Pharmacy school?

[eveline]

So for the last 8 months or so I've been working as a pharmacy tech. I really like it... I like doing actual work (vs. office work), I like solving problems, explaining stuff to people, and doing my best to handle all the weird situations that arise, and yes, I like playing with pills. I have never stolen anything and don't plan to. I'm honestly just fascinated by seeing the different stuff people are prescribed (Halcion? chloral hydrate??), in what dosages, and what for... I love reading about pharmacokinetics/dynamics, I love that there's constantly something new to find out about.

My coworkers and indeed my friends keep telling me I need to go to pharmacy school, and I think I might have actually found the thing I want to do with the rest of my life (I'm 23 if it matters). The only problem is none of these people know, ahem, what I do in my free time... I'm just scared that sooner or later I'm going to end up in legal trouble (not from stealing, just from the same stuff all of us do), and never be able to practice pharmacy again. I don't have a habit, I've been doing drugs for a little over a year now and for me it's a mixture of experimentation and just trying to make my life better... I've been depressed for almost 10 years now and even before I tried opiates I knew I had found exactly what I needed. I'm mostly using tramadol (I'm one of those people who like it even better than hydro, and I don't have much of a tolerance) every couple weekends, and it gives me something to look forward to, something I'd utterly lacked for years. So I'm not sure I'm willing to give up opiates just to make sure I don't fuck up my future. But I'm not stupid, I know it's likely I'll end up addicted at some point. I'm willing to accept that, it's better than wishing I was dead every single day. What I want to know is, do you think it's OK to pursue pharmacy and keep doing like I'm doing, or is it an either/or thing? Supposedly 10-20% of pharmacists "abuse" prescription drugs so seems like I'd be in good company... What do you think? (Please don't tell me to just leave this shit alone, I already said I know exactly what I'm getting myself into. It's not like I said I want to start IVing, I want to keep my tolerance as low as I can for as long as I can... I just think my life is better with painkillers, even if my pain isn't physical.)

[drkstarcrashes]

While you may not have a habit right now, it definitely sounds like the potential is there for one to arise. If you have never been through any degree of opiate withdrawal...I can see why you might be asking this question. If you develop a habit I would say there is a greater chance than not that you will do something stupid - just comes with the territory of w/d. I can't tell you how many pharmacists I met in NA that had problems at work...I guess I should say *former* pharmacists. My advice, stop while you still have the opportunity for it to not completely take over your life...but this isn't what you want to hear. Maybe look into other options for your depression, i.e. therapy. Be careful. :)

[mkultra]

Supposedly 10-20% of pharmacists "abuse" prescription drugs
I've worked at 4 different pharmacies here in winnipeg I know a couple dozen pharmacists ( a couple of the pharmacies were very large >200people , i think that number is *much* higher. imho

[upstate_007]

I have never stolen anything and don't plan to.

Pussy.

Just kidding around wit ya. Seriously, if you have doubts about being able to do the job after putting in all the time and money to get the degree, you might want to reconsider. I know that there would be no way in hell I could work in a pharmacy and never ever take a little here and there. I just know that without a doubt. I could have gotten a great job in a family run pharmacy owned by friends of my family, but I declined because I knew what I would do.

Just be honest with yourself and you will know what to do.

And the percentage of Pharmacists that abuse................... most of them get caught, fired or stung out.

[CIIORNOTHING]

a fox in the chicken coup. great idea.

[Opiyum]

The fact that your already concerned enough to post this says a lot. As someone said be honest with yourself about this.
To me getting caught will be inevitable.

I know I couldn't work in a pharmacy but if I had the chance I would make it worth it by ust taking a huge amount of pills at one time. Enjoy them. Then pay the price...Oh and deny deny deny.

[GoddessofRATs]

I've worked in a pharmacy 3 times in my life. One time i had a day-stint, just a one day job in a pharmacy and i did something stupid and i didn't even have a habbit at the time. I'm not gonna say what i did. Thankfully i wasn't caught. God, that was like 10 years ago LOL. The other times i worked in a pharmacy i never did anything stupid but i sure thought about it a few times. But, i don't think i could work in a pharmacy now... no way LOL.

I wasn't a tech or anything, i was a clerk in a pharmacy and actually had access to everything, amazing! I'd get open the drug deliveries and see all the pills in the bottles just sitting there but never took any. But, I'd see those bottles and just sigh to myself lol.

So i don't know. I can't answer your question, you are not me and you probably will do fine. A friend of mine might be going to pharmacy school, she's been a tech for 20 years. But, she doesn't have a habbit, she never has.

Anyway. whatever you decide, good luck to you. I hear pharmacists make good money after about 5 years.

Oh, in your state do you have to have a doctorate? In Ca you do. Just curious.

GOR

[eveline]

It's my understanding that at this point all new grads in the U.S. have to have a Pharm.D. (You used to be able to get licensed with just a B.S. in Pharmacy and those pharmacists can continue to practice, the requirement is just for new ones.) It's 2 years pre-pharmacy (although a lot of people do a bachelor's) and then 4 years of pharmacy school.

