What were your experiences with the pharmacist when you get your hormones and what kind of reactions did you get?
When I got my new script filed. The Pharmacist asked if I knew that they were "Female" hormones. I told "Yes I have taken them for years". "$8, Please". End of story. :D
I've had mine filled at 2 different pharmacies.
Each was a bit of an adventure in awkwardness. heh
I've been going to the same pharmacist for my regular cholesterol and depression medication for about three years. When he saw my HRT script, he said you know these can have side effects. I replied I really hope so. We laughed end of story.
Cindy
ever since I got the first prescription from my GP and handed it over the counter I have had no real problems...but some ethnic women do tend to stare a bit too hard...ethnics having a problem with TS in general...
My first script I handed to the pharmacist who then walked away with them behind the counter. He returned shortly after and asked if they were for me, I looked him in the eyes, smiled and said "Yes they are, I'm transgendered". With that he gave a quick nod, walked behind the screen and filled the scripts, nothing more said.
Quote from: lilacwoman on July 31, 2010, 03:30:45 AM
ever since I got the first prescription from my GP and handed it over the counter I have had no real problems...but some ethnic women do tend to stare a bit too hard...ethnics having a problem with TS in general...
Even the transexual ones? Hmm, if you came to my country you would be an 'ethnic' woman too..
My pharmacist did not treat it any different to any other script, the way it should be.
Quote from: Nicky on July 31, 2010, 04:13:15 AM
Even the transexual ones? Hmm, if you came to my country you would be an 'ethnic' woman too..
My pharmacist did not treat it any different to any other script, the way it should be.
It is my understanding that Pharmacists around the world are registered professionals. They have a duty of care to explain how to take a particular drug, and should make sure that if you are on combinational drugs that they do not interact. They as all health professionals have no interest in your life style and sexuality. I'm pretty damn sure that my HIV patients do not get asked if they are 'queer' when they present their scripts.
Lilacwoman, I know from previous posts that you have a poor tolerance for racial diversity. I do not understand it and certainly do not wish to discuss it publicly, or privately for that matter. Please remember that we are a very diverse group that is often a target for bigotry. I think it bizarre to display bigotry when a member of this group.
Cindy
Quote from: lilacwoman on July 31, 2010, 03:30:45 AM
ever since I got the first prescription from my GP and handed it over the counter I have had no real problems...but some ethnic women do tend to stare a bit too hard...ethnics having a problem with TS in general...
By ethnic do you mean black?
first two times was really awkward , or maybe i was nervous , but they were a couple of pharmacists first time who were kinda making fun of me i think , they referred to me as 'pretty boy' . anyway , i didn't go there again but to another pharmacy whos pharmacist is a really nice lady who was curious to some point , and she's my friend now
Yea it was odd, when I went to the pharmacist she called me over and said she was sorry, but she has to ask what these pills are for. She said she had an idea but needed to know. After I told her they are for Gender Identity so I can fix this birth defect she wrote some code on the paper then quickly entered it into my file.
I think the reason they ask is so that they will be able to follow proper procedure when dealing with you, that way when you come in mid transition they will know the proper way to address you.
What made it EXTREMELY awkward for me was it got sent to the pharmacy where I work, when I had asked for it to be sent to the one that was 20 miles away.
Not the Dr. fault, my company just automatically moved the prescription to the warehouse I was located in order to make it more convenient for me. So it is a bit awkward right now knowing that there is a person at my current building who had to pull up my prescription to send it over to the other location.
Anyways, I doubt "ethnic" has anything to do with it, my girlfriend is half Chinese half Mexican(and omg gorgeous!) and has 0 problems with it.
If I had to say any one "group" had a problem with it, it'd be the ignorant group that every ethnic group sadly harbors in mass quantities!
Samantha
I've only ever filled my prescriptions at two pharmacies in the same chain. The first place, and the one I go to 95% of the time was no issue at all. Well, that's not entirely true, there was the issue that the pharmacy tech that took my prescription and usually ends up being the one to give me my pills is incredibly hot and way way out of my league. I was kinda scared giving him the prescription, but he was totally professional and nice.
Anyway, the first place they just took my prescription, entered it into the computer and asked me if my information was correct, then about 10 minutes later I walked out with my hormones. It wasn't a big deal, everyone at that pharmacy has always been fine.
The one other place made things really uncomfortable and awkward. It took me almost two hours to walk out with my full prescription at the correct price. He was definitely trying to give me a hard time, but I refused to give him the reaction he was looking for. The actual bad part was the pharmacist was talking to me loudly, almost yelling, anyone in the area knew what I was picking up and that he was being an ass.
Quote from: lilacwoman on July 31, 2010, 03:30:45 AMbut some ethnic women do tend to stare a bit too hard...ethnics having a problem with TS in general...
People generally see what they think they're going to see. If you walk around with an attitude in your head that certain types of people treat you a certain way, that's probably what you're going to see. You would probably have a better time taking each person as they are instead of carrying prejudices, but to each their own I guess.
I had a geeky old man as the first pharmacist that filled my prescription.
