I have read some of these reviews here and seen a lot of comments about the horrible customer service. I have been there twice now and everyone one there was super nice and helpful! The people who work at the counter were pleasant and helped me right away. Both pharmacist I saw were great and this last time I told the pharmacist I wasn't going straight home and since my medication need to be refrigerated would it be a huge deal. He went in the back and got me an ice pack and wrapped my meds in that. Just went that little extra mile for the customer. read more

Very rude! At first the pharmacist Rey seemed understanding and willing to help with my situation. Called for an update and Rey went off on me for no reason at all. Telling me that I was wasting his time and to not call back. I am not sure if he's overworked, but his unprovoked out burst is unacceptable from a healthcare professional to a patient. Should be more considerate that people that go to him are seeking help. read more

STAY FAR AWAY!!! old grumpy pharmacist literally called my poor grandma a PIECE OF SHIT!! They refused to give pharmacist name who said that after we said we would notify the board of pharmacy !! Pick a different place there are plenty of good pharmacies around . This place needs to shut down asap for treating sick people this way. Sara front desk or whatever was trying to lie and cover her pharmacist as it would save her job. This place is horrible, literally broke my grandmother down I cannot believe it over some cough syrup he refused to fill!!!! read more

Sigh. My cats doctor placed a rush order on a medication for my very sick little kitty. They confirmed with me that the medication would be ready the next day. I patiently waited until late afternoon, and called to check up. The medication wasn't even on the belt yet. They gave me the runaround and one of the receptionists were always so rude. It was a male with a lighter voice. I didn't get his name. My cat passed away. I got a text a week and a half later that the medication was ready for pickup lol. I don't blame them for my cats death. I just wonder.. what if she got her meds on time? Would she still be here? I don't know.. This experience was just a wild one I never want to revisit. read more

Very friendly and fast service. Personally spoke to the pharmacist and he was very kind and patient.

Excellent customer service. Professional caring and personable staff. Timely service with clear communication about delivery availability etc. read more

It's too bad there are only two pharmacies like this in the area. Very frustrating to get a text on Friday morning that your prescription is ready for pickup, then Monday (days later) you make a special trip in the storm only to be told it's not ready. Now I will have to come back, second month in a row! Come on Lauden's, get it together!! read more

My experience with Lauden Pharmacy is excellent. Pharmacist is a very kind gentleman. He is always happy to help or answer my questions. He was very compassionate with me, when my dog started a new medication. He took the time to reassure me and educate me about this med. In my experience, this pharmacy is very accommodating and I enjoy communicating with them. read more

Read the warnings! Our very sick little kitty needed some medicine and the vet sent the Rx here. Vets need to start realizing this pharmacy is incapable of filling prescriptions. Had the prescription sent at 10am that evening it was still not ready said maybe the next day. So kitty struggled all night then the next day went in and said oh try again tomorrow. So I decided to call the vet and inform them of their incompetence. They resent it to a pharmacy In Scott's Valley and it was ready in a couple hours. If you care about your animals well being don't go here. read more

My vet prescribed an Rx for Methimazole Anhydrous PLO for my 19-year-old cat who was recently diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism Disease. This Rx originally came in pill form but it was ' high drama' for both me & my cat each time she was dosed which was every 12 hours. So the vet changed Rx to accommodate a different application which made it possible to administer the medication successfully w/o the drama. YAY! She directed me to this pharmacy where they hand-prepare the Rx. I highly recommend this pharmacy not only for their ability to prepare medication for specialized cases but their staff was amazing. They are very knowledgeable & gave me very clear & thorough instructions on how to apply & answered all my questions. I was impressed with their professionalism, patience & overall passion for the good care of the animals we love, our precious pets. My cat & I are most grateful to this business. Refills are a breeze AND they deliver. Cool huh? read more

Inconsistent. Went there because others referred me there as they got compounded medication at a more reasonable price than I had been paying. What a weird experience. They couldn't seem to remember my name, were a bit condescending and rude, then jacked the price $50 above their original quote, without an explanation. I left. read more

