Being told to go the pharmacy for cystitis by doctor receptionist

[Musica7474]

I have cystitis. I’ve had it before and had different anti biotic for it- sometimes 2 as it has been resistant to treat.

Ive left it to try and sort it self out for a few days by doing all the right things. It hasn’t.

Receptionist told me pharmacies now deal with cystitis and will advise me. I don’t need advice and I don’t want to be talking about my wee and symptoms in a packed pharmacy.

The receptionist made me feel awful for not wanting to go to the pharmacy and insisting on a doctor’s call( I’d have been happy with a prescription being left at the desk and no call just a gp looking at my records to check which anti biotic is best for me). She said I could have a call this time.🤔

Cystis can be really unpleasant and not great if not treated . Anti biotic are expensive and it’s not great to take several, I don’t think women should be made to feel like shit for wanting treatment for it and a gp to look at her records.

Can’t pharmacies now prescribe antibiotics for uti? They have private consultation rooms as well.

Did she say the pharmacy would give you an antibiotic?

You don’t need to discuss your symptoms in the shop. You ask to speak to the pharmacist and they take you into a consultation room

Ours doesn’t have treatment rooms just a very long queue. I have had cystitis before and it often is resistant to first line of anti biotics and the doctor looks through my records to check which works.

It’s a new initiative - pharmacists can give antibiotics for UTIs now (along with some other things). It’s to take the load off GPs and to help you get faster treatment. The pharmacist will take you to a private room to talk. Give it a try, you may find it more convenient.

https://www.boots.com/healthhub/a-z-services/pharmacy-first?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--tactical--Pharmacy+First+-+UTI-_-UK_Search_Generic_Pharmacy+First+-+Conditions&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwt-OwBhBnEiwAgwzrUljJr5HYvpJ12syg3zBK6zxNC7feaV7akOnMNFIJviFy1ZDAGOqf7hoC_hUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

YABU. She was right.

Pharmacies being able to prescribe for minor stuff - and cyctitis is actually minor, is totally sensible and will free up GP time for more significant illnesses.

No she should they would give me cystitis advice and antibiotics if necessary

here you could just go on line and explain all that and the Dr would probably prescribe and either phone or text you to tell you to pick up. I guess just popping into the pharmacy would be less process for everyone though.

Phone the pharmacy ASAP - the programme will not treat you if you've had cystitis within the last year (I think it is). Check if they will treat you. If not, call the GP back and tell them they should know that.

Pharmacist can prescribe antibiotics for cystitis. These are NHS prescriptions.

It isn’t minor when I get it and I can end up taking more antibiotics than necessary if my records aren’t looked at. I only want to pay for one prescription.

My pharmacist has a consultation room and he can give some prescriptions under a PGD.

I wouldn’t want to discuss symptoms in public, either - I didn’t know there were private consultation rooms.

Having said that, I always found that the cystitis relief sachets you can buy everywhere now would put the lid on cystitis, if I started the 2 day course immediately.

The only time I needed ABs was when I started a dose of it while on holiday in Cyprus, and even the pharmacies didn’t have those sachets. Had to see the GP once home.
Needless to say, I never go anywhere without a supply now.

You can do it over the phone. In my experience the pharmacy have been great and way more efficient than the dr. Good luck getting it sorted OP. Cystitis is awful 😞

Have done the sachets

I wouldn’t have known a pharmacy could prescribe antibiotics. Or the cost compared to prescription charges. OoH prescribed for me after a call to 111. Electronic prescription to local chemist. I’d had it several times over a short period, so they could identify from my records what to prescribe.

It’s very unpleasant and debilitating, but a friend suggested I try Cranberry Extract tablets. More than two years on, taking one daily, and I’ve had no more discomfort or any other signs of cystitis. Worth a try?

I hope it clears up quickly.

It is straight forward.DD had this recently - has had it a few times before so knew the symptoms. Quick trip to boots, chat with pharmacist, bought sachets and all resolved. She didn’t want antibiotics as had to have them a lot recently for unrelated issues and pharmacist agreed better to try sachets first.

Yes, hope you are sorted soon, OP. Cystitis isn't nice.

I tried to go to my pharmacist recently.
He came over looking confused and said ‘you need to go to the Gp’.
I haven’t found the pharmacist actually does what the nhs says it does

They should be able to look at your records too.

YANBU and i feel for you! I too need a specific AB when it strikes.

Can you ask the GP receptionist to tell you which anti B is the one which works for you, or ask for the doc to call to tell you (from your records) so that you can ask for the right AB from the pharma?

If they're going to palm you off to someone else they can share the info. on your records so you don't have to start from scratch again.

I think it sounds great. I used to get UTIs a lot and it was a nightmare trying to get a doctor's appointment, I usually ended up waiting in a walk in centre then having to go to the pharmacy anyway. It would have so much easier if I could just go to my local pharmacy or boots.

If you’re prone to it you could always order the anti biotics online to keep with you for holidays incase it gets bad.

YANBU. These services are supposed to be for routine, uncomplicated cases of [whatever], whereas your history suggests that this approach is unlikely to work for you, and will therefore result in duplication of work, unnecessary treatment, and delay in effective treatment. Better for everyone for you to be routed straight to the GP. But they prefer to put everyone through the cheaper generic service first, I guess to weed out those who don't actually need the GP but would just prefer it.

Individual pharmacists have to sign up to and train for the schemes. My local chap has, but there will be many who have not.