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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

was the doctor unreasonable to make me pay???

160 replies

annoyeddotcom · 17/08/2010 19:50

i'm married, 2 kids and had a split condom on sun night. called doctors on monday wouldn't see me for the emergency pill. told to ring today and spoke to the nurse who called thro to doctor who apparently shouted at her for interrupting him Shock and he wouldn't see me so have ended up having to pay £27.50 in boots for the emergency pill.

absolutely ashamed, having to pour out my sexual accident to a 20 something pharmacist- MAN- who seemed as embaressed as me!

Please tell me I am not bu!!!!!!

OP posts:
lyns2 · 17/08/2010 21:33

scottishmummy
get real.Some of the things said on here have not been discussions but clearly just an opportunity to bitch.

retreating with many knives between my shoulder blades

StarExpat · 17/08/2010 21:33

Oh that sounds better, expat. I also didn't know about fpc's.

scottishmummy · 17/08/2010 21:34

lyns twas you called other posters bitchy.no one has attacked you

StarExpat · 17/08/2010 21:35

So op you should have asked the chemist to ring your gp :)

Original poster
annoyeddotcom · 17/08/2010 21:35

nope it was little old me who was attacked. its ok i have wine and a box of heroes, this has been far more entertaining than holby city tonight!

OP posts:
EdgarAllenPop · 17/08/2010 21:36

hmm..the first time i had the Map I WAS 17, and the surgery prescription method (or family planning) way was the only way to get it.

i got an emergency appt for it as well - obviously they took a teenagers reqest seriously!

why should they now deny an appointment to a grown woman - she might take a silly risk for the sake of the £27 and not get the contraception, and it is a service they provide. a much more worthwhile service than many of the other things they'll see people for

maybe next time OP, just don't say that your appointment is for, but say it is urgent - which it is, the drug is more likely to be effective if taken sooner - 'call tomorrow' = a bloody stupid thing to say

oh an round our way it is £27 too. But free on prescription.

Tiredmumno1 · 17/08/2010 21:36

I feel like i am in a school playground Hmm

scottishmummy · 17/08/2010 21:37

well,yes pile in and post,expect a range of opinions and dont get hump if disagreed with

Original poster
annoyeddotcom · 17/08/2010 21:37

star, thats good advice but in practise he wouldn't even speak to his nurse about me let alone a pharmacist

OP posts:
lyns2 · 17/08/2010 21:37

I think basically implying that the original poster was irresponsible,immature or a bit of an imbecile for asking her gp in first place was a tad bitchy. But hey thats just me.
annoyeddotcom you have my full support. hope it works out for you. and gd luck with condoms in future lol.
with love(to you ALL)

NonnoMum · 17/08/2010 21:38

Sorry that you are getting such a hard time, OP.

I would change my doctor (seriously - there is a time constraint on the effectiveness of the MAP, i.e the later you take it, the less effective it is likely to be).

IF it wasn't well-known that contraceptive is available to ALL on the NHS, then yes, I would have hot-footed it down to the pharmacy first thing on Monday morning too.

BUT, you were NBU to assume that your Dr might see you. The Drs surgery isn't the A and E department (i.e he wasn't giving CPR during his morning surgery) so a contraceptive failure would constitute an emergency appointment (please correct me any GPs on the thread).

charlotteolivia · 17/08/2010 21:39

What happens to those who can't afford it?

I would be willing to bet that there is a lloyds pharmacy, or a clinic somewhere acessible that gives it out for FREE. Yes, you may have to queue, but there are other options than getting it from your gp.

Op, glad you got yourself sorted, put it down to experience, and feel comfortable with the fact that yes, you had to pay and it was irritating because you COULD have got it for free, but in the end you got the same result

This has happened to me when I have had to work all day after and had to run to boots in my lunch break and not had time for clinic. Irritating, but it happens

Tiredmumno1 · 17/08/2010 21:40

Note to self -

'only go to doctors if i am half dead'

nhs - Nobody Has Sense

Heehee

delusionsofadequacy · 17/08/2010 21:44

YANBU the GP should at least have suggested other places you can get the pill for free. Like other people suggested GUM clinics and family planning do it. Even A+E although that WOULD be unreasonable

For those complaining about the cost of the MAP - the BNF says its £13.50 from the manufacturer for levonelle one step. You then have to pay for the pharmacist time etc. The pharmacy won't get money back from the nhs for it so they have to make it worth there while.

