CVS Pharmacy - never again.

[puakinikini]

So, we have been sick for over a week. At day 5, I finally took all 3 little kids to the doctor b/c no one was getting better and it turns out that both girls have ear infections and my youngest DD has fluid in her lungs. So we got 2 scripts for antibiotic. Well, I usually fill all scripts at WAGS, but I had 2 of the $25 GC vouchers with a new script at CVS, so I went there instead.

Big mistake. When I pulled up to the window, my DD1 threw up - this was witnessed by the pharmacy tech. I told the pharmacy tech I would wait for the meds and she said it would be an hour. I pointed out to her that my DD1 was puking and asked if she could prioritize it, she said "no, it will be an hour". I should have left then, but I didn't. I told her I would be in the parking lot and would check back in 30 minutes.

WHen I did, I was told it would be an hour. I had cleaned 3 vomits by that time. My DH and mother are out of town and my father has a broken foot so he is not driving. There was no one to call so I waited.

At an hour, I pull up and she tells me she has to mix the antibiotics. Hello! You knew I was right there - why are my prescriptions not ready? Yes, I know they cannot be mixed until you are there - but I was there waiting, which I had told her twice. Total time: 80 minutes!

So, to wrap this up - I go home and it turns out that she has not given me anything to give the medications to the girls. No dropper, spoon, etc. I am beyond annoyed.

So I call to give them feedback about this and they tell me first that I should have checked the bag before I left (my fault, obviously - never mind that I am sick myself, have had about 1/4 of my usual sleep, and have just spent an hour in the car with 2 grouchy 4-year-olds and a puking 1 year old), then was told that these implements are "extra" at CVS.

I have since called CS and was told that if you wait your script should be ready in 15 minutes and that spoons for infants/toddlers are not extra. I am waiting for a call from the pharmacy tech.

I am not a happy camper. If it was not for the $50 in gc's I would be really ticked.

[Dengineer]

So, we have been sick for over a week. At day 5, I finally took all 3 little kids to the doctor b/c no one was getting better and it turns out that both girls have ear infections and my youngest DD has fluid in her lungs. So we got 2 scripts for antibiotic. Well, I usually fill all scripts at WAGS, but I had 2 of the $25 GC vouchers with a new script at CVS, so I went there instead.

Big mistake. When I pulled up to the window, my DD1 threw up - this was witnessed by the pharmacy tech. I told the pharmacy tech I would wait for the meds and she said it would be an hour. I pointed out to her that my DD1 was puking and asked if she could prioritize it, she said "no, it will be an hour". I should have left then, but I didn't. I told her I would be in the parking lot and would check back in 30 minutes.

WHen I did, I was told it would be an hour. I had cleaned 3 vomits by that time. My DH and mother are out of town and my father has a broken foot so he is not driving. There was no one to call so I waited.

At an hour, I pull up and she tells me she has to mix the antibiotics. Hello! You knew I was right there - why are my prescriptions not ready? Yes, I know they cannot be mixed until you are there - but I was there waiting, which I had told her twice. Total time: 80 minutes!

So, to wrap this up - I go home and it turns out that she has not given me anything to give the medications to the girls. No dropper, spoon, etc. I am beyond annoyed.

So I call to give them feedback about this and they tell me first that I should have checked the bag before I left (my fault, obviously - never mind that I am sick myself, have had about 1/4 of my usual sleep, and have just spent an hour in the car with 2 grouchy 4-year-olds and a puking 1 year old), then was told that these implements are "extra" at CVS.

I have since called CS and was told that if you wait your script should be ready in 15 minutes and that spoons for infants/toddlers are not extra. I am waiting for a call from the pharmacy tech.

I am not a happy camper. If it was not for the $50 in gc's I would be really ticked.

That's pretty much how my last 2 visits to CVS have gone--only I had just one kid with me who wasn't throwing up. But I too was wondering why it took an hour to add water to the bottle of antibiotics and print out the receipts. It's not like they're actually grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle and then steeping them, straining them and bottling them up, handwriting labels and instructions, etc. etc.

