They've done it again 😡

[MapsandLegends]

I posted recently about the doctors halving my prescription without consulting with me and now they've done it again with another medication. My fiancé collected it Friday afternoon and I just opened the package and there's now 15 tablets instead of 30. They are mirtazapine and I understand you can't just stop taking them? I didn't make the private GP appointment as I'm house bound and recently got worse and been bed bound, and the hot weather has been horrendous, making me feel so ill. I need to speak to a GP but am afraid they'll just fob me off. I have to pay for my prescriptions from my savings as I don't have an income. Don't know why I'm posting really, just feel so angry.

If you are due for a med review they will do this until you attend.

They haven't requested a review. I'm house bound, not seen a GP since July 2022.

Perhaps you need to be proactive and book a review with a GP instead of waiting for them. Four years is a long time for medication like yours to be given without a review as guidelines change, GPs change, people's circumstances change, If you are housebound the surgery needs to know to be able to offer some sort of support if needed. Just book a telephone review.

Also, if you have no income are you not in receipt of any benefits entitling you to free prescriptions?

Been telling them for four years that I'm house bound when I've had the occasional phone call, usually get fobbed off with a nurse not the GP.

No I live with my fiancé who works full time so I don't qualify for anything. I've lived on my savings since 2015.

surely you just put another request in and give them a call

Sounds like you might benefit from the annual certificate which gives unlimited prescriptions.
I hope your fiance is being fair with finances. Sounds like a tough situation.

You need to ask why. Maybe the pharmacy didn’t have enough in stock? I’ve had that happen to me several times.

My daughter has regular meds and the pharmacy are quite good at sorting out issues for her. Alternatively submit a request to the GP practice (most of them do it online now) for a medication review. Also if you pay more than one prescription a month it works out cheaper to get and annual prepay certificate.

Sorry OP but you need to be much more proactive about your medication! Schedule a remote GP consultation and speak to your GP about your medication asap. If they try and fob you off with a nurse, explain why and say you want to speak to a prescriber. For context, I am on lithium which requires regular blood work to prescribe. I follow up for this and make sure it happens every 3 months without exception. I genuinely have no idea how you can just be so passive.

Get in touch with the GP and ask for a review

They may even start printing the prescriptions to force someone to collect them

You're not supposed to go years without reviews

It very frustrating and insulting when people talk about being “fobbed off” with a nurse. My mum was “just a nurse” for over 40years and better than a GP on many issues, for example they are usually better at drawing blood, smears, wound care, asthma reviews, sexual health etc and my local surgery has a specialist menopause nurse. Sometimes they are the right expert and they are much more likely to spend time with you and empathise than the average GP, so maybe don’t be so derogatory.

Have you considered a prepayment for your prescription? It usually works out cheaper if you’re on regular meds.

Also if your housebound have you had an adult social care assessment or seen a social prescriber? (You don’t say if it’s physical or mental health and you don’t have to explain either but it will change the support sought)

Depending on the why you haven’t left the house you are entitled to support (physical or MH).

If the GP is halving your meds o suspect somewhere there’s a communication breakdown but they won’t just prescribe seeping controlled meds for 4 years and longer without trying or exploring other routes. And yes, you may need to fight for that (wrongly).

Also suggest a pre payment certificate as it’s £11.45 10 months of the year by DD.

Are you on a financially equal relationship? If your finance earns enough there’s no UC entitlement why are you paying for your prescriptions? Are you getting PIP? LCWRA/ESA?

I really would explore you to get some external help to support you to make sure you’re getting what you should help and you aren’t just home all the time when things could change for you.

You say you are seeing a GP privately? Are you not in the UK? If you are, try your local GP and see if you have better luck there, but any doctor will want to review you periodically in order to keep prescribing

You can have a telephone review? They stopped my thyroid medication completely until I had at least a telephone review.
Also are you sure the pharmacy aren’t just low on stock? I only got half of one of my pills this month as they ran out. I’ve to go back next week to collect the rest.

It's sounds like you need a medication review but also a personal 'review' about everything in your life. Ie what support are you getting as you are housebound? Why are you living off your savings? What is your relationship like between you and your partner? There is more to this than just your medication being cut down.

Make an appointment. If you are bed bound then surely you must be poorly in some way and your gp should know or have been involved in getting a diagnosis or refered you to hospital. Who decided you should stay in bed? If it is a physical issue you must qualify for some benefit and free prescriptions. If its your mental health then being stuck in bed all day isnt the best thing to do.

As a previous poster said, it's your responsibility to manage your health. If you're not happy being 'fobbed off' with a nurse ( who is likely to be extremely experienced with additional prescribing qualifications ) state that you wish to see a GP. As for benefits. You may wish to consider applying for a sickness benefit as that's not means tested so you may be entitled to some money which could go towards your prescription costs.

I was going to say the same thing. And if your partner is working full time you should be sharing your income together - not having to use your savings to pay for essential things like prescriptions. Is there some element of financial control going on here?

Are you in the UK? Why are you paying for a private GP?

You can do medication reviews over the phone

Have you been with your fiancé since 2015? Doesn't he help with prescription costs?

Why not pay for a yearly prescription certificate? It's £114 a year spread across 10 month of payment but you get 12 months.