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 a real problem this supplier/manufaturing issue with these pills - the doctors don't seem to know anything about it even though its been going since Nov apparently.

When I couldn't get mercilon they prescribed me loestrin instead for a few months which is really bad for PCOS hence why my gynae then prescribed marvelon so have been through the hassle of trying to track down supplies then getting another prescription!

Well, if the GP you saw was a locum, that explains it all.

There isn't one 'GP Operating system' at use in the UK, I'm afraid. Different practices use different ones. The information, past scripts, consultation notes etc, WILL BE on your records, but a locum might never have encountered that system before and not know how to find the info. Plus, filters may be set up so that he only sees critical info, like serious illnesses and allergies.

So that explains why he might not have bene able to find the thing. He SHOULD have belled reception and asked someone to come find the thing for him and he should have told you why he was having trouble but it's not a lack of accurate record keeping.

And, yes, combined pills can be bad for some conditions because they raise the blood pressure etc, so if you've been switched from a single drug (no break, take within three hours) to a combined (break, take within twelve) you're taking a completely different medication!

Unfortunately, I agree with Winter and gasman to some extent. You're taking it, you should know what it and why you're taking it, precisely because of scenarios where you may need to seek medical assistance from someone other than your GP.

If you can't recall - cut the pharmacy label off the next box(es) down to just the size of the label and stick them in the card slot of you purse - that way you always have them with you!

JaneS in a generic version of medication you would expect the active ingredient (API) to be the same, in the same quantity (otherwise its not a generic version), but not the excipients (inactive ingredients). So different versions of a medication could cause different side effects in some people. To say otherwise is very misleading; excipients are often bio-active, just ask anyone with lactose intolerence (lactose is a very common excipient).
Excipients often are identical as actually there aren't that many to choose from that are acceptable for consumption.

And Marvelon is quite definitely a combined pill, not progesterone only.