Incompetent Medical Field, what about trust, should it exist?

[Monty]

This is not about my wife's health, its about the incompetent medical field. From doctors to nurses to pharmacists. Its about the lack of respect for people, taking things for granted and screwing people who should receive much better care and consideration. This is just an example of what happens (first hand experience), others have it much worse. Its an example of that you can never take anything for granted. And how on earth are you supposed to trust "professionals".

So my wife had her hip replaced Friday morning. They released her from the hospital Saturday (today) in the evening (surgery looks like it went good, she is in a lot of pain). We have 4 prescriptions to get filled, blood thinner a couple anti-inflammatory drugs and a pain killer. She has liver problems from 8 years ago when a doctor failed to tell her that Lipitor was damaging her liver (wife took the required blood test, it was bad, doctor never read it and never notified us). So Walgreens knows this and has drugs that filter through the liver flagged in their system (at least that is what we have been told). Of the drugs prescribed one is a no-no for the liver (doctor and hospital new repeatedly about the liver problem, but an oops on their part I guess). The pain killer and blood thinner (needle) we know are OK , the other ant-inflammatory not sure. I go to Walgreens.
Me - Please check if this prescription is OK for wife (liver problem)
Pharmacist – Can't, doctor should know.
Me – what about the flagging?
PH – system will not do that
Me – please fill other prescriptions
PH – Do not have the 10 mg pain killers, only 5 mg, will take 5days to get
Me – Please give me the 5 mg, double qty.
PH – Can't do that, try CVS, they should have it
To CVS I went (by the way she (Walgreens)would have filled the drug that is a no-no for the liver)

Me – Do you have a flagging system that would catch drugs that effect the liver
CVS PH – Yes
Me – Great, how about this pain killer
CVS PH – only 5 mg, not enough to fill, can't sell them to you, maybe have in CVS in Cedar Grove
Me – OK, please call them to see if they have them (its 9:30 at night)
CVS PH – I can't do that on this drug

That was the crux of the conversations, there was more (I expressed my dismay on the situation).
We are lucky, my wife has a few pain killers left from the knee replacement this past December. Which we think when a different doctor did the knee replacement he never checked my wife's hip. During the knee replacement surgery there is a lot of twisting and pushing. He more than likely wrecked her hip (which going into that operation may have had a problem and should have been checked first). So when she could not walk after one month, two months, three months and the doctor would say “you are a slow healer, not enough home exercise etc.” He finally checked her hip, “wow, you now need a hip replacement”.

Sunday I will go back to the Walgreens, where I will try to convince hopefully a common sense good Pharmacist to sell us the 5 mg pills and explain to me how we were told 3 years ago Walgreens had a flagging system that would protect my wife's liver and the fu**ing pharmacist last night said there is nothing of the sort. May have to tell them to call the doctor about substituting the 5 mg.

I am a common sense type of guy. All this above lacks common sense and paying attention to important details. There are more stories about how the nurses in the two different hospitals (both surgeries) blatantly paid zero attention to the medicine they gave my wife as we told them about the liver problems (all reports listed the problem). They would say “everyone gets this medicine”.
How about some common sense?
Good stuff also happens:
My wife's hip surgery looks like it went well (very early). I like the doctor, very positive attitude and outlook. She's walking with a walker already...it hurts...but she is getting around.

[CharlieTuna]

I can't speak for NJ now, but when I did live there I never put my complete trust in Drs or pharmacists. If a Dr made a statement I would research it in the library or computer. If a prescription was given I would check the contraindications on the PDR. Our health is too important to entrust it completely to people in the medical field. Just because they say they are professional does not mean that they always are paying attention to our best interests.
As an aside, it sounds like your wife has gone through some tough surgery. I hope the meds work and also for her rehabilitation. Best of luck and wishes for her recovery.

[speedy]

This is not about my wife's health, its about the incompetent medical field. From doctors to nurses to pharmacists. Its about the lack of respect for people, taking things for granted and screwing people who should receive much better care and consideration. This is just an example of what happens (first hand experience), others have it much worse. Its an example of that you can never take anything for granted. And how on earth are you supposed to trust "professionals".

So my wife had her hip replaced Friday morning. They released her from the hospital Saturday (today) in the evening (surgery looks like it went good, she is in a lot of pain). We have 4 prescriptions to get filled, blood thinner a couple anti-inflammatory drugs and a pain killer. She has liver problems from 8 years ago when a doctor failed to tell her that Lipitor was damaging her liver (wife took the required blood test, it was bad, doctor never read it and never notified us). So Walgreens knows this and has drugs that filter through the liver flagged in their system (at least that is what we have been told). Of the drugs prescribed one is a no-no for the liver (doctor and hospital new repeatedly about the liver problem, but an oops on their part I guess). The pain killer and blood thinner (needle) we know are OK , the other ant-inflammatory not sure. I go to Walgreens.
Me - Please check if this prescription is OK for wife (liver problem)
Pharmacist – Can't, doctor should know.
Me – what about the flagging?
PH – system will not do that
Me – please fill other prescriptions
PH – Do not have the 10 mg pain killers, only 5 mg, will take 5days to get
Me – Please give me the 5 mg, double qty.
PH – Can't do that, try CVS, they should have it
To CVS I went (by the way she (Walgreens)would have filled the drug that is a no-no for the liver)

Me – Do you have a flagging system that would catch drugs that effect the liver
CVS PH – Yes
Me – Great, how about this pain killer
CVS PH – only 5 mg, not enough to fill, can't sell them to you, maybe have in CVS in Cedar Grove
Me – OK, please call them to see if they have them (its 9:30 at night)
CVS PH – I can't do that on this drug

That was the crux of the conversations, there was more (I expressed my dismay on the situation).
We are lucky, my wife has a few pain killers left from the knee replacement this past December. Which we think when a different doctor did the knee replacement he never checked my wife's hip. During the knee replacement surgery there is a lot of twisting and pushing. He more than likely wrecked her hip (which going into that operation may have had a problem and should have been checked first). So when she could not walk after one month, two months, three months and the doctor would say “you are a slow healer, not enough home exercise etc.” He finally checked her hip, “wow, you now need a hip replacement”.

