# Can anybody read this? Need answer fast! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2008, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156 "2008-12-01T06:37:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/1 "2008-12-01T06:37:16Z")
Can anybody read the top line in [this prescription](http://www.hamiltonroots.com/photo.jpg)? I got the clotrimazole 1% OK, and the albuterol, but I can’t decipher the top line. Need answer within a few hours. Will be eternally grateful to anyone who can decipher it. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/2 "2008-12-01T06:47:09Z")
It looks like [bactrim DS](http://www.drug3k.com/drug/bactrim-Ds-12994.htm)T tab ---
**Author:** ![vintageloveletter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@vintageloveletter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vintageloveletter)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/3 "2008-12-01T06:48:38Z")
Looks like Bactrim DS, 80 mg two times a day for 7 days. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/4 "2008-12-01T07:11:59Z")
Yep, that’s what I thought, but I wasn’t sure. My wife is 1000 miles away and she had to make a trip to the ER today for an infected bug bite. She’s really low on cash, and I wanted to quickly Google for the best price on those meds. 1000 thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/5 "2008-12-01T08:45:54Z")
Almost there: Bactrim DS one tablet by mouth twice daily x 7 days (dispense #14) P.O.= Per os _(“by mouth” – latin_) ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/6 "2008-12-01T09:09:42Z")
Does she also have asthma, or did she have an allergic reaction to the bite which caused her airways to lock up? Just curious. Q ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/7 "2008-12-01T09:16:35Z")
> [@Tibbytoes](#): > > Bactrim DS one tablet by mouth twice daily x 7 days (dispense #14) This is exactly what the script says. The generic of Bactrim is sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. Since the OP was worried about price, this medication is on Publix’s free antibiotic list. So if you if your wife has a Publix around she can get it for free. Otherwise, I think it is on Walmart’s $4 list, and I know the cost at Rite Aid (where I work) is at most $10.99. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/8 "2008-12-01T09:26:04Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Does she also have asthma, or did she have an allergic reaction to the bite which caused her airways to lock up? > > Just curious. > > Q She has asthma. She’s always running out of albuterol, so she asks for a scrip every time she happens to see a doctor. > [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > Otherwise, I think it is on Walmart’s $4 list, and I know the cost at Rite Aid (where I work) is at most $10.99. Thanks, I already checked the Wally World list and it is indeed on it. I e-mailed her about an hour ago and suggested that fill the prescription there. Are you an R.Ph or a tech? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/9 "2008-12-01T09:32:48Z")
One of the things I actually _like_ about Wal-MArt and similar stores. (Although they _do_ make you wait, hoping you’ll shop and spend a little more than the 4 bucks for your meds. 😉 I don’t know if the question was directed at me, but I asked because I’m a respiratory therapist, and have seen patients come in in status asthmaticus (life threatening) after being bitten by a bee or wasp and not realzing they were allergic. Those are some very hairy eipisodes… Glad your wife’s keeping up with her Albuterol and I hope she’ll soon be better! Q ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/10 "2008-12-01T09:34:38Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Are you an R.Ph or a tech? Neither, I’m actually a Pharmacy Intern. I will graduate in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/11 "2008-12-01T09:45:43Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > I don’t know if the question was directed at me, but I asked because I’m a respiratory therapist, and have seen patients come in in status asthmaticus (life threatening) after being bitten by a bee or wasp and not realzing they were allergic. > > Those are some very hairy eipisodes… > > Glad your wife’s keeping up with her Albuterol and I hope she’ll soon be better! > > Q No, it was directed at the other guy. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words. I’ll make sure she sees them. She’s a respiratory therapist too. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/12 "2008-12-01T09:47:15Z")
> [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > Neither, I’m actually a Pharmacy Intern. I will graduate in 2011. R.Ph or Pharm.D.? ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/13 "2008-12-01T09:58:48Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > R.Ph or Pharm.D.? I will graduate with a Pharm D. degree (Doctor of Pharmacy), once I take the boards and pass, I will become a R.Ph (Registered Pharmacist). The two are not mutually exclusive, Pharm D. is the degree (like a BS, AS, PhD, MD, etc), while R.Ph just means your licensed as a pharmacist. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/14 "2008-12-01T13:43:18Z")
> [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > I will graduate with a Pharm D. degree (Doctor of Pharmacy), once I take the boards and pass, I will become a R.Ph (Registered Pharmacist). > > The two are not mutually exclusive, Pharm D. is the degree (like a BS, AS, PhD, MD, etc), while R.Ph just means your licensed as a pharmacist. Washoe is probably referring to the difference between the B.S. Pharm degree (Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy) vs. the PharmD degree (Doctorate of Pharmacy). The B.S.Pharm degree was typically a 5-year course (2 years pre-pharmacy + 3 years professional study) with the option to continue on to the PharmD degree (a good choice for hospital pharmacy, research, etc.). The B.S. Pharm degree has been phased out in the United States (still available in Canada, I believe) and only the PharmD degree is currently offered (at least 2 years pre-pharmacy/undergraduate study followed by 4 years professional study). ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/15 "2008-12-01T21:08:02Z")
Yes, thank you for clarifying that. For some reason my mind is locked into thinking of Pharm.D. as an academic degree, and that they’re “above” working in a pharmacy, which of course is not true. It’s similar to thinking that a psychiatrist is “better” than a clinical psychologist, which is also of course not true. For some reason I always want to equate Pharm.D. with pure science, and R.Ph with applied science. While that is to a large extent true, since an R.Ph without a doctorate cannot publish, almost all Pharm.D.'s take the boards. Not taking the boards would be like getting a J.D. and not taking the bar. I actually know a couple of people who did that, but it’s uncommon. Basically what I was asking is whether or not **Hirka T’Bawa** is working on a graduate degree or not. And as you pointed out, s/he most likely is. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-read-this-need-answer-fast/475156/16 "2008-12-02T02:11:21Z")
To a large extent, what you say is true. Years ago, as a student pursuing the now antiquated B.S. Pharm degree at the _Philadelphia College of Pharmacy & Science_—since renamed, the \*University of Sciences in Philadelphia \*(the oldest…and dare I say it, the best Pharmacy school in North America;)), we felt our PharmD-track classmates were little more than pencil neck geeks, more interested in studying the pharmacology of psychotropic pharmaceuticals in-vitro as opposed to in-vivo…at the frat house…amongst a bevy of naughty, nubile lassies. Count pills at Rite Aid? We couldn’t imagine a PharmD doing that. I’ve been out of the pharmacy loop for nearly thirty years, so I don’t know where, on the _pencil-neck-geek-scale_, the current crop of matriculated pharmacy students lie—but I hope they get their pencil tips dirty every once in a while. I, somewhat ruefully, went on to become a physician, wondering why I left a perfectly nifty career handing unassuming, pristine medicaments for a job dealing with gristle, gore and transparent malingerers of all types. (Bah, I’m just pissed I didn’t become a concert pianist—but, apparently Julliard doesn’t think it’s good enough to hammer out Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Etudes by ear, they want you to have taken music lessons, too—bastards:)).