Monday, November 22, 2010

Public Service Announcement

#1)  I did have strep.  It's been confirmed.  But I'm feeling fine now and I'm no longer contagious.

#2)  Always read your prescription labels and compare what the label says to what is actually in the bottle. 

After being told that I kind of, sort of, might, ever-so-slightly have strep last Friday, I came home and popped a pill as soon as I got in the door.  Later that night, before taking my second pill, I decided to read the entire extraneous information included with the prescription.  Because I'm a nerd like that.  The pill bottle came with a little description page of what the pills inside the bottle should actually look like.  Oblong.  Check!  Off white.  Check!  Scored.  ???  GG 550 on one side.  Nnnnnno?  DV 90 on the other side (I don't remember the exact numbers & letters right now).  Definitely no.  Oh dear!! 

So, before taking another pill, I called the pharmacy where I had purchased them.  The pharmacists said, "Don't take any more!  I don't even know what you have, but it definitely isn't penicillin."  Yikes!  So, after calming my husband who was already angry with this particular establishment due to an earlier incident that day, I hopped in the car to go get my correct prescription.  Again.

I received my correct prescription and an assurance that the potassium (which they figured out I'd been given and had taken one of by mistake) would not harm me [Though I later was told by someone else that a whole bottle-full might have!!].  They tried to refund my money (on top of giving me my new real medicine free), but that had some trouble with the card.  So, I walked away with a free prescription and a $20 giftcard.  I suppose it was the least they could do.

All this to say...be sure to read your prescription bottles.  Every time.  And always ask if something doesn't seem just right.  I am just so glad that my near-death experience (not really) can benefit the entire cyber-world (the 5 people who read my blog) and prevent another such atrocity (having to go to the pharmacy twice in one day...once with wet hair and wearing sweatpants) from plaguing anyone else.  Amen.

3 comments:

Cassie said...

I'm glad it was just potassium! Sheesh! I had a similar experience earlier this year, except I got pills for the diabetes I don't have. The pharmacist was mortified and I also got a free prescription with a 20 dollar gift card. I guess that's what my medical safety is worth to them. :)

Dan and Tara said...

Thanks for the PSA! So glad you didn't poison yourself.
So, am I included in the 5 that read your blog or do I make #6? ;)

Indiana Family of Four said...

Glad you're ok! Wow, that could've had a very different ending. Thanks for the PSA and the chuckle! (For the record, the chuckle wasn't because of your near death experience, but because of your funny writing.. love you!)