I can't get my prescription - any advice please, really worried

[cottonwoolbrain]

I'm on a long term repeat prescription for epilepsy. Normally I get it every 28 days with each batch coming in about a week before my previous lot runs out.

The most recent one has not arrived. When I realised it was a couple of days late I contacted the pharmacy and they chased it. I went back to both pharmacy and GP a number of times and also phoned GP to chase and finally this morning the pharmacy had a note from the GPs saying I could not have a prescription until I've had a review.

I have 2 pills left for tonight and tomorrow morning and after that nothing. The soonest the GP can review me is next Thursday evening. If I don't take the pills I risk being hospitalised within 2 - 3 days of stopping. Even if not hospitalised, a seizure will usually leave me exhausted and in pain for a few days. The GPs are adamant I can't have anything until I've seen them and will not give me an earlier appointment. The pharmacy say that normally they'd give me an emergency supply but can't because the GP says no.

I've been on these pills since 2016. I have regular reviews with a consultant who has advised me to stay on them. Even if I come off them it would have to be tapered down over 8-10 week period not just stopped. I last saw him 4 weeks ago so not much has changed.

I honestly don't know what to do now. Actually a bit frightend as I've been warned that the seizures can be really serious if I simply go cold turkey with the pills

Can you phone your consultant's secretary?
Your consultant could either do you a hospital Px or phone your GP.

Do you have a contact number for your consultant or his secretary? If he reviewed you four weeks ago, get an urgent message to him today and he will hopefully be willing to contact your GP and explain the danger of what they are suggesting. I have a different chronic condition, and when my GPs tried to halve my medication a week after I'd been at death's door in hospital, my consultant rang and ripped them a new arsehole and there was a prescription waiting for me to collect that afternoon.

Could you try calling 111 after the surgery closes and ask to see a doctor from the out of hours service. They might give you a prescription once they've seen you.

The phone number is on your hospital letter. You should get a copy of these after each hospital visit.

This is awful behaviour from the GP - I'd phone the practise manager and tell them exactly what the outcome of this would be - and get them to get you a same day appointment.

If not - as others have said, call your consultant and get them either to send a fax to gp, or prescribe to you themselves and send to pharmacy. The consultant has seniority over the GP in this instance as it is your specific direct care.

I’ve had similar problems with immunosuppressant drugs.

Ring again and ask to speak to the practice manager. Explain as clearly as possible (I tend to gabble when I’m nervous!) that you’ve seen the consultant only 4 weeks ago and you NEED the prescription today.

Ring and speak to the practice manager and if that fails to work ring the consultants secretary and tell them the issue and they will likely ring the GP on your behalf- absolutely ridiculous behaviour from your GP especially as you are still under the care of a consultant who is the one actually saying what medication you need .

Thank you. It seems so obvious to try contacting the hospital. I've got the number for the consultants secretary and there is also an epilepsy nurse who may be able to help (she can prescribe) if for any reason I cna't get hold of him.

Off to try those two.

If I can't get a prescription I may as well book next week out as sick leave now and maybe pack a hospital bag ... (ok I'm being melodramatic!)

Thanks again I feel so stupid for not thinking of the obvious. If I'm honest I'm a bit paniced

Hope you get it sorted - if not I called 111 once and they told my GPs they had to give me an appointment within the hour. 5 mins later a GP called me.

Whatever happens, I think you should make a complaint to the practice manager. I hope you get sorted via the consultant. My other suggestion would be to speak to the prescriptions clerk at the GPs, and say you have an appointment for a review, but you need an emergency prescription to take you up to that date. This is vital medication, you shouldn't be without it.

Yes, please complain. If they had told you when you got your last prescription it would have given you 28 days to act. Or they could have just used their common sense and given you an extra appt.

What do they really think you are going to do with no meds? Even non medical people can see it's a bit dangerous .

Hope you get it sorted.

Thank God (well you lot actually)

Got epilepsy nurse on the phone and she's organised a months prescription to be picked up from the hospital pharmacy later today.

Will have to get on the bus to collect in a bit. So relieved and thank you all so much for your advise

Can't believe now relieved I feel.

Yay - thank goodness!! :)

Had a similar situation recently with meds that just can’t be stopped - glad you got sorted OP. Loved your description Spiderlight🤣🤣🤣

I’m glad you’ve got it sorted.

That’s very shoddy of your GP, quite shocking.

I think it’s probably worth your while having a ready-to-grab hospital bag packed anyway. You never know. (Which reminds me, I need to re-do mine.)

Glad it's been sorted. Please put in a complaint about your GP!

I'm very keen on ensure patients attend for reviews but this was ridiculous. I'm so glad you got this sorted out, please complain to your GP.

Going to get on the bus.. lets hope they're running smoothly today

So glad you got it sorted op, definitely put in a complaint about the GP.
I have been put in similar positions at my work, always ended up calling NHS direct and they would get a gp out to prescribe the medication within a few hours.

Your gp can authorise a prescription but for the future you need to look at the repeat prescription authorisation, usually it's for 6 months after which you do need to make an appointment.

Make sure you do get the GP review sorted as otherwise you will end up in this situation next month.
I hate how bad my GP is at coordinating with information from my consultant. I don't trust them at all but can't change as it's the only practice that accepts patients from our village. I've had them refuse to fulfil a prescription as they wanted me to have a blood test first - I have my bloods monitored at regular intervals at the hospital and both the go and I have the results but GP wouldn't accept them even though they were literally done a few days before. Thankfully my meds were changed slightly and they are prescribed by the hospital and delivered to my home now as they are injections. Does mean the GP still gets things wrong but I don't need to interact with them as much as before. Every time I go in though I make sure they have all my info up to date as they are shite at actually reading the letters sent to them.

I do think a consultant's letter should count as a review.
I can absolutely understand that if long term medication is prescribed by the GP, without any referral to a consultant, then obviously a review by the prescribing GP is important.
But, if the patient is having their review by a consultant, I don't see why the GP would be interfering with that.
I see my consultant every 3 months to review my condition, symptoms and meds. She writes to GP after every appointment.
Why would I want to waste a GP appointment when it isn't necessary?

Definitely speak to the Practice Manager OP.

Maybe think about changing gp! How stressful

That’s ridiculous!
There not listening to you, there just picking up words revue !
Not that you NEED this pills to function.

I’d be blasting that gp for causing me so much stress at the revue