Find a New Pharmacy

 

Have you ever been really spoiled by a good pharmacist? 

We had a fantastic pharmacist and great pharmacy techs. The pharmacy was located inside a retail store, and the store wasn't very busy - which was why we chose it. 

We felt like we had a personal connection to everyone at the pharmacy. They all knew me, my husband and all of our kids. In fact, if we came into the store, and then didn't go directly to the pharmacy, they would say "Where did you go? I got your meds ready for you!" 😂

When you have a chronic disease like allergies and asthma, you are at the pharmacy a LOT. Especially during flu season, when one (or all of us) gets bronchitis or pneumonia. Then in additional to getting allergy nose spray, our controller inhalers, and rescue inhalers, we are getting an antibiotic, albuterol for the nebulizer, or oral steroids. 

 But going to a place that wasn't very busy was the problem. They went out of business.

I was so sad. I gave my number to the pharmacist so he could tell us where his new pharmacy was (he hadn't found a new job yet.)  Well, we waited and waited. And we didn't get a call.

Reluctantly, we decided to go to a chain pharmacy closest to our house. This pharmacy is open every day, and anywhere we travel in the U.S., we would be able to get a refill or a replacement if we were traveling and forgot our meds.

We had a few times where we were at Urgent Care on a Sunday or late at night, and needed a prescription. Our regular pharmacy was closed, so we would have to go to the 24 hour pharmacy.

But - the 24 hour pharmacy didn't have a record of all of our prescriptions, and that led to a dangerous drug interaction for me.

We felt "safer" going to the chain pharmacy. Because even after hours or on a Sunday, we could get a prescription - and they would have all of our medications on file so their computer system would flag a dangerous drug interaction.

Now the chain pharmacy closest to our house is also closing! There is another one that is less than a mile away, but do we let them switch our meds to that same chain of pharmacies?

Or do we find another smaller pharmacy (where they will actually know who we are?)

We haven't decided - and only have a week until this pharmacy closes.  

Has anyone else struggled to find a new pharmacy? What do you go for - a big, national chain. Or a little mom and pop pharmacy?