Thanks for the responses. You're right, I have no idea how I would feel, or what I would do, in withdrawal. I can guess the worst thing for me would be intensified depression, considering that happens to me sometimes even the day after taking stuff... One thing that's good is I'm incredibly paranoid and not good at lying. That's why stealing pills has never even seriously crossed my mind (even when people told me "wouldn't it be awesome if you took ~~~")... But I can't convince you I wouldn't ever steal anything, and I don't need to, I just need to have a conversation with myself, like you said...

Also you're totally right that most of the pharmacists who do abuse drugs (at least the ones who steal) get caught. I know the all-seeing eyes of the DEA are everywhere in pharmacy. But that's exactly why I don't ever want to steal anything...

As for other treatments for depression, I was on Zoloft 200 mg (the max dose) for the better part of a year, before realizing/concluding it did absolutely nothing. I was in therapy (cognitive-behavioral, which I actually have a lot of respect for) the whole time too, which didn't help me at all either. I've also taken Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, and Wellbutrin for shorter periods, also to no effect, and seen 2 other therapists who were free through my school but subscribed to the Freudian school of psychology... enough said... So I've kind of given up on the whole thing. Besides, I'm a libertarian, I really want to pull myself up by my bootstraps, ya know? :p Though from my experiences with benzos, and a couple friends who say they really help (Klonopin taken as directed) maybe I should give that a shot... anxiety is a big part of all my problems and one woman did diagnose me with GAD. Though at the moment I kind of see benzos as something to fuck me up... haha

I guess the crux of it is this is really a future that I can actually see myself in. I'm really ill-suited to almost everything in real life and the world of pharmacy is like... orderly, fascinating... yes, well-paying... haha. Ideally if I am really happy and secure in my job maybe I won't need drugs, or will use them in a more directed way than spending my weekend alone nodding... but that sounds so good! You know what I mean... :(

Full disclosure: I probably will go ahead with at least completing my prereqs (first 2 years) for pharmacy school, because I'm stubborn, and terrified of what else I'd possibly do with my life. But I am listening. As I see it, as long as I work enough years to make up for the cost of school, even if I did lose my license I wouldn't be any worse off than not trying in the first place. Except jail time... OK... fair enough. Benzos and cat want me in bed. Um, thanks for not being too hard on me. You guys are cool, I lurk a lot.

[Raz]

Hola, welcome...Maybe if you got a legal script for your Tram, which you enjoy and get some time out from depression, that might be the answer...I'm sure there must be a legal solution somewhere? I dont know the U S system, but it looks like your tryin to be an asset.There must be a solution for you somewhere? Anyways good luck from sunny spain.The sun is shinin and the weather is sweet.....Raz

[eveline]

Hola, welcome...Maybe if you got a legal script for your Tram, which you enjoy and get some time out from depression, that might be the answer...I'm sure there must be a legal solution somewhere? I dont know the U S system, but it looks like your tryin to be an asset.There must be a solution for you somewhere? Anyways good luck from sunny spain.The sun is shinin and the weather is sweet.....Raz

Thanks sweetie. :)

Yeah, getting a script might be a good idea. I don't have insurance right now and order it from an IOP for cheap. Actually, tramadol isn't a controlled substance (yet... I have my suspicions that they'll schedule it) so (I believe) possession of it w/o a prescription isn't a crime. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The thing is I've been screwing around with other stuff (benzos... might get some MSIRs as a late Christmas present :rolleyes:) from time to time too, and I suspect even using infrequently is gonna increase my tolerance. I guess this is where I just need to be responsible if I am gonna go to pharmacy school. I mean, I hope I can go on with some sort of balance and never get addicted... but I'm trying to keep in mind that I really don't know at all. Thanks for the advice guys. I do know what's most important to me... most days anyway.

[Suboxstitute]

There is a shortage of pharmacists right now in many parts of the country - in my area, for example.

My daughter's friend just finished pharmacy school at age 26 (and yes, it was equivalent to a doctorate) and she was offered a $30,000 signing bonus and a six-figure salary right out of school.

It was Walgreens. They offered flexible hours and all other perks as well. She ended up going with a place for slightly less money that has several locations around the area, not really a chain. Still a big signing bonus.

Now - if you already know you have a pre-disposition to liking what you sell (so to speak) that might be an advantage, since you know you are at risk, maybe you'd decide to get clean - that the profession is important enough to get clean for. Or maybe I just talkin' pie in the sky, who knows.

Or go ahead and use, but never, ever steal from the inventory at work. I know I couldn't do it; I'd find a way to skim off the top of the bottles.

But isn't stealing the inventory really hard? I heard it is more common for a pharmacist to be good buddies with a doctor, and the doctor writes actual scripts. In undergrad, pre-med and pre-pharmacy have a ton of classes together, so there are a lot of pharmacy/doctor college buddies it seems.

ALL THAT SAID - go for it! If you can get past the calculus and chemistry, I think it is a GREAT job since there are so any part-time opportunities and the pay is good.