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Video Of A Woman Telling Her Story Of Getting Denied Access To Her Birth Control Prescription By A Pharmacist Goes Viral With 2.8M Views
Women just can’t seem to catch a break! After the disappointing Supreme Court decision of overturning Roe v. Wade and making abortions less accessible, women’s ability to make decisions about their bodies are continuously being taken away. It seems that pharmacists are taking it on themselves to determine whether a woman can have her prescribed birth control or not.
The issue came up when TikToker Abigail Martin shared that she went to Walgreens to pick up her birth control refill as it ran out, but the employee there refused to give them to her. The reason for that may be that she had conservative views and decided to abuse her position of power, leaving the woman without her pills for two weeks.
More info: TikTok
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This woman came to TikTok to rant about a pharmacist who she thought purposefully didn’t refill her birth control prescription
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Abigail Martin, who you can find on TikTok under the username abigailmartiin, is a digital creator who spends her days traveling in a van with her doggo Archie, enjoys skydiving and shares snippets of her adventures with 878K followers on her TikTok and 105K followers on Instagram.
While usually her content is all about adventures, travel and seizing the moment, one of her recent videos touches on some serious topics. They went quite viral, reaching over 2 million views and stirred up a storm in the comments as people were exasperated with the injustice the woman had to deal with.
Abigail has been taking the pills since she was 15 and recently it was again time for them to be refilled
Image credits: abigailmartiin
What happened was that Abigail got a reminder that she needs to refill her birth control pills. The woman has been taking them since she was 15 years old and revealed that it had quite a few side effects but she didn’t get into detail because probably she still considers the medication worth tolerating the inconveniences she might experience.
The traveler waits a couple days and asks for the refill but the pharmacist tells her there are none left which is weird because she was certain she was prescribed them. The refill request is usually done over text and is a simple process but because Abigail was confused, she tries calling Walgreens and eventually went there to figure out what was happening.
Image credits: abigailmartiin
The pharmacist tells her she doesn’t have any refills left which shouldn’t have been the case as she had already contacted her provider this year
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Turns out, the only pharmacist working there that day was an older lady. So the TikToker went up to her and the lady tells Abigail she needs to call her provider. The woman is confused as she usually calls them once a year and she already did that this year.
Abigail’s suspicion was that the older lady was quite a religious Catholic as she was wearing two crosses on her neck and was worried that her views might have caused her not getting her pills on time, so she asks her whether the problem is that she can’t refill her medication or that she just doesn’t want to do that.
Image credits: abigailmartiin
To find out what’s the problem, Abigail needs to go to the pharmacy and is met by an older lady who looks to be a devout Christian
Image credits: abigailmartiin
The lady doesn’t answer the question and repeats to Abigail that she needs to call her provider. There is nothing left for that woman to do and when she finally gets in touch with her doctor’s assistant, he says that this shouldn’t have happened as she has four more refills left.
Abigail’s provider calls Walgreens to assure them the TikToker can take her prescription. The woman has been waiting for 5 days at this point which means she hadn’t taken the pills. It is unclear for what reason Abigail was taking them in the first place but suddenly stopping can cause irregular, longer and heavier periods, cramps, bloating, nausea, acne, weight gain and make you feel more irritable and moody. Not to mention, a bigger risk of getting pregnant and other more serious consequences, depending on why the pills were prescribed.
After waiting all this time and suffering hormones being all over the place, Abigail gets a message that her pills are delayed, then another one saying they are out of stock.
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Luckily, Abigail manages to get ahold of another employee when she calls Walgreens and this one promises to refill the pills reassuring Abigail that there were no problems with her provider and her prescription.
The intriguing part is that the employee asks Abigail who she was talking to the last time and reveals that she knows that person. Furthermore, the pharmacist believed that because of that older lady with two crosses on her chest, women haven’t been getting their medication for two weeks.
She doesn’t refill the prescription and tells the woman to call her provider
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Abigail points out a very ironic and contradicting view that people who live by more ‘traditional’ ideology not only don’t allow women to have abortions but at the same time won’t help to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Also, it must be said that birth control has a misleading name because the medication has more purposes. WebMD lists a couple of more benefits that birth control pills provide: they make periods less painful and more regular, lowering the chance to get menstrual-related migraines or getting anemia due to heavy bleeding, it controls acne breakouts and PMS symptoms, it may keep ovarian cysts from coming back, helps with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and even lowers the risk of getting ovarian cancer.
When Abigail talks with her doctor’s assistant, she finds out her prescription is fine and there is no reason why it shouldn’t be refilled
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Image credits: abigailmartiin
It’s frustrating that a person working in the healthcare field would withhold medication from a patient who was provided a prescription because you never know what consequences it could have. But if they are so concerned about a patient not needing something, you would expect that they would at least try to find out more instead of just refusing to give the pills.
If you are still worried about Abigail, fortunately, in an update video she shows she got her medication, but is not looking forward to the nausea she will experience because she was off the pill for two weeks.
The doctor contacts the pharmacy and Abigail then got a string of messages listing reasons why she can’t get her birth control right away
Image credits: abigailmartiin
In a video update, she shared that she went to Walgreens and actually asked the person in charge about the other lady. The head pharmacist didn’t say anything certain, just that the situation “has been dealt with” and there was no reason to file any complaints.
The woman is still considering contacting someone because this incident was completely unacceptable and what is even worse, she found out that there were many more women who experienced the same thing after reading the comments left on the first video.
Fortunately, the woman contacted another pharmacist who refilled the prescription and revealed that the old lady has been causing similar problems for 2 weeks
Image credits: abigailmartiin
Sadly, Abigail’s experience is quite common. Guttmacher Institute published an article about pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception in 2005, so it is an ongoing issue. A 2012 article published by US News reports, “Pharmacists in at least 24 states have refused to sell birth control or emergency contraception to women. Some hospital emergency rooms refuse to provide emergency contraception to rape victims.”
