More is less and less is more? Be careful if they switch your pill size and color!

From a retiree, May 31, 2007

I'm glad to read that some finer points dealing with our drug coverage, etc. are being investigated and "someone" will have to give us answers to our questions. Since Medicare deductibles are set by the government, we can't do anything about that, but we do need to keep a sharp eye on the pharmacy STRS chooses for us to use.

Today, I received a prescription for a drug I have been taking since 1988 for depression. I take a 10 mg. capsule at noon and a 25 mg. capsule at bedtime. They have differed in color and size for years. Well, today's refill came and it's the SAME color as the 10 mg. and is SMALLER. For years, there was no danger of confusing the dosage, due to color and size, but now, the larger size is the SMALLER DOSAGE, and the smaller size is the LARGER DOSAGE. And they are now both the SAME COLOR! Boy, I'll have to watch or I will mistakenly take too much and that will be a disaster. It's the generic form of Pamelor, which I don't object to, but I DO object to this new wrinkle and will have to use a magnifying glass to see the numbers 10 or 25 clearly and not confuse them. The size difference is subtle enough that they could be mistakenly considered the same dosage. I don't need things more complicated to figure out. I wonder if some retiree older and less sharp than I am might be in the same predicament with their drugs and could easily overdose. It's scary!
[Note: I have contacted this person and urged her to contact the Attorney General's office about this situation. This is serious. KBB]