To ask doctor for expensive prescription even though I may not need it.

[Sunshineandalltherainbows]

I have a chronic neurological condition that vastly improved due to having a neurostimulator put in. It has meant that I no longer have to self catheterise. However, I am getting towards the end of its life but obviously in this time I will not be having the operation to change it for some time. I haven’t needed catheters for a long time but have had to go to a and e twice earlier in the year as I went into complete retention. I’m terrified this will happen again. AIBU fo call my GP and ask for a prescription for catheters in case I go in to retention so I can avoid a trip to A and E. It would be a medical emergency that could not be left if I had no access to catheters.
Just feel bad that If I do this I may not need them.

I would in those circumstances.

YANBU
You are being proactive

You can still go to A & E, OP.

Could the district nurse or continence nurse supply them for you.

I think it would be sensible to phone to speak to a doctor and discuss what would happen if this were necessary, maybe have a prescription on standby and the pharmacy have them in so if they are required you can get them? Save wasting resources if they aren't needed but there if you do? I phone my pharmacy every time I request a prescription for my unusual medicine so it's there when I need to go and collect it, would it work this way for you?

YANBU. I don’t think catheters are that expensive, are they?!

If you got a prescription you don't need to use it unless the issue arises. So it would only cost if you needed it.

I don’t see what harm it would do to phone and talk it through with your GP. Bearing in mind there’s basically no health system for chronic conditions right now and that we all need to stay out of A&E where humanly possible because of the risk, it doesn’t sound unreasonable. Those of us with chronic conditions are vulnerable right now because of the lack of medical support and cancellations of procedures and operations. Good luck and I hope you don’t need the catheters.

Yes I think that’s a good idea to ask if they could have them in stock in case I need them. I know In the past I have had to wait for them they hadn’t been available straight away. I was told by a GP once that the self catheters and istilagel was expensive for the NHS so wouldn’t want to waste resources. I know I could go to A and E but my son and husband are asthmatic and I really wouldn’t want to risk catching the virus if I could catheterise at home.

Ring your GP.
Am I the only person on here that's had eleventybillion texts from my GP advising me what to do in situations ABCDEFGHI etc ?

The NHS is doing all sorts of different and sensible things at moment to keep people out. Some of the decisions are more expensive because they are logical - like this one. So suggest call the GP and ask. It’s a trivial cost in grand scheme of things. I also once bought instillagel over the counter, it was a few quid max.

As they can be tricky to get without ordering, could you get a box, and if you never need them donate to a spinal unit after all of this is over?

Ask. Pharmacy worker here doctors are doing numerous prescriptions they wouldn't normally 90% for preventive treatment. Even in normal circumstances your request would not be unreasonable if there was some reason for a delay in the neurotransmitter being updated/changed. Some catheters can be expensive but needs must. We dispense a fair amount over a month, can't see why your GP feels you should go without, when there is clearly a need.

@Sunshineandalltherainbows

You’d be perfectly justified. Catheters and instillagel really aren’t that costly in the grand scheme of things.

Out of internet, was it sacral neuro modulation you had?