Women are also being denied the removal of the uterus or are ‘advised’ to consult their husbands. In other cases, they have surgical procedures done without their consent, such as episiotomy, a surgical incision of the perineum which makes giving birth quicker but in most births is unnecessary.
Bored Panda has also done an article featuring women’s stories of when doctors completely disregarded their complaints. Eventually, it turned out that they weren’t complaining about anything, but they had to hop through hoops to get treatment and convince doctors they are actually sick, further proving the point of women’s bodies being disrespected.
After two weeks, Abigail got her prescription which will mean she’ll suffer some unpleasant side effects and she is overall disappointed that she was treated like that
Image credits: Women’s eNews (not the actual photo)
You can watch Abigail telling her story in the video below
@abigailmartiin i am so beyond pissed at our country right now. #roevwade #prochoice #womensrights #birthcontrol #vanlife ♬ original sound – Abigail Martin
It certainly is infuriating and people in the comments were as angry as Abigail herself. They encouraged her to make an official complaint and were baffled by how unprofessional such behavior is.
Have you ever dealt with something similar? Do you think there is a way to fix the medical and political system and for women to become in control of their bodies? Do you think talking about it will make a change? Sound off your thoughts in the comments!
People in the comments were frustrated as well and wanted to convince the TikToker to file a complaint as it is a serious violation
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What do you think ?
NsG 2 years ago
There are sooooo many reasons, non-sex reasons, to be prescribed "birth control" pills. They need a rebranding. They are hormone pills, and should be described as such, if only to get around the religious f*ckwits like that decrepit old hag who should be fired and blacklisted from the pharmaceutical industry entirely.
Anna Nowak 2 years ago
Yeah but it shouldn't matter. It's not anybodys bussiness if I want to prevent pregnancy.
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Joely King 2 years ago
Annnnnd FIRED. Obviously a her problem. Sounds like they are aware of it and she shouldn't be there long. It sucks that OP has had her routine screwed up. Time to consider swapping pharmacy.
Not_Tellin 2 years ago
She should have been fired with the 1st complaint.
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Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
Pharmacists need to put their bias aside and do their job. I take ADHD meds, got them from the same place at around the same time for YEARS. Never had a problem except for one pharmacist that told me that they couldn't refill my meds untill later that morning. I asked why and was told they just couldn't. No reason except their bias. Next month, one of the reguler pharmacists were there and I asked them about it. They said there wasn't a anything stopping them from filling it then or now. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore.
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I have my own moral philosophies and feelings and I work at a bank. For an example, if my feelings about someone spending money on, say, balloons, is that it shouldn't be allowed and is horrible and it's against my moral beliefs to the point that I would be willing to get fired over it, then I shouldn't work for a bank. I can privately judge someone for their spending choices but when someone comes into the bank to take money out, I don't care if they're buying hookers... it's their right to take their money and do what they want with it. I don't understand these self-righteous blowholes who try to deny people medicine, access to public places and basic rights and choose to work in those fields..
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Tams21 2 years ago
They've just banned abortion in several states and someone took it upon themselves to stop access to birth control. I can't help but wonder what goes on in peoples heads.
Mrs. Jan Glass 2 years ago
They want to force women out of the workplace, keep us in the home, stupid, without resources, and being men's baby factories. In other words, read The Handmaid's Tale. They think we have no purpose but to s**t out kids and suck their d***s. Look at the comments in any thread about abortion. They want to punish us for not having sex with them, and then punish us for having sex. They. Hate. Women. THAT'S what's going on.
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Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago
I had to take two six-month runs of the Pill, not because I was having sex; I had period problems due to hormone levels! Who wants to have periods last for weeks and weeks without stopping? I was anemic by that point. I would have been livid if some old bat decided I was trash for being on the pill!
Jill tyrrell 2 years ago (edited)
Pharmacy tech here. This annoys me. IF a pharmacist does have religious grounds to refuse treatment then it is their duty of care to signpost the patient to how they can get their medication.if a patient is still unable to get the medication, then IT MUST be issued. Pharmacies get enough stick already without unprofessionals like this causing unnecessary distress. Totally wrong and out of order. The term 'birth control' is out dated. It should be hormone therapy or treatment as it can be used for MANY other reasons such as migraines prophylaxis, acne control, moods, heavy bleeding, transgender people use it , contraception, cycle irregularities, hormone irregularities amongst others. I feel for this poor girl and can only hope she didnt suffer too much because of an unprofessional pharmacist. She would have a case against the pharmacist here because the prescription had several refills and once started by one pharmacy, cannot be transferred to another (at least not in the UK). So the patient is unable to get it elsewhere. The pharmacist should have at least said, come back later when a different pharmacist is on duty. Total sabotage of a young womans health. In a day and age where a lot of places have made abortion illegal it is even more important that those needing their pill for contraceptive reasons, have access to them.
Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago
Maybe also encourage your coworkers to avoid making personal comments about what meds they are filling for a customer. I'm still thoroughly peeved from some months back when a pharmacist decided to take it upon herself to comment that "someone your age shouldn't be on so many pills". Screw her; that isn't her business! I have a type of asthma that is difficult to keep controlled, and I suffer from depression. Worse is that this was a coworker, because the store I work at has its own pharmacy. I waited a few months before quietly discussing the matter with another pharmacist manager, without naming names. I don't like to finger point. I just felt that the rest of the staff could use a reminder about inappropriate comments.
Load More Replies... Mrs. Jan Glass 2 years ago
F**k your religion and your religious beliefs. None of it every gives you the right to make a moral decision re; someone else. Mind your own effing business. I swear, Christians have destroyed America.
Hoodoo 2 years ago
I've watched these people since the 70's & their agenda has been & still is to turn "our" country into "their" church. They pump vast amounts o money into the legislature & propagandize devotees into believing they're victims of society- this allows them to rationalize just about anything. Compromise is a dirty word to them, God is on their side, & theocracy is the end game. They'll have to be removed from gov't by any means necessary. I wish more americans had recognized this sooner.
