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Ratio-lenoltec is just a generic version of Tylenol with codeine. Whether it be #2 or #3, the numbers would just correlate with each other.
Nocardia is right in that there are very few prescriptions for Tylenol #2 written. For every 100 Tylenol #3 prescriptions written, there is probably 1 Tylenol #2 prescription written. I'm a community pharmacist, and I will likely go through a bottle of 500 tylenol #3 in 2-3 days, whereas a bottle of 500 Tylenol #2 I may very well not use it all up over an entire year.
So for them to mistake your prescription for a T#3 prescription is not an implausible situation. In the world of pharmacy, yes we are dealing with medications, and although in an ideal world there should be zero mistakes, everyone is human. I will bet that every single community pharmacist has made a mistake at some point in their careers (unless they just got out of school and haven't worked for very long), and it's impossible for anyone to guarantee it'll never happen. Yes, it's potentially dangerous, but your pharmacist who prides themselves on NOT making mistakes is likely also disappointed that something like this happened on her watch. More than anyone, i'm sure she understands the potential implications that a slip-up can have on a patient.
To put it plainly, noone can predict it, but sh*t happens. Your mechanic could mess up your brake job and you could drive off a cliff, a chef could unknowingly plate a dish for you with something sharp that you swallow that rips up your insides, etc etc. I'm not trying to protect that pharmacist since I have no idea who they are, but the most important thing is that she realizes that she did make a mistake. She will be filling out incident reports to send to her head office and things, so going back and telling her that she made a mistake is redundant.
In situations like this, it's important they KNOW that a mistake was made. Which in this case they do. And then, it's important they take responsibility and acknowledge that a mistake was made and correct it. You don't want a pharmacy that denies a mistake was made, or doesn't admit their faults. In this case the pharmacist took responsibility and acknowledged that there was a mistake, so I think that is pretty good of them already.
Where I am deeply concerned is the random technician or assistant or student who was going over the medication with you (i'm assuming it was a new prescription?). The student should not be going over something with you they don't understand, nor should they be answering questions incorrectly (obviously).
In the future, make sure you ask to have the "pharmacist" go over the medication with you, otherwise you're just selling yourself short. It's important to be proactive with your health care, don't be afraid to ask questions, and make sure you're asking the right person of course.
Coles Notes: Pharmacies are busy, mistakes will happen. It's unavoidable. Don't pick a pharmacy expecting them to never make mistakes, pick a pharmacy with staff that take an interest in their patients and take responsibility for their mistakes. Make sure you know who the pharmacists are at your local pharmacy, and make sure it's them talking to you about your meds. If not, ask to have them go over it.
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