Thank goodness for this place! Now we have an alternative to Santa Clara Drug. Lauden charges way less for the medication one of our kitties needs on an ongoing basis, plus they mail it! Wheeeee! No more having to drive to the pharmacy! Yay! No more wasting gas and causing wear and tear! Woohoo! If your baby is currently getting meds through Santa Clara Drug and you'd rather have it mailed, look into Lauden. They're all the way over in Capitola but if it's being mailed, who cares? They're a compounding shop just like Santa Clara. We're saving a big chunk of change and they're easy to deal with. Yay for them! read more

Pro: only compounding pharmacy in Santa Cruz county. And compounding pharmacies are great, especially for pets. Con: BE CAREFUL! At least one of the pharmacists is poorly trained. They absolutely make mistakes. Triple check everything! read more

Every try to give a cat medicine? Its not a fun ordeal and usually involves chasing said animal about the house, grabbing them and then trying to place something in their mouths that they have no interest in being placed there. Not to mention there's teeth and claws involved. My vet uses Lauden. They are able to add tuna or chicken flavor to most liquid meds which makes the medicine ordeal a bit easier. The staff are helpful, provide dispensing materials appropriate for your "patient" and their customer service is great. Now if they could only help me chase the cat around the house... read more

My vet sent me here to get some specially compounded meds for my cat. The staff here was great and very quick service. The pharmacist gave me a choice of cat friendly flavors and showed me how to use the oral syringe to measure out my cats dose. This was done very quickly and no trouble. I would recommend this business and I would go here again read more

It's taken a week and a half to get my medication and it's still not right, They gave me a three month supply (which they've never done because my insurance won't pay for 90 days unless it's through their provider, which doesn't carry my medication) ugh! Lauden used to be very good, never any problems but the last few times they can't seem to figure things out! read more

Had a pretty terrible experience with them- like it literally took up days of my life. It began when I simply wanted to know what compounding base they had used for a medication I had filled several years ago when I lived in the area. On that call, they convinced me to fill a new prescription with them though I now live six hours away, because "we can do overnight shipping, no problem." So I was assuming I'd get the medication that week since my call was on a Tuesday. They mentioned something about $15 for shipping and Fedex. Sounds good! So I emailed the prescription and asked them to fill it. I called Wednesday morning, and was informed they had received rx but it would take a day or two to fill, which seemed reasonable, but that they also likely wouldn't be able to ship til Monday because it would cost $50 to ship on a Friday. I should've just stopped the whole process right there, but I had already gone so far, and they had been so nice til this point, so I asked if there was any way they could get it out by Thursday for me to receive Friday, so I wouldn't have to wait nearly a week for the medication. They said they'd try. On Friday, I called to see if it had gone out, and they said no, they were making it today and it would ship Monday. I asked if there was a tracking number or anything for me to track the package. I believe this is a reasonable request when you're spending nearly $100 for a medication to be compounded and shipped (apparently it's $20 when you need refrigeration). They said they would track it and didn't give me further info on the shipping company, coordinating drop off, or tracking the package. On Tuesday, the medication hadn't arrived by 4pm. Lauden's just told me "the day isn't over yet." The medication never came. At 8am the next morning, a number I did not recognize rang my gate while I was working. A delivery service I have never heard of then left me a voice mail saying they'd stopped by my building, and couldn't get in the front gate, and had left. I called them back and said I'd had no idea to expect them, and asked when they could re-deliver it. They said they only make one delivery attempt per day. They also told me the reason it hadn't been delivered as promised was due to the weather. We are all in California. I have family in Santa Cruz. There were no "weather conditions" in that time frame. They just didn't make the delivery. The shipping company then said they could come back the next day in a four-hour window. I said I can't be home and able to take a call to let them in with no warning at any second of a four hour window. I have to work. I have to shower. I have to leave the house. Every other pharmacy delivery service I've used has coordinated drop off with me and contacted me before driving away with the medication. There's never been a problem. I felt like these people were holding my medication ransom. Even if I was able to get my landlord to give this random company a gate code, I'd need to be home since this was a refrigerated medication. This was a nightmare. I called Lauden's to inform them it was appearing impossible to get this medication delivered. This was their shipping service. I had already paid for and waited a week for this medication when I could have easily filled it and received it within a couple days in my city. Lauden's had told me it would be Fedex and overnight- I'd had no idea it would take this long and be this difficult to get my medication. They did not apologize nor did they offer a refund for my trouble. Since I couldn't get the shipping company to give me a narrower delivery window or get them to agree to call me before driving off with my medication for another 24-hours (in the event I missed the one single call to my apartment gate), I told Lauden's I'd have to cancel and start the whole process over again with a compounding pharmacy in my city. Then, the next day, the shipping company showed up anyway, got in the building, and my roommate accepted the package while I wasn't home. I called Lauden's and said they could charge me for the medication and I'd just keep it, since it had finally been delivered, but to please refund the shipping cost due to all I'd been through. I was then informed that because the prescription had already been transferred elsewhere, it was now my responsibility to return this medication to this same shipping company. Then, when I wasn't home for the unscheduled pick-up, Lauden's re-billed me the full cost of both the medication and the "overnight" shipping. So, unless you want to be treated with unimaginably poor customer service standards, and you really don't care when you receive your medication, I recommend steering clear of Lauden's pharmacy. read more