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Fiona Parky 2 years ago
I take birth control because of endometriosis. How dare anyone use their religion to attempt to justify denying anyone their medication. If you have a problem with that, find another job. Once and for all. Your religious beliefs are YOUR religious beliefs. You do not have a right to inflict them on other people. In fact, you have an obligation to consider their views and beliefs. Ok, I’m going to add that if they believe in violence that’s a no but otherwise, just shut up and let people live.
Cyndielouwhoo 2 years ago
Unbiased medical care is a human right. If someone doesn't agree with that, get out of healthcare.
Elin Stenquist 2 years ago
Birth control pills are one of the very few treatments there is for endometriosis. Without that treatment, the disease could grow to be life threatening.
Gossameringue 2 years ago
Just waiting for the moment when a pharmacist or pharma assistant refuses to dispense viagra or a similar ED medication for personal reasons...
Jill tyrrell 2 years ago
Viagra was originally used as heart medication, and its still used in some cases and for Raynaud's syndrome 😀so id argue that point lol
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Id row 2 years ago
Never use big chain pharmacies. They pull this kind of stuff all the time, and not just with birth control. My old pharmacy refused to fill my long standing PTSD medication I had been getting every month. All of a sudden, the pharmacist denied me my medication saying I shouldn't need it anymore. He decided this. The law gives pharmacists way too much leeway. They should only be allowed to interfere when you have documented allergies or conflicts with other medication you're taking. That's it. I tried to have that guy fired, but he's still there and I'm with a different, independently owned pharmacy that does their job and I'm getting my medication without hassle now. The laws need to be changed.
Mikey Kliss 2 years ago
I really hate how these religious nuts are taking over places they shouldn't be. Please note, I'm not calling all people of practicing faith as "nuts". Just the ones that push it on everyone like this pharmacist. If you cant handle the job then get a different one
Not_Tellin 2 years ago
When they got a complaint, one complaint, the 1st complaint, about anyone in their pharmacy not filling a legal prescription, that person should have been fired.. No questions asked no questions asked, there was a legal prescription on file and and that person should have been fired . The 1st complaint. To say that you've been having trouble with her for a couple weeks, that screams that they don't give a f**k about their customers.
Megzymonsta 2 years ago
This really is bad. I'm 31 and I've never had sex (asexual) but have been on birth control since I was 16 to help regulate my periods and stabilise my mental health which is severely affected by my hormones etc. If someone decides to judge another person based on the medications they take then they shouldn't ever be permitted to work at a Pharmacy. Medication is a human right, no matter what it is or why you're taking it
Nikole 2 years ago
Disgusting. People like this should be fired and prosecuted for interfering with medical treatments. Not like conservatives follow the law though...
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 1 year ago
Also hate crime. Possibly assault the pain some experience when denied their meds.
Load More Replies... Kate Jones 2 years ago
This didn't even happen to me and I'm sitting here, fuming. Like many of the others have pointed out, there are so many reason to need birth control outside of just stopping pregnancy. But that doesn't even matter because you have the right to get birth control. I don't care if you're f*****g the entire starting line up for the Knicks, this woman should be immediately fired with no ability to get unemployment. I wonder how many other meds she's done this for? HIV meds? STD meds? And if you had gotten pregnant, you should be able to sue for child support for the purposeful harm it inflicted. Seriously, please bring a civil case against her for pain and suffering. And while I don't think it was necessarily Walgreens fault (they may not have know she was doing this) you should sue them, too, to make sure they screen and train employees better.
Mary Rogers 2 years ago
From her account, it sounds like other employees there did know she was doing that. She should have been fired immediately the first time that happened.
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Star-Light Star-Bright 2 years ago (edited)
"So, they want us to stop getting pregnant and having abortions and then they don't want to help us prevent that pregnancy." Where did she get that idea? They want to stop abortions because they want us to get pregnant (they don't care how) and give birth (preferably multiple times), and after that they don't give a f*ck. They just want us to breed.
Nikole 2 years ago
This gave me chills...I'm almost 42 though so they'd probably make me a Martha.
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Penny Fan 2 years ago
I'm 52 and mostly menopausal. However last weekend I ended up in emergency gynae due to unstoppable bleeding. 4 days and 5 IV s of TXA later I'm sent home with some hormone tablets to control things until I can get a biopsy and possibly hysterectomy. Those hormone tablets are a form of birth control and the only thing stopping me having a traumatic or even catastrophic bleed. At my age I'm not even going to get pregnant but I still need the wretched pills. Any old boot trying to deny me on religious grounds would get ripped into...
Michael May 2 years ago
Walgreens is the worst, my wife was injured when a lady ran a light and broke her leg and ankle in 2 places. It took the south Salem Oregon Walgreens 4 days to fill her pain medication and as a result we stopped using Walgreens and use a local pharmacy grocery store that is more sympathetic and has their act together.
Llama_flower93 2 years ago
It's like every other story I read has some Christian nut job as the antagonist. I'm a Christian and I'm getting sick and tired of this b******t. The message of Jesus is to LOVE OTHERS!
Hyde and Seek 2 years ago
It happens because there's a lot of Christians who miss that & a lot living in the US. They're not out to get you(this time).
Load More Replies... Susie Elle 2 years ago
My pharmacist just gives me birth control pills for half a year up front if I want. If a pharmacist refuses to give me medication I'm by law allowed to have and take at my desire (so to speak), they're gonna be in a heap of trouble.
