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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so angry at this pharmacist

110 replies

buddhasbelly · 26/09/2015 22:40

From my other thread under my other username (which I now see no point in hiding - ahtilnextweek) I am pregnant with an unwanted pregnancy.

After my first hospital appointment I was told that things weren't large enough to begin a termination.

I then was told that the morning after pill I took "Levonelle" is far less effective (on an aggregate scale) than the new alternative offered aka you take the new pill £30 after possibility of sex it has a 95% chance of no pregnancy, you take levonelle, the odds very much decrease hour by hour (as instructed by the midwife scanning me). The midwife scanning me was astounded I was not given this info (the picture painted to me was dont pay the money it isn't needed). In reality it could have (I stress could have) prevented an unwanted pregnancy.

I am angry. I am frustrated and if I am told again that I have posted in the 'wrong' place then please take account of the situation. I do not feel there is a right or wrong wherever you post.

OP posts:
lorelei9 · 27/09/2015 10:51

OP, when are you being seen again? They still could have booked your appointment in and I don't understand why they didn't.

bringmelaughter · 27/09/2015 11:18

A number of types of allied health professionals (including physiotherapists, pharmacists, optometrists and podiatrists) and nurses/midwives can prescribe medication as long as they have completed extra training. Not all people working within these jobs will prescribe as it tends to be limited to more senior staff working in specialist roles.

As previously mentioned, some staff who aren't prescribers may be able to give medication under a special prescription called a patient group directive which states a particular situation where a particular medication can be given without an individual prescription for that person.

carabos · 27/09/2015 11:40

The clue's in the title - it's the Morning After Pill, not the Morning After the Morning After the Night Before pill...

BoffinMum · 27/09/2015 11:58

That too early for termination thing sounds like absolute bollocks to me.

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 27/09/2015 12:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PollysHoliday · 27/09/2015 12:32

I'm sorry you're stuck in such a difficult position op. It sounds a very distressing situation for you. It seems like there's been some knowledgable posts and I hope you have gained some help. Perhaps you could seek a second opinion if the midwife is being obstructive?

I don't think you should worry about which healthcare professional is at fault just yet, although i understand why you are angry. Get everything dealt with and look after yourself. Then once everything has settled down decide about making complaints.

Sidge · 27/09/2015 13:04

carabos at a risk of sounding pedantic HCPs don't call it the morning after pill.

It's referred to as EC, or Emergency Contraception. MAP is an old term that shouldn't be in use any more as it's not entirely accurate but I appreciate that many women will know it as that.

DriverSurpriseMe · 27/09/2015 13:12

Your midwife spins like she has an agenda. I'm very sorry that she has put you through this. Her graphs sound inaccurate and distressing, so I'd be making a complaint about that.

Agreed. I don't understand why a midwife would seek to upset an already distraught woman by telling her if only she'd taken a different brand of EC she wouldn't be in this mess now. As for drawing a graph to emphasise it further Hmm

What's done is done. EC isn't failsafe. What's important is giving you information about your options, not pointing out why she thinks the EC failed. That's totally insensitive and unprofessional.

Fratelli · 27/09/2015 13:26

The midwife has been very unprofessional. Ellaone is only thought to be more effective.

CremeBrulee · 27/09/2015 14:17

The midwife sounds unprofessional, driving home her own agenda to the detriment of her patient (you). If she wishes to change clinical guidelines, lecturing patients and making them feel worse about their own situation is not the way to do it.

Neither drug is 100% effective, you have been extremely unlucky that Levonelle did not work for you. There is no point in raising what- ifs and might-have-beens regarding the differences in EC.

I can't see that you have any cause to complain about the pharmacist. He correctly followed prescribing guidelines.

Micah · 27/09/2015 14:22

I'm also concerned about you seeing a midwife in the first place?

If you are certain you want to terminate the process is normally GP, who refers you to the appropriate consultant in hospital for the procedure.

A midwife can't agree to or arrange a termination. Only a dr (two must agree it's in the patients best interest, in fact) can do that.

I think the pharmacist was right to prescribe levonelle. Within the first 24 hrs both drugs are equally effective, and nhs guidelines say levonelle is the preferred drug in that timescale. Ellaone is only preferred if you're past 25 hours.

I think your fight is with the midwife, and whoever referred you to a midwife when you wanted a termination.

Lightbulbon · 27/09/2015 14:41

If you took levonelle only 18 hours after sex then I doubt ellaone would have worked then either.

I have heard of having to wait for a top. Afaik it needs to be big enough so that they know it comes out otherwise it can be missed and some women have to go in later to get the procedure done again.

sugar21 · 27/09/2015 14:44

What does a midwife have to do with a termination?

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 14:46

As several posters have stated, the necessary test groups have not been compiled to provide accurate results for ellaone in comparison to levonelle yet it seems ellaone is still "thought" to be more effective.

My gripe with this whole situation is that someone else could be put in this same situation of being given inaccurate info. I just want to known the truth so that whichever party giving out wrong advice is set straight.

Oh and carabos read through what I have written and pin point where I say the morning after the morning after. Also it is not called the morning after pill by any health professional, get informed, get off my thread.

OP posts:
OwenMeanysArmadillo · 27/09/2015 14:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 14:50

I am getting seen again on Wednesday. There was one appt left and I asked if I could be rescanned then.

I have been given some useful info here, I am in my situation and i am getting myself out of it but if the outcome of this thread is that one less person is given misinformed advice about either pill then at least it as achieved something

OP posts:
Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 14:51

owen can I ask for your source so I can show the midwife? I feel she needs to be corrected in the advice she is giving, thank you

OP posts:
NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 27/09/2015 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 14:56

I did self referral to my hospitals sexual health clinic, I was then seen by this midwife and her student who was shadowing her (did not ask me if I was happy for student to be present just introduced her).

OP posts:
Orange1969 · 27/09/2015 14:56

What a horrible, stressful situation for you Flowers

LibrariesGaveUsP0wer · 27/09/2015 14:57

I think your mw has given you inappropriate advice for your situation, and showed an appalling lack of bedside manner in venting at you given that it wasn't a question of choosing which tablets to take now.

If you want to go back and meet with the pharmacist and discuss what the mw said then do do that. They may be able to explain their perspective and may well disagree with the mw's analysis.

I'm also really worried by her advice to you. Are you wanting to have a surgical termination rather than a medical - is that why you are being asked to wait? Has she explained the other options?

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 14:57

Are they even supposed to ask if I am comfortable to have a student present during a termination appt? In my mind I feel they should

OP posts:
LibrariesGaveUsP0wer · 27/09/2015 14:58

Your mw sounds more unprofessional with every post. There is no way a woman in your situation should be presented with a student being present and not very respectfully and tactfully asked if she minds.

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 27/09/2015 14:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 27/09/2015 15:02

I want a medical termination. She did not look at my previous record, my exp's abuse (well documented with another midwife who is on leave - her name was on the leave board as I went in). The information I am receiving here suggests the pharmacist has followed guidelines where the midwife hasn't.

For any posters thinking I am looking for someone to blame for this situation (failed contraception followed by a pill) I am not, I am just upset at the conflicting information both given by medical professionals.

OP posts: