Who should have done what? - Me and my GP

[JaneS]

I needed a repeat prescription for the pill I'm on. I would have taken the empty pack along with me, but as it happened I'd just taken the last one and DH binned in last night. So I didn't, though I know I am really not good at remembering long names. I know it's a progestogen of some kind, that's it.

The GP looked at my records, said 'what is this called' and tried to look it up in a book. He said he'd prescribe it using the data in my records, which was the special doctor's code, but he wanted to know the brand name and couldn't remember it right now. He didn't find it but thought it was Marvalon.

I took the prescription to the pharmacist and she gave me something I've never had before, which is called Gedarel.

I guess it doesn't much matter, no reason one contraceptive shouldn't work as well as another, but is it unreasonable to be a bit that the doctor

a) didn't know the name of what he was prescribing/what had been prescribed and

b) prescribed me something new, apparently without realizing he'd done so?

I've got a nasty feeling I'm at fault too here for not bringing the old pack in, but not too pleased with the GP either.

I'd go back and ask for the right presciption.

Giving me the wrong pill can make me vomit everywhere. Doctors are always trying to prescribe me Microgynon because it is cheaper than Yasmin, which works for me.

Why should you need to take your pack in? Surely the doctor can look at your records and see the last prescription you were given and just re-prescribe it.

Seems very odd that you should provide your doctor with the information.

I mean that Yasmin works for me, not that giving me Microgynon instead works (Doh!)

I think many medicines are a bit like generic groceries - your doctor is prescribing tomato ketchup and not brown sauce, but whether it's Heinz or Cross and Blackwell isn't really his major concern.

Still I'm surprised - I would have expected him to have record of exactly what you'd received and be able to repeat it.

Hi there

I believe Marvelon and Gedarel have the same ingredients so are essentially interchangeable if one is not available.

However, you are not at fault for not bringing the old packet into your doctors. You shouldn't have to do that. It should be clear on your notes what medication you are currently taking.

You can always voice your concerns to your pharmacist.

I sort of assumed from his reaction that it was a bit useless of me not to know the name of what I was taking (and it is, really!).

I don't mind trying a new one and if it's because it's cheaper that's fine too - after all, it might work better for me, so no trouble. It's more that I felt a bit uncomfortable - I mean, I can look at a pack of pills and work out that they're doing what I need them to do, but if it were something more complicated, I'd be reliant on him to get it right and explain why.

If I go back, won't he just say 'what's the problem, try this one?' Or is there any downside of changing contraceptives?

I'm pretty shocked and concerned that your prescription wasn't on your records

What if, god forbid, something happened and a hospital called your gp to find out what medication you were on?

I don't understand, my gp has everything on computers so they see quite clearly my entire history at the click of a button

Such - yes, I think so too. I've checked and they're basically both progestogen with added bits, which is what you'd expect. Maybe I am just being fussy.

mms - yes, it was on my records. He said that it was on his records with the ingredients which I wouldn't understand, so he wanted to find the brand name for me, but couldn't.

(As a side issue, I don't hugely appreciate being told I won't understand a list of ingredients but given I'd told him I couldn't remember the brand name I see where he was coming from! )

They're the same thing, just different brands.

And it may well have been the pharmacists who picked gedarel, not the GP.

Ah, thanks plastic, that makes a lot of sense. Good to know.

I think it was the pharmacist who should have said: "this is the same pill, just with a different name, the ingredients are the same." It does make sense for the GP to use the drug, not brand, name for the drug so that if you can't tolerate one you don't have to work through the other similar ones.

Not a problem. I work in the industry, so have a fair understanding of some aspects.

Now go and write it in your diary so next time he asks you can just look it up, brand name, generic name/ingredients and dosage. Even if you don't like it you will be able to say that xxx brand didn't agree with you.

Go on, go do it NOW

Good point zip ... have done so!

It is the same thing.

Gedarel is another 'make' of Marvelon. Different companies give the same drug different names.

GPs now have to prescribe generically, and the computer may well say 30mcg ethinylestradiol/150mcg desogestrel. That's what's prescribed, but the pharmacist will give you whatever that drug is in the make they have in stock.

So as an analogy, you ask your GP for more digestive biscuits. He writes a prescription for digestive biscuits.

You take it to one pharmacist who has McVities on his shelf so that's what he gives you.

You take it to another who has Fox's, so gives you those.

I admit to getting confused by the generic contraceptive pills myself as the 'ingredients' are such a mouthful, all have similar names and are in similar combinations! I sometimes get women say "I've come for my pills, I got them at the Family Planning Clinic last time, I can't remember what they are but they're little white ones"!

Well done littlereddragon - have a big shiny sticker for your chart

A sticker?! I have been good!

The GP is wrong IMO.

I don't take in any of my meds when I need them - I request them by repeat perscription. Admiteedly I know the name but I have asked for reflux pills before and get the ones I needed (couldn't spell omeprezole!!)

As Sidge says, your prescription at the GP will be the generic name not the brand name.

Marvelon and gedarel are the same drug just different brand names. Surprisingly he gave you the cheaper version (gederal £4.93 vs marvelon £6.45).

I guess it doesn't much matter, no reason one contraceptive shouldn't work as well as another

Just to say it can matter sometimes. That's the reason the GP was trying to recall the brand name in the first place. It sounds as if others think this is a generally acceptable generic swap this time.

There is no way you should have to take the old pack in with you. ...but if you could have remembered the colour of the packaging

My pharmacy told me that Marvalon production has been disrupted and so pharmacies are running out of stock. They wouldn't give me the other brand without a new prescription though.

Thanks everyone.

munster, I meant there's no reason to believe one I've not tried before mightn't work as well as the ones I have. I know what you mean about some of them being better than others for individuals, but you have to try to know.

I'd no idea what colour pack they came in, DH chucked it away. All I could have said was 'er ... little while pills?' Which in this case would not I imagine have been much help (don't think I've ever had non-white contraceptives!). Oddly, though, DH (whose memory is better than mine) says they weren't Marvalon either. Norethisterine? Noriday? Something like that.

nolita that'll probably because your prescription specifically said Marvelon. If a brand is specified, pharmacists aren't allowed to switch. If it just says the ingredients, then they can provide whichever brand they have in stock, and is likely to be the cheapest.