The Pharmacy Chick

Comment by Jessica

February 6, 2010 @ 9:35 pm

I don’t know where you’re from PC, but in the midwest a carton of cigarettes is easily $50. $45 if you buy the cheaper kinds. So those 4 cartons easily cost as much as his inhalers, if not more.
as I said, I have no idea how much a carton of ciggies cost. wow… $50!

Comment by Pharmintern

February 6, 2010 @ 10:04 pm

I hate when people pull the “I can’t afford my prescription” when I just rang up $150 worth of useless crap. I also would love to tell this guy that maybe his asthma might not be as bad if he quit smoking. I remember a patient from my hosptial rotation in ICU because he had severe COPD exacerbation and couldn’t breath, the docs ended up putting in a trach tube and he was on a vent. What really got me though was his history note had he was on like 6 liters of nasal oxygen at home and was still smoking 2-3 packs a day. I was shocked he had made it this far and hadn’t either died already or blown himself up. Last I knew you try and not have an open source of ignition around alot of pure bottled oxygen.

Comment by Caitlyn

February 7, 2010 @ 12:49 pm

One of my fellow techs used to say we should refuse inhalers to those who continue to smoke. Sometimes I really must agree.

Comment by The Ole' Apothecary

February 7, 2010 @ 12:58 pm

PC, this post has gotten my head swimming. If there is ever going to be a way to lower the cost of healthcare, it is by “facing fearlessly the issues of personal lifestyles,” a code phrase for requiring that there be some kind of official attempt to get people to give up smoking, drinking intoxicating liquors, using illicit drugs,or eating bad food. These are the Four Horsement of the American Healthcare apocalypse. Until we confront these demons honestly, there will be more of the same. My Baby Boom generation is now retiring, and, in their sheer numbers along with the four factors above, they could cost us a frighteningly high percentage of the Nation’s health finance burden.

I am convinced that much drug therapy goes toward the treatment of bad habits. As this fellow in your post suggests, it is a childish attitude toward entitlements vs. personal responsibility. Go ahead, yawn, because what I say here is nothing new.

Comment by evilchainrph

February 7, 2010 @ 5:18 pm

PC, unfortunately this is nothing new. We have Medicaid patients coming in, and complaining about their $3 copays on brand name medications, while I am ringing up cartons of cigarettes and junk food. Makes me think about the whole system. Patients can afford cigarettes, but not meds? Hm….

Comment by Jade

February 7, 2010 @ 5:20 pm

It is always a bit of a shock to see what folks will go through for an addiction. Never smoked once in my life, but have been in enough smoke-filled rooms as a student to count as plenty of secondhand exposure. That was more than a few decades ago when ‘By Heaven, or High water smokers had their rights!’ and ‘Rather fight than switch.’

(Remember, what was referred to as the smoking lounge, Ol’ Poth? We were all sitting around in the smoking lounge waiting for ‘ceutics class when the Challenger exploded, so guess it wasn’t that long ago.) I remember a debate assignment that first year we had to find scientific research indicative of short-term, and long-term effects of exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons from the Federal Government sources. Can anyone believe, nowadays, that there was doubt of the association between smoking cigarettes and health risks?

My adult sons smoke–outside, but when they return indoors, the stink is enough to send this ‘now sensitized’ nose into a tailspin. Of course they themselves are not aware of the stench.

Comment by Dr. Grumpy

February 10, 2010 @ 5:56 am

Yeah, I argue with these bozos all the time. They smoke to packs a day, and ask me to write off their $25 co-pay because “I have kids to feed” and other lines.

Comment by chris

February 17, 2010 @ 6:35 am

Almost got myself into some hot water with this one. Someone came in and bought a load of alcohol and junk food at my counter, he also wanted to pick up his script. he didnt have the £14 for his 2 blood pressure medicines, but pulled out 2 £20 notes for his consumables. I refused to supply him with his medication, I dont write stuff off. My head office phoned me to tell me off for acting unethically but they eventually relented. I love being able to be an arsehole to these people within the rules. There is a constant fight between rules and ethics, i always pick rules.

If you are ethical and break the rules you have to defend yourself

If you are unethical and follow the rules you dont