To not want to have to go to the doctors each time I need more of the pill

[Hippopotas]

Apparently according to my doctors in no longer able to request a repeat prescription of the contraceptive they prescribed me without attending a medication review appointment each time!

This seems excessive and like a waste of time. Why it can’t be done over the phone or just reissued with a meds’ review once a year.

So AIBU to be annoyed I have to take time of work for this.

I stopped going to the doctors for contraception when they said I had to wait 6 weeks to see a doctor to be prescribed the implant (for the arm) then book again with the same doctor in another 6 weeks to get it fitted. I got onto letstalkaboutit.nhs and book with a sexual health clinic. Never had an issue finding an appointment and they know there stuff

If you have other medication reviews can you not combine them? Get your blood pressure checked and then walk out with a prescription? You might need some time using condoms to get them synced but seems silly to go in twice for the same thing (but you do need to go in and have the review).

I've lived in a country where contraceptives pills are available OTC. Goodness only knows people choose which one they are going to take.

OTOH, I wasn't aware that there were any huge issues - I just kept buying the one I'd been prescribed in UK, so very convenient. But there wouid be huge scope for ending up on a higher dose/type than is best for you.

I wonder if there has been any proper research into outcomes between systems where you can just buy, and ones where you are surveilled by HCPs? Because I'm sure a safe system could be devised for pharmacist-led blood pressure checks for repeats in low risk women, with GP/specialist nurse doing initial prescription drug setting intervals for blood pressure check (and perhaps other questions about general health, with any material changes leading to max one more pack and see doctor) and then a much longer intervals between full HCP review,

You have to pay for contraception here.

I think a lot of women would happily take more appointments over that!

I'm on the mini pill and I can get a year's prescription. I have a blood pressure check once a year.

It varies according to individual circumstances I think. I only have to go once a year because I am low risk for the pill (under 40, not overweight, non smoker, no health issues, no family history of cancer etc.)

It's incredibly frustrating. I think it is just because the NHS wants people on long acting contraception (coils, depo etc)

I think it is just because the NHS wants people on long acting contraception (coils, depo etc)

Ironically I want the longest term of all (I.e. sterilisation). I can’t access that either!

Thanks @LostInShoebiz for the info on superdrug, have ordered mine - cost is worth it against the aggravation of trying to get an appt and then being lectured about long-term contraception every 3 months when I'm happy on the pill!

t varies according to individual circumstances I think. I only have to go once a year because I am low risk for the pill (under 40, not overweight, non smoker, no health issues, no family history of cancer etc.)

Can't be. I'm the same. Normal bmi, no known allergies, no intolerances, normal blood pressure, never smoked, ive been tee total for 15, prior not heavy drinker, 34 years old - i still needed reviewing every 12 weeks.
Considering appointments are like hens teeth, that's not very realistic or practical.

I have to see the GP for my pill prescription as my blood pressure is always sky high in the surgery. The nurses won't accept the reading from my own monitor and won't prescribe until it's a normal level, which won't happen. Last time I ended up in tears and with a bruised arm from the cuff. Luckily the GP checks my monitor and gives me a year's prescription. They have suggested the Mirena but thankfully haven't pushed it.

DunkandEggAgain can you go to the sexual health clinic instead? If you can't get an appointment they have sit and wait sessions and were happy to provide me with 12 months worth after I got fed up of GP pushing Mirena on me every time

"My thinking is they make it as difficult as possible so you’ll cave and get the fucking Mirena." Wouldn't surprise me at all!

I was on combined pill for years for endo, soon as I hit 40 I was refused, I'm slightly over weight but had lost a lot of weight around that time and am continuing to lose, I've never had high bp, or any clotting issues, but that was it - refused! Even though it helped. So of course the endo came back and I had to get treatment for that - which caused problems in itself.

I'm now on mini pill (after much insistence and refusal to get mirena! 😡)

There are side effects & risks with most drugs, I'd be very interested to know, perhaps from a pharmacist, if the same criteria is applied to other drugs with similar risk levels that aren't contraception or indeed HRT which I also hear is problematic to get. Especially drugs prescribed to men.

Re superdrug - I'd be very interested to know if mners who've been refused by their regular dr have accessed the pill this way.

"But we have to have the same damn chat everytime" apparently GPS get "incentives" for discussing certain things with patients. On another thread (think it was mirena one) there were patients who discovered their GPS had put on their records that they'd discussed smoking, alcohol consumption with them at patients request - yet said patients HADN'T requested because they were non smokers & teetotal! Surely that's fraud?

"Considering appointments are like hens teeth, that's not very realistic or practical." But yet it's patients blamed for lack of appointment availability too!

Re Superdrugs, I'm not currently using any contraception.

I was refused the combined pill years ago for my weight. I thought I would just see if I could get through the checks at superdrugs it asked all my medical history and height and weight (obese) and it let me get through to the payment screen to pick virtually any pill. Quite scary I think.

I have a pill review every six months.
Im nearly 47 and overweight but as a non smoker I'm OK to keep taking it.
I never visit the doctors apart from my pill review and smear every three years so although it's a bit of a pain it's good to check in.

I'm the same Rowgtfc, 43 and overweight but a non smoker so I can keep taking it. I have put on a bit more weight since my last prescription so I need to get that down before the next one.

Mine openly say they can give a years worth but don’t as people lose them. They normally give 6 months but for some reason they have given me 3 months but thankfully put it on repeat. I’ve also been told to ignore the instructions and be like American women and take it back to back all year if I want to so I don’t have any bleeding

I get 3 months of pill at a time, they won't put it on repeat but they do nothing. I book an appointment, wait for 40 minutes after the actual appointment time, tell them I want a repeat, they give it to me and I take it to the pharmacy... definitely worth wasting an hour for.

I wouldn't mind if they did blood pressure and weight etc but they don't so what's the point?