Will the pharmacist give me an inhaler?

[Gingerkittykat]

I've got mild athsma, I'm meant to take a brown inhaler everyday with the blue one as needed.

I've been fine for months, not even taking the brown one. I've got a bit of a bug and now a bit wheezy, tight chest and coughing.

I found a brown inhaler and started that, but found my blue inhalers were empty. I've put in for a repeat prescription but it won't be ready till Thursday.

Do you think the pharmacist will give me a blue inhaler if I show her the old one is empty? It's my local village pharmacy so they should be able to look it up on the system and see I've had them on repeat before.

Ask them. If they can't, call 111. They'd sooner sort a repeat than treat someone who deteriorated due to lack of it.

They may do an emergency supply or they may ask you to phone 111 and get a prescription faxed / sent through. We had to go the 111 route but then our village pharmacy wasn't on their list for being able to issue emergency prescriptions so we had to drive to a pharmacy in a supermarket in the next town where 111 had sent it to.

They can do - go and ask if they are still open. The pharmacist may not be able to do an emergency script if you haven't had one for ages though.
If not- try 111 for an emergency script.

I know some pharmacies can but I’m not sure all can, and you might have to pay some kind of pharmacist consultation fee IIRC.

When I had this exact problem last year the pharmacy couldn’t help me, so I went to the local walk in and they gave me a blue one.

If you are prepared to pay then the Online pharmacies that chemists like Superdrug have will send you a blue inhaler after completing a simple health questionnaire - delivery takes a couple of days though

I have done this with boots. I would take your empty blue inhaler with the box if you have it as will have the label on showing it was dispensed to you. Take some ID too.

You may have to pay for it but it's under £15 and they usually ask for your doctor's details so they can tell them they have issued one to you.

Generally speaking... And in my own experience

Pharmacy companies, will give out a repeat blue before the prescription is received, especially if they can see it on THEIR system. I have had to do this, as a blue has run out before the script was ready.

What they do, is get you to sign to say you need it, then when your script comes in, they'll "take back" the one you "borrowed".

I've also on about 2 prior occasions, taken a blue puffer back due to it not working... There's stuff still in it, but it won't.come out. The pharmacy I use has replaced it, as a sort of warranty claim!

I would call your gp surgery in the morning and ask for a phone appt as you need a repeat prescription for a blue inhaler.

The GP should just done and leave it for you to collect.

If it gets worse, do phone 111 for an ooh appt

I have done this with boots.

Weird. It was Boots that said they couldn’t help me, even though that’s where I usually get my prescriptions from.

First of all, you should never, ever stop taking your preventer (Brown inhaler) by a doctor. It's called a preventer for a reason. Secondly, my pharmacist told me that, that if a drug has been prescribed by a GP in the last twelve months, they will renew that prescription. Otherwise, they need a new prescription.

Thanks, I'll head to the pharmacy in the morning and see what they say.

I know I am meant to take the brown inhaler, I get told off for it every time I have a check.

My asthma seemed to improve massively to the point it was a non problem when I had taken up regular exercise and there was a big improvement in my lung capacity. I even got through the past 2 winters without a chest infection. I've got out of the habit of exercise so this has been the wake up call I need to start back.

This is very bad, Can you not ring the surgery and ask to speak to the Practice manager and say it's an emergency, explain, and ask them to request your G.P. or one of the others to do prescription straight away.
I hope you get sorted out. x

They can't leave you that long without a blue inhaler. If the pharmacist won't give you it, call the doctor and request an emergency appointment or a phone consultation. Failing that, go to a walk in clinic.

Please don't wait until Thursday!