Can't even afford a fucking inhaler

[GlitzAndGigglesx]

I'm in the UK. I have a monthly prescription for my inhaler. My inhaler has ran out as I've been poorly and needing it more than usual plus I'm asthmatic. I called my surgery today and got a telephone consultation to be told I can't have a new script for one for another week. I've looked on med express who could give me one but it costs about £12. I know it's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but it is for me at this point in time. I'm crying due to the fact I'm not yet eligible for one off the NHS and I have a chesty cough. Just gonna curl up in a ball and cough myself to sleep

I think there’s three issues here - 1 you need to see a GP in person urgently for your current chesty cough. 2 you have no asthma meds left and you can’t wait a week with no inhaler. 3 you need an asthma review as you’re using your inhaler up before the months out. As a pp has said use 111 if you have to.

I had similar with blood pressure meds they were only giving one prescription per month, wasn’t allowed to order until a certain date , then it would take three days so I used to have to borrow some of the chemist, can you ask the chemist for an emergency supply until your prescription is ready ?
I’ve since seen the doctor and now get two per prescription it was madness how they did it as I really can’t not take them. Hope you get sorted, but ring your chemist and ask they will likely give you an emergency one for now.

No the preventer is designed to last a month dosage wise. But my asthma if bad I've been told I can extra dose but it's better to see the GP have them listen to my chest to determine if I need antibiotics, steroids. Last winter I got both.

@GlitzAndGigglesx you need a face to face appointment, tell them you have a chest infection

The pre-payment certificate doesn’t affect the prescription frequency or quantity.

But as you say, the OP needs a face to face asthma review, urgently.

This is what I was going to say. That is way over the prescribed daily usage of an inhaler. You need a doctor’s appointment- which is nurse told you.

Asthma care must be really inconsistent. I've had asthma for 30 years and I can't remember ever having a "review" or a "care plan". I take my ventolin when needed and request a prescription for the purple one when it flares up as I know it works. No questions asked and I don't even need a face-to-face appointment.

What are you talking about? You don’t need to be wheezing heavily to need your reliever, don’t be silly.

Hello everyone,
Standard messsage, really, but we'd also advise against posting and receiving meds from MNers.

We've had a number of reports from people concerned about this thread so, as we usually do in these circumstances, we're putting our heads round the door with some important reminders.

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Sorry to hijack your thread briefly there, OP – we really hope you get it all sorted soon.

That’s absolutely shocking!! Sorry OP for my mistake, and thank you PP for educating me!

Keep pushing, though. I hope it gets sorted for you x

Hopefully you rang doc /did an anima at 8am and got a reply back

so many and myself have said you aren’t using this right. The blue inhaler is reliever - and should be used sparingly

if using lots , every day and one a month then you are way over using and why you are limited

you need a preventer which are in diff colours. Often brown is given but can be green lilac purple light purple etc - depends what strength and dose

I find it really weird you don’t have a preventer which take 1-2 times am and pm

if you actually had asthma you would get a preventer or they give you for another reason

it just doesn’t make sense @GlitzAndGigglesx

blue isn’t a preventer

blue is a reliever

Nobody is getting a “ nice hit” from an inhaler!

There are new guidelines on the use of inhalers in the management of asthma

All acute services, including A&E, have been advised to follow these

https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/asthma/treatments/changing-medicines

@GlitzAndGigglesx see your GP, and arrange an asthma review

Posted this and the link earlier but OP hasn't acknowledged so may not have seen it. It would be the quickest route to actually getting a new inhaler.

Back when I was a child my GP told me that the risk of overdosing on a salbutamol inhaler was negligible and the worst that could happen was I might feel a bit light headed (this was in response to me being allowed to keep it on me at school).

The risk of not taking one when needed far outweighs anything else.

Saying that OP, you need an urgent review.

There are new guidelines on the use of inhalers in the management of asthma

All acute services, including A&E, have been advised to follow these

Given none of the new guidelines include leaving someone with breathing difficulties with no inhalers, it is likely A&E would have given an inhaler if the Op goes there as they don't want her landing on them in a worse condition.

As the nurse practitioner should have done - be that ventolin or another type.

Asthma care is appallingly inconsistent. And in many places appallingly poor.

It should be consistent and everyone should have a plan, but it entirely depends on your GP.

My DD has regular asthma reviews, an asthma plan and can make appointments with a specific GP or nurse if she wants to discuss her asthma. I've never had a plan, had to argue for an appointment when my inhalers stopped working well and I had my asthma attack in years (required an a&e trip) and our surgeries are literally 3 miles apart. Same health board.

Hence why OP was advised to see her GP where a clinician will review her inhalers etc.

@GlitzAndGigglesx and ask to be tested for Helicobacter pylori as non infectious/sinister coughs can be associated with this. The test involves you collecting a small sample of faeces for laboratory testing, results are usually available within a week, and if positive you'll be treated with medication

patient.info/digestive-health/dyspepsia-indigestion/helicobacter-pylori

Hey @GlitzAndGigglesx Are you OK? How's it going? Did you get an asthma review appointment?

Arguably, if you are waiting until you are near death to use your inhaler that’s probably the reason you are near death.

Hi guys thanks for all your help and thanks for those judging and questioning my medical history. I was seen this afternoon and have been given a steroid inhaler with specific doses. Yes I was overusing my blue inhaler but with my track record of chest infections and wheezing I panicked. Thanks for all the helpful advice

Hi all sorted now thanks for asking 😊

A brown /purple one and 2 puffs am and pm?

I still don’t understand why you only had a reliever and not a preventer

but glad sorted now

The simple answer is that the list of exempt conditions hasn’t been changed since prescription charges were reintroduced in the 1960s, and organ transplants didn’t become common until the 1980s…