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Is my chemist harming my health?

S

ShyGirl

Well-Known Member
Messages
467
Someone wnet to collect my meds today only to be told "They will be ready next week".
This has happened before but i'm sick of it and feel like my health is being ignored.
My pills ran out TODAY , hence putting the order in on Monday- five days notice.
Is five days notice not enough? I've always been told you need three days notice. I'm so angry now as I start at my last two metformin :cry:
 
Not sure I can change them as they are my local one but i'm thinking of complaining , someting I usually avoid :oops:
I'd love to know why my meds haven't been made available in time. Surely they receive enough each week?
 
Around here the chemist picks up the script from the chemist and delivers meds to your house all done within 3 days, check with you docs if any chemist offers the same service near you, if so use them, that way it doesnt matter how local they are, Boots usually run a service. And dont wory about complaining about poor service, if you never complain you never get satisfaction.
 
Did you hand request to GP or chemist 5 days ago? In any case, it seems a long time to get a prescription ready, particularly for tablets as commonly used as metformin. Worth checking what timescale they claim to offer, and then complaining if they don't keep to it.
 
I'm sick of the chemist and the gp, theb gp stops prescribing my medication without consultation, now going to have to see him and see if he will re prescribe, the chemist wont sell me my cream, stating he cant and because i'm diabetic i have to see my gp. went to superdrug and bought off the shelf.

very peed off with all of them
 
When did the chemist get the prescription? The delay could be the doctor giving the chemist the prescription, my doctors can be useless at this sometimes and take days to do it. If you handed the prescription to the chemist this can't be the problem of course!

Re: do they receive enough each week - not always, my chemist never had enough metformin SR in stock, he always ordered it in in response to me dropping a prescription off (until I said as I was always taking the prescription to that chemist, so could he keep it in stock, he said yes), he was always very apologetic that he didn't have it there and then, sorry I would have to come back in the afternoon to pick it up, I think he must have multiple deliveries a day. I don't know if they all have this, but they should be able to get a delivery the next day, if not they sound really useless!

Large chemists like Boots always have everything in stock, but I like to support the small ones.

Edit: just had a thought - is your chemist open tomorrow? If so you could go and get your prescription back, and take it to a large chemist that will have the metformin.
 
Phewwwwww you make me feel very very Lucky. :D
I Just phone the surgery and order what i need ,script is sent across to the pharmacy
then delivered the next day three days max , always knocks then comes in as i can not get to the door in time.


In Boots not our normal pharmacy the other day asking for pill boxes as my wife will be away for few weeks .Shown some at £20 £35 but still not much use ,as i take 50 +pills a day (small compartment's)
pharmacist came out and gave us a good supply of one use large 7 day x 4 times of day
cardboard sealed pill packs , all free of charge , Result get in there


So it can be done
 
I'm even luckier - because we're so remote up here, the GP also dispenses the drugs. It's usually 48hrs turn-round for a repeat prescription, which we all know so no problem, you just order ahead. If you actually go to see the GP you get stuff immediately.

They like you to get all your repeats together, so in effect it's once every 4 weeks. You can either collect, or they're delivered to designated points eg village shops.

If you live more than 1 mile away from a pharmacy, you get the service. If you live close enough, you go to the pharmacy with your prescription, so everyone's happy.

We also have a great pharmacist in our local market town - 10 miles away from me. If I have queries about anything, I go and ask Angus - he's very knowledgeable and loves to help out!

The last government tried to stop the GP dispensing service - we fought tooth and nail to save it!

Viv
 
Thanks for all of the replies.

I took the plunge and rang up , something normally avoid. The woman said they hadn't received my prescription and I should call back on Monday. Any tips on what to say to my clinic?

Am I right believing her excuse? I don't want this to keep happening so will be mentioning to doctor/nurse.
I don't understand as my prescription is kept with the chemist . The only time I have a paper one is when I need one offs like antibiotics and other med?
My regular meds- metformin , Januvia , Diuretics etc- are already written up.
 
It could well be true shygirl - why would she lie? - my GP has a 48hr rule for scripts and they are sometimes filed late.

personally these days I would never wait until I was as low on meds as 5 days. All 3 in the family need different meds for different conditions - My GP only gives out scripts at 1 months supply at a time - I worked it so I we all have 2 weeks left at the end of the month - order scripts the 1st of every month then we always have at least 10 days in hand in case anything goes awry.

Speak to your clinic and see if they can fax a script to the chemist on Monday while you are there - or ask the chemist to phone your clinic - Boots have done that for me in the past - you need your meds and the chemist should be able to help you. They can get emergency supplies through he emergency GPs if they can't get your script - my OH has done this when he was away from home and forgot his meds :roll: (As we always get our meds at Boots he was on their computer so that made it a bit easier) - You can but try Good Luck :D
 
In my experience it is usually the GP practice at fault, not the chemist, eg they give the wrong prescription, don't sign it, or take ages to give it to the chemist.
 
My clinic are useless. I've finally been sent to hospital over my leg after years of not being taken seriously , one nurse made a remark about how expensive one of my meds are and a GP wanted me to have a scan...only to leave with nothing organised. Now this. I wish I could change clinics as how am I supposed to manage my Diabetes if they keep on messing up? I'm soo lucky that I was able to use someone else's metformin the last two days .
The rules has always been at least three days notice , a rule i've always complied with. Not looking forward to raising the issue but know I must
 
Do you see the same GP every time you go? It's worth trying - you can build up a relationship.

Why not write down the points you want to raise? which will give you time to get it right. Then if necessary make 2 copies, give one to the doctor to read, and have one yourself so that you can go through it together. It should take the 'confrontation' out of it!

Good luck! :D

Viv
 
Shy girl,

You need to go to the gPS, tell them that you are having to use someone elses meds (that should ring alarm bells) and refuse to leave withoit a pare prescription in your hand..Take a book though as it may take a while! Don;t blame them, but explain that you have now been without lifesaving medication for X days, and they need t ohelp you sort it out.

OK, it is their fault, but to be honest, the important thing is to get your medication. Also, if possible, explain to them that you will be reordering 3 weeks beofre teh old stuff runs out, so that you don't have to camp put in the gps reception again! I am more than happy to shout if I need to to (so not a shygirl!) but it doesn't always work...in this instance, I would go for teh appealing for help approach...leave the blame out of it, what you need is a result.

I have only had an issue like this once, and that was becasue the insulin manufacturere had problemsm abd wasn't producing any insulin. I went back to the GP in a panic...and pleaded with them to help and they did.
 
Also, when you get your prescription, make them give you two prescriptions so you have a spare if this ever happens again. I carry a spare insulin prescription in my wallet just in case.
 
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