To think it should not be this difficult to get a repeat for the pill

[chasingrainbows27]

Moved to a new city. Had a weeks worth of contraceptive pill left. Usually the prescription is automatically sent to Boots so I thought no problem, I will be going back to old city so will pick them up.

Waited but they didn't arrive. I work 9-5 and am out of the house 8-6.30 commuting. So registering with a GP is difficult. My closest with late opening hours has appointments late but the reception closes at 6pm.

Once registered there is a 3 day 'admin' wait then a two week wait for an appointment to get the pill.

So I called old dr. They can't do a repeat without me ordering at the counter.

I'm now completely out of the pill.

Tried to go to sexual health clinic. I'm in a huge city yet all those with outside of working hour clinics are booked for 2 weeks.

Went to closest nhs walk in centre. Am currently in a three hour queue with no guarantee they will prescribe them apparently.

At this point I feel like it would be easier to get pregnant and have a baby!

AIBU to think it shouldn't be this difficult to get hold of the pill?

I completely agree.

My surgery refuse to put it on repeat and I have to go every six months ! Grr.

Will bear in mind about sex health clinic in future !!

£8.33 a month doesn't sound too outrageous when the alternative is to wait 3 hours at a walk in!

Actually , it'd probably be easier to get crack cocaine than it is for me to get my pill prescription. 🙄

The pill I'm on is definitely £25 for three months supply.

Maybe I'm tight but I resent paying out for something that I've been getting free for ten years... when I pay enough tax and very rarely use the NHS (I know I will get flamed for saying that).

I already have a pre payment card for other prescriptions which costs quite a bit.

I'm hoping the NHS have worked out the risk of making contraception chargeable may outweigh the benefit...

Yes but presumably OP didn't know it would be 3 hours wait before she went!

£25 is cheaper than raising a baby!

Oh and I know I can buy online but £25 for 3 months seems pretty expensive... somyu waould rather come on here, moan about the delay, (which was something you completely could have avoided) blame the GP and refuse to spend £25 as a one off to solve your 'problem'

YABVVU

Oh and I know I can buy online but £25 for 3 months seems pretty expensive...

that's pretty cheap imo.

I still think yabu

I have had the same problems re nurses trying to persuade me to have the implant. It make getting a repeat very stressful because I feel like I have to fight for my medication each time.

It's a contraceptive pill though. Not Methadone or antidepressants or pain relief or medication for a condition that needs monitoring. Just a blood pressure check and a repeat. This drives me mad, in my surgery we have blood pressure and height/ weight machines we're encouraged to use but we can't submit the readings for a repeat of the pill once your 6mths is up, you have to see a doctor or nurse who do the same thing then re-prescribe! Why?!

To be honest my GP usually gives me 9-12 months supply which is another reason I didn't realise that my auto-repeats at Boots were no longer being sent.

I have considered the implant but the only time in 12 years I've ever changed my pill I had horrendous side effects so am loathe to do it again!

I know, I really don't understand it. I think it is a bit of a power trip for some of the nurses sometimes.

I work in a GP surgery and don't understand the kerfuffle caused to many patients about getting a pill prescription. I've had a mirena for years but when I was younger it seemed much less a problem getting the pill. You really shouldn't pay for it. Contraception is rightly free.

Use condoms in the interim! It really might actually be better for you all round.

£25 for 3 months! In Ireland, its €60 for my GP appointment every 6 months to get the prescription and then €10 a month for the pill. So costs me about €20 a month! Jealous.

What you on about Vlad?

But in answer to your question that's annoying. My pharmacy has done me an emergency month before when I didn't have prescription, could you do that?

Pharmacy refused an emergency prescription and I was running out of options so thought walk-in centre was my best bet. I didn't realise I'd be in there so long!

Vlad I'm not sure what you mean by that comment? Part of my motivation for staying on the pill is that when I don't take it I am hormonal, spotty and miserable...

Yeah us practice nurses and GPs insist on seeing you for pill repeats because we've got nothing better to do. We should just give you a repeat prescription for a medication that potentially could give you a blood clot, or bleeding disorders or a pulmonary embolism. We take your blood pressure for fun, not because it's important, and discuss alternative options available to you because, you know, things might have changed in the 15 years you've been on the pill, or your medical history or family history might have changed since we last saw you meaning that particular pill isn't the safest option for you any more.

And of course it's our fault that you ran out of your pill and didn't request a repeat sooner, I mean we only gave you 3 or 6 months worth in which to notice you were on your last packet and to call to arrange a repeat issue and so an appointment if needed.

Yes it's frustrating when you have to jump through hoops to get regular medication and I appreciate appointments for pill checks can seem routine but it's clinically important that we see you at least annually.

sidge very well said.

Just in my experience which granted isn't everyone's the pill made me a raging hormonal mess. Totally messed up with my body's own functions.

Thanks Reality, I'm sorry to be facetious OP but I'm so tired and overwhelmed at work it is incredibly frustrating to come home after a non-stop 10 hour day to read posts like this, and utter bollocks like this -> I know, I really don't understand it. I think it is a bit of a power trip for some of the nurses sometimes.. and this -> It's a contraceptive pill though. Not Methadone or antidepressants or pain relief or medication for a condition that needs monitoring. Just a blood pressure check and a repeat.

Power trip? Fuck off. We have a professional and clinical responsibility to check that giving you another prescription is SAFE. For those of the hard of understanding it's not "just a contraceptive pill", it's a synthetic hormonal medication that can potentially kill you or cause significant organ damage and isn't suitable for everyone. That's why you can't buy it in Tesco.

Anyway I'm glad you got some more chasingrainbows.

I see your point Sidge but I'm not due an annual check up (had one in October), don't have any issues and actually, as pointed out by lots of people on here, you can just buy it. Ok it's a pharmacy, but not a GP.

I also work long hours and never get daytimes off and work 25 miles away from my home (where my GP will be) which is why I'm frustrated that I can't get a simple repeat prescription; not because need to be seen but more because there seems to be a lack of service for those that work regular hours.

Vlad that may be the case for you but I feel much better on the pill and can't stand condoms. Horrible things...

But again that's just my experience.

vlad the op sounds like me. I have to take the contraceptive, otherwise i'm a crying, headachy, sicky mess for 8 days a month.
There is no reason why the op should have a break from the pill.
Though i do think checkups for contraceptives should be more regular.
I do think doctors should give you warnings and what to look out for of any potential side effects, such as blood clots, or dvt as not many people know what to look out for.