Hilary's Pharmacy

We have been coming to Hilary's for close to 40 years. In fact we moved away from the old 'hood just before COVID, and stayed with them the whole time. Jose and his team of pharmacists are knowledgeable, caring and provide the best customer service, year in year out.

I have ADHD, and the medications I need to stay focused are controlled, and therefore very difficult to actually get if you have ADHD. You are supposed to only get a month at a time, you have to get a doctors appointment to get a refill, each time... so juggling multiple appointments and refill dates.... and my insurance provider won't cover my medication and there are no generics, so its VERY expensive. Look up "How ADHD Treatment Is Not ADHD Friendly" I understand people abuse it, but if you have ADHD being treated like a potential criminal every time you need to refill a prescription is really awful. No one else with a physical condition they need help controlling with a chemical would be treated this way. I had convinced my new doctor to fill my prescription the way my old doctor did that both helped me not have to go in every month, have dozens of doctors appointments per year, and save me money as a month of this prescription can reach $300. The pharmacist had a problem with this, I asked my doctor to resend to clarify, but then the pharmacist here somehow managed to convince her to rewrite the more expensive version of the prescription at a lower dosage. I only learned this after going to pick it up, finding it wasn't fulfilled again, after I had told them I was already out. Meaning they should be cluing in I'm now in withdraw of this drug, which makes everything harder and more confusing. Oh, he called about it! Didn't leave a message, I assume this was the call he said he would do when it was ready for pickup. Meaning I was having a hard time organizing myself, as I need the medication, I'm not doing this and paying all this money because I don't need this very specific, expensive drug for ADHD. I bring my children into this pharmacy, I get expensive eczema soap here, I go here despite it being more expensive because I want to support local business. To treat me and my prescription this way, he is either he is assuming I am abusing the prescription, selling it illegally, or incompetent in taking it. The Dr. who taught me how to take my meds now teaches at UBC, in BC they don't criminalize people taking the drug. I took the drug this way for years, and the Shoppers Drug mart up the street and the pharmacist there never had a problem with it and understood that its both hard to have ADHD and that the drugs are expensive. They wanted to help me with my quality of life and understood I was an adult who could be active in my own treatment. And the weirdest part of this experience, Hillary's also didn't have the full prescription and offered to order some so I could pick up latter- funny enough the full prescription shouldn't have been dispensed all at once because I'm only supposed to get 30 days worth at a time? So they refused to give me the dosage I wanted but ignored laws saying they shouldn't give me the full 90 pills all at once! It was supposed to be dispensed 30 at a time. I walked away with 42. I'm moving anyway, so that was my last visit, but I want to warn others and talk about my experience. Maybe someone can learn from this. ADHD is often linked to trauma and abuse. My ADHD only spiralled out of control after a sexual assault. I don't want to take these pills either, I don't want to have problems either, I'm aware of how my life is made difficult by this. Being treated like a criminal and being worked against by people making profit off of my illness feels awful.

This little community pharmacy has been such a help to me over the past year, the staff are thorough and knowledgable and take care of their customers. John and Sandra make everything run smoothly. Very grateful for this spot.

Called to see if they had restorolax for my baby which was recommended by my paediatrician. They did not know whether there was a difference between adult vs baby restorolax when asked. This is a common laxative and although I was trying to support a local independent pharmacy, this particular pharmacy seems to lack basic common pharmaceutical knowledge. I ended up having to go to shoppers where they knew immediately the difference and were much more knowledgeable about pharmaceutical information. Would not recommend this pharmacy unfortunately.

I find the staff at this pharmacy really nice and helpful. It has a small community feel to it. They don't overstock items and carry great brands. I recommend it as a great neighbourhood spot!

My family has been customers at this pharmacy for many years with no problem, but these days when you go in the staff is so rude and full of attitude, we are living in tough times but respect your local customers who have kept you in business for a long time.

The store itself is fine as are the cashiers. The pharmacists are very abrupt and rude, however. If I had not filled my first prescription there of a course I would not be returning.

Great service. The pharmacists are super nice and helpful. Good products too.

Staff were very helpful and had faxed my doctor to have a new prescription ordered as it is no longer carried.

The attendants also speak Portuguese for those who does not speak English.