Grex Consumer Conference

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Grex Consumer Item 112: The Drugstore item
Entered by omni on Fri Mar 10 05:57:08 UTC 2000:


        Has anyone bought a prescription recently? This I didn't worry about
until I got sick and had to start buying meds. Today, I did a sort of mini
comparison for Captopril, and Glycerbide, medicines for high blood pressure
and high blood sugat. The prices ranges from $72 to $19.95, and $21.00 to
$9.95. Ironically, the highest prices were at Sav-Mor. 
       Also the online pharmacies tend to be cheaper on these meds. The only
thing is, I have a very big problem buying my drugs on the net. The most
helpful person, and cheapest prices were at Village Pharmacy II. 

      Use this item to discuss prices and drugstores.

10 responses total.

#1 of 10 by rcurl on Fri Mar 10 07:23:18 2000:

What's your problem with buying on the web?

#2 of 10 by mta on Fri Mar 10 10:20:13 2000:

I buy prescriptions every month to the tune of hundreds of dollars (and thank
my lucky stars for prescription coverage).  Finding a decent, locally owned
pharmacy that's still in business has been an ongoing project these last
several years since Mindell's closed.  

First I went to Foo and Drug Mart, but they closed, too.  Then I tried Wenks,
but the staff there seemed to find doing business with my husband and I
annoying.  Then my insurance changed to BCBS of Illinois and I had to switch
to Kroger -- but soon it'll be changing again and I will be able to switch
back to a local pharamacy ... if I can find one.

I hear great things about Lucky Drugs ... I wish parking downtown were easier.

#3 of 10 by omni on Fri Mar 10 14:58:35 2000:

  I like to have a pharmacist that I can call on the phone if I have any
questions about the medication. The web is fine, but you really have no idea
who is handling your meds, where they come from, etc. At least with a local
drugstore you have a point of reference.

Misti, have you tried Village Pharmacy II, or The Precription Shoppe? They
seem to have good prices, and attentive pharmacists, especially Village
Pharmacy II.

#4 of 10 by keesan on Fri Mar 10 15:21:19 2000:

Last I knew Lucky Drugs no longer sold anything prescription.  K-Mart is
relatively cheap and keeps long hours and answers the phone knowledgeably.
They were the cheapest of three places we called about an antibiotic.
You can get drug info online, or ask the library reference desk to look it
up in PDR, or ask me to look it up if the drug has been around a few years.

#5 of 10 by rcurl on Fri Mar 10 15:55:37 2000:

Aren't prescriptions sold on the web branded? I suppose they have to
be dispensed, but whether done behind the counter in front of you
or behind a counter you can't see doesn't seem to make much difference.
I agree a source of information is good, but wouldn't the doctor's
office be better? [These are honest questions as I don't have any
prescriptions to take so am not talking from experience with the system.]

#6 of 10 by omni on Sat Mar 11 03:39:58 2000:

  re 4- K-mart was among the highest priced of those I called.
  The PDR is OK, but you have to know what you're reading, and I don't. We've
  been through the do-it yourself thing once, and I almost lost this leg. I'm
  not about to dip into something I know nothing about. Sometimes it pays to
  sit back and listen.

 re 5-  Yes, but you need to know what you're doing, and I don't.  The U has
a drug information service which is available daily. Call me paranoid, but
I value my life. I only have 1, and since I don't know who these people on
the web are, I'm sticking with established places.

#7 of 10 by mta on Sat Apr 8 16:25:43 2000:

Re: 4, but cheap isn't really the point.  I wan to do business with a local
proprieter.  If that wasn't the case, I'd shop at the nearest mega-pharacy
congolmerate.

Jim, where are the Village Pharmacy and The Prescription Shoppe?  I'll give
those a try...

#8 of 10 by omni on Sat Apr 8 22:55:39 2000:

  Prescription Shoppe is on Washington between Division and State.

  Village Pharmacy is in Maple Village.

#9 of 10 by omni on Sat Apr 8 22:59:14 2000:

  I have since discontinued Captopril, simply because it was getting into my
life and frankly wasn't needed in the first place. I've been off of it for
3 weeks and my blood pressure is lower than it was when I was on it. Of course
I have amended my diet to very little salt, very little sugar and 2000 cals
per day. That I suspect might have something to do with it. 
  My doctor seems very pleased with this change and I am to call him if my
blood pressure hits 180/95, which it has not been anywhere near. Today's
reading was 111/70.

#10 of 10 by keesan on Mon Apr 10 21:17:19 2000:

Omni, congratulations on being 'normal'.

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