Some pharmacies will do it for free though. Usually ones in areas with high rates of teen pregnancy or in areas with a high proportion of benefits recipients so it's worth phoning around and asking.

Tiredmumno1 · 17/08/2010 21:50

So its ok to dish it out free to the underage teens.

but if you are older you have to pay Hmm

thats why its so expensive you are also dishing out money for the teens that dont pay for it

EdgarAllenPop · 17/08/2010 21:51

i also think the OP has ben treated badly on this one too - i mean seriously - Doctor can't find 5 minutes for someone who really does require a prescription?

that's really rubbish.

booyhoo · 17/08/2010 22:02

i was 19 the one time i needed MAP, i went to FPC and they said because i was over 18 i had to pay, they wouldn't give it to me. i thought this was fair enough tbh. i wouldn't have dreamt of wasting GP time for a prescription.

racheyh · 17/08/2010 22:03

Don't know if this has been mentioned but incase anyone has any future need for emergency contraceptive pill try Tesco's pharmacy. I got it for free there don't know why and I didn't ask but worth a go if it saves £27!

Tiredmumno1 · 17/08/2010 22:18

Its not a waste of gp's time.

like someone said earlier its not a and e. that is what the doctor is there for, medical advice.

Sidge · 17/08/2010 22:28

It's not a waste of GPs time at all, but if he's a one-GP practice he probably had no appointments free.

(It would be worth his while getting a practice nurse that is FP trained though!)

Mum72 · 17/08/2010 22:56

I got a prescription from GP about 18 months ago for the MAP after a condom fail!

The one & only time I had ever needed the MAP before was 20 years ago, when you HAD to see your GP for a prescription.

I had no idea early last year when I needed the MAP that it was now available over the counter. Dunno where I have been not to know Blush but there you go I just did not know until my GP mentioned it at the end of my appointment.

Personally I would have preferred to have just popped to Boots in the first place over putting myself through the cringey convo with my GP as to how exactly I found myself needing the MAP.

I think your GP was rude with his tone (shouting??? did I read?) but not unreasonable to ask you to get it from the pharmacy yourself - but be reassured you're not the only one to have (in recent time) asked your GP in these circumstances.

Hope it works and all turns out OK for you.

musicmadness · 17/08/2010 23:13

YANBU! It isn't uncommon but it can have consequences for people who can't afford to lose £30. A girl at uni tried but failed to get the MAP when her GP wouldn't see her in time. local pharmacist charged and on a tight budget it was a choice between food that week or the MAP, an obvious choice. She ended up pregnant and got an abortion. Surely it would have been better to give her the MAP on prescription in the first place! from a business point of view must be a lot cheaper than an abortion too. I only found out as she was warning as many people as possible not to register with that GP!

hedwig2001 · 17/08/2010 23:18

I've just checked the NHS choices website and found this.
"The emergency contraceptive pill is available free from:
your GP
any family planning clinic
some pharmacies
any genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic or sexual health clinic
any NHS walk-in centre
any young persons' clinic or Brook Advisory Centre
some hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments"

So I think it was your GP who was being unreasonable.

tethersend · 17/08/2010 23:37
galletti · 17/08/2010 23:37

No need to feel ashamed at all, that's life -that's why they and chemists provide it.

But I do feel YABU having to pay the amount you did. You had an accident with a split condom, but there will be many other people (probably the majority) who would use the morning after pill as contraception, if it was so easy and free (or prescription charge)to get it, and doctors I think have a right to put ill people above seeing someone who has another option to their problem.

But, please, don't feel ashamed about it.

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