Prenatal Vitamins

I've been researching the crap (because that's what I do) out of prenatal vitamins (PNV) the last few days.  I really wanted something with DHA and if I was going to take some kind of fish oil, it needs to be pharmaceutical grade.  I run into problems with my acid reflux when I've got to pop more than a couple pills together and any kind of DHA is a HUGE pill, so my goal was to find a PNV with DHA all-in-one pill.  So, I found this stuff called PreNexa - looked good, had lots of folic acid in it, iron, a stool softener (always a benefit to counteract the iron), and other good stuff.  Every review I found on it said they really like it, didn't feel like it increased their morning sickness, and it didn't give them any kind of "fish" burps from the DHA...sounded good to me!

So, I go into my OB appointment (for my annual exam and to have my IUD removed) earlier this week and ask for a RX and some samples if they have some.  Well, the clinic I go to does not do any kind of samples - they did away with the process. Boo!:(  Because there are probably 30 different kind of PNV's with DHA, my doctor just wrote me out a general script.

Yesterday, I decided to go get it filled.  Thinking that this was a common vitamin, I wouldn't have a problem going to my regular pharmacy, Target, to get it.  After fighting my daughter while I was trying to talk to the pharmacist, I find they have not a single RX PNV with DHA - it would have to be special ordered.  Not yet feeling defeated, I took back the RX and called up the pharmacy across the street - they didn't have it either.  One last ditch effort, thinking I was probably just going to have to have it ordered, I called up Wal-greens across town.  They had a PNV with DHA - not PreNexa, but really close to it.

I make Walgreen's my next stop - I walk back to the pharmacy and after waiting for the couple in front of me to decide whether or not they should pick up their prescription, I'm greeted by a little Asian man with a cowlick like Alfalfa in the back.  He's got his handy little white pharmacy intern coat on - oh boy, I was pumped to talk to him (note the sarcasm)!  He greats me with his slurred American and I hand him the prescription.  I tell him I want a 90 day supply because it's cheaper through my insurance and he informs me that they can't fill it because it's wrote for 60, BUT it has refills for a year (makes a LOT of sense).  After a frustrating conversation on why he should be just fine to fill it for 90 because after all, it's not some kind of narcotic, it's a prenatal vitamin for pete sake - he gives me this blank look like he doesn't know what to do with the RX now.  I give him my best, you're.a.frickin.moron. look and say "you can fill it now!"  Then I get the, it'll be about 20 minutes!  Yeah, this made me more happy, all they have to do is a slap a label on a bottle - the vitamins are pre-packaged for 30 day supplies!

It still took them about 15 minutes to get the label on the bottle and after he calls me up, fiddles with the computer for a good 5 minutes, then he goes in his best Asian/English dialect (think calling the Chinese restaurant speak) "how far away are you?"  With a confused look on my face, I reply "excuse me?"  He repeats himself and I give him, what I'm sure was completely a sincere look and say "do you mean, how many weeks pregnant am I?"  "Yes, yes!" he replies.  "I'm not" I say.  "What are you using for?" he asks, like it's his business or something. "We're trying to conceive." I say, trying to end this, so I can pay and leave.  "Do you take any folic acid?" he asks which has me puzzled "The RX I'm picking up should have plenty in it, does it not?"  He grabs the phamplet stapled to the bag and starts going through it "I can't seem to find out how much it has" and I reach over, grab the bag, pull a bottle out and proceed to peel back the label and show him that each pill as 1 mg of folic acid, plenty for someone TTC (trying to conceive), pregnant or otherwise. "oh, that's plenty, you only need 400 mcg of folic acid" he replies like I'm some kind of person who has no clue, but yet was the one to show him how much it had.

After finally being able to pay, I left in a hurry.  I won't be going back there at all - regardless that the guy didn't know I had a pharmacy background (worked as a tech for a couple years), there was no reason for the poor customer service and really, what kind of business is it to him why I was getting prenatal vitamins?!  Good thing I have enough to get me through the next 60 days, then maybe I'll tackle the mail-order prescription company we have through my insurance!