To be annoyed with NHS 111

[Iamacatslave]

I phoned NHS 111 yesterday at 11.30am. and I am still waiting for a GP to call me back. I need to increase my meds by 25mg and am unable to do this by cutting my 50mg tablets in half. The advisor I spoke to said I needed a new prescription and a GP would call me back in 2 hours. I have phoned back several times, only to be told they are very busy and will phone. And I really don’t want to waste time at A&E for a prescription.

Do you not have an out of hours doctors near by?

Some A&E units have them

Not a 111 issue.
Surely your GP or whoever prescribed them needs to change it?

Why can’t you cut the pills in half?

Couldn’t this have been arranged last week during regular hours? This isn’t really what 111 is for.

Wouldn’t have thought needing to increase medication is a bank holiday Sunday morning issue; just call your GP.

Which medical professionals have told you to increase your medication? Surely when they increased your dose they'd adjust your prescription.

Can you not put an online request through with your GP surgery?

It's unlikely to be an issue for A&E.

I tried my walk in centre and they couldn’t help and suggested I call NHS 111.
The tablets can’t be cut in half as they are in capsule form.
The increase is needed for a flare up of nerve pain and couldn’t be dealt with, within regular hours at my surgery.

I would go to my pharmacy and see if they can give you the 25mg capsules instead so you can take three

Who signed off the increase? Or do you want to increase(perfectly justifiable) If so you could see if ooh Chemist will help

You need to see your GP.

Take some emergency pain killers then on Tuesday you get the lyrica or gabapentjn changed

I used to take whacking great doses of both irk
If 25 mg will make a huge difference

Have you got break thru meds? I would ask 111 for these if not.

My pain consultant advised me to increase the meds if I needed to. My GP’s surgery do have a copy of the letter with his instructions and his original prescription from St. Thomas’ in London.

Some pills don't easily cut in half. I only found this out after a GP suggested to me once that I do this to get through a bank holiday weekend, and to carry on like this into the future.

I even bought a pill cutter. The pills crumbled

I can’t see out of hours or ED doctors altering your prescription they’ll say see your GP tomorrow unfortunately.

I’m on lyrica for nerve pain and tbh if I were suffering, I’d not expect 111 to help. I’d double my dose until I could see my GP.

I’m on the same medication!

You definitely can’t cut them in half. Mine is 25mg.

You can just take the 50mg ones more frequently?

Ie instead of taking 75mg every 6 hours take 50mg every 4 hours?

Very temporarily, could you open the capsule and divide it in half by eye? Probably not but it might be worth playing with one capsule. Phone a pharmacy first to see if the medication is ok to be take out of the capsule. Some is.

Take 2 if you are adamant Thats what you want

You may be better off using crisis meds instead though for more rapid relief

Have you got tramadol

Have you enough meds to double up just for today?
Is it pregabalin?

Or go to a pharmacy and ask if they can swap you some 25s for your 50s.
Or ask them about taking them more frequently. Do ask about that first though.

The medication is Phenytoin. I don’t think I could successfully divide the powder within the capsule. Unfortunately Tramadol doesn’t help with the pain.

What does help with the pain? That sounds horrendous

I'm really sorry I jumped to the conclusion it was lyrica that wasn't very helpful of me.

I would be inclined to take a whole 50mg but change the hours between the doses to go a bit longer

I'm sorry you're suffering

Is there any crisis med that works?

Horrendous pain in your face oh that is the pits I'm sorry xxx

Assuming it is pregabalin. The pharmacy won’t be able to swap or give you a different strength - it’s a controlled drug and you need a prescription

Please don’t double up or take more frequently (pregabalin is intended to be taken twice a day) as this is not what your consultant intended.

Contact the out of hours service and they will issue a script if they think it is clinically appropriate to do so.

Just seen it is phenytoin - not pregabalin. My advice is the same - other than it not being a controlled drug - the pharmacy can’t issue a different strength without a prescription, you shouldn’t double up or take more frequently. You need to call the out of hours service.

Thanks for all your replies. I’ve called NHS 111 again and am waiting for a call back.

I agree that this isn't what the 111 service is for. They'll be reluctant to change an existing prescription.