and extreme example, but if that can happen the pharmacists can also refuse to fill anything else on a whim.

Just my 2 cents.

I just got back from a 24 Right aid with no medicine in my hand, it's 1:00am and I have to get up start work at 8 tomorrow, I am completely out of meds and while I'm not "scared" or "fretting" at the though of not taking my regular dose of adderall in the morning, I am furious and upset at being lied to and discriminated against the "face-ists" at the Right aide pharmacy.

I brought in my script at around 12 at night because I didn't have the time to take it in during the day, and I don't have time to take it in tomorrow morning. When I gave the pharmacist assistant the script and asked if they had generic in stock, she said let me check and came back in about 30 seconds and said they don't have it, and that "it's a rare medicine we'll have to order it"

Immediately I knew I was being lied to, because obviously adderall isn't rare at all, I've been taking it for years and millions of people have been prescribed this medicine by competent professional doctors because it works and is completely safe if used properly.

I look up at the assistant and said, "really, I've been taking this medicine for years and have had it filled here before"

Immediately the pharmacist chimed in, "our computers are down, they'll be up in the morning"

Now it was set in stone that they were lying to me, and they knew I knew they were lying now. I said " I work in the morning and am out of my meds, I'm here now, why can't I fill it."

To save face, the pharmacist said that the computers will be up in two hours. What a bunch of bull ****. They did have it, and the computers were not down. At this point I didn't want to continue this or make any a scene, it was clear I was being discriminated against because of my looks and a phony hyped media-induced perception of what amphetamine is.

The first response sounded hokey to me, and when the pharmacist came up with a second 'excuse' then I agree that something fishy was happening. We haven't had any problems like that getting my granddaugher's script for Concerta filled. We go to Walgreens and they always say "Wait just a minute while I see if we have that in stock," but that's all they've ever said. We always go to the same pharmacy so we're in their records and they know that this is a legitimate script being filled at regular intervals. Didn't have any problem getting it filled just before Christmas so she wouldn't run out while they were visiting the other gramma.

We recently started my youngest daughter on an anti-psychotic med to treat her anxiety disorder, and Walgreens pharmacy refused to fill it before the month was up. I guess the doctor hadn't post-dated the script or said anything to my daughter about waiting to get it filled. Anyway, that's understandable.

Nokiraga, what kind of relationship do you have with your doctor? Perhaps, if you feel you are being wronged here, a call from the doctor's office might help to clarify any misconceptions the pharmacy might have. Just a thought.

Nokiraga, what kind of relationship do you have with your doctor? Perhaps, if you feel you are being wronged here, a call from the doctor's office might help to clarify any misconceptions the pharmacy might have. Just a thought.

That's a good idea. I meant to add that to my earlier post, but I got distra ... oh look! Squirrel.

I've been getting my scripts filled by Medco for about 2 years now. I get a 90-day supply of Adderall XR. They ship mine via UPS 2-day shipping and always require an adult signature (they won't leave a package with a C-II script on the front stairs). I've never had a single problem with Medco.


Do laws around adderall depend on the state then? Here in Washington state, when I asked if I could get my scripts filled through PPS (postal prescription services) every 90 days, they said that only a 30 day supply could be filled at a time.

I don't really mind though, because I love going to Bartell's. One of the pharmacists gave me nasty looks when I got my first prescription filled, but every month after that all the other staff have been super helpful.

Do laws around adderall depend on the state then? Here in Washington state, when I asked if I could get my scripts filled through PPS (postal prescription services) every 90 days, they said that only a 30 day supply could be filled at a time.

I don't really mind though, because I love going to Bartell's. One of the pharmacists gave me nasty looks when I got my first prescription filled, but every month after that all the other staff have been super helpful.

I believe it depends on the state and the particular insurance company. I was able to receive a 90 day supply of my meds through the mail order pharmacy. Interestingly, the Vyvanse would be put in my mailbox but my husband's Adderall XR had to be picked up in person at the post office.

After reading this, and comparing it to my own Rite-Aid experience, I am convinced that Rite-Aid is evil.

In addition to ADHD-Inattentive, I am also a type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic. About ten years ago, in Silver Spring, MD (DC Metro-Area), I was staying the night at the home of my then-girlfriend. I had grabbed my insulin cooler on the way out, but by the time I realized there weren't any syringes in the cooler the subway had shut down and my own home was several stations away and not practical to try walking back. But there was a 24 hour Rite-Aid pharmacy within walking distance of where we were. So, I assumed: problem averted. Syringes are non-prescription items in most states, including Maryland. But when I asked for some at the pharmacy, she demanded that I show her a "diabetic card." Now, I know plenty of diabetics and all of them would give you a blank stare if you asked them for a "diabetic card" because there is no such thing. We don't join a club. I keep prescriptions for everything that requires prescription, but syringes don't and neither did the older type insulin I was on at that time. So I took out my insulin and test kit to show her and the stupid woman still says "I can't sell you syringes without a diabetic card." SO I demand to see the manager, and show him my insulin, and he replies to me: "Even dogs take insulin."

