Four questions you should never ask your pharmacist
Lucy, in the Peanuts comic strip, often sits behind her sign and offers psychiatric help for a nickel. But there’s a reason doctors don’t work in carnival-style booths. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible medical professionals in the country and end up running into all sorts of customers with silly questions. To help these professionals keep their sanity, there are some questions you simply shouldn’t ask.
“Does this look infected?”
This happens a lot. The average person isn’t sure if a discolored wound looks infected, and may be unsure whether to buy bandages or a full antibiotic cream. If possible, don’t ask the pharmacist. They have people rubbing the wounds on their faces all day, and not everyone can stand the parade of pitted pustules and oozing scabs. Sure, it’s good to take care of your wounds, and some professionals may not care if you ask them politely. Still, the point remains that you wouldn’t shove the offending wound under another stranger’s nose, and you should be aware that the human in the lab coat may not be in the mood.
“Do you think I could be pregnant?”
It is certainly an important question. Unplanned pregnancies for new mothers can be particularly disorienting, but a pharmacist won’t be able to give you an accurate answer when you’re only a few days late. They can recommend pregnancy test kits, but it’s not their job to educate you about the entire reproductive system. All kinds of biological and environmental factors can affect your monthly cycle, and there are more variables than you can communicate in a couple of questions. Be sure to learn how your body works, get a take-home test kit, and make an appointment with your OB/GYN.
“Can you give me an early refill on my prescription for narcotics?”
They’ve heard it all, and there’s no real way for you to convince someone that you’re not losing the battle against addiction. His doctor has prescribed an appropriate dose and length of time, and the pharmacy can’t help him if he has run out early. Even if you are about to go on vacation, that is not something that needs to be negotiated and adjusted in this environment. Addicts hang around these stores all the time, using every excuse in the book. Maybe they only need one sample, or they claim to have verbal permission to get two bottles at a time. There are strict laws about controlled substances, and they are usually for your protection.
“Can you make an exception, just this once?”
Whether it’s narcotics or just another refill that hasn’t been authorized yet, don’t ask your pharmacist to break the rules. These medical professionals have studied and worked for their position, and would be putting their families and careers at risk for their convenience.
In the end, it’s mostly a matter of being considerate. The pharmacy can be confusing because these workers are almost as accessible as the cashiers, and yet they play an important role in making sure people get the right medications.