Repeat prescription debacle

[Elbowedout]

I just need to let off some steam really.
The details dont really matter but I am currently suffering from a painful condition which stands no chance of improving in the foreseeable future. Surgery is planned but there is a long wait and I am not going to miraculously recover in the interim. However, by GP wont put my drugs on a repeat prescription and I have to have an appointment every month to demonstrate that no miracle has yet occurred. I understand they have to be careful but thus just seems a ridiculous waste of her time and mine, plus getting an appointment is nigh on impossible.
I phoned last week to be told that I was calling too early and I couldn't be given an appointment yet. Rang today and a different receptionist told me that I shouldn't have left it so late and now the earliest available appointment is 1st November. And that isn't even with my regular GP so I will no doubt have to go through the whole story with this one. That will be over a week after my painkillers would have run out if taking them as prescribed and it's not the first time this has happened. All I can do is take them less frequently so that I at least have some til the next appointment which basically leaves me housebound during the time I don't have enough. It is incredibly infuriating. I dont expect anyone to have any answers but I just needed to vent my frustration. I am having a crappy week on lots of fronts and really, really didn't need this.

Have you tried emailing the practice manager and explaining this as you have here? That’s what I would do.

Frustration is completely understandable.

Is it possible to speak to the practice manager, and ask them what they (as a practice) can do to ensure you can get prescriptions in a timely manner? I’m thinking along the lines of a telephone appointment or similar low-hassle solution?

Are the drugs controlled?

Controlled drugs (opiates, stimulants etc) can't be put on repeat.

The GP has to see the patient face-to-face and specifically print the prescription.

I have been in a similar position before, running out of contraceptive pills before my appointment is due. The practice manager asked the duty GP to write me a prescription for the number of pills I needed up to my appointment. If you have an appointment booked and are likely to attend I don't see why they couldn't do this for you. I think that in your case they have to be careful with painkillers because people can become addicted to them so they have to see you in person regularly.

Yes controlled drugs are meant to be on a no repeat HOWEVER my mil has been fished out opiate based meds at high doses for far too long on a repeat without even being seen

If I were you op and your not too far from the surgery I would rock up at 9 am or when they open and stand and state your prescription runs out at xx date,you've been told not to book too early and now that you've left it too late and is there any possibility since your there that your go would see you to sign a script to start when the next one runs out.

I've had to do that before now with lifetime meds I'm on and I haven't left until somethings been sorted