FreshGanesh 2 years ago (edited)
Pharm-Ds need to take required classes in bedside manner & patient care. I know they’re overworked & under appreciated, but I’ve seen way too many being judgmental to the point of causing patient harm. Too many of them make decisions that fall into practicing medicine territory. Stopping treatment abruptly can be life threatening with many meds and withholding or delaying a script IS stopping treatment. Deciding not to dispense for safety reasons is one thing, because they don’t agree with the physicians treatment IS practicing medicine. All Pharm education programs need more robust ethics & patient care. Anecdotal: I recently replied to a corporate store pharmacist regarding company policy with “that’s to protect their profits, but it threatens your license, which they don’t care about. Maybe you should protect your license rather than tow the company line.” and she ended up filling my moms med.
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
This would have enraged me and there's no way I would have left that pharmacy without getting a reason why from the old bat. I first went on birth control at 17 to regulate my periods. Originally because I was going to have major surgery in a few months and recovering from that in a hospital bed while having my period would have been a nightmare, but when I discovered that they finally made my cramps tolerable, that I wouldn't have to skip school 2 days a month at minimum because I couldn't get out of bed, I stayed on them. But ooooo boy do people have opinions when they find out you're on birth control. It needs a rebranding, they regulate hormones, making our day to day life easier. But then again apparently some people decided sex was evil and we're immoral for having it. Whatever.
Alex Metslov 2 years ago
Sorry dear common-sense Americans, but every time I read another story from the US, it gives me the impression it shall change its name to "the land of Fools".
Jessica Frogger 2 years ago
Anyone feeling like the lighthearted opening of the entire article "Women just can't seem to get a break!" written almost as if there is a chuckle when said minimizes and perpetuates the problem just as much the content of what happened to the woman in the story. When the Supreme Court decided that I'm now half a person, stripped away my privacy rights and the right to make my own medical decisions I did not wake up that day with a "woe is me or woe is us" flippant tone. I woke up with rage and fury that burns hot and gets hotter every day. This is a serious story and we should be infuriated, the tone by the authors should match that.
Alma Muminovic 2 years ago
Clearly that lady needs to be in a different line of work. Definitely complain and let Walgreens know.
A dragon within 2 years ago
That person needs to be fired and never hired by any pharmacy ever again. Plus, Abigail should file a lawsuit against that woman. How effin' dare she?!?! Who the hell does she think she is!?!?! A-hole.
Lauren Tarbet 2 years ago
I take birth control pills because I suffer from cysts. I already had one cyst cause one of my ovaries to be removed, I don't want that to happen again. Hence the birth control pills. I would be beyond pissed if this happened to me.
Paul Davis 2 years ago (edited)
I don't know why anyone ever goes to Walgreens pharmacy. They're horrible...have never had so many problems getting simple refills anywhere else in my entire life. And apparently now Walgreens is home to religious nutjobs who should be institutionalized, but are employed there trying to force their twisted beliefs on their customers.
Rick Hoppenbrouwer 2 years ago
Kind of like the store that would not make a cake for a gay couple.
James Heartney 2 years ago
The end of Roe v. Wade means that the US Supreme Court has junked the right to privacy, which was the basis for the Griswold v. Connecticut decision protecting contraceptive access. Now that there's no longer a legal basis for guaranteeing access to contraception, far right state legislatures will soon be working to ban birth control in some states. If Republicans get House, Senate and Presidency in 2024, they may pass national restrictions on contraceptive access. If birth control is something you care about, you need to vote out every Republican in every election going forward. Otherwise the scenario above will become the norm.
Shelli Aderman 2 years ago
EVEN LESBIANS USE BC PILLS! 🤦🏽♀️ Because it hormonally can alleviate a difficult period. 🤬
Sinkvenice 2 years ago
This is absolutely disgusting, America is so f*cked up. I'm English and I was put on the pill at 15 because my periods were atrocious. They were lasting for weeks and weeks and were so heavy I was having to be hospitalised. That woman who refused to do the prescription needs to lose her job and should never be employed by another pharmacy again. Absolutely outrageous. If something like that happened here, there's no way she would be allowed to continue working after the first instance of that happening.
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
It is HORMONE TREATMENT. You use it for: Menopause; infertility; endometriosis; polycystic ovarian syndrome; control of excruciating cramps.... So unless this b*tch pharmacist has an MD and has done a full exam? Fire her, bar her from any job near a pharmacy or medical anything for life, and take away *her* right to work in her chosen field. Which is what happens to women who get pregnant ---- a lot more than people realize.
abby smink 2 years ago
I remember a story awhile back about a women who was pregnant, but unfortunately, found out at an ultrasound appointment the fetus had no heart beat. She wanted the baby, she had been trying to get pregnant. Her doctor prescribed the pills needed for an abortion, to have her body clear out the "products of concepts." Problem was, her pharmacy wouldn't fill it, due to their own personal beliefs. The article went on to say that it's actually the pharmacist's right to not fill any medication they don't agree with filling. (Don't know if that's legally true, and definitely not saying I agree with it)
Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago
Birth control can be used to regulate periods. A woman takes it if she has polycystic ovaries
Lauren Christie 2 years ago
Yup. I take mine to treat PCOS, but ALSO to completely stop all periods from ever happening - the couple times a year they did happen normally, they were so damaging and debilitating I would require medical attention. Two GPs, an endocrinologist, and a gyno all said I'd be better off skipping every single period for the rest of my fertile life. The idea of being made to go for days without, not knowing when it'd become available again...I would be having a full emotional break down, in complete terror that I wouldn't get it in time.
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Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago (edited)
Unless there are crashing prescriptions, a pharmacist should just shut the f*** up and refill whatever a doctor prescribed.
TheElderNom 2 years ago
Like many here I actually use birth control not to prevent babies (though currently it's a nice side effect) but for other reasons. Well screw all health care personnel, politicians and anyone else with power to interfere with this. Birth control is often used to treat things, not to prevent babies, but even if I or anyone else needed it to sleep with a thousand men that's none of your business! Assuming it's consensual and disease-free ofc.
