If you don’t get prescriptions filled too often, you may have questions about the process. Do you have to pick up your medication right away? Can you have a family member pick it up for you?

Whether you want to know how long a pharmacy will hold your prescription or how to use a compounding pharmacy, Strive Pharmacy answers those questions right here. We offer medications for men, women, children, and even dogs and cats. 

Do You Need a Prescription for a Compounding Pharmacy?

Yes, you will need a prescription to get many types of medications, including compounded medications. Any doctor can write a compound prescription, including: 

  • Pain specialists
  • Podiatrists
  • Gastroenterologists
  • Dermatologists
  • Veterinarians

You do not necessarily have to see a physician who specializes in compounding medications. However, you may want to discuss the possibility of using compound medications with your doctor so they can prescribe you the right medication to fit your needs. This is because some states have restrictions on what can and cannot be prescribed. 

Can Someone Else Pick Up My Prescription?

You can’t get to your pharmacy within several days due to some issue. You may not have transportation, or maybe you’re waiting to get paid. You may wonder: can someone else pick up your prescription?

Yes, in most cases, a family member or friend can pick up a prescription for you. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the pharmacist is allowed to give the prescription to a friend or relative. 

However, the pharmacy may require the patient’s name, mailing address, or date of birth, so make sure the person picking up for you knows that information. Also, a valid form of payment will be required. 

There are some exceptions, though. Controlled medications, for example, are highly regulated and cannot be picked up by anyone other than who it is prescribed to, as a valid ID is required.

How Long Will a Pharmacy Hold Your Prescription?

Once your prescription is ready, you may wonder how long you have to pick it up. If you cannot get to your prescription right away, and can’t get anyone to pick it up for you, what will happen?

Most prescriptions take, at most, a few days to fill. If you don’t pick up your medications within a few days after that, the pharmacy will try to contact you to arrange for pickup. After a certain amount of time, the pharmacist will cancel the prescription and restock the medication. 

That’s not something you want to happen, especially if you really need the medication. Once it gets canceled, you’ll have to contact the doctor and have them resubmit the prescription to the pharmacy, which can be a hassle.

The amount of hold time will depend on the pharmacy, with the range being 2-14 days. CVS will hold prescriptions for only two days, so you need to act quickly. Walgreens allows a longer period of time, at seven days, with some locations holding prescriptions for even longer. 

Contact Us Today

While prescriptions may seem pretty straightforward, you may have questions about the process. Strive Pharmacy can answer your questions about compound medications and the process for getting them picked up. Call us to learn how long our compounding pharmacy will hold your prescriptions!