GP Triage is a JOKE

[CatsCoffeeChocolate]

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to vent and ask if anyone had advice on what I can do. Sorry if it’s long.

My BMI is over 30, which therefore means I require a 5mg dose of Folic Acid on prescription from the GP. I know this because unfortunately I was in the same position with my last pregnancy.

however, things have changed since then. The only way to get an appointment with my surgery is to fill out an online request, which asks basic questions in regards to pregnancy issues that may require an appointment, e.g: are you experiencing pain? Are you bleeding? Are you vomiting excessively?

So, since my sickness has not yet started, and I’m more so concerned with getting the folic acid so as to avoid any neural tube defects, I obviously had to answer no to the questions.

Long story short, they offered me an appointment for 3 weeks time. That’s way too long for me to wait, so I rang them directly and had an awful experience with the receptionist telling me I need to book online and refusing to help, saying that I’ve “been triaged as non urgent” and therefore there is nothing to be done. I explained my concerns of how it would possibly affect the baby….. she simply said there was nothing she could do.

So, I need some advice please ladies?
Anyone had a similar experience?
Any ideas how I can get the folic acid I require?

Does your surgery have the nurses who can do prescriptions? Nurse Practitioner I think they are called. You might be able to get a sooner appointment if you request the nurse rather than the GP.

You take folic acid when you start to TTC, it's oo late for the main effect by the time you have a positive PT so just delay TTC for 3w.

Honestly given the stress / hassle and impact of spina bifida

Go to boots buy regular folic acid at 400 ug and take 12 per day until your appointment time
That's what I did .

It costs 75/80p a day or something

Were you taking folic acid pre trying to conceive?

Sounds like OP is already pregnant, so too late for that (unless I'm reading it wrong).

Have you gone back to the start of the triage questionnaires to see if there’s a ‘medication query’ option rather than going down the ‘I have a problem that I need to see a doctor about’ route, which then leads into the pregnancy questionnaire? I don’t know what online triage system they’re using but in our surgery this would be a simple admin task completed (probably) by our clinical pharmacists. Worth a look as would save you all a lot of time and effort.

I am pretty sure my midwife requested the prescription on my behalf? I definitely didn’t get a GP appointment for it. Could you ask your midwife what they suggest?

Just buy it over the counter, widely available

(Online pharmacies sell the higher strength)

I would try:

• midwive
• 111
• if you’re in the position to do so, private GP appointment. In my area there are some providers who can give you a same day appointment for around £60 and they will give you a prescription. It’s a shame that the NHS is forcing us to go private, but I’ve given up jumping through hoops just to see a doctor when I need one.

@Needmorelego thanks, that’s a great idea and it never even crossed my mind. 🤦🏻‍♀️

@bluecurtains14 I think you may have misunderstood, I’m already pregnant, so I can’t delay TTC for 3 weeks. Besides that, it is actually extremely important that your folic acid intake is taken for at least the first 12 weeks, and every online article, including the NHS website, clearly states that if you were not already taking folic acid, to start as soon as you find out. So it is still extremely important that I get the increased dosage now, as my prenatal vitamins only contain 40micrograms. Also, I have never received the extra folic acid until after I’ve confirmed pregnancy. Not sure if it’s just my GP surgery, but they never appear concerned, even though the Department of Health recommends it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Just buy some over the counter.

You've largely missed the boat for the main effect as most of the spine is already formed. But until you get the script you can buy a pack of the 400mcg etc and take 13 per day if you like. We'd action this promptly but it's not an emergency.

Just go to the shop and buy 5mg folic acid. Why should very sick people not take priority over you wanting free vitamins?

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

@AlorsTimeForWine I was only taking the included 40micrograms within the multivitamins. I will go out to the pharmacy today and purchase some.

@Prestissimo I am unsure, but I shall have another look and see if there are any other suitable options. I know there is one where you can just input your symptoms and see if you even require an appointment, but not sure if there is a medication section that would direct to their pharmacy team.

@QueenOfWeeds thanks. I actually got that idea after I posted. I’ve left a voicemail with my local midwife team to ask if they can help.

@minnienono I didn’t think it was available in such a high dose, but as @AlorsTimeForWine has said, I may purchase lower dosage tablets and just increase the amount taken. I will ask the pharmacist for advice on this.

@Fetchthevet yes, already pregnant.

@Cinai2 thanks, appreciate the ideas. ☺️

Kindly, it isn’t urgent. Go buy it over the counter. If you were TTC and have been through this song and dance before, why not have it in advance knowing that you have an elevated BMI….

It shouldn’t require an appointment. My GP would be able to issue the prescription after I filled in an online form. Are there other versions of the form you can fill out and just request the prescription to pick-up from the GP or pharmacy directly.

That’s rude. OP is not an idiot. She is working on the assumption that you cannot just go and buy folic acid at the higher dose.

OP have you asked a