The Vent and Rant Thread

[Rumpelteazer]

Craving cheddar cookies/snacks. Specifically Cheddars (UK, cookies) or Goldfish (US). The online store that usually sells them doesn't have them listed at the moment.

There's a store in the city center which sells US and UK foods, I will have to visit tomorrow (house sitting at the moment, tomorrow I'll go home for work). I have bought Cheddars from her in the past, hopefully she still stocks them.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Why are some prescription drugs packaged in units of 28 pills and others as 30?

What about 31 day months? Are you supposed to skip one day?

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by Tarana

What about 31 day months? Are you supposed to skip one day?

I have always wondered that too.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tarana

What about 31 day months? Are you supposed to skip one day?

I don't know how UK residents can stand that crap. I HATE those packages, with one pill/day in the pop-outs. Hell, I've got this one med that nearly slices my fingertips off, every time I need to use one. You have to peel it back, right, from this harder-than-steel plastic half? Ouch.

I mean, jeeze, what's wrong with just counting them out into a bottle? Sure, I get it, less work for the pharmacist this way, but as has been pointed out, the numbers aren't quite right, and the packaging certainly isn't environmentally friendly, for those who are very aware of such things. I don't see the real advantage to ALL concerned parties.

Hitch

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I don't know how UK residents can stand that crap. I HATE those packages, with one pill/day in the pop-outs. Hell, I've got this one med that nearly slices my fingertips off, every time I need to use one. You have to peel it back, right, from this harder-than-steel plastic half? Ouch.

I mean, jeeze, what's wrong with just counting them out into a bottle? Sure, I get it, less work for the pharmacist this way, but as has been pointed out, the numbers aren't quite right, and the packaging certainly isn't environmentally friendly, for those who are very aware of such things. I don't see the real advantage to ALL concerned parties.

Hitch

Yeah, we all hate them. But it's not about less work for the pharmacist, it's about eliminating pharmacists. As long as the package isn't altered or opened, the computer prints out the label (reads the scan code!), and the whole process is handled entirely by non-pharmacists, working under the "supervision" of _one_ registered pharmacist. In large drug stores, where there might have been half a dozen registered pharmacists, there now is one, or at most two. And none of them qualified to do any compounding -- that is a virtually lost skill in the US.

I recently got a refill for a routine medication. My local pharmacist apologized to me because it came in one of those packs, but the regular supplier had a shortage. He assured me that just as soon as he could get the right ones, he would! For those taking multiple medications on different schedules and different times of the day, those packs are impossible. I ended up having to punch out each individual pill and put them in the old jar, and in the daily pill container for the week. If I don't put them in their little compartments, I end up being unsure which pills I've taken and which I haven't.

[wodin]

In the US large pharmacies have robots that count the pills and put them in bottles.

The problem we have is they always put those impossible to open child proof caps on, even for us old arthritic folks who's children are long gone.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by wodin

In the US large pharmacies have robots that count the pills and put them in bottles.

The problem we have is they always put those impossible to open child proof caps on, even for us old arthritic folks who's children are long gone.

Maybe they do--my pharmacies are all human hands, all the times. I mean, there is no spot for them to hide a robot, lol.

We told them no-childproof caps a long time ago. They're okay when you flip them over and screw them in, but that first screw--so to speak--is a doozy.

Hitch

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Maybe they do--my pharmacies are all human hands, all the times. I mean, there is no spot for them to hide a robot, lol.

We told them no-childproof caps a long time ago. They're okay when you flip them over and screw them in, but that first screw--so to speak--is a doozy.

Hitch

I usually replace the caps with the flip top kind that come on Nature Made vitamins. I have a couple of scripts that come in bottles that are either too big or too small for that so I just have to unscrew them. I only screw those on with just one turn so they're easy to get off.

Sometimes it's good to be lazy.

[Hemmi]

28 days is 4 weeks exactly. No need to count how many days in the month, it's simply every 4 weeks which works well for some people. Of course, it usually results in one extra copay per prescription per year.

Next time ask your pharmacy to take the pills out of the blister pack if that's the only way they can get them and it's a medication that can be removed from the pack. They should do that for you and put them in a vial if you ask them to. We always do upon request.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Tarana

What about 31 day months? Are you supposed to skip one day?

Making them all 28 days (4 weeks) days would make more sense to me.