Shannon Love 2 years ago
Birth control is also used to help treat endometriosis. I have stage 4 endometriosis and it is an extremely painful medical condition. Birth control can be prescribed for other reasons. I'm saddened and disgusted this happened on so many levels.
ERIKA H. 2 years ago
This happened to me ahen i was 16. I went on BC at 14 because i had gnarly heavy periods. Back in that time, you couldn't pick up your prescriptions yourself as a minor, so my mom would come in with me. The elderly pharmacist gave the most judgemental and disgusted look and refused to give me my prescription (which is illegal btw), and my mom had to rip her a new a-hole.
Callie Ge 2 years ago
It happens, people who have no business doing so trying to force their religious agenda on you. I have been going to the same pharmacy for 10 years, I have Never had any problem getting prescriptions filled except for the few times they’ve been out of stock & I have to wait a day or two. Then about a year ago they got a new employee, mind you he wasn’t even a pharmacist Just an assistant. I had him a number of times refuse to accept a prescription from my doctor stating that I had never had that item before so he didn’t think I should be taking it 😳, & the last straw was when my Dr prescribed, pessaries, Tablets & cream to treat a persistent bout of thrush( I’m diabetic). He flat out refused to supply the cream ( an over the counter item) along with the two prescription items because in “His” opinion, I shouldn’t need it. Probably for the second time in my life I let loose on a retail assistant. The pharmacist sorted it out & I got my cream. Dude got fired soon after.
Ivy la Sangrienta 2 years ago
America is wild. Why do you need to meet with your provider at all to get a prescription renewed? I just send an email to my doctor...
Jasmine Hufflepuff Henderson 2 years ago
You typically don't have to. I call mine in if I need refills on my prescriptions. I think in this case the older woman was just trying to be difficult and didn't want to do her job.
Load More Replies... James G. Currie 2 years ago
So...hope to hear the results of the multi-million dollar lawsuit against Wallgreens and these two PoS pharmacy techs...
Anna Nowak 2 years ago
It would certainly happen in Europe. Espetially in f***ed up countries like Poland. I'm a pharmacist who lives and works here and I can tell you, the governal policing on womens bodies is getting out of hand. First, they ban the morning after pill from OTC status. They say it's an early abortion pill wich is not true. Then they make abortion law more strict while it already have been really strict for European norm. Then, they come up with pregancy base. It means that it comes into your medical file if your doctor finds out ypu're pregnant. Then any doctor in a country can see it. They say it's for medical reasons, but it's obvious that it could be used to find out who terminated their pregnancy and prosecute them. It's scary already and it's getting scarier to get pregnant here
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Kate Jones 2 years ago
Why should she have to? Gas prices the way they are...she now has to drive maybe across town or to another town to go to another pharmacy? And if the prescription was called in to a specific pharmacy then she has to go to that one. But more than that...again why should she have to??? She's done nothing wrong and this woman is refusing to do her job.
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Fred Jacobson 2 years ago
THIS FESTERING OLD CU NT NEEDS TO 1ST-GET FUC KING FIRED, 2ND-GET F****D BY A RABID HIPPOPOTAMUS WITH THE CLAP STRAIGHT IN HER WRINKLEY OLD PURITAN BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE!
Tree P 2 years ago
And who do you think is using YOUR money? You don't pay for my insurance! Shut the hell up already!
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Jill tyrrell 2 years ago
She had several refills on the prescription, so the prescription is ready to collect when the patient is ready. Its not waiting last minute, its waiting until you can collect refill. And normally this wouldnt be an issue for the woman to collect her medication bit this pharmacist caused a problem unnecessarily which was out of the patients control.
Load More Replies... NsG 2 years ago
There are sooooo many reasons, non-sex reasons, to be prescribed "birth control" pills. They need a rebranding. They are hormone pills, and should be described as such, if only to get around the religious f*ckwits like that decrepit old hag who should be fired and blacklisted from the pharmaceutical industry entirely.
Anna Nowak 2 years ago
Yeah but it shouldn't matter. It's not anybodys bussiness if I want to prevent pregnancy.
Load More Replies... Joely King 2 years ago
Annnnnd FIRED. Obviously a her problem. Sounds like they are aware of it and she shouldn't be there long. It sucks that OP has had her routine screwed up. Time to consider swapping pharmacy.
Not_Tellin 2 years ago
She should have been fired with the 1st complaint.
Load More Replies... Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
Pharmacists need to put their bias aside and do their job. I take ADHD meds, got them from the same place at around the same time for YEARS. Never had a problem except for one pharmacist that told me that they couldn't refill my meds untill later that morning. I asked why and was told they just couldn't. No reason except their bias. Next month, one of the reguler pharmacists were there and I asked them about it. They said there wasn't a anything stopping them from filling it then or now. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore.
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I have my own moral philosophies and feelings and I work at a bank. For an example, if my feelings about someone spending money on, say, balloons, is that it shouldn't be allowed and is horrible and it's against my moral beliefs to the point that I would be willing to get fired over it, then I shouldn't work for a bank. I can privately judge someone for their spending choices but when someone comes into the bank to take money out, I don't care if they're buying hookers... it's their right to take their money and do what they want with it. I don't understand these self-righteous blowholes who try to deny people medicine, access to public places and basic rights and choose to work in those fields..
Load More Replies... Tams21 2 years ago
They've just banned abortion in several states and someone took it upon themselves to stop access to birth control. I can't help but wonder what goes on in peoples heads.
Mrs. Jan Glass 2 years ago
They want to force women out of the workplace, keep us in the home, stupid, without resources, and being men's baby factories. In other words, read The Handmaid's Tale. They think we have no purpose but to s**t out kids and suck their d***s. Look at the comments in any thread about abortion. They want to punish us for not having sex with them, and then punish us for having sex. They. Hate. Women. THAT'S what's going on.
Load More Replies... Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago
I had to take two six-month runs of the Pill, not because I was having sex; I had period problems due to hormone levels! Who wants to have periods last for weeks and weeks without stopping? I was anemic by that point. I would have been livid if some old bat decided I was trash for being on the pill!
