to think we shouldn't have to pay for Asthma Inhaler Prescriptions?

[MaddyHatter]

Just that really.

If people with Epilepsy and Diabetes and even people with Thyroid issues and those taking the Pill don't have to pay, why do Asthma sufferers have to fork out £16 or more every couple of months for medication that can and does save our lives?

I think it contributes to the rather lackadaisical attitude towards Asthma, and just how serious a condition it is.

I agree in principle but wouldn't like to see that lead to doctors being even less keen to prescribe inhalers. I live in Germany and I get symbicort for allergic asthma - completely controls it - from what I hear it's really hard to get in the UK because of the price.

I have many different medical conditions including one that means I am unable to empty my bladder fully and therefore have to self catheterise 3-4 times a day (actually due to my arthritis someone else has to do it for me)
I still can't get free prescriptions or catheters
My GP filled in forms to try and get me considered as a special case for free prescriptions but I was turned down - I just pay the annual pre-payment and along with cost of travelling to hospital and hospital parking have to suck it up - it's not something I can change by 'self care' as other posters seem to think!
If I had a permanent catheter or stoma I believe the bags etc are free

I also have asthma

The form you fill in for exempt conditions has changed recently (now tick boxes only) . The rules are tighter and dh now has to pay when his rare condition was exempt before.

I still think they should raise the age at which pensioners get free prescriptions. Lots of over 60s are still working and in the future even more will be. I don't know why they don't raise it to 65. (I am 64, DH 63).

I'm also on thyroxine and therefore medically exempt from payment. I don't agree with this and often try to pay anyway, much to the amusement of our pharmacist.
I can afford my px for a couple of items once a month, others can't.

I think Care of the Chemist (a scheme where you sign up and receive 'minor or child related items free, eg calpol, head lice treatment, chiropody items, antihistamines)
is massively abused

I know, off the top of my head 10 people who boast about stockpiling items which they can afford, just because they can.

I would far rather this was means tested more than it is now.
Only short course items to have a full prescription charge.
Frequent medicine reviews, I was given an item for 3 months on the run despite cancelling it with the surgery as it was no longer required.

It's difficult and emotive. Someone will always suffer, I just hate the idea of someone struggling to breathe and not having the money to get hold of an inhaler - I have been that person in the past.

apologies if anyone took offence at how i phrased it.. but FTR, i am well aware of how serious Thyroid issues can be, both my mum and her mum were on thyroxin and i have to have regular blood tests as they both developed hypothyroidism in their 30s.. the drs want to pinpoint exactly when mine will go kaput :( as my moms was missed and she was quite ill by the time they picked it up, then traced her symptoms back.

I didn't mean to make it seem like i was belittling it at all, i've grown up aware that its a matter of when, not if, i will have to take the medication for it.

Yes. I personally believe that any condition where the prediction is that you'll be medicated for life or long term should be provided for free. If circumstances change, then the doctor could provide details to stop the prescriptions, or, better still, they could be illness specific.

I currently take 3 medications for my (mental) illness, which would set me back £25.20 per month (£302.40 per year). It was only after a friend informed me about prepayment certificates that I managed to reduce this to the £10.10 per month for the certificate. This does also cover other, ad-hoc prescriptions, but the really important ones are the mental illness medications.

The reason I find this so upsetting is that one of the major problems with mental health medication is that people don't want to take it. Many people with mental illnesses are not medication compliant. If there is one further reason to not take it, it would be the impact that taking it has on the family budget.

I just feel that with that particular medication, though with many others too, it should be made as easy as possible to take the medication.

The thing that made me really cross about it was that once I was on a different medication that didn't come in the dose that I took. I had to take 2 different sizes. The problem was, the larger pill came as a tablet, and the smaller one as a capsule. Because they were in two different forms, that counted as two prescriptions, even though it was the same medication, and even though the company producing the medication only provided them in the two different forms. So pay not once but twice for the same long-term medication.

Op I agree. What annoys me even more is that in other countries you can buy them over the counter for less than the price of a prescription.

2 years ago in Cyprus I got 3 ventolin for 12 euros.

I know ask everyone I know that goes on holiday to bring me a couple back. I even have a stash of euros for that exact purpose.

i have never been told about the prepayment, i might look into it if i have to refill my prescription more regularly.. my asthma is usually quite good over the summer, then goes to pieces over autumn/winter as catching any colds or coughs always sets it off, and chest infections are a nightmare!