So I don't care if they are overworked and underpaid. After spending a night dehydrated going into ketoacidosis for their arbitrary decision not to sell me a non-prescription item, Rite-Aid pharmacists can all rot in the ninth circle of Dante's inferno. Had this happened after the most recent update on the American with Disabilities Act, which specifically includes chronic illnesses like diabetes under its jurisdiction, I would have sued them for all they're worth.

No more legislating from the pharmacy.

Elf, that is really messed up. Did you contemplate calling the police to sort things out? I would have thrown the most calm, logical and law abiding tantrum ever (with a smile on my face 1/2 the time).

Regarding OP, I've only had 2 prescriptions filled thus far, but I would call up the pharmacy ahead of time to see if they have them in stock first before I head out just to advert the trouble. I've used Osco and Walgreens and the ladies at both pharmacies were really nice and helpful.

I have to go along with Pedro on this one. I also go to a privately -owned pharmacy where they know their customers.

And the pharmacy I go to is over thirty miles away in the next county. But well worth it to be treated with respect and friendliness.

The pharmacy is a chain-pharmacy and the pharmacist there wishes he could have been a doctor and loves to second guess peoples doctors, especially when it comes to controlled-substances. This guy goes as far as to rip peoples prescriptions up and throw them away after denying to fill them for people he doesn't believe "deserve" them!

Years ago I went to him to get three schedule II prescriptions filled. Before I knew it he was on the phone and all of the sudden he hung up with a shocked look on his face. He went ahead and filled all of them. The nest time I saw my doctor he told me that the pharmacist had called him and questioned him about me. He simply told the pharmacist that "He was nothing but a g**-da****ed pill-pusher and to fill my prescriptions as he ordered and hung up on him. I loved it!

Elf, that is really messed up. Did you contemplate calling the police to sort things out? I would have thrown the most calm, logical and law abiding tantrum ever (with a smile on my face 1/2 the time).


Actually, I went to a police station immediately after and described what happened, and they said they couldn't do anything about it.

Actually, I went to a police station immediately after and described what happened, and they said they couldn't do anything about it.

That's messed up. I know the police can't force a pharmacist to fill a prescription, but they should have allowed you to file a complaint about destruction of property or something. It's just ridiculous that you should have to go back to the doctor to get another script because some (word deleted) tore up the script.

I would have written letters to the manager and to the owner of the drug store, and written one to the state board of healing arts as well. And I certainly would have let the doctor know - they may have some way of going over the pharmacist's head to complain to someone who can make a difference. If I were a doctor and some pharmacist thought they knew more than I did and refused to fill a script I'd written, I think I'd be somewhat p.o.ed.

Actually, I went to a police station immediately after and described what happened, and they said they couldn't do anything about it.


That's what press releases are for.

New to the forums here, but joined so that I could "chime in" with the OP. My daughter has been on Adderall XR for a couple of years now. When the generic version came out, Rite Aid automatically changed her to it without even mentioning it or asking. That month we played heck with her.

At her next doctors appointment we told the doctor about our experience with the generic version and she said she would "solve that problem" by making it a DAW prescription. Things went back to normal with our daughter as soon as she was off the generic version!

Fast forward to this week. We dropped off her prescription to our usual Rite Aid and when we went back to get the prescription we were told they did not have it and were given a note from the pharmacist that says:
"-Adderall XR out of stock
-Manufacture backorder
- Unsure when we'll be getting it back in" with a cute little frowny face at the bottom of the note.

Originally I took their word on it until my husband seen his doctor today about another medication that he takes that our Rite Aid refused to fill saying it wasn't on our approved medications list for our insurance. The doctor was furious and brought his laptop into the exam room, pulled up the approved medications for our insurance and showed him where said medication IS approved. The doctor told my husband that this is a common problem for his patients who use Rite Aid, and suggested we try the pharmacy at a nearby grocery store.

My husband went in with both prescriptions. The one for our daughter for Adderall XR and the one for his medication. Less than a minute later the pharmacist told him the prescriptions would be ready in 15 minutes. When my husband asked this pharmacist about what he had been told about both prescriptions by the Rite Aid pharmacist, he said that there was no possible way this was true.

I've spent the past hour or so searching Google about the "shortage" of Adderall XR and have not really found any information supporting it, nor have I found any that would deny it either. Not sure what to do at this point! It does feel like insurance discrimination by Rite Aid, but without proof, what can I do?

I've never felt hassled at a pharmacy, but I sure have felt discriminated against by physicians!! I ended up in a rough situation when I was home for X-Mas break. My adderall scrip was drenched in coffee and my doctor was 6 hours away. 3 pills left... 2 weeks left of break... Bad news! I called my family doctor and was told that they don't give prescriptions for adderall because only a psychiatrist is allowed to do that, but this is a lie as I am now being prescribed adderall by a general practitioner. I called a local psychiatrist to see what could be done, but to no avail. I finally decided to confront the strangely inaccurate info from my family doctor and phoned the local U. S. Attorney's office and spoke with the AUSA that handles narcotics. He explained that anyone with an M. D. and a license can prescribe adderall. I called my family doctor back and informed them of this, and asked why I had been lied to. They said that the M. D. at my family clinic just has personal issues with the drug.

Here's the kicker:

Next time I go in to see him for something, I find that someone has marked on my chart that I exhibited "drug seeking behavior" and might require "rehabilitation therapy".