Medication Scam?

thePretender

New Member
Jurisdiction
Minnesota
Hopefully I have this in the right area.
For many years, my wife has suffered severe mental illness. Several changes to meds, different doctors, clinics, and pharmacies.

Over the last 5 years, she has been at one pharmacy and doctor. Medications were lost, missing or she was self-medicating. At least that is what she claimed

In 2020 she was so bad that I had to commit her to the hospital. I got a separation/divorce (reasons what lead up to this, are too detailed for this question, so left out - not relevant). When she got out, I told her the only way she can stay with me, is if I administer the meds. She was not responsible.

The deal was made and up until Jan 22 - she made a complete turnaround. It was wonderful.

That is the brief summary that leads to my question. They (pharmacy) always gave us a 30 supply and after the 30days were up, she would go back and renew. Pretty simple. However, Up until recently, they cut her off stating that she "should" have enough for 2 more days. I told them this was not possible as I can only work with what they give us.

The short version - pharmacy believes that we come in every 4th Friday to pick up the meds. After looking back I found that is true, but it is only because she is out of a certain med. The rest seemed to be fine - extras. But I agreed with him - 4 weeks = 28 dosages. Then I realized the bottle says 30! After calculating, it explains why I have extra meds (she has one controlled substance prescription and 4 other non-controlled meds - I have LOTS of those extra), and why we are in every 4th Friday.

The only possible explanation is the pharmacy is counting 28 for the controlled meds, and putting it in a bottle marked 30. This explains when the last Friday comes, I have about the equivalent of 2 days of the regular meds(which I keep), and non of the controlled. My wife does not have access to any of these meds, I pick them up and put them in a safe (as per her request/agreement for the last year and a half). I never counted them, Did not see a reason to.

How can these guys be audited? It explains a lot why my wife was suffering, while doctors, family, and even myself, felt that she was self-medicating and abusing the meds, when In fact someone was scraping off the top and simply blaming her for not watching the meds.

My wife says they have the ability to "red flag" her if I make a stink. So am laying low, she is in the process of switching pharmacies. I need them audited, Lists of our pick-up dates, as if they ARE every 4th Friday, then I know for sure someone is scamming. I know it will be our word against them.

I cannot explain the emotional stress this has caused (including multiple police calls, when she gets off her meds or misses the, she gets violent, over 6 commitments to the hospital, and more), yet since I have taken over the meds, she has almost made a complete turnaround! cover the years, and since the last couple of years I HAVE been administrating them, I can say 100%, the pharmacy is up to something.

Who can I call for help?
1. Meds are obviously counted correctly, but most likely pocketed by someone there(when I spoke to the pharmacy, his statement was "...we have been filing her meds, but you have been coming in every 28 days so they are on the same date," when I said we dont come in every 28 days, we come in every 30 days when she it out, - to which is paused and stuttered.
2. Audited for date of picks for at least the last year.

I know this is long-winded and I apologize, but there is something funny with that pharmacy. We ONLY go in when she is out of the controlled substance one. And I have almost a year's supply of the other meds which I thought was strange. But after they told me she should have enough of the controlled substance til Monday (missing 2 dosages) I realized why I have the extras. There is not 28 in those bottles!
 
Looking backward will be useless and impossible.

The pharmacy will prevail, your wife's prognostication will come to fruition.

Looking forward, do what most people do at a bank, casino, or receiving cash, proof it.

Proofing it requires you to imitate a good handler of cash, count the cash TWICE on the counter in the presence of the teller/cashier before grabbing and pocketing it.

Ask the pharmacist, not the tech, if you can count the medication while he/she monitors your actions.

Such a request could anger an honest person, and will certainly do the same to a crook.

A better solution might be to change pharmacies to a large drug chain, grocery store, or retailer.

Another option might be to use an online (as in scripts via mail or delivery service).
 
Going backwards as Army Judge has stated will be useless. You can always count the drugs at the counter before you leave the store. Your wife is 100% correct if you throw a fit at the store, they will FLAG her. One of the things about an addict is they get mad quickly. Just start counting her meds before you leave the store.
 
Hi guys!!!
Thank you very much for confirming a few things

I kinda figured going back would be pointless. Glad it was clarified.
I will have to start counting a few times in front of them. She is currently going to be switching pharmacies to one near us (we moved recently) to a larger chain. I WOULD buy them online, but the controlled substance one could be problematic( @army judge )

The only peace of mind I got from this ordeal, was that my wife was probably correct all those years, and maybe she was getting shorted. As mentioned above, 14months - and she made a complete turnaround, handles stress well, etc..

Its too bad there are people out there that still do this (why would they take her word - she's crazy right?) vs a reputable pharmacist. I personally do not think the doctor knows about it. And I don't think she will pursue it for fear of losing her meds.

Thanks again.
 
There is one last question related, if as @Disabled Vet said she IS flagged, do we have any legal remifications? She needs the one med. She has been on it for several years, and highly recommended that if she is to stop taking it, she needs to be gradually. Not cold turkey that a flag would cause.
 
There is one last question related, if as @Disabled Vet said she IS flagged, do we have any legal remifications? She needs the one med. She has been on it for several years, and highly recommended that if she is to stop taking it, she needs to be gradually. Not cold turkey that a flag would cause.

Don't rock the boat, rattle their chains, or ring their bell.

Fly low and slow BELOW the radar.

Don't do ANYTHING to anger, annoy, or harass ANYONE that you need MORE than he/she needs you.

Get flagged by one, soon you'll be flagged by MOST of them.

Whenever I must deal with these sensitive issues, I smile and remain calm.

Don't help others in their attempt to destroy you.
 
The 4th Friday in December was the 24th, while the 4th Friday in January is the 28th. That's 35 days.

Every month with 5 Fridays is going to throw you off if you wait for the 4th Friday in the following month.
 
There is one last question related, if as @Disabled Vet said she IS flagged, do we have any legal remifications? She needs the one med. She has been on it for several years, and highly recommended that if she is to stop taking it, she needs to be gradually. Not cold turkey that a flag would cause.

Once a flag has been placed on a person it is hard to get it removed. The place that flagged her only puts in a note that she could be pill shopping. Honestly, You're making this a bigger issue then what it needs to be. Going forward just count the pills before you leave. This flag per say is just a note they placed into her file. Doesn't sound like she is pill shopping, just seeking to renew her drugs earlier then allowed. I use a controlled drug as well. I was going on vacation to Mexico. The pharmacy wouldn't fill my meds 2 days early. I had a great doctor at the time and he just wrote another script for me. Just make life easier going forward.
 
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