Jill tyrrell 2 years ago (edited)
Pharmacy tech here. This annoys me. IF a pharmacist does have religious grounds to refuse treatment then it is their duty of care to signpost the patient to how they can get their medication.if a patient is still unable to get the medication, then IT MUST be issued. Pharmacies get enough stick already without unprofessionals like this causing unnecessary distress. Totally wrong and out of order. The term 'birth control' is out dated. It should be hormone therapy or treatment as it can be used for MANY other reasons such as migraines prophylaxis, acne control, moods, heavy bleeding, transgender people use it , contraception, cycle irregularities, hormone irregularities amongst others. I feel for this poor girl and can only hope she didnt suffer too much because of an unprofessional pharmacist. She would have a case against the pharmacist here because the prescription had several refills and once started by one pharmacy, cannot be transferred to another (at least not in the UK). So the patient is unable to get it elsewhere. The pharmacist should have at least said, come back later when a different pharmacist is on duty. Total sabotage of a young womans health. In a day and age where a lot of places have made abortion illegal it is even more important that those needing their pill for contraceptive reasons, have access to them.
Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago
Maybe also encourage your coworkers to avoid making personal comments about what meds they are filling for a customer. I'm still thoroughly peeved from some months back when a pharmacist decided to take it upon herself to comment that "someone your age shouldn't be on so many pills". Screw her; that isn't her business! I have a type of asthma that is difficult to keep controlled, and I suffer from depression. Worse is that this was a coworker, because the store I work at has its own pharmacy. I waited a few months before quietly discussing the matter with another pharmacist manager, without naming names. I don't like to finger point. I just felt that the rest of the staff could use a reminder about inappropriate comments.
Load More Replies... Mrs. Jan Glass 2 years ago
F**k your religion and your religious beliefs. None of it every gives you the right to make a moral decision re; someone else. Mind your own effing business. I swear, Christians have destroyed America.
Hoodoo 2 years ago
I've watched these people since the 70's & their agenda has been & still is to turn "our" country into "their" church. They pump vast amounts o money into the legislature & propagandize devotees into believing they're victims of society- this allows them to rationalize just about anything. Compromise is a dirty word to them, God is on their side, & theocracy is the end game. They'll have to be removed from gov't by any means necessary. I wish more americans had recognized this sooner.
Load More Replies... Fiona Parky 2 years ago
I take birth control because of endometriosis. How dare anyone use their religion to attempt to justify denying anyone their medication. If you have a problem with that, find another job. Once and for all. Your religious beliefs are YOUR religious beliefs. You do not have a right to inflict them on other people. In fact, you have an obligation to consider their views and beliefs. Ok, I’m going to add that if they believe in violence that’s a no but otherwise, just shut up and let people live.
Cyndielouwhoo 2 years ago
Unbiased medical care is a human right. If someone doesn't agree with that, get out of healthcare.
Elin Stenquist 2 years ago
Birth control pills are one of the very few treatments there is for endometriosis. Without that treatment, the disease could grow to be life threatening.
Gossameringue 2 years ago
Just waiting for the moment when a pharmacist or pharma assistant refuses to dispense viagra or a similar ED medication for personal reasons...
Jill tyrrell 2 years ago
Viagra was originally used as heart medication, and its still used in some cases and for Raynaud's syndrome 😀so id argue that point lol
Load More Replies... Id row 2 years ago
Never use big chain pharmacies. They pull this kind of stuff all the time, and not just with birth control. My old pharmacy refused to fill my long standing PTSD medication I had been getting every month. All of a sudden, the pharmacist denied me my medication saying I shouldn't need it anymore. He decided this. The law gives pharmacists way too much leeway. They should only be allowed to interfere when you have documented allergies or conflicts with other medication you're taking. That's it. I tried to have that guy fired, but he's still there and I'm with a different, independently owned pharmacy that does their job and I'm getting my medication without hassle now. The laws need to be changed.
Mikey Kliss 2 years ago
I really hate how these religious nuts are taking over places they shouldn't be. Please note, I'm not calling all people of practicing faith as "nuts". Just the ones that push it on everyone like this pharmacist. If you cant handle the job then get a different one
Not_Tellin 2 years ago
When they got a complaint, one complaint, the 1st complaint, about anyone in their pharmacy not filling a legal prescription, that person should have been fired.. No questions asked no questions asked, there was a legal prescription on file and and that person should have been fired . The 1st complaint. To say that you've been having trouble with her for a couple weeks, that screams that they don't give a f**k about their customers.
Megzymonsta 2 years ago
This really is bad. I'm 31 and I've never had sex (asexual) but have been on birth control since I was 16 to help regulate my periods and stabilise my mental health which is severely affected by my hormones etc. If someone decides to judge another person based on the medications they take then they shouldn't ever be permitted to work at a Pharmacy. Medication is a human right, no matter what it is or why you're taking it
Nikole 2 years ago
Disgusting. People like this should be fired and prosecuted for interfering with medical treatments. Not like conservatives follow the law though...
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 1 year ago
Also hate crime. Possibly assault the pain some experience when denied their meds.
Load More Replies... Kate Jones 2 years ago
This didn't even happen to me and I'm sitting here, fuming. Like many of the others have pointed out, there are so many reason to need birth control outside of just stopping pregnancy. But that doesn't even matter because you have the right to get birth control. I don't care if you're f*****g the entire starting line up for the Knicks, this woman should be immediately fired with no ability to get unemployment. I wonder how many other meds she's done this for? HIV meds? STD meds? And if you had gotten pregnant, you should be able to sue for child support for the purposeful harm it inflicted. Seriously, please bring a civil case against her for pain and suffering. And while I don't think it was necessarily Walgreens fault (they may not have know she was doing this) you should sue them, too, to make sure they screen and train employees better.