Originally Posted by Hitch

I don't know how UK residents can stand that crap. I HATE those packages, with one pill/day in the pop-outs. Hell, I've got this one med that nearly slices my fingertips off, every time I need to use one. You have to peel it back, right, from this harder-than-steel plastic half? Ouch.

I just push the pill out through the aluminium foil back - even with my crumpled fingers I have no problem.

Originally Posted by Hitch

I mean, jeeze, what's wrong with just counting them out into a bottle? Sure, I get it, less work for the pharmacist this way, but as has been pointed out, the numbers aren't quite right, and the packaging certainly isn't environmentally friendly, for those who are very aware of such things. I don't see the real advantage to ALL concerned parties.

Down here the 'packaging' has nothing to do with saving pharmacies money or making it more convenient for them, it has everything to do with reducing the cost to the buyer.

in Australia the 'taxpayer collective' (aka federal (national) government) buys most of the medicines we take. One of my medicines costs them $93 for a 60 pill pack (I take 2 a day). If I got the six months supply at once the 'taxpayer collective' would have to cough up $558. Now, should my cardio guy decide 2 months later to take me off that medicine and put me on something else, I would have to flush $372 of 'taxpayer collective' money down the lavatory!

FTR: being old I only have to contribute $5.50 towards that $93 item. If i was working it would be more.

Originally Posted by CRussel

For those taking multiple medications on different schedules and different times of the day, those packs are impossible. I ended up having to punch out each individual pill and put them in the old jar, and in the daily pill container for the week. If I don't put them in their little compartments, I end up being unsure which pills I've taken and which I haven't.

Canada should adopt Australia's Webster Pack system, which addresses that precise problem. Pharmacies will repack your drugs in 7 day x 'morning, midday, evening, bedtime' pop out packs for the cost of the package, which is ~$5 a pop.

BR

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

FTR: being old I only have to contribute $5.50 towards that $93 item. If i was working it would be more.


Canada should adopt Australia's Webster Pack system, which addresses that precise problem. Pharmacies will repack your drugs in 7 day x 'morning, midday, evening, bedtime' pop out packs for the cost of the package, which is ~$5 a pop.

BR

A good system, but in this day and age of limiting disposable packaging, I think my three different coloured, 7-day, re-usable pill dispenser/container is a good system. And was cheaper than the packaging that you're disposing of. Now, I get it, you aren't dependent on the end user actually getting the right medicine into the right pack, but I'm still managing to do that.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I just push the pill out through the aluminium foil back - even with my crumpled fingers I have no problem.

BR

The store-brand Sudafed sold by CVS used to have simple foil backing and it was easy to push the pills through. A few months ago the packaging changed. There is now an additional layer of paper on top of the foil and it is very difficult to push the pills through, even though there is nothing wrong with my hands. I've tried to peel off the paper backing but that doesn't work reliably; usually it just shreds. Tried to cut it open with nail scissors but ended up damaging the pill.

I've run into this problem with non-prescription antihistamines too, but with those it's usually possible to buy a larger quantity that comes in a bottle. Sudafed doesn't seem to be available in bottles.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

The store-brand Sudafed sold by CVS used to have simple foil backing and it was easy to push the pills through. A few months ago the packaging changed. There is now an additional layer of paper on top of the foil and it is very difficult to push the pills through, even though there is nothing wrong with my hands. I've tried to peel off the paper backing but that doesn't work reliably; usually it just shreds. Tried to cut it open with nail scissors but ended up damaging the pill.

I've run into this problem with non-prescription antihistamines too, but with those it's usually possible to buy a larger quantity that comes in a bottle. Sudafed doesn't seem to be available in bottles.

YES!! I have a packet of pills,and they are IMPOSSIBLE to push through. Absolutely impossible.

Hitch

[wodin]

It's not just pills, all of those bubble wrapped products that are nearly impossible to open, even with a pair of household scissors. I almost need sheet metal shears for some of them.

Ever since they started using that packaging I've wondered when someone would seriously injure themselves trying to open them and sue! sue! sue! It would only take a couple of those for manufacturers to rethink their packaging.

[4691mls]

Nonprescription steroid nasal sprays are also hard to get into. Depending on the brand, they have difficult-to-open plastic packages and/or difficult-to-remove plastic wrap around the actual bottle.

Wodin - I've found that sometimes you can use a can opener on those plastic packages - it depends on the shape of the package whether you can get the edge of it into the can opener or not.