I am happy that there is a compounding pharmacy in the Santa Cruz area, however this pharmacy is not the answer. I am treating an elderly cat for thyroid disease, and for at least the last two times that I have requested a refill the pharmacy claims to have never gotten the request. I use the internet and have given them more than enough time to contact the veterinarian and prepare the mixture. I always send an email to verify that they got the prescription request, but those emails are never acknowledged or responded to. If there was another compounding pharmacy, I would go there. Clearly this pharmacy needs to concentrate on CUSTOMER SERVICE. read more

Failed to confirm the charges, never called me back. When I finally called after 3 weeks they said my card wasn't on file and they said they had filled the prescription and I had to pay but I refused. Then somehow they "found" and charged my card and never told me. 1.5 months after the original Rx was called in they called for the first time and said my prescriptions were going in the bin unless I picked them up and I never wanted them in the first place. Down $170. Use the place up in Scott's Valley. They compound and will deliver. Do not use this place with their horrible business practices and customer service. read more

So here's the thing about this mom-and-pop pharmacy. They have a lot of technical difficulties with their system. If you have a standing order for medication with them. You never know if you're going to get that medication delivered or not. This can be very dangerous if it's a medication that has to be built up in your bloodstream or brain chemistry. And you will be responsible for catching their mistakes and then the response will be very nonchalant to your problem. And medication is not an area that the Santa Cruz chill vibe is acceptable. So if you're on a medication that you can't miss a dose or your life depends on it? This is not the pharmacy for you. read more

I have had horrific experience with the pharmacies in this area. I have used Lauden in the past for compounding my pets meds. My new Insurance company showed Lauden as my primary pharmacy so I came for the first time this week. I am overwhelmed with the positive caring experience I have received so far. I feel for the first time I am been talked to as a person. The other big chains, (CVS and Walgreens) make me feel like a number and I am typically spoken to as a number along with spending endless amounts of time in line. I don't even want to rant about them. I want to say how fantastic it is that we have Lauden here in the community. Real people caring for people. High recommendation. read more

Lack of compassion is a really undesirable trait in a pharmacist. My epic struggle against the Ice Queens of Lauden's began on a Friday in late January, in the middle of rush-hour traffic. At 5:50, I called Lauden's, explaining that I was stuck in traffic, and could they please stay open five more minutes? "No, we close at 6." "I understand, but my pet will die without her medication this weekend. I am less than two miles away, but I am stuck in traffic. Do you think you could wait 5 more minutes?" "We close at 6." *click* At 5:55, I called back and got another employee on the phone. "Hi there, I am one exit away from you. I will be there in ten minutes. I understand that you close at 6, but do you think you could stay open five minutes longer?" "No, we can't do that. We close at 6." "I know that you close at 6, but since my pet will die without her medication and you're not open on the weekend, do you think you could make an exception this one time?" "No, we don't get paid overtime." "Okay, even though you don't get paid overtime, do you think that you, personally -- as a compassionate person -- could take my payment over the phone and then just wait five extra minutes so that my pet doesn't die?" "Okay, what is your credit card number?" So she takes my payment, and I continue to slog through the nightmare traffic. At some point, I just pulled over, got out of my truck, and sprinted the last 2 blocks. I arrived, breathless, at 6:04 p.m. The lights were out, the door was locked. I collapsed against the door, crying. I started calling their phone line, hoping desperately that someone was still in the back, but Lauden's horrible answering machine wouldn't even allow me to leave a voice mail. That weekend, as I watched my girl struggle to breathe, the same words kept echoing through my head: "We don't get paid overtime...." Most of us don't get paid overtime. Sometimes you do things not because you're getting paid, but because it's the kind, compassionate thing to do --unless, apparently, you are a Lauden employee. These people act like they work at McDonald's and that they hate their job so much, it would kill them to go one extra step beyond the very minimal requirements of employment. Maybe it's silly, but I kind of expect more from people who are in a profession that is supposedly founded on the principle of caring about others. read more

