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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Unwilling to "share" medication with DH

102 replies

PMDD · 20/01/2014 12:14

DH and I are on antidepressants, Sertraline (sp?). I am on 50mg a day and DH is on 200mg. My prescription is for a packet that contains 1 pill a day. DH prescription is a packet that is a double dose and he has to take 2 pills a day - therefore the equivalent of 4 of my pills a day.

Normally we keep our renewal prescription in the bathroom cabinet next to each others, so when I renew my medication, I renew DH too. For the last few months I pop both the pescriptions into the drs and 2 working days later the chemist has it ready to pick up.

This month DH moved his medication and also his form to repeat the prescription but I didn't know where. I told him that I was renewing mine last week but he forgot to give me his repeat form.

This Saturday morning DH said that he had run out of medication and could he take mine instead? I said no because even if I get his renewal form to the drs on Monday morning, the earliest his prescription would be ready would be Tuesday, perhaps even Wednesday. This would mean he would need to have 16 of my pills to cover the 4 days.

I couldn't even 'borrow' back as his individual pills are double my dosage. The drs will start asking questions if I hand in another renewal form 2 weeks early.

He went bananas and said I was selfish. I don't think I was. Was I?

OP posts:
kali110 · 20/01/2014 16:28

Dont know about ops surgery but mine will not take prescription requests over the phone, emergencies or not. Have to be in writing and takes 48 hours. I thought all surgeries were the same that all requests were not allowed over the phone ( thought they made exceptions for elderly and disabled)He could go to his pharmacy that he gets his medicine dispenses from and see if they will give him an emergency supply.

You should not share medicines with people yes, but when youre on the same drug i don't see the harm. Second what i said earlier, its very easy to split a 100mg tablet in half.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 20/01/2014 16:42

Would it be helpful if your DH had his dispensed in the smaller sizes that you take and just take more of them? That way you'd have a bit more flexibility if one of you forgets to renew their prescription? Having said that it's pretty unusual for both husband and wife to have the same prescription drugs so really he needs to make sure he orders in good time in future. I think I'd let him have tablets from yours today and get him to arrange a prescription for himself quickly (perhaps asking for the smaller size tablets).

flowery · 20/01/2014 16:47

"Dont know about ops surgery but mine will not take prescription requests over the phone, emergencies or not. Have to be in writing and takes 48 hours. I thought all surgeries were the same that all requests were not allowed over the phone"

I expect surgeries get to set their own rules. But any surgery will be able to provide prescriptions quicker than their normal procedure in an emergency. Your surgery may require the person to come into the surgery, or to make an appointment to see the doctor.

Either way, there is always a way of getting prescriptions quicker in an emergency.

Leverette · 20/01/2014 16:52

This reply has been deleted

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IneedAsockamnesty · 20/01/2014 17:06

Of course it's a safe drug I was not trying to imply it was not,I made a mistake that I tried to acknowledge by saying I was under the impression,I should have been clearer and included opps at the start and a red face at the end.

Original poster
PMDD · 20/01/2014 17:41

Hello, OP here. My DH realised he was down to his last dose of Sertraline on Saturday morning. He could have phoned the emergency doctor or gone to the chemist and spoken to them etc. But he wanted the easy route of just taking mine. When I said no, he didn't even bother with trying to call the doctor or the Chemist. Our doctors is not open on a Saturday.

He passed me his repeat prescription form this morning and I handed it in to the doctors at 9.30 asking for a quick turn around, but that was the only 5 mins I had in the day. I can only pick them up tomorrow. This means he has been without pills for 2 days.

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 20/01/2014 17:46

Your DH has been a prat but, I can't believe how mean you're being, if the pills can be halved.

Moreisnnogedag · 20/01/2014 17:52

PMDD I'm not sure why you'd be so off about this. Is there something else going on? Personally I'd have let him have mine and split his in half when I was low and if the doctors' asked either tell them the truth or said I dropped the packet in the loo.

You seem oddly smug about him being without for two days?

