The Pharmacist made me cry

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I'm not proud of it. He caught me at a weak moment and I think he's an aspie or an autie of some sort because this guy has never had any social skills at all. The existence of people just inconveniences and frustrates him.

I went to the ER for an extraordinary headache that was interfering with my vision, my ability to think and my ability to articulate those thoughts. I've had fluctuating fever and chills, neck aches and this neverending pressure on my head. It's been horrible and confusing, so I had it checked out. I don't have a brain infection or anything so severe. They found that I have an infection caused by a hole in one of my back teeth (a filling fell out forever ago and I haven't gotten it fixed). This infection is causing pain all over the place. So the tooth is to blame and I've got to see the dentist asap.

After the ER, I went to the pharmacist to have my 'scripts filled and didn't have my insurance card. I'm in the system and never have to show my card but for some reason he wanted my card and I didn't have it in my wallet and he actually yelled at me. I'd just gone through 2 days of horrible pain on top of the worry that I might have a brain infection (those can kill you) so by midnight this evening, I was emotionally raw standing at the pharmacy counter. And then I've got a grown man yelling at me because I don't have my card. I totally lost it.

When I got home, visibly in tears even though I'd stopped bawling on the drive home, my husband left for the pharmacy to give the guy a talking to and fetch my 'scripts. I kinda feel bad for him even though he made me cry. If he is an aspie, he's got absolutely no clue what he did wrong. I'm sure a 6'2 cowboy giving him feedback in very clear and colorful language wasn't how he expected to end his January.

I understand how you feel. Pharmacists can be real jerks sometimes. The one you encountered should be fired.

Was he actually yelling at you are just harsh toned?

It could have been he was having a bad day, or doesn't like his job, or something of that sort, but either way, there are ways you don't treat customers, or people in general, and AS or not, he needs to learn that.

My husband has continuous prescriptions so we're going to the pharmacy regularly. This one is always like this. Like I said, no social skills. And, yeah, he raised his voice and threw up his arms. There was a customer waiting at the drive-up window and he was also rude to them. His behavior wasn't personally against me but it still made me cry. He would probably do better in a hospital pharmacy where his interaction with the public is greatly reduced.

The other pharm is a nicer guy who'd bend over backwards for you. One time, the doctor wrote my husband a 'script that wasn't covered on our insurance, so he reworked it to get him the same medication in a way that was covered. When my husband ran out of Zoloft over the holidays, he gave him 5 to hold him over until the doc would call in a refill.

I would consider filing a complaint with the state Board of Pharmacy. That will get his attention, trust me...

Whether or not the man felt bad being yelled at by your husband, your husband did the exact right thing. Sounds like he has your corner... I'm glad to hear it. The man, whether he's aspie or not, sounds like a bully. I bet he doesn't yell at men.

That's awful! I am a nurse, and I would never treat someone that way. It's inexcusable, aspie or not. I have had people yell at me and become very insulting, yet I always stay professional. You or your husband should report the pharmacist to his manager, and if it's a chain (CVS, Walgreens) contact corporate. It isn't just rudeness...his impatience and poor customer service could actually be dangerous! If someone doesn't ask a question because he belittled that client, she might not understand possible drug interactions, dosage, etc.

Good point, gypsyRN.

I didn't even know pharmacists asked for insurance cards.

Doesn't your health insurance plan include prescription insurance?

My pharmacist is a pissy little b***h, too, but he's lightning fast, and I've told him that I go to his pharmacy because at places like Dillons or Wal-mart, customers have to wait around while pharmacists flirt with each other and snicker at the people who are waiting. I agree with gypsyRN's comment that someone might not understand something about a drug because of the poor interaction there. Your husband rocks! I shall eagerly await whatever post you make after your next visit to that pharmacy. Think you might walk out with some flowers and a free candy bar?

Sounds like an arse. You can't blame yelling and screaming at someone for that on aspergers. He's just bad tempered.

He's behind a register working with the public. It doesn't matter what he's selling. No company would ever tolerate that sort of blatant breech of customer service policy. and you, most definitely deserve more respect than that. So glad to hear that your man straightened him out.

Didn't he get the memo that people having prescriptions filled are ILL? You don't yell at sick people, even an Aspie knows that.

My brother is a pharmacist and he tells me the company he works for gives him so much to do, with so little help/time. I empathize with him sometimes, but it's the job he chose and he's making a ton of bank. I suppose your pharmacist was having a -really- bad day and probably was dealing with a difficult doctor that gave him the run around earlier.

Either way, there was no excuse for him to treat you that way. I would ask to speak to the managing pharmacist and tell him that if things do not change, you will be taking your prescriptions somewhere else. The pharmacies hate to lose your business.

He should not have treated you that way. There's no excuse. If he can't handle the job and the responsibility, than he shouldn't be there.