The worst! Rude and unhelpful these people are beyond the pale as far as customer service and relations. (expensive too, see "bait and switch" review below) They give you the distinct impression that - 1.) They do not want customers. 2.) You are interrupting their conversations. 3.) It is a major effort and annoyance to have to deal with you. I won't be back - EVER. read more

You know what's worse than having a chronically ill cat? Trying to give a chronically ill cat a pill. Fortunately, I don't have to, because Lauden can compound her meds into liquid or transdermal gel forms. This is a huge deal! Having this service in the county is a real boon. The staff at Lauden has always been friendly and efficient, and the online renewals is very handy. read more

**************WARNING*********** Those of you who trust LOUDEN PHARMACY IN CAPITOLA to fill your and your pet's prescriptions need to be aware that they are not telling you the truth and very possibly giving you the wrong medication. I have a cat with IBS, she gets a daily dose of 5 mg prenisolone to keep the symptoms at bay. She has been taking tiny white pressed pills for years and they work just fine, recently, in the last year or so, Louden has slipped me capsules a couple of times instead, insisting that they are exactly the same medications. Well, they are not at ALL the same medications. The active ingredient is the same, but the formulation of fillers is NOT and this is what my Sophia was reacting to. She is suffering needlessly and for that I will not stand quietly!! When I called the pharmacist to discuss the difference he insisted on three different occasions that those pills are exactly the same as the pressed white pills. My sister-in-law happens to be a pharmacist and when I discussed this with her she said absolutely not, the formulation is completely different and it is entirely possible the fillers in the capsules are not only making her SICKER (which they are) but those capsules are very difficult for an animal with a normal stomach to digest, let alone a sick old cat with IBS. Furious does not begin to describe how I feel. All I can do at this time is let every single person I know, meet, come across that Louden's pharmacists cannot be trusted. My poor darling Sophia has suffered needlessly and they damn near killed her! I made this post public and I hope that everyone who sees this moves their medications to another pharmacy. Louden Pharmacy is NOT to be trusted. Please please please share this on your page, in other social networks so that other animals and people do not have to suffer needlessly. read more

I'm glad we have a compounding pharmacy in S. Cruz however, I find the staff to be comatose. They are very slow in helping customers and yes they appear not to need customers...I have spelled my mane so many times...I've been going there for a long time you think they would remember my name? Not to mention when I leave a message on the phone no one ever calls me back, and my doctors needs to fax my prescriptions several times because they claim they never received a fax........one last thing! this place is so depressing there is no life there no sense of urgency not even a smile! I may have to look somewhere else sorry! read more

I am an MD and have found pharmacists Debbie and Ray to be fantastic generous people. Always willing to collaborate on solving difficult patient problems and they have also been very generous in providing educational materials NOT puff pieces for a product, but solid data I can use to help my patients. read more

We've been using them for years through several generations of cats now. I've been pleased with the service, quality, and price. Compounded meds make our life much easier. I wish they were open on weekends or at least one evening a week because getting there during working hours can be a challenge. We are in Santa Cruz so having meds shipped seems silly. read more

I called Lauden's the day after our house burned down to replace my medications I had lost. They expressed sympathy and filled the prescription within hours. When I came in to pick them up they had an orchid and beautiful card with a gift certificate enclosed for me. I'm not a big customer of theirs, still they were so kind and thoughtful. I'll be forever grateful to them for the support they gave me at a very difficult time. read more