BonesAndSkully · 20/01/2014 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VampyreofTimeandMemory · 20/01/2014 17:59

it's all very well saying 'he should have taken responsibility yada yada' but whether it's psychological or physical, suddenly not taking sertraline (and probably other ADs) can be pretty hellish. for that reason, i wouldn't deny dp this.

Original poster
PMDD · 20/01/2014 18:09

I'm not smug. I'm annoyed that he is angry at me. It is his cock up, but he wants to blame me. I guess if he had phoned the emergency doctor or gone to the chemist and explained on Saturday morning when he realised the problem, then I would have felt differently (not about sharing my medication but not been annoyed).

The fact was he couldn't be bothered to repeat his prescription via the normal channels and then couldn't be bothered to get an emergency supply either. He just wanted me to give him my pills.

I know that it is illegal. I wasn't prepared to do it.

OP posts:
BobPatSamandIgglePiggle · 20/01/2014 18:11

Give him some of yours. Explain that it's a one off. We're all allowed to drop the ball sometimes surely? Me and my mum do this all the time as we're on the same bp meds.

SauvignonBlanche · 20/01/2014 18:12

"Illegal" trumps immoral then? Hmm
Why can't you have one of his halved for 2 days?

SauvignonBlanche · 20/01/2014 18:14

I ran out of one of my drugs recently as the pharmacy had made a mistake.
DH takes the same and happily handed some over, I'd do the same for him without a thought.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 20/01/2014 18:15

Why don't you do the free prescription renewal at the chemist.

DH is fit and well but his asthma meds he needs every month, so the chemist puts in form over the doctors and picks the prescription form up, dispenses them ready for collection.

Thants · 20/01/2014 18:18

You can break one of his pills in half. That'd be your dose.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 20/01/2014 18:21

I have taken DH meds when I have ran out of mine. Without them I wouldn't be able to move ( same medication) I think it cruel to deny him medication he needs.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 20/01/2014 18:28

DO NOT split the tablet unless you have a BFN in front of you as not all tablets can be split.

kotinka · 20/01/2014 18:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kali110 · 20/01/2014 18:31

No even in emergency that iv run out my surgery cannot take requests over the phone believe me iv tried when iv been desperate

kali110 · 20/01/2014 18:34

And its still never been any quicker than the time set!i just go to my chemist, state iv dropped the ball and they give me an emergency supply and then take the ones iv had out of my new lot when my prescription comes in.

whatever5 · 20/01/2014 18:51

If he can't get a prescription in time, he could go to the pharmacist for an emergency supply (although they may charge).

HicDraconis · 20/01/2014 20:37

It isn't illegal and I can't understand why you wouldn't let him take his dose of your medication. Any GP would prescribe a repeat 2 weeks early if you explain why you are in need of one so soon (and having 5 pills a day taken instead of one is a good reason!)

Many ADs are such that an abrupt cessation of a reasonable dose (which is what going without for 2 days will do) may cause other issues.

I cannot for the life of me understand why you would be so stubborn on such a non issue. Let him have a couple of days from your pack and request a repeat a week early. And tell him to leave his repeat out with yours if he wants you to pick it up with yours.

I wouldn't want the hassle of having to go to the chemist (and argue with a pharmacist - done it before for an inhaler) or hang around an ooh surgery for an emergency 3 day supply script on a precious weekend day off!

Yes it's his cock up but I'd be fuming if I were him. Annoyed at myself for forgetting to fill the repeat and annoyed at you for not helping out when it doesn't put you out at all.

ClaudiusGalen · 20/01/2014 20:41

I came off 200mg sertraline cold turkey. It was awful. I couldn't stand up without the room spinning, my head thumped and I felt sick constantly. I wouldn't wish the withdrawal on anybody, let alone someone I loved.

FannyFifer · 20/01/2014 20:47

He is surely having withdrawal symptoms.
It can be quite dangerous to stop just like that.
Do his usual tablets break in half or not?