Pharmacy Diverting meds? (long)

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't even know where to start this one so I am sure it will be a little long....

The kids dad was in a BAD car wreck beginning of December and nearly died. He had a dissected aorta and a stent graft was eventually placed. Extensive injuries from the wreck as well as lack of perfusion and he is now home (staying with his mom) going to outpatient PT and OT. He's healing well but has quite a bit of pain and is on some heavy duty meds. He was on dilaudid and now on methadone in a very low dose. He also has some brain injury d/t lack of blood flow and a little slow lately. We are hoping most will come back in time.

The town he is staying in is known as a drug haven for herion and pills and also has a large population of the elderly. Well a few times he has gone to the local (only) grocery store in town to get meds filled and been shorted by quite a few pills. Then they started partially filling them saying come back in a few days and we will have the rest. He was unaware of the 72 hour rule on filling narcs so when he went back he could not get the remainder of the scripts and they acted like it was his fault. Now today when he went to get his methadone filled they gave him 6 out of 48 and put it and RANG it up like it was the dilaudid and said come back in 4 days- again if he did he would be out 42 pills of methadone!!

Thankfully his sister caught the label error and did not buy their story and marched him right back in there and got the prescription back to fill elsewhere after a big scene.

When they told me about this the other day I said be careful and count and verify, but never dreamed today they would short him 42 pills! The only thing I can think of is that somebody there is totally diverting in a major way.

What do you all think about this and what should I do- report this to the state? Remember this has happened at least 3-4 times, maybe more just to this one person.

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Specializes in Rural Health.

Yikes - sounds pretty fishy to me......

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That does sound fishy! I have been to a pharmacy before and they've said they didn't have the full amount and told me to come back the next day for the rest. But for it to keep happening like you described just does not sound right.

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Specializes in cardiac med-surg.

extremely weird

btw...good luck with everything

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Absolutely report it!

And thank you for helping to advocate for him!

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Yes, I would report it. To the DEA, maybe?

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not to negative, but make sure that he isnt party to it.....good luck

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Of course report it!

If they are doing nothing wrong then they will be cleared. If they are, then the diversion will be caught and hopefully the perpetrator(s) will be sent to where they can do no more harm.

Too many times people sit by and watch this stuff happen thinking someone else will take care of it. It's time people stood up and took responsibility for reporting things that are obviously wrong.

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Being short occasionally is one thing. Being short on a regular basis and not warning the pts about the 72-hour rule......something's fishy in the ocean here.........

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He definately isn't party to anything they are doing. He is very confused about this and does not understand completely. All he knows is he isnt getting his medicine like he is supposed to. His mental capacity is diminished and he was never a user before this.

I too have had apahrmacy short me, but always along the line of you can pick up remainder tomorrow and it has never continued to happen. Also this only happening with his controlled medicines- he is on many to keep his BP low and other things. Never has a problem with them.

It concerns me because I wonder how many of the local eldery have been duped as well and the fact that is EVERY time he picks up narc or controlled med.

Today I am in clinicals in that town and will be doing some asking around about who to report this to locally. I want to make sure something is done and not just swept under the rug.

Thanks everyone!

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Specializes in ER/ ICU.

Call the pharm hotline and voice your concerns. Then, find a new one.

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Yes, report it to the state board of pharmacy. They will investigate if there is a concern

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