[puakinikini]

That's pretty much how my last 2 visits to CVS have gone--only I had just one kid with me who wasn't throwing up. But I too was wondering why it took an hour to add water to the bottle of antibiotics and print out the receipts. It's not like they're actually grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle and then steeping them, straining them and bottling them up, handwriting labels and instructions, etc. etc.

Thanks for commiserating with me - and for making me laugh about the mortar and pestle. When my daughter was little we had to go to any apothecary where they literally had to grind the adult meds into liquid form - the customer service was actually a lot better than my experience at CVS!

I told the CVS rep that if I was ever in that position again (which I won't be), I will drag my puking kid up and down the aisles while I wait - and see if that improves the wait time! I am of course not serious, just beyond irritated that they do not follow their own policies about waiting for meds.

I am glad to hear that I am not alone - but this is a violation of their pharmacy policy. I am sorry this happened to you too!

[Clipper]

I told the CVS rep that if I was ever in that position again (which I won't be), I will drag my puking kid up and down the aisles while I wait - and see if that improves the wait time!

This is hilarious! Sorry for what you went thru. I bet that pharm tech doesn't have any kids yet.

[taylordvd]

I think it all depends upon each individual store the level of service you get. I transferred all my scripts from Walmart to CVS about a year ago and have had nothing, but great service at CVS. If I'm waiting, they get them ready very quickly. One time, there was a mess up, but it wasn't CVS's fault, it was the doctor's fault. So sorry you went through this. That's how I was being treated at Walmart and why I switched.

[kittensqueak]

Hugs! I'm really sorry! CVS near me is really good about having RX's ready in 15 min. Call the store manager and let them know directly. Just call the store and ask for the manager. I have had to do this with CVS before and they worked everything out for me and the pharmacy because I delt with the SM.

Good luck!

[Mothernature]

I am not happy with CVS pharmacy either. When they gave me the incorrect dose of medicine, I decided never to return.

I've retained employment in pharmacies. Suspensions do not have water added until the customer picks up the prescription. Suspensions are good for so long. Many customers wait days to pick up their scripts voiding the medicine.

If a customer is waiting, their scripts are to be filled first. I always filled quickly for sick kids.

I've never heard of spoons, droppers, etc as extras. Is the kid supposed to chug the medicine directly from the bottle?

I would call and speak to the Pharmacy DM immediately.

[sns4063]

Well, if it makes you feel better, I spent an hour inside Walgreens today around lunch time waiting for antibiotics for my 3 yr old who has an ear infection too. Ugh. It was horrible. There are 2 other Walgreens in that town, but I guess I chose the wrong one to have it sent to. I didn't even get a gc for a new script PLUS this was the first script of the year-so it I had to pay my deductible too! OUCH!

[puakinikini]

I am not happy with CVS pharmacy either. When they gave me the incorrect dose of medicine, I decided never to return.

I've retained employment in pharmacies. Suspensions do not have water added until the customer picks up the prescription. Suspensions are good for so long. Many customers wait days to pick up their scripts voiding the medicine.

If a customer is waiting, their scripts are to be filled first. I always filled quickly for sick kids.

I've never heard of spoons, droppers, etc as extras. Is the kid supposed to chug the medicine directly from the bottle?

I would call and speak to the Pharmacy DM immediately.

I am supposed to be called by the pharmacy DM today.

The part about the suspensions that I do not understand is that she knew I was waiting. I had gone to the window at the half-way point, hoping that they would have it ready before an hour. Plus, not to belabor the point, but I was parked directly across from the drive-up window, which is where she asked me to park and wait (in case other customers drove through - none did).

I was informed by CS that these implements are not extra, which I knew to be not true at the time. I mean, that really is ridiculous. Laughing at chugging from the bottle, should have tried that instead. I am sure you can all picture me wrestling my 1 year old into a hold so she can take the medicine while balancing a literal teaspoon full of foul-tasting antibiotic in one hand!

[ATLmom]

That's horrible. I hope you get that pharmacist in a boatload of trouble. That's good to know about the 15 min. wait rule. I know I've waited longer than that at Walgreens and Rite Aid. Don't go to CVS very much.