Mary Rogers 2 years ago
From her account, it sounds like other employees there did know she was doing that. She should have been fired immediately the first time that happened.
Load More Replies... Star-Light Star-Bright 2 years ago (edited)
"So, they want us to stop getting pregnant and having abortions and then they don't want to help us prevent that pregnancy." Where did she get that idea? They want to stop abortions because they want us to get pregnant (they don't care how) and give birth (preferably multiple times), and after that they don't give a f*ck. They just want us to breed.
Nikole 2 years ago
This gave me chills...I'm almost 42 though so they'd probably make me a Martha.
Load More Replies... Penny Fan 2 years ago
I'm 52 and mostly menopausal. However last weekend I ended up in emergency gynae due to unstoppable bleeding. 4 days and 5 IV s of TXA later I'm sent home with some hormone tablets to control things until I can get a biopsy and possibly hysterectomy. Those hormone tablets are a form of birth control and the only thing stopping me having a traumatic or even catastrophic bleed. At my age I'm not even going to get pregnant but I still need the wretched pills. Any old boot trying to deny me on religious grounds would get ripped into...
Michael May 2 years ago
Walgreens is the worst, my wife was injured when a lady ran a light and broke her leg and ankle in 2 places. It took the south Salem Oregon Walgreens 4 days to fill her pain medication and as a result we stopped using Walgreens and use a local pharmacy grocery store that is more sympathetic and has their act together.
Llama_flower93 2 years ago
It's like every other story I read has some Christian nut job as the antagonist. I'm a Christian and I'm getting sick and tired of this b******t. The message of Jesus is to LOVE OTHERS!
Hyde and Seek 2 years ago
It happens because there's a lot of Christians who miss that & a lot living in the US. They're not out to get you(this time).
Load More Replies... Susie Elle 2 years ago
My pharmacist just gives me birth control pills for half a year up front if I want. If a pharmacist refuses to give me medication I'm by law allowed to have and take at my desire (so to speak), they're gonna be in a heap of trouble.
FreshGanesh 2 years ago (edited)
Pharm-Ds need to take required classes in bedside manner & patient care. I know they’re overworked & under appreciated, but I’ve seen way too many being judgmental to the point of causing patient harm. Too many of them make decisions that fall into practicing medicine territory. Stopping treatment abruptly can be life threatening with many meds and withholding or delaying a script IS stopping treatment. Deciding not to dispense for safety reasons is one thing, because they don’t agree with the physicians treatment IS practicing medicine. All Pharm education programs need more robust ethics & patient care. Anecdotal: I recently replied to a corporate store pharmacist regarding company policy with “that’s to protect their profits, but it threatens your license, which they don’t care about. Maybe you should protect your license rather than tow the company line.” and she ended up filling my moms med.
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
This would have enraged me and there's no way I would have left that pharmacy without getting a reason why from the old bat. I first went on birth control at 17 to regulate my periods. Originally because I was going to have major surgery in a few months and recovering from that in a hospital bed while having my period would have been a nightmare, but when I discovered that they finally made my cramps tolerable, that I wouldn't have to skip school 2 days a month at minimum because I couldn't get out of bed, I stayed on them. But ooooo boy do people have opinions when they find out you're on birth control. It needs a rebranding, they regulate hormones, making our day to day life easier. But then again apparently some people decided sex was evil and we're immoral for having it. Whatever.
Alex Metslov 2 years ago
Sorry dear common-sense Americans, but every time I read another story from the US, it gives me the impression it shall change its name to "the land of Fools".
Jessica Frogger 2 years ago
Anyone feeling like the lighthearted opening of the entire article "Women just can't seem to get a break!" written almost as if there is a chuckle when said minimizes and perpetuates the problem just as much the content of what happened to the woman in the story. When the Supreme Court decided that I'm now half a person, stripped away my privacy rights and the right to make my own medical decisions I did not wake up that day with a "woe is me or woe is us" flippant tone. I woke up with rage and fury that burns hot and gets hotter every day. This is a serious story and we should be infuriated, the tone by the authors should match that.
Alma Muminovic 2 years ago
Clearly that lady needs to be in a different line of work. Definitely complain and let Walgreens know.
A dragon within 2 years ago
That person needs to be fired and never hired by any pharmacy ever again. Plus, Abigail should file a lawsuit against that woman. How effin' dare she?!?! Who the hell does she think she is!?!?! A-hole.
Lauren Tarbet 2 years ago
I take birth control pills because I suffer from cysts. I already had one cyst cause one of my ovaries to be removed, I don't want that to happen again. Hence the birth control pills. I would be beyond pissed if this happened to me.
Paul Davis 2 years ago (edited)
I don't know why anyone ever goes to Walgreens pharmacy. They're horrible...have never had so many problems getting simple refills anywhere else in my entire life. And apparently now Walgreens is home to religious nutjobs who should be institutionalized, but are employed there trying to force their twisted beliefs on their customers.
Rick Hoppenbrouwer 2 years ago
Kind of like the store that would not make a cake for a gay couple.
James Heartney 2 years ago
The end of Roe v. Wade means that the US Supreme Court has junked the right to privacy, which was the basis for the Griswold v. Connecticut decision protecting contraceptive access. Now that there's no longer a legal basis for guaranteeing access to contraception, far right state legislatures will soon be working to ban birth control in some states. If Republicans get House, Senate and Presidency in 2024, they may pass national restrictions on contraceptive access. If birth control is something you care about, you need to vote out every Republican in every election going forward. Otherwise the scenario above will become the norm.
Shelli Aderman 2 years ago
EVEN LESBIANS USE BC PILLS! 🤦🏽♀️ Because it hormonally can alleviate a difficult period. 🤬
Sinkvenice 2 years ago
This is absolutely disgusting, America is so f*cked up. I'm English and I was put on the pill at 15 because my periods were atrocious. They were lasting for weeks and weeks and were so heavy I was having to be hospitalised. That woman who refused to do the prescription needs to lose her job and should never be employed by another pharmacy again. Absolutely outrageous. If something like that happened here, there's no way she would be allowed to continue working after the first instance of that happening.
