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.

its the exact same though, its not a different type. Its not like switching from one kind of pill to another, its the same pill in a different packet.

Dr did nothing wrong, and you really should be able to name a drug you are taking every single day.

WOODT - are all the ingredients the same or just the active ingredients? I don't know if its the same with contraceptive pills but I had a friend who had a joint condition and needed to be on dicofenac every day. Originally she was prescribed Voltarol, which was fine, but then they gave her a cheaper alternative, which disagreed with her very badly even though the active ingredient was identical. As I say - I don't know whether its the same with those two drugs, but its made me be a lot more aware.

LRD - was it Norinyl-1? (I found a list here :o) If so then according to that list it does have slightly different active ingredients to Marvelone/Gedarel - which makes me surprised you've been prescribed it without discussion.
Has the rubbish actually gone or could you do a last ditch desperate rummage to retrieve the stray packaging?

Yes they are the exact same, ethinylestradiol with desogestrel, no different ingredients.

Marvelon and Gedarel that is.

Either way I think its pretty irresponsible to not have a clue what medication you are using.

Winter, I do see that. I meant to take the pack in with me. I'm not the best at remembering long names, but I knew it was progestogen of some kind.

Tangle - name doesn't ring any bells, actually. (I asked DH, I'm useless).

I'm really glad to have a better sense of how it all works - I didn't know how pharmacists went about decoding prescriptions and it makes sense now. Sounds as if the doctor was trying and failing to find something that matched the ingredients he saw in my record with something in his book, and when he didn't find what he was looking for he just left it up to the pharmacist, which sounds fine.

Cross-post. If you don't mind, winter, that's a bit off. I don't have 'no clue' what I'm taking. I know it's a progestogen, and the doctor has on record what the ingredients are. I don't know the brand name.

I'm not being rude, I think its essential for people to know these things, it might be useful to you.
You said it was marvelon, which is the same as gederal. But now you think noriday, which has a whole other active ingredient. Women tend not to think of the pill as an actual drug and take little notice of what they are taking.
I do think thats irresponsible because they should ba taking more responsibility for themselves. Its not a personal barb at you.

you shouldn't need to remember the name of the pill you have - that is your GP's job - it's on your records.
All he had to do was make yo ua repeat prescription.

And yes, taking a different pill is a huge difference - it is effectively starting again from scratch, and you migth react badly to the new pill.

nikel - it sounds like she wont be taking a different pill, just a different brand name of the same pill.

won't help you much it being the GP's job if you're in hospital suddenly and they need to know what medications you're on.

It might be the GP's job to know what you have been prescribed, but how is it not yours too? Its your body!

Winter, you are as inaccurate in your memory as I am! I never said it was Marvalon, I said that was one of the things the GP thought. The new one is Gedarel. DH says I've been prescibed Noriday and Norithesterine (sp?).

To be honest, if you can't yourself remember over the course of a thread, where everything is in black and white, you shouldn't be judging me.

I'm not likely to be able to memorize the name. I would usually take the pack in. Does that mean you think I should carry the pack with me everywhere I go?

nickel, I don't mind - I've only been on this one for three months and he may have had his reasons, or the pharmacist may. Certainly if it's cheaper, it seems sensible to give it a go. I just minded that he couldn't find anything in his book that matched the ingredients on screen, which seemed a bit strange.

I'm not the one taking it everyday! Thats pretty illogical. I have no vested interest in remembering.

Bottom line: GP should have known. But certainly so should you, and attacking my memory about what pills you take is just rather bizarre deflecting.

I do see the difference, it's just I think you're being OTT saying I should be able to remember. I should have kept the packet, but it is simply incorrect and a bit rude to say I've 'no idea'. That's the point I was making.

Well I didn't mean to be rude, but I think its an important point. The amount of people who don't even read the patient information in their medications, don't know that they take, don't know how it works.... I just find it incredible how little interest and responsibility people take in their own health and bodies. I don't understand how you can take something every day without knowing the name of it as an absolute minimum.

eviscerate - I know what you mean, but each pill has different individual ingredients. the level of hormone will be the same, but how LRD reacts to it will be different.

LRD - if you have no nasty symptoms, then fair enough, but it's a bad plan, just in case.

Also, there is a supply problem with Marvelon at the moment, with gedarel advised as the replacement.

GP seems to have only recorded the generic components:
ethinylestradiol
desogestrel

Marvelon, mercilon, gedarel are all based on this combination. Hopefully you're still getting the same amount of each.

I think it would have been simpler for it to be recorded as the branded drug; they could always "work back" if they want to prescribe a generic.

If all brands/ingredients are the same then why do people have different side effects to various brands. A friend of mine came off one particular brand because she had an outbreak of acne, she said the new brand she uses controls her acne. Another friend says her pill makes her hornier?!

Not all brands of the pill are the same, but some of them are.

For example, this pharma website gives some of the equivalents

Also, even with exactly the same tablet different people may experience different side effects, which is why finding the right pill can be a bit of a trial and error thing.

nobody said all brands are the same ingredients, some of them are totally different. Which is why they should know what they are taking.

sidge gave an excellent analogy using biscuits. Two different brands of the same biscuit are inter changeable. But there are lots of different types of biscuit. You wouldn't expect a HobNob to taste the same as a bourbon, but you would expect a supermarket own brand bourbon to be pretty much the same as a McVities one.

With pills, if someone can tolerate the reference product (original brand), then unless they have reactions to excipients, they will be able to tolerate the generic.

Winter: I know what it is: it's a progestogen. I know how it works. I can't remember the name. It's unlikely I will be able to memorize it.

Come on, you're being judgy for the sake of it.

I'm not being judgy at all. You were complaining that the doctor didn't know what you are taking when you don't know. I'm pointing out that if you expect someone else to know, you should know yourself, for your own good.

Be very careful - a friend of mine got pregnant when changing from one pill to another. Apparently this can happen even if you don't have a break, or only have the usual 7-day break, between the old and new ones.