To bring my own medication in

[nomeds]

I am currently in hospital. I asked upon admission of I needed to bring my own prescription medication in.
"no we will give xyz."

One is several times daily, other 2 are evening. One has been recently prescribed due to flare of chronic condition and to ease symptoms.
Brought to ward. Thought I'd ask nurse on ward just incase "no don't need to bring them in." Last night I didn't receive any of my prescription medication and queried. Nurse said she'd go and find out but would probably not know until morning.
Asked this morning and they said it was prescribed at 2am.
Got my several times a day meds.
Doctors came round and again I asked them, then pharmacist came up ran through my meds and again I double checked and they said no don't worry we will supply.
Which then brings me to this evening when nurse was doing rounds. Asked again about evening meds - nothing prescribed. Nurse brought in similar type of medication which was apparently prescribed but isn't the one I usually take, but a different formulation, she queried with me and I said I've heard of it but never taken it and I think is the same but would need someone to confirm it was okay to take as a substitute. She said would it be OK until tomorrow as they can't order at night. I said it wouldn't be life or death as only missed two days (but that's not really the point is it. Also I'm not a consultant prescribing meds) would hate for this to be actual life dependant medication.

I could understand if there was a conflict with my current condition and I couldn't have it but no one has indicated that to or discussed with me.

AIBU to tell them tomorrow I'm bringing my own as this can't continue. I'm not sure what the hospital policy is on bringing your own as anytime I've been in before it's been given to me with no issues at all.

Ask to see the pharmacist tomorrow. They should go through it all with you.

This happens every time DH is in hospital and it’s an utterly disgraceful, dangerous shambles. It never improves, and must contribute hugely to patient detriment.

I’ve told him to take his meds in in future, and tell the ward staff he’ll take his own until the hospital provide theirs, at which point he’ll switch over. But until then, he’s taking his own, just as he does every day at home, because otherwise it will be harmful to him, and he hasn’t come into hospital for his health to get worse. If they don’t like it, they can arrange for the hospital meds to come quicker.

I’d be making quite a fuss in your shoes, OP. It’s unacceptable.

This happens every time with me

Wrong meds, not correct time
Sometimes in the morning they would give me all my meds in one pot that i have staggered over a day, evening and then bed time ones

I take my own now in my own pill pots, and bin the ones they give me, they are never all there anyway, or wrong dose etc
I dont tell them
Once i gave them my meds to give to me but then gave another patient my meds on a couple of occassions because she was on the 'same dose' and 'a couple wont hurt'
I said i would need a new prescription before i was discharged and nurse looked at me like i had asked her for Crack

I asked before my son was admitted if we should bring meds in. Pharmacist said yes, came and saw me on the ward and was happy with the webster pack.

Officious nurse found out what was happening and locked the meds away in his drawer and took the key away.

I've told the hospital I've got and will take my own meds on many occasions.

If it's something you can overdose on if you mix up timings then they don't like it, and might even say they have to take it away from you. I've never refused that so don't know what would happen. But for me it was particularly a once a day evening one and they kept having to wake me up to give it as they were coming around really late. I just said I'd take it myself and they asked I just let them know when I'd taken it so they could write it down.

Definitely not uncommon for patients to take their own medication they bring from home. Some people do this so they are taking their meds when they normally do at home and not for when dr has prescribed them. Just tell the nurse your intentions and they will document that you have taken them.

Several of my absolutely essential medications have to be special ordered by my local pharmacy each month to keep them allergen free. I then have to double-check that they filled them correctly. They often mess up. If they do, it can take a week to get a replacement.

there is no chance I would trust the hospital pharmacy to stock everything I need and fill it correctly.

Always take your meds. Is there anyway that somebody can bring yours from home for you?

I used to work on the wards. We used to encourage patients to bring in their own medications as some are non formulary in the hospital.

Thanks, yes they could have be brought at any point and I wouldn't have had to go without. Will raise again this morning and get the brought anyway so if the usual happens I have them. My only concern is that they haven't been issued due to the reason why I'm currently here but no one has said that. I.e can't take x at the minute as it aggrevates y.

Are any of them controlled drugs that in a clinical setting need 2 sigs?

This happens to me every time too. I now ask to use and take own medicines from home. They are otherwise lost, forgotten, ignored as they cannot be bothered to order / dispense or whatever other excuse.

You can sign a form to do this.

Controlled drugs will have to be checked by 2 nurses and given over to them though.

We have a form to sign parents off to give their child their own medication. It’s much easier for everyone as they can do it according to their own routine. Although I do find having to assess them as competent quite insulting to them! This is what they do every day!

I would never trust a hospital ward with medication. My poor nan was in for quite a long time and they kept ‘forgetting’ to give her prescribed levothyroxine. Absolutely essential as she’d had cancer and her thyroid gland removed. On the very rare occasions they did actually give it to her, it was with her breakfast and a cup of tea and levo absolutely shouldn’t be taken like that. She ended up even more ill than she went in.

When I was in after my emergency c-section, trying to get the prescribed pain relief and heparin injections was nigh on impossible. My mum bought me in a load of paracetamol and ibuprofen in the end.

It shouldn’t be a problem taking your own, just let them know what and when so they can ensure it’s all recorded.

No, no controlled drugs thankfully. My first experience of being an inpatient other than using maternity or day case services and it's a bit more shambolic than I thought.

It seems the nurses are doing their part and it's not being picked up on by the ones who can prescribe!
I had naively assumed when the pharmacist came round and went through everything that that would be it sorted.