Eckerd

Patsy of Greenwood MS writes (4/15/03):
The last 4 times I had to go to the Eckerds Pharmacy, I had to wait 45 minutes to get my prescriptions. Others standing around said same. Store recently remodeled to supply more merchandise. Why couldn't the pharmacy be moved to the front of the store? Why can't other checkers help? Today there were two at the front with one customer! I noticed at least 10 baskets with medicine in them waiting to be checked out.

There are elderly who have trouble walking to the back of the store. There are those like me who have asthma or other breathing problems. There are a minimum of seats for sitting while you wait. If you don't stand near the cashier you really will be kept waiting! The one this (04-15-03) afternoon is slow as Christmas and smacks on her chewing gum the whole time! I am a business person; I was always taught that chewing and smacking gum at work is very unprofessional. She is the same one I've had to deal with the last 4 times either during the afternoon or after work!

I missed an extra hour of work to wait 45 minutes in Eckerds. It is not any better after work either, because I have waited as long at that time also. Maybe Eckerds needs to forget about all the junk they want to sell other than drugs and pay attention to hiring more pharmacists and clerks! That's not all a friend of my was given the wrong prescription one time and almost died.

Judith of Houston (5/27/02):
On May 23rd, I arrived at the pharmacy and gave the pharmacist my new perscription for Maxide. She advised me that my insurance would not pay because I just got the pescription filled last month. She indicated that the perscription had been filled for 100 pills and it had only been thirty days. When the perscription was filled in April I only received 30 pills, the bottle indicated that 100 pills had be sold, however this was a mistake.

I went home and retrieved the old bottle and showed it to the pharmacist. She proceeded to reprimand me indcating that I was trying to get the perscription too soon. I asked her to look carefully at the container, it could not contain 100 pills ... only thirty. Once she realized her mistake she just said "oh". Never apologized for the mistake. The Pharmacist assistant realized that they owed me 70 pills.

On May 23rd, I made a doctors appointment to get my perscription refilled as the bottle indicated that there were no more refills, cost - $60.00. I had to pay for the new perscription of $36.00, due to the negligence of the parmacy to despense the correct amount of medication last month. In order to prove that I was not stockpiling blood pressure medication, I had to leave the pharmacy, to retrieve the old bottle of medication and return to the store. Obviously an unnessary trip. I did not appreciate this pharamists' attitude that I was wrong, by choosing Eckerds. I will move my perscriptions to Walgreens.

Aloha of Oklahoma City writes about the Eckerds at 122 & May:
I purchased an elastic wrist band ($14.99) and was told if it was not what the dr. wanted I could return it with my receipt. I tried to return it and was told that since I wrote a check I could not return it for 5 days. I have been a customer at this Eckerd's for the past 10 years. I get all my family's prescriptions filled at this store and well as our other pharmacy items. I have NEVER written a bad check at this business.

If my business in no more valued than this I will take it across the street to Walgreen's. Lucy offered to credit my credit card. I don't understand why I couldn't have my money back. I do understand store policy but should have been informed when asked if I could return this item. As it is I made a wasted trip.

Loyal of Brooksville, FL, writes about Store #2232 in Brooksville:
On Nov 15,2000 4:15PM I went to pick up my prescriptions that I ordered the previous Friday. I rang the call button for service. My sales slip given me was timed out at 5:28PM. Just about 45 min. There were two pharmicists chatting in the back (well, they had white coats on and were oblivious to any customers in or out of the store).

There were at least 5 customers inside the store and a line of at least 5 cars behind me. Only one clerk to wait on all of us, she apologized all over the place for the delay. I place this right on the management for neglect of service to the ten customers waiting for service. I am very disappointed in Eckerd's service. My parents and I spend a lot of money for drugs at Eckerd's pharmicy. It would be nice to get better service.,don't you think?

After I got the meds I remember that Eckerds had a "stock-up" sale on Coke products. I went in to get some. I wasn't really suprised to find the Diet Coke that I wanted was "temporarily" out of stock. And "check with us later" was the best answer I could get as to when they would have more.

Margaret of St. Petersburg, FL, writes:
I take Tegretol, Paxil and Zocor. Not once but numerous times I have been given the wrong medicine, too much dosage, and combination of medicine that would have been fatal if I had kept on taking it.

Recently, I was given blood pressure medicine instead of my Paxil. I noticed that it was not the same shape but it was pink. Luckily I knew the shape of my medicine. Eckerds told me to bring the pills back but I told them I did not drive.

When I was on the phone they told me I was mistaken because the information on the bottle was correct. I told them what was in the bottle was not Paxil. They came out and took the bottle. (On another occasion) I was given a higher dose of Zocor. I took a few until I realized it was wrong.

As for my Tegeretol, I was given ampicillin which one of the pharmacists caught after I had taken it several times. On different occasions, I was taking Tegretol and ampicillin at the same time. The pharmacist asked me how I felt and I told her totally out of it -- spacey. She said she would make note of it.

On several occassions I was given diabetic medicine. They messed up with similar names. These is some of the things that happened to me. Twice I almost passed out. Hurt my wrist and ankle from losing my balance.

Margaret should retain a personal injury attorney or complaint to the Florida agency that licenses pharmacists ... or both.