‘God only knows what could have happened’ Lehigh Acres woman given wrong medication
The past year for Pamela Rose has been a hard pill to swallow.
When Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, the hairdresser went through a list of treatments.
"Medicine has taken so much from me," said Rose. "I have been at a point where I feel like it's my last moment."
Although the medicine made her cancer-free, she now battles severe blood clots.
"This is something that can creep up on you in the middle of the night and take your life," said Rose.
Her blood thinners help keep the clots at bay. She can't afford to miss a dosage, or it could cost her her life.
When Rose picked up her prescription at a Walgreens off Homestead Road North in Lehigh Acres, everything seemed routine until she popped the cap.
"The label's correct, the paperwork is correct, but there is a different medication in the bottle completely," said Rose.
It's not a hard difference to spot.
The blood thinner medication should have been an off-white capsule.
"I open the bottle and I pour one in my hand, and I had like this triangular tablet. And I thought, 'Well, that's strange,'" said Rose.
So, she went to confront the pharmacist.
"I set it all down. And I'm like, 'This pill is not what belongs in this bottle.' And he's like, "Oh yeah, that's a sugar pill. That's not the right one. Let me get that for you." And he walks to the back like it's no big deal," said Rose.
WINK News reached out to Walgreens, and a spokesperson for the company sent the following statement:
"Had I not paid attention, I would have taken this medication, and God only knows what could have happened the next day," said Rose. "When you get into the situation where somebody else has the potential of taking your life just based on a medication...it's terrifying!"
