[J epworth]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Broke my back a few years ago, and I've been taking a ton of meds for leg pain, including Nortriptyline. I've been going to the same Pharmacy since the '90s at least, but switched this week to a local Shoppers Drug Mart because it is more convenient.

Anyway, I dropped off my prescriptions on Monday and picked them up on Tuesday. When I got home, I notice instead of Nortriptyline I was given Amitriptyline. I thought it was maybe a generic version or something. Reading online, it sounded to me like it was similar, though it did look quite different.

Yesterday something in my mind had me call Shoppers. They said they'd pull the original prescription and call me back. About an hour later a pharmacist called and his first question was "have you taken any of the Elavil (Amitriptyline)?" I said I didn't think so. Well it's the wrong prescription. Oh, okay. Fine. #### happens. They'd refund me for the Amitriptyline and give me the Nortriptyline for free.

Today I got a call from the owner of that Shoppers, who was profusely apologetic, and again she asked me if I had taken the medication. I honestly forgot to check. I put all my pills in those 7-day sorter things. I told her I'd be in tonight to trade the pills in, and she told me the pharmacist who made the screw up would be working.

Tonight I went in, and he knew who I was and had everything ready. He was apologetic, etc., etc. I told him not to fret it, and I could tell he probably got in deep ####. And again, he asked if I had taken any of the pills. I just lied and said no, even though I still wasn't sure as I went straight from work to the store.

Get home, and it appears I took the two 25 mg Amitriptyline pills two nights ago. No big deal, I'm still alive and my urine isn't fluorescent purple or anything.

But just out of curiosity, I wonder what kind of liability the company would face? I have no plans to call them and tell them I've taken any. The matter is closed in my book. But they kept asking if I'd taken any, and that is nagging in my mind.

Presciption drug errors are one of the most common filed malpractice suits, so the individual who filled the prescription and the entity that they work for (Shoppers) would probably both be held liable. Funny you mentioned those drugs, I just switched form Elavil to Nortriptyline at the start of 2013 for migraine prevention, felt absolutely no difference between the two drugs, Nortriptyline was just a little less expensive so made more sense for me. Weird for the pharmacist to mess it up too, as Elavil is a small blue pill and Nortriptyline is a capsule.