Walgreens
reviews and complaints

On 9/24/2015, I was profiled by two Walgreens workers. They approached me and asked if I had placed unpurchased toothpaste in my shopping bag. I told them no and gave them permission to check the bag, to which they declined. I brushed it off and proceeded to shop. When I stood in line to pay for my items, one of the employees approached me again and was more belligerent. He said, "Ma'am, you can take the toothpaste out of your bag." I responded, "Huh?" He kept badgering me, "We saw you take it. You're on camera and 12 eyes seen you take it." I showed him my bag which at that point had my personal items, including a used tube of Jergens lotion. I asked, "Is this what you saw me put in my bag and thought was toothpaste?" He checked it and the cashier attempted to scan it, in case I had stolen it. Mind you, it was a mostly used tube of lotion. Afterwards I demanded a manager, and demanded to see this video with me stealing toothpaste. The employee mumbled and walked away. He said something like, "I'm off soon." He also apologized, but only because I demanded it. The manager came out and was cordial but not helpful. He said he was going to rectify the situation and kept apologizing that I had to experience such treatment. But nothing else happened. I asked for a business card, but he didn't have one to give me. He wrote a phone number on a piece of paper. I asked for their names and wrote them down too.

I was humiliated in front of other customers in the store and pretty shaken up. Never will I return to this Walgreens.

Hello,

I would like to report a pharmacy worker by the name of James (I think) at Walgreen's store #11011. This particular employee is very rude and sarcastic and has a habit of speaking to people in a manner that is very unprofessional. He also lies and says that prescriptions are not ready when in fact they are causing customers to have to make unnecessary trips back to the pharmacy when in fact they could have just picked up their prescripctions that day. I ended up having to take my prescription to CVS to be filled because I got sick of his rude and condescending attitude. If in fact he does not like his job then maybe he should quit. I for one will not miss him.

I will admit that I made a mistake by walking out of my job but they told me I could work at night or I could not work for them. On night I saw them treat a transgendered customer like a bag of meat so I left work and never came back. They have refused to pay me for the work I did and even though at most it's a couple hundred dollars I think I deserve to be paid.

was told by the store manager that 'truth is not always the best policy' and this as we are now showing off our new 'excellent customer care' core values... just find it hard to swallow is all... really wish management would listen to the other side of the story sometimes...

I have been going to Walgreens on Kempton Street in New Bedford for my prescriptions for years. I do not know why I put up with the things I have from this company but I did. I have had multiple surgical procedures in the last 15 years. I have been on and off different pain medications for the better part of the whole 15 years.
I had an issue with a pharmacy technician calling all the other pharmacies in my area about my medication history. The pharmacist and pharmacy technician did get fired for HIPPA violations. The pharmacist fought his firing but he was the ultimate supervisor of the technician. Jump forward to 2015, I had 1/4 of my lung removed late in 2014 and I am in considerable pain. I have seen a pain specialist. I am going to try spinal electrical stimulation implant but until my insurance approves the procedure I must be on pain medications I am on Morphine ER 15mg every 12 hours, a very small dose. Did I mention I am a disabled RN with over 20 years of experience? I bought my script to the Walgreens I go to, I have to go there due to the pain management contract. The pharmacist refused to fill the prescription 1.1/2 days early. He wanted to keep the script I refused. as later that week I was due in Montreal for a wedding and getting Morphine filled in Canada from a local doctor would be impossible. I contacted my doctor and she approved a fill at CVS, right next door to Walgreens. I was in the store for 10 minutes and the script was filled. The pharmacist at Walgreens never ran the script against my insurance, just flat out refused to fill it. I have since transferred my scripts to CVS, never to step foot in Walgreens again. The got me twice, never again.

I am sick and tired of trying to get pain medications filled. First one pharmacy is out so you go to the next pharmacy who has it and get it filled there only to have that thrown in your face and you are looked at suspiciously for having traveled around with your pain med prescriptions. I am a person who has systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis for years. I was involved in a major car accident when I was 2 years old, I am now 53. I've had over 100 surgeries including back surgery and a hip replacement x 2, hysterectomy, etc. To say that I am in pain puts it mildly. I was told years ago that I would need to start seeing a pain management doctor in order to have these types of prescriptions prescribed on a regular basis. I was an obedient patient and did as asked. Now I am seeing that pain management doctors are being viewed as "dealers". I will be on pain management therapy for the rest of my life if I am to have any quality of life. Why in HELL are pharmacists in charge OVER my doctor in ALLOWING me to get my medications filled? If my hip doctor prescribes a pain medication for me because I'm having severe pain this month and I get that filled, am I not allowed 20 days later to get another prescription for a different medication filled from my pain management doctor filled? I was just given a long acting hydrocodone prescription along with the regular hydrocodone prescription. I took these in to my Walgreen's pharmacy. I was told that the long acting was not stocked and they would have to order it and it would take about a week to get in. That was Saturday a week ago. I returned today, Friday and was told that they did get it in but that they had filled another prescription and didn't have enough to fill mine. Who was first, me or the person who got theirs filled? Then when I tried to get my other regular hydrocodone filled, I was told that because my hip doctor had just prescribed something for me on Monday that I would have to wait 5 days. Oh and by the way, I can't leave the prescriptions there to be filled whenever they DEEM THEY WILL FILL THEM, I must pick them up because they're not allowed to hold a FRIGGIN' piece of paper? What is going on here? If any idiot looked at my prescription history (and I know they can do this), they would see that I've been on this medication for many years. Why are they playing God or even worse, doctor now? I want to sue the pharmacy - any ideas on a lawyer that would represent me? I'm in pain and if my doctor prescribes me a medication, then their only job is to FILL IT!

