Don't forget your tablets

[Wowbagger]

I did. They have been sitting waiting for me at our local chemist for a week and I forgot until it was too late that I would be in Maidstone today and, it being a Monday, needing to take my methotrexate. It's been an enormous rigmarole involving several calls to my doc's and two pharmacists. I can't be the first absent-minded old git yo have forgotten my tablets. Why is the system so inflexible?

[T42]

Cos they reckon we're too bloody ignorant and/or gaga and/or dishonest to be trusted with a back-up prescription to carry in our dunnage.

But my quack'll fax one through to the chemist's.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Usually if you rock up at a pharmacist, say you've left your tablets at home or similar, they will phone your doc and issue an emergency scrip there and then (unless drug is something like an opiate).

[Wowbagger]

It has been a massive rigmarole, as I say. Maidstone pharmacy faxed doc this am. Southend pharmacy had "already charged" for the tablets waiting for me in Southend, so they couldn't be put back "on the spine", whatever that means. My understanding is that the obstacle is a financial one. I have made numerous phone calls, the most annoying being to my own doc's, where I invariably get placed a a queue that takes several minutes to wade through. When I am in Southend it is invariable quicker to cycle to the surgery to present myself in person.

[hellymedic]

Luxury!
I'm on injections that need to be supplied, refrigerated, from the distributor every four weeks. My prescription from the hospital is dependent on having normal blood test results.
I was due a delivery on Monday 2 November. This did not happen because the distributors had not received a prescription.
I realised early in November and phoned hospital, who said they'd sent reminder for blood tests to GP.
GP said they had not acted on this request but I arranged blood test for 9 November and they faxed results to hospital on 11 November.
I made numerous nagging phone calls to hospital and distributor.
Distributor finally received prescription late on Wednesday 25 November but they couldn't release medication until prescription had been through my co-ordinator.
I finally received my supply last Thursday 3 December...

[ElyDave]

Have you had the helpful pharmacist chat yet, where they ask you questions about your medication and whether it's still appropriate?

My general answer is "yes, until they find a cure for Type 1, I'll still need my life sustaining insulin and I'll still need to test my blood at least 7 times  day.  I'll let you know if the consultant changes his mind"

[Jaded]

Usually if you rock up at a pharmacist, say you've left your tablets at home or similar, they will phone your doc and issue an emergency scrip there and then (unless drug is something like an opiate).

This. Was easy to get a three day emergency supply when I forgot mine. The only issue was the cost, but hey, that was better than an attack.

[barakta]

Ah the medication use review... Not so bad unless they spring it on you, interrogate you, make judgemental remarks about your drugs without ANY knowledge of why you're on them and best of all don't even disclose clearly what the hell the interrogation is about.

Still need to find spoons to complain to my usually good pharmacy about that cos I wouldn't have agreed to it there and then cos I was ill/stressed already and it was framed as an urgent concern which it absolutely wasn't... 

[hellymedic]

I am SO glad I don't have that shit cos I'm only on the interferon...

[Wowbagger]

I have never had that either. I wonder whether there is a correlation between the frequency of these "interviews" and the cost of the prescription? Perhaps the government should give it to ATOS to administer. That would save a lot of money.

[rafletcher]

It's understandable though, a lot of people (especially now you can order online) get repeat prescriptions that may no longer be needed / be the most appropriate / be the most (cost) effective etc.etc. so why shouldn't the use be reviewed? I'm not commenting on the manner of the review however, which should be sympathetic of course - but who knows what pressures pharmacists are under to do them? Quotas anyone?

My wife was prescribed Zopliclone/Zimovane sleeping tablets some years ago. Her "old school" GP kept letting her make repeat prescriptions. We moved, and her new GP immediately stopped them. Why - because they are for "short term difficulty with sleeping", oh, and addictive too, if only psychologically. We coped, and she's a lot more alert in the mornings than she used to be. Now, perhaps, a pharmacist - who would see the person more frequently - might have referred her usage earlier.

She also takes Lithium (and has done for 40 years) and Thyroxine. Not much chance that her bipolar will disappear, nor that her thyroid will regenerate (having been zapped with radioactive Iodine to reduce over-activity).  She is allowed repeat prescriptions, but only 56 days at a time. That might be to do with the perceived risk of suicide among bipolar sufferers of course, or it might just be prudent prescribing.

[ElyDave]

Of course there are some occasions like you describe where repeat prescriptions for a short term use are allowed to go way beyond their sell by date.

But there are some things that just don't go away, as you point out with the bipolar. 

In my case I have 6monthly check-ups with a specialist and have undergone training to self administer my meds, the pharmacist has not and has no place to offer an opinion.

[Biggsy]

I've been on the same medication for a good many years and my pharmacist has never interviewed me, thankfully.  I want that done by my GP, if at all.  The pharmacist can contact the GP with any concerns.  I appreciate any specific info on medication the pharmacist gives me, though, like newly discovered side effects, for example.

[mike]

as I found last weekend, getting emergency contact lenses is almost impossible, even with a faxed, signed prescription from her own optician to show what she needed.

They all insist on doing an eye test there & then, and it was a saturday afternoon when we realised and no chance of an appointment at any of the 5 local opticians we tried.  Even telling them that she had a 2 hour drive home without any lenses in didnt sway them - no checkup, no lenses.

I had to drive her home, then get the train back to mine.

[andrew_s]

Even telling them that she had a 2 hour drive home without any lenses in didnt sway them - no checkup, no lenses.

Stable door and all that, but if you can't drive with no vision assistance, you should keep a suitable pair of glasses in the glove box, permanently.
I learnt that when I gave someone a lift to the Elenith, and didn't take anything other than the rigid contacts I was wearing. Just me would have been OK, but waiting 3 or 4 hours in the scout hall under the radiant heating resulted in such a thick layer of dried on crud that oncoming headlights were very difficult.

[mike]

Even telling them that she had a 2 hour drive home without any lenses in didnt sway them - no checkup, no lenses.

Stable door and all that, but if you can't drive with no vision assistance, you should keep a suitable pair of glasses in the glove box, permanently.

yes, we had that discussion!    

[Fab Foodie]

If I forget mine I try to stay well hydrated, not get excited, and not let anybody piss me off  ....