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.

See this is my point you are missing. How do you not know the antibiotics that do/don’t work for you? It’s like you don’t want to take responsibility for your own healthcare needs.

I can’t stand this “I pay my NI and taxes so therefore I am owed this service” attitude.

How about you take some accountably for your own healthcare needs. Is it really that difficult to remember a name of an antibiotic that works for you?! No wonder the NHS is in the state it is going by this thread.

But it wasn’t a perfectly fit for purpose appointment because the PGD is for uncomplicated UTIs not complicated ones. So the appropriate person to see in the OPs case is the GP.

You’rd being ridiculous now . I’ve had 2 or 3 that worked as had a few. I didn’t memorise them as didn’t think the revisionist would give me incorrect info re my history.You also need different ones for different bugs. I’m not a GP and don’t know what is best for what or the best plan for me not to take 2 or 3 for this bug unnecessarily. Anti bs make me feel ill and wipe me out. Also it’s all a moot point- the pharmacy would not treat me as I’ve already had Cystis before this year. Hell they wouldn’t give me conjunctivitis drops the last time I went in and asked because I’m a contact lens wearer😳( I promised I take them out). Took full accountability as went through discomfort and tried to self treat for a good period of time. I also try to look after myself,use the pharmacy when I can and it is appropriate and don’t visit the GP a lot.

We used the pharmacy service recently for DS, tonsillitis at the weekend we were due to go away Sunday evening (to family) , saw pharmacist Sunday at about 11am, she prescribed the antibiotics he's had the last two times as she correctly deducted he'd had multiple courses previously gets it recurrently and the GP seems to have moved him on to this one. She also gave it to us in powder form with instructions for how much water to add, so we could do it when we got there and put it straight in the fridge. Very very helpful. She was very open to discussing with us what the GP had tried previously if we wanted to watch and wait but couldn't because of going away to give the unmade up medicine etc. She also said she will update his medical record. Excellent service. The only thing I'd say is that any pharmacy offering this should have a treatment room for privacy, they did, it was previously used for vaccinations.

@Italianita did you mean to be so rude?
I think it's fine to post an alternative experience, there are lots of people on here being negative about the system and someone considering using it might not based on that, surely it just gives balance. OP has got the outcome she wanted from her situation.

They might give a choice of two antibiotics but I disagree that they should. It is essentially a private consultation and people should be prescribed the antibiotic which is most likely to work, based on local patterns of antibiotic resistance which I don't think the average non health care professional should be expected to know. In most areas nitrofurantoin would be first choice and that is all the pharmacist would give on the NHS.

It's not OP that is resistant to the antibiotics. It is the bacteria that have previously infected OP. It doesn't mean that they won't work this time but it isn't the only reason OP needs to see the GP rather than the pharmacist so irrelevant.

Well you go ahead and disagree. It makes no difference or anything.

Why are you so obsessed with replying to anyone who dares have a difference of opinion to OP?

I am responding to you because you are making a lot of statements which are either factually incorrect or against current guidance. It is also ironic that you are berating people for not taking persional responsibility while advocating buying antibiotics off the Internet without speaking to a health care professional.

No I have seen you responding to multiple people on this thread, like a dog with a bone.

No they are just not in line with your opinion.

I am berating OP for some how not being able to make a note or remember an antibiotic that suites them yes. To me that is ridiculous.

There is nothing wrong with buying antibiotics from a pharmacy online. You clearly don’t like the idea, and that’s fine, but just stop now with your hostile attitude. You have made your opinion clear you do not need to keep quoting me.

What do you mean by "suits her".
No, I don't like the idea of people selecting antibiotics online whenever they want without consulting a healthcare professional because antibiotics need to be used only when necessary because inappropriate use increases the risk of antibiotic resistance. That's not what is meant to happen either. When you use an online service, you are actually having a private consultation (by completing a questionnaire) and a doctor or prescriber pharmacist will prescribe an antibiotic if they think it appropriate. They won't prescribe for everyone. It depends on the answers to the questionnaire. That is a fact not my opinion btw.

We have very different opinions.

I asked you politely, now just back off.

I had heard about Pharmacy First ans was wondering if our local pharmacies were signed up. According to this info (very clear) 95% have signed up.

https://healthmedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/pharmacy-first-what-you-need-to-know/

Firstly, this is a debating forum so don't come on here if you can't handle people disagreeing with you. Secondly as you have been berating OP and telling her she is irresponsible it is a bit hypocritical to be so outraged by anyone disagreeing with you.
Thirdly, we do have very different opinions but yours don't seem to be based on any knowledge of UTIs or antimicrobials. You are correct that I have made a lot of posts on this thread but I am a pharmacist and have a professional interest in the subject What's your excuse for the multiple posts and why do you think you know better those who want to see/speak to a healthcare professional and let them decide if an antibiotic is required on what the best antibiotic would be?

I’m not really sure it’s matter of opinion. Just that one of you is right and the other is wrong.

Thankyou Wombat I appreciate it and your posts have been useful.

I used the new Pharmacy First service yesterday in Boots for a UTI. They have installed a small box type room next to the pharmacy for consultations. I must admit I did feel a little uncomfortable as the room is essentially like a small cupboard, sat right next to the male pharmacist whilst he explained I should ensure I go to the toilet after sex.... I just wanted to get the prescription and get out of there to be honest! I've bought them online previously for only £5 more, the questions were exactly the same online (health express) and reviewed by a doctor, which I'd say is a more comfortable experience.

I've bought them online previously for only £5 more, the questions were exactly the same online (health express) and reviewed by a doctor, which I'd say is a more comfortable experience.

I agree it’s so much more convenient and more comfortable experience when you are already feeling rubbish! I think it’s great that this service can be provided online.

I think there is a real danger that it will contribute to antibiotic over use and anti biotic resistance.

Had second GP call and on second prescription now.😫@TennisLady yes wouldn’t be for me and I think many other women will feel similar. Thankfully it’s a choice.

Hope it clears up for you, they can be so nasty!

I agree, I'm not normally too fussed about seeing health professionals about things, I've had breast examinations, colposcopys after dodgy smears etc with barely a second thought. Just something about being in a Boots shop and then sitting in a cupboard explaining how it burns when you wee and being told to ensure you go to toilet after sex just felt rather uncomfortable!

My partner used the pharmacy first service yesterday for an infected insect bite (one of the 7 common conditions mentioned in the guidelines) and the service was brilliant. He was taken into a private room , the pharmacist had access to his NHS records and prescribed a type of antibiotics that wouldn’t adversely react with other medication he is currently on. I think pharmacists are obliged provide a private consultation room if they have signed up to the scheme. It can only be a good thing to have additional possible services given the pressure on GPs. If only if wasn’t so but we are where we are.

This is great news, dh gets infected bites every year and ends up in urgent care, it'll be so much easier and quicker to go to the pharmacy.

I thought I had a insect bite for about a year. Turns out it was a BCC . Diagnosed via private dermatologist finally!

We've had this scheme for years in Scotland, a godsend for UTIs as delays are torture.
I've only had to use it once and it worked well as I'd previously been to the GP about a UTI and knew which AB worked last time. It was a bit like getting a repeat prescription with a few extra checks. If you were having repeat infections you'd be told to see your GP anyway.