I bought some prescriptions at Walgreen to which I was given a receipt with a notification that if I take the survey, I can entered their $3, 000 monthly cash sweepstake by going into www.wagcares.com.

If you logged into www.wagcares.com, you get pages of advertisements and you have to almost CLICKED on every one of those sites to finally find the sweepstake entry. I read some views from other customers WHO ALSO COMPLAIN about this SAME issue. If the Walgreen receipt states to logged into www.wagcares.com, it SHOULD take the customer STRAIGHT to the sweepstake survey site..NOT TO EVERY OTHER THING listed on 2-3 screens.
To get to the sweepstake entry, you have to answered about 10 -15 customer evaluation multiple choice questions(5 - 7 minutes) to get to the end where the entry form for the sweepstake. When you get to the application and you start putting in your name, address...IT FLIPS ITSELF OUT to THE NEXT SCREEN) : THANK YOU FOR YOUR SURVEY. It does this before you can finish entering all the necessary data on the entry form about yourself for that sweepstakes You try to use the back arrow to get back to the previous screen where your entry application was so you can finished entering the rest of your information and it won't let you.

If you go back to and re-find www.wagcares.com and try to start from the beginning, it also won't let you stating again : THANK YOU FOR YOUR SURVEY. SURVEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN.
Survey: [protected] Password: [protected]
How to contact Walgreens:
Walgreen Company Corporate Office
Write or call us at:
200 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
[protected]

I had thyroid surgery in my early twenties because of an over active thyroid (graves disease). For thirty years my levels were normal. Then, I developed hypothyroid symptoms which took my health to the extreme in the other direction.
After gaining 40 lbs and not being able to remember where I lived or who I was, my husband took me to an endocrinologist. Great decision. She put me on non-generic Synthroid.
I've been having my prescription filled for years (at least 10) by Walgreens since day one. They've always operated like clockwork as far as getting my prescription ready for pick up when the last month's supply was getting low - most times, three days ahead of schedule.
I wish I could brag the same great service I've been receiving for the past few months. Sometimes my prescriptions have been late a day or two.
This time I ordered on the 14th. By email Walgreens received my order on the 16th. My last pill was the 20th. I received an email on the 24th stating that they were unable to submit payment to my insurance carrier. Today is the 26th and it looks as if I'm not going to be receiving anything for the next few days.
I've got great insurance set up for auto pay every month. I'm up to date with ins info.
What I can't understand is why the service has taken such a dive.
I have a distant friend who was once a pharmacist at Walgreens in another town about 20 years ago. It was such a stressful job that she had to quit. (Maybe that CVS pharmacist with the very nasty attitude should consider the same thing.) I know that health insurance companies are leading us all around by the nose and can be difficult to deal with.
But why should that mean that any patient (not just me) should be left without their medication?

If you are reading this, it is very likely that you have fallen victim to the infuriating dilemma of not being able to fill your duly authorized Hydrocodone prescription. I too have observed the "we're all out" stonewalling so common at numerous Walgreens throughout the country. Indeed, I witnessed multiple occasions over the last month during random observational visits to investigate this matter, where customers with valid scripts for Hydrocodone were turned away rather curtly by Walgreens pharmacy staff. How do I know the scripts were for Hydrocodone? Because I asked the customer in the parking lot, explaining that I was investigating the seemingly impossible task of getting a script for this commonly prescribed pain medication filled on a timely basis.

Before I continue, I should make it clear that it is all too obvious, that the rank and file employees at Walgreens have become toughened by the company's insipid policies that make it virtually impossible for them to offer the kind of customer service that we have every right to expect. Indeed, the responses from staff ranged from contrite and apologetic (mostly when talking to the aged), to curt and rude. What I found extremely disturbing however, was an obvious pattern of treating poor and minority customers with attitudes that can only be described as ranging from condescending, to downright rude. If you are a poor non-white minority individual in need of prescription pain medication, not only will Wallgreens staff treat you badly, but they will often seem to take cruel pleasure in turning you away while simultaneously making you feel like a common criminal. Yes, sometimes they even laugh at you behind your back. Because many of these individuals lack the understanding of their rights, most seem to contritely accept even the worst treatment.