At the moment both are filled every 6-8 weeks, but my use of my blue can go up significantly.

Asthma is a life long condition, as far as I know. It is ridiculous that you have to pay. I have now grown out of epilepsy such that I no longer need medication. While I did receive free prescription medicine for epilepsy EVERYTHING I as prescribed for unrelated health problems was free. This was also ridiculous .

If you normally need a new ventolin every 6-8 weeks then that would suggest your asthma isn't that well controlled. I have been told in the past that controlled asthma shouldn't need ventolin more than twice a week.

You are not meant to pay for medications that going without could be an immediate threat to life.

Ventolin is a grey area. But, if the government changed this and dispensed freely, under current rules that person would get ALL his/ her medication for free costing the NHS millions.

It's all down to funding.

My GP once dispensed free of charge as I was in need (very poorly) without method to pay. She said she had to as it was life threatening.

some do grow out of it, but the general rule of thumb is if you're still having issues once you hit 18-21 its lifelong.

I've a family member who ends up in hospital on intensive care at least once a year with it, my Dads was also borderline unmanageable before he died.. i'm 'lucky' in that mine is well controlled.

Sirzy, i have to use both of mine twice daily, then the blue is a matter of 'as and when' on top of that dose.

No asthma is a life long condition for some people, not for everyone. Children in particular can grow out of it.

Ahh I misunderstood sorry!

But that did make me think, it would also help if all inhalers were like seretide and had a counter on them so you know how many puffs are left. With ventolin in particular it can soon end up a guessing game as to how much is left!

Try having cystic fibrosis ( without secondary cf related diabetes) 30+ medications a day and you still have to pay if you're not on the relevant benefits. I'm genuinely concerned for DS when he leaves education and I fully understand the sigh of relief cf patients have when they're diagnosed with CFRD. Disgusting.

Try having cystic fibrosis ( without secondary cf related diabetes) 30+ medications a day and you still have to pay if you're not on the relevant benefits. I'm genuinely concerned for DS when he leaves education and I fully understand the sigh of relief cf patients have when they're diagnosed with CFRD. Disgusting.

Thyroid issues lead to heart issues which cost the NHS more. Same for birth control. Asthma just kills you. NHS doesn't fork out for funerals. is cynical, jaded bitch

Free prescriptions are not given as a measure of severity, or judgement as to how avoidable, dangerous or manageable a condition is.

In the past, free prescription were given for conditions that arise due to a 'lack' of something or diabetes die to insulin deficiency or hypothyroidism etc.

It's nothing to do with whether you desperately need the drug to stay alive - ultimately all prescription drugs are prescribed for a good reason and are meant to be taken by the patient.

We have a system for those who are on low incomes, students, pregnant, post natal, pensioners and children as well as exempt conditions. I personally think it would be fairer for everyone to only be exempt die to means and for there to be a sliding scale of contributions. The prepayment system is incredibly good value if you have a long term condition.

While you can buy some medications more cheaply, in general the prescription charge is a fraction of what the drug costs the NHS. In the case of asthma, a Seretide inhaler is something like £30

yes, nothing like taking the bottle out of the inhaler and giving it a guess shake..

i just refill both at the same time, i keep one in my handbag and one in my car and one by the side of my bed

i know there's supposed to be 200 doses in each one so i keep vague mental count on how many are left, and its roughly 6 weeks use if i remember to take it regularly, sometimes i only use the brown one over the summer.

How can people not know about pre-payment? There is a notice about it on the counter of every pharmacist in the country. No-one needs to pay more than about a tenner month for medication and the vast majority of prescriptions are free.

But they really need to do something about stockpiling - it's fine that most prescriptions are free but that leads to a significant minority of people receiving medication that they aren't using and it just gets wasted.

People have reported returning carrier bags full of medication to pharmacists, and because it can't be guaranteed safe, it is destroyed - massively wasteful. There needs to be much tighter checks that people are actually taking the medication they are prescribed and if they are not, it needs to be stopped and a more suitable type given where necessary.

There are plenty of life-long medicines which have to be paid for.

My glaucoma drops.
MrsLHs medicines for MS (and the complications thereof)

Even with the pre-paid certs, it's hard to characterise it as anything other than a tax on illness.

I have a progressive illness which requires 6 different medications each day (not including painkillers). I am quite sure that my treatment would cost thousands rather than the £100 per year for the prepayment certificate.

If you have more than 2 or 3 prescription items a month the certificate will definitely save you money.