A Prescription for Trouble

It's been a while since I've ranted about anything...so here goes.

I was out and about yesterday afternoon, taking a small road trip (don't worry, not going to be a ran about gas prices). Unfortunately, I also suffer from allergies and with the recent storms and incessant winds around here, they were going nuts. Alas, I hadn't thought to bring along my last remaining pill from my prescription bottle.

Now, a few months ago, I received a notice in the mail (from my insurance company) that the particular brand I use was no longer going to be offered as a prescription, but over-the-counter (which makes them happy, because they no longer cover it on our plan). A while back, I noticed a large stand at Wal-Mart with this particular medicine, so didn't think too much about it.

Well, as I mentioned, I was on a road trip, so wasn't around my home-base Wal-Mart. I went in to pick up the new OTC version. Lo and behold, there wasn't any on the shelves, but instead I find a piece of plastic telling me to take it to the pharmacy counter. I thought that was odd, since I'd seen a big pile of them at the other store.

I take the placard up to the counter, and they immediately ask for my driver's license.

Alas, what I'd failed to realize was that my prescription was for the "D" version of this medicine (for "decongestant"), which contained pseudoephedrine. Thus, my name must go on a federal watchlist, because with all the free time I have between writing and my day job (and foster care, from time to time), I obviously have this wild urge to cook chemicals into drugs.

But not so fast, this is also not my standard Wal-Mart, so they don't have me in their system. It takes somewhere close to ten minutes for the cashier to punch all of my data into the computer, complete with a variety of corrections she had to make while the line built up behind me.

When we finally finished, I asked the cashier if it was going to be such a hassle, why didn't the company just keep it as a prescription? I don't think she understood, based on her vague response to the question.

But I now figure it's only a matter of time before I have the DEA busting down my door. And now, since you've read this post, they have you in their sights as well.

You're welcome.

(Check back soon...I intend to rant about their new packaging scheme, and figure out what the cost difference is)