On the other hand, I obsrved a professionaly dressed (suit and tie) white male, who simply refused to be put off. He correctly stated that his prescription was valid, that he had been taking this medication for many months, and that he had dealt with this Walgreens exclusively. He was very insistent that the pharmacy assist him in obtaining the medication by either having it couriered from another location, or at least contacting other branches in order to locate one that had it. He was quite determined, and intimated that he had placed this order several days prior, and had had quite enough of their excuses. He also made it clear that he had no intention of suffering withdrawal symptoms, and he then produced the Walgreens paperwork indicating the symptoms he could expect were his pain medication abruptly discontinued. This seemed to be the turning point in the interaction. Clearly this customer was not going to accept the curt "we are out and have no idea when we will have it in stock" answer. Instead he rightly placed the responsibility on Walgreens. Once it was clear this man wasn't leaving without satisfaction, the staffer agreed to call around to find a store that had his medication. Eventually, they did find one and the man left, presumably, to obtain his pain medicine. (Note, I did not interview him because HE indicated revealed that it was Hydrocodone.)

What is clear from this observation, is that Walgreens pharmacies operate on a unwritten policy of "white, well-dressed, squeaky wheel gets the grease" This is disturbing on so many levels, I'm not sure what else to say.

Clearly the new regulations regarding Hydrocodone are creating massive problems for people who should never have to face them. These are people operating in good faith, who have the misfortune of requiring strong pain relief medication. That there are many, many people in need of this medication is not at all surprising. The U.S. population is aging, and many are still finding it necessary to work well into, what would ideally be, their retirement years. Hydrocodone, for all of its vilification by the DEA and certain politicians, is keeping many of its users as hard working tax paying members of society. At the same time, less than 1% of patients on pain medication are getting into serious trouble with the drugs. The automobile industry, in contrast, could only dream of such a record for safety with their products.

I've chosen to single out Walgreens, because they are the largest pharmacy in America. They claim to offer kind, knowledgable, and compassionate service. And to be fair, I saw many examples of this during my investigation. However, once again, we are seeing people whose needs fall outside what I will call "the easy to satisfy norm, " who are being made to feel like they are simply too much trouble to help. The DEA and the burdensome new regulations placed on Hydrocodone are almost totally to blame. However, Walgreens staff also seems to consistently show indifference, or to even take pleasure in withholding service from poor and minority customers who have just as real a need for pain relief, as the well dressed professional white men. That is simply unacceptable.

I recently had a horrible experience that i do not want anyone else to go thru. i had a prescription refill and they gave me 1/6 of the prescription stating they had to back order the balance. i went back 5 days later, at night, and they then told me it was on backorder with no available date. on some prescriptions this would not be so terrible but the medication i am on cannot be discontinued immediately. it can cause dangerous side affects or after affects i guess. they did not make any attempt to call my doctor to see if there was an alternate medication nor did they try to call me to notify me even though they have my cell phone, email and text authorization. they left me at night without any medication, no way to get medication or offer any help. i called their corporate office to see what they could do to fine me a refill and they couldn't be bothered to return my call.
please, please, please switch your medications from there. i would not want this to happen to anyone
i am still in shock over this. imagine being stuck like this at night.

If you have a prescription from a doctor for some type of painkiller and want to be called a painkillerjunkie, doctor shopper, drug addict and generally have your character insulted and impugned then you need only to take to none other than Mr john caxix, head pharmacist at Walgreens pharmacy in huntsille tx He's the ultimate ### that the pharmacy industry in general and Walgreens in particular have to offer.

I wanted to create a canvass from Walgreens in Bayville, NJ of a picture that I took while on vacation. I had ordered the canvass online, uploaded the image, and selected the canvass that I wanted. It successfully went through, and the pickup was scheduled for the next day. I went in this morning (as this was a gift for my boss) and the sales lady couldn't find my product that I had ordered. I waited for approximately 10 minutes at the desk, waiting for the sales lady to try to find the product, without luck. She called over 2 other employees, who also couldn't find it. A manager then informed me that the store employee had made a terrible mistake and turned the canvass into a giant poster instead and that it would take approximately 2 more hours to make it into the canvass that I had ordered. However, because I was going to work, I couldn't wait 2 more hours and therefore, I have no gift for my boss. Furthermore, I asked if I can have the poster if they were going to throw it away and they said absolutly not, or I would have to pay for that in addition to the canvass that I had already paid for. Thanks Walgreens for turning what would have been a great gift into a terrible day.