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
It is HORMONE TREATMENT. You use it for: Menopause; infertility; endometriosis; polycystic ovarian syndrome; control of excruciating cramps.... So unless this b*tch pharmacist has an MD and has done a full exam? Fire her, bar her from any job near a pharmacy or medical anything for life, and take away *her* right to work in her chosen field. Which is what happens to women who get pregnant ---- a lot more than people realize.
abby smink 2 years ago
I remember a story awhile back about a women who was pregnant, but unfortunately, found out at an ultrasound appointment the fetus had no heart beat. She wanted the baby, she had been trying to get pregnant. Her doctor prescribed the pills needed for an abortion, to have her body clear out the "products of concepts." Problem was, her pharmacy wouldn't fill it, due to their own personal beliefs. The article went on to say that it's actually the pharmacist's right to not fill any medication they don't agree with filling. (Don't know if that's legally true, and definitely not saying I agree with it)
Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago
Birth control can be used to regulate periods. A woman takes it if she has polycystic ovaries
Lauren Christie 2 years ago
Yup. I take mine to treat PCOS, but ALSO to completely stop all periods from ever happening - the couple times a year they did happen normally, they were so damaging and debilitating I would require medical attention. Two GPs, an endocrinologist, and a gyno all said I'd be better off skipping every single period for the rest of my fertile life. The idea of being made to go for days without, not knowing when it'd become available again...I would be having a full emotional break down, in complete terror that I wouldn't get it in time.
Load More Replies... Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago (edited)
Unless there are crashing prescriptions, a pharmacist should just shut the f*** up and refill whatever a doctor prescribed.
TheElderNom 2 years ago
Like many here I actually use birth control not to prevent babies (though currently it's a nice side effect) but for other reasons. Well screw all health care personnel, politicians and anyone else with power to interfere with this. Birth control is often used to treat things, not to prevent babies, but even if I or anyone else needed it to sleep with a thousand men that's none of your business! Assuming it's consensual and disease-free ofc.
Shannon Love 2 years ago
Birth control is also used to help treat endometriosis. I have stage 4 endometriosis and it is an extremely painful medical condition. Birth control can be prescribed for other reasons. I'm saddened and disgusted this happened on so many levels.
ERIKA H. 2 years ago
This happened to me ahen i was 16. I went on BC at 14 because i had gnarly heavy periods. Back in that time, you couldn't pick up your prescriptions yourself as a minor, so my mom would come in with me. The elderly pharmacist gave the most judgemental and disgusted look and refused to give me my prescription (which is illegal btw), and my mom had to rip her a new a-hole.
Callie Ge 2 years ago
It happens, people who have no business doing so trying to force their religious agenda on you. I have been going to the same pharmacy for 10 years, I have Never had any problem getting prescriptions filled except for the few times they’ve been out of stock & I have to wait a day or two. Then about a year ago they got a new employee, mind you he wasn’t even a pharmacist Just an assistant. I had him a number of times refuse to accept a prescription from my doctor stating that I had never had that item before so he didn’t think I should be taking it 😳, & the last straw was when my Dr prescribed, pessaries, Tablets & cream to treat a persistent bout of thrush( I’m diabetic). He flat out refused to supply the cream ( an over the counter item) along with the two prescription items because in “His” opinion, I shouldn’t need it. Probably for the second time in my life I let loose on a retail assistant. The pharmacist sorted it out & I got my cream. Dude got fired soon after.
Ivy la Sangrienta 2 years ago
America is wild. Why do you need to meet with your provider at all to get a prescription renewed? I just send an email to my doctor...
Jasmine Hufflepuff Henderson 2 years ago
You typically don't have to. I call mine in if I need refills on my prescriptions. I think in this case the older woman was just trying to be difficult and didn't want to do her job.
Load More Replies... James G. Currie 2 years ago
So...hope to hear the results of the multi-million dollar lawsuit against Wallgreens and these two PoS pharmacy techs...
Anna Nowak 2 years ago
It would certainly happen in Europe. Espetially in f***ed up countries like Poland. I'm a pharmacist who lives and works here and I can tell you, the governal policing on womens bodies is getting out of hand. First, they ban the morning after pill from OTC status. They say it's an early abortion pill wich is not true. Then they make abortion law more strict while it already have been really strict for European norm. Then, they come up with pregancy base. It means that it comes into your medical file if your doctor finds out ypu're pregnant. Then any doctor in a country can see it. They say it's for medical reasons, but it's obvious that it could be used to find out who terminated their pregnancy and prosecute them. It's scary already and it's getting scarier to get pregnant here
Load More Replies... Kate Jones 2 years ago
Why should she have to? Gas prices the way they are...she now has to drive maybe across town or to another town to go to another pharmacy? And if the prescription was called in to a specific pharmacy then she has to go to that one. But more than that...again why should she have to??? She's done nothing wrong and this woman is refusing to do her job.
Load More Replies... Fred Jacobson 2 years ago
THIS FESTERING OLD CU NT NEEDS TO 1ST-GET FUC KING FIRED, 2ND-GET F****D BY A RABID HIPPOPOTAMUS WITH THE CLAP STRAIGHT IN HER WRINKLEY OLD PURITAN BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE! BUT THOLE!
Tree P 2 years ago
And who do you think is using YOUR money? You don't pay for my insurance! Shut the hell up already!
Load More Replies... Jill tyrrell 2 years ago
She had several refills on the prescription, so the prescription is ready to collect when the patient is ready. Its not waiting last minute, its waiting until you can collect refill. And normally this wouldnt be an issue for the woman to collect her medication bit this pharmacist caused a problem unnecessarily which was out of the patients control.
Load More Replies...
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