Sunday I will go back to the Walgreens, where I will try to convince hopefully a common sense good Pharmacist to sell us the 5 mg pills and explain to me how we were told 3 years ago Walgreens had a flagging system that would protect my wife's liver and the fu**ing pharmacist last night said there is nothing of the sort. May have to tell them to call the doctor about substituting the 5 mg.

I am a common sense type of guy. All this above lacks common sense and paying attention to important details. There are more stories about how the nurses in the two different hospitals (both surgeries) blatantly paid zero attention to the medicine they gave my wife as we told them about the liver problems (all reports listed the problem). They would say “everyone gets this medicine”.
How about some common sense?
Good stuff also happens:
My wife's hip surgery looks like it went well (very early). I like the doctor, very positive attitude and outlook. She's walking with a walker already...it hurts...but she is getting around.

yes you are to to nice of a guy i would have ripped his a$$ over the counter ...( get better soon dear ) and monty if you need some thing call me please !!!!!

[surfstix1963]

Oh Monty I feel for you I have been down this damn road so many times it is just pathetic I will say my surgeon is top notch always on top of what is going on very anal which is very good as far as I'm concerned, the nurses are scared $hit of him he wants them to know he's in charge and they will do what he says he is always aware of my epilepsy I can honestly say he is the only one that even considers it when prescribing meds.The last time I was in the hospital for my breathing issue they send me home with a script for this antibiotic $40 I get home read the paperwork if you have seizures you should not take this they were very aware of my epilepsy so there goes that 40 bucks I felt like taking it to the hospital and smashing the bottle upside this Dr. head I don't tell all these people I have epilepsy for the hell of it there is a reason so they can prescribe the correct meds it just goes on and on from now on I am going to play the broken record with these A-Holes Can I take that with my seizure meds and just repeat myself until thats all they hear in that empty void between there ears.I now deal with a local small business pharmacy in town you walk in they say Hi how are you know you by your first name and has my epilepsy on record with his online interaction guides and automatically flags a drug which could be the problem but unfortunatly occasionally you need to deal with the large chains.In your wifes case almost all meds can affect the liver it has to process everything in the body.I hope she feels better soon it gets old year after year surgery after surgery.

[hookset]

Trust no one. Just because they have been to school does not mean they are geniuses. Look at all the people who go to school out of the country to get their degrees now. You can't tell me, even though the schools are accredited, that they are all as good as the schools in the US.
Someone said here that you have to do your own research as well. I like that. If you have an allergy you have to be vigilant about it, because if you don't it is your life and death, not theirs. I am sorry to hear of you guys and your spouses going through this. I blame part of that on Medicaid fraud. I think there was so much fraud in the 80's and 90's that medical payments are now cut to the bone and medical providers have the incentive to push you through the system as quickly as possible. I think the old days, where Doctors really got involved in the lives of their patients, we are shifting away from that.

I wish you both and your families some better care and treatment because that is what you deserve. We all do. Good luck.

[nitestrikes]

This thread is a good warning to those who believe that medical people can protect us. We have to protect us. Sorry to hear what you guys are going through. Hope things move along in a positive flow.

[Monty]

Thank you all for the well wishes. Greatly appreciated.

Wife started therapy today and we were thrilled with the Therapist (a great thing).
She said the patients she has had who had replacements from the surgeon who performed the hip replacement all recovered quickly and that she would choose him if she ever needed hip or knee replacement (another real good thing).
And another tough lesson to learn, make sure the surgeon you select is highly regarded (should have not settled for who did my wife's knee).

The reason I started this thread was I was very frustrated about the lack of help from the Pharmacists at Walgreens and CVS. Their refusal to help in any way really disgusted me. I went back to Walgreens at 10:00 am this morning (same pharmacist as 9:30 last night, whats with that?) again she was no help at all. I reamed her good in front of a few customers.
After seeing the outpatient nurse and therapist at home I went back to the Walgreens and there was a different pharmacist on duty, I explained the situation. He looked on the computer, made a call and found the medicine 10 miles away. I thanked him, drove there, they had the medicine, there computers were down, they could not print a label, I stayed there for 30 minutes, raised hell to no avail, computers never came up, Pharmacy department closed, no medicine for wife (a bad thing). Will have to go there tomorrow and get it. You can't make this **** up.

Surfstix you nailed it. Its pathetic that we have to go through this in what is supposed to be an advanced civilization.
Your description on how they blatantly give you drugs you warned them about, my wife goes through the same thing. While the drugs basically all filter through the liver, stuff like statins is a big no-no. She was told not to take tylenol. Tylenol is mixed with other drugs, this has complicated a bunch of prescriptions that after written had to be changed.
Like you said, you tell them stuff and they just don't care enough or pay attention.

[surfstix1963]

Good to hear therapy went well sorry to hear about the medication deal I would call Walgreens customer service dept. and ***** up a storm just the hell of it.

[bababooey]

Surfstix that sounds like a great idea but I have found in situations like that a formal letter to top management gets better results. Either way, they screwed up big time. What happens if they do it and someone's health is endangered? Gool luck guys and Monty hope your wife gets better soon.