My cat needs Methimazole for his hyperthyroidism. Because giving pills to a cat twice a day is not easy I use Lauden Pharmacy to have it compounded so I can give it on his food as a liquid. I have read the reviews about mistaken meds sold at this pharmacy and don't feel really confident that I can trust them to do the right thing. My complaint is their pricing, which is completely arbitrary. For a 35 ml bottle, which lasts a month, I have paid in the upper $50's, even $60 and in between. Before my most recent bottle, which cost $37.93 I had been paying $27.50 for the last three months. When I asked why it had gone up by $10+ the person at the desk checked with the owner, who said I had been paying too little when I paid the $27.50. This, of course, is nonsense. There should be oversight about pricing at this place because the above shows clearly that this guy just asks what he feels like. Who regulates this outfit both in terms of quality accuracy of medications as well as pricing? To not be trusted is just about the worst comment one can make about a pharmacy but that does not seem to bother the owner. I have no complaints about the people at the desk. They are alright. read more

I have used this pharmacy for over 6 years. I find them to be knowledgeable, as well as personable in filling my RX and mailing them to me. I noted a mix of comments regarding the service and the negative remarks ARE NOT representative of my experience. This is a unique service and these people know their stuff. No business is perfect, I hope if you need a service such as this that you try Lauden for yourself and make your own judgement. Some of the individuals making negative comments have a history of giving negative remarks, while others take a balance approach. See for yourself and decide. Thanks to those reading my comment and thanks to Lauden for keeping me well. read more

These people are a blessing to Santa Cruz. Very few compounding pharmacies out there. Good job Ray!

For a good time, go and sit in the lobby and watch the constant stream of customers coming in to pick up their prescriptions, only to be told that "it isn't ready yet," or "we don't have record of that" or "it is on back order." On the surface, it looks like a clean and efficient business, with complicated-looking equipment, and mysterious hair-netted technicians secured in sterile environments, but that may just be a charade, as this may easily be the most inefficient, incompetent, dangerous business in Santa Cruz County. Oddly, they are offering a 2-for-1 truffle deal at the front counter though. read more

I just found out Lauden filled the WRONG medicine for my cat. Luckily no harm was done, but we didn't know until the vet called in a refill. The bottle isn't labeled with the medication name. They also way overcharge. I wish there was a way to take action against this potentially dangerous mistake. read more

I've been going to Lauden Pharmacy for years to fill my thyroid prescription and other homeopathic remedies and I'm completely happy with every aspect of my experience with them. I'm don't understand all the negative reviews as this hasn't been my experience at all. Several times my doctor has been slow to refill my prescription and they always do everything in their power to help and make sure it happens. They are always professional and knowledgeable, but also very personal and friendly. I have always had a very positive experience with Lauden Integrative Pharmacy from start to finish and I highly recommend them! read more

I just read some of the previous reviews and it shocks me how anyone can be critical of this pharmacy. The employees are more than kind and they always call me by name when I visit. My prescriptions are always done on time and I can't imagine any complaints. If I could rate Lauden pharmacy any higher than five, I would. When Syselia moved from CVS pharmacy to Lauden, I followed, and I've been happy ever since. read more

I just discovered this pharmacy, and my prescription went from over $400 a month to under $50. They are the first pharmacy I"ve ever felt that the obligatory conference was welcome and truly informative. They just refilled my prescription in one day. In my experience the service is friendly and professional. read more

There is no greater service available, nor are there more knowledgeable staff. Ray is King!

I have been picking up my monthly prescriptions at Lauden Pharmacy for over eight years, and I have never had a bad experience. Their helpful staff greets me with a big smile and calls me by name. They have gone out of their way to fill my order on short notice quite a few times. We are so lucky to have a compounding pharmacy in Capitola! They're small, and sometimes you have to wait in line a few minutes, but the line at CVS or Walgreens is always longer! Ten stars! read more

I have used Lauden Pharmacy for more than ten years. During this time my experience has been very good. When I have a question I can speak with Ray, the owner or another pharmacist and have always felt their attention and patience along with their expertise went beyond what is normally experienced at other pharmacies. Personally, I will not use Yelp to check out a business or practice as so many reviews that are negative don't tell the whole story. I have heard of people trashing businesses for fun, or because of a personal issue. I am sure the good experiences would far out number the bad In regards to Lauden Pharmacy. read more