He freaked. It was funny actually. I never had a prescription filled out so fast in my whole entire life. He panicked and didn't know what to do and avoided me afterwards. Kinda rude, but I took it lightheartedly. lol.
Quote from: tatiana on July 31, 2010, 09:28:34 AM
I had a geeky old man as the first pharmacist that filled my prescription.
He freaked. It was funny actually. I never had a prescription filled out so fast in my whole entire life. He panicked and didn't know what to do and avoided me afterwards. Kinda rude, but I took it lightheartedly. lol.
is it acceptable to be ageist and make fun of old people in this forum?
I've never had any trouble with pharmacists.
I am treated like any other customer buying their prescribed medications and nobody has so far reacted oddly towards me. :) Every pharmacist I've met have been very professional and I suspect it's because they do deal with others like me on a regular basis.
LOL My Pharmacist was worried because he though Someone made a mistake on my Info...
I just Laughed and Said no That's me and that's My medication.
and That Was That :)
Quote from: JocelynFreiky on July 31, 2010, 12:14:20 PM
LOL My Pharmacist was worried because he though Someone made a mistake on my Info...
I just Laughed and Said no That's me and that's My medication.
and That Was That :)
I think this was the spirit of the awkwardness I encountered at my local pharmacy. My doc had written instructions on how they were to code the prescriptions. They looked at prescriptions, the dosages, and me, and basically... :o :o :o :o
Quote from: SydneyTinker on July 31, 2010, 12:24:38 PM
I think this was the spirit of the awkwardness I encountered at my local pharmacy. My doc had written instructions on how they were to code the prescriptions. They looked at prescriptions, the dosages, and me, and basically... :o :o :o :o
HAHA! Thats Exactly How My First Visit Went!
I decided to go through the drive-thru at CVS from that day on lol
I couldn't help but to laugh though. I can understand some of there confusion/concern/interest/whatever you wanna call it lol
I go to the 'trans-friendly' CVS here (they give me a big discount) so I'm just another customer. I pay, get my hormones and get out. I had no problems whatsoever with them and they are nice and helpful.
They never mess up people's pronouns because they don't use any!
Quote from: Samantha_Marie on July 31, 2010, 09:10:39 AM
Yea it was odd, when I went to the pharmacist she called me over and said she was sorry, but she has to ask what these pills are for. She said she had an idea but needed to know. After I told her they are for Gender Identity so I can fix this birth defect she wrote some code on the paper then quickly entered it into my file.
I think the reason they ask is so that they will be able to follow proper procedure when dealing with you, that way when you come in mid transition they will know the proper way to address you.
I'd guess that there are other factors at play as well. When billing to insurance, it's common to give a medical diagnosis as well; insurance might cover a prescription for one condition, but not for another (e.g. finasteride for hair loss might not be covered, but finasteride for prostate enlargement might be.) I also imagine that they want to be sure there hasn't been a mistake in the medication filled; some drugs have very similar names, but have very different effects. Imagine being administered propofol instead of proponol because your doctor has poor handwriting!
Quote from: lilacwoman on July 31, 2010, 10:08:50 AM
is it acceptable to be ageist and make fun of old people in this forum?
I saw no such thing in her post.
It's like calling me sexist if I say that my 3rd grade teacher was a total bitch..... because she was female.
Oddly enough, I didn't receive any looks or comments when I started my transition/HRT back in the midwest a year ago. I seen the same 3 pharmies every month and they were nothing but smiles or at least professional and courteous. One of them even hugged me on my last visit with them, which was just after Xmas - if it wasn't for the fact that she used my chosen name, I would have thought she was mistaken me for some other lady.
After moving several months ago, two young guys (perhaps in training or just new) helped me at the pharma counter on my first visit there. They were nice and seemingly professional, but they seemed just a little curious about or interested in me... I even thought for a moment or two that I was going to hear either a pick up line or a comment about my combination of scrips - but nope. They remained professional, while I didn't know whether to be flattered or worried about being clocked.
Having gone back a few times now, they are still nice and I've been without incident. Fortunately.
This is really dumb, but how does the first ever Pharmacy visit go. Do you give them the slip and pay and get the prescription. Or do you have to fill out paper work?
When I went, I handed them my prescriptions (3 papers from the Doc) and they filled them. 15 minutes later they called my name and they asked if I needed directions and/or advice (to which I passed on) and they asked me to sign for them (like you would for a UPS package). Cash exchanged and then I was out the door.
It's been like that, more or less on the waiting time, every time I have went.
In England we just hand over the prescription and then they ask if we want to wait or call back and then they just call out our name and hand over and pay.
In theory if a TS is not presenting as their name then this does have potential to be embarrassing.
Same in Australia. It doesn't bother me because my pharmacist knows me anyway, but I pay with a credit card that is in my male name. I haven't had a legal name change.
I have to admit but the more I do things such as commercial & social interactions the less I seem to care about what other people think. I seem to be developing a skin that says "they can get as embarrassed as they want, not my problem". Then I've only had one direct rude response in a shop and I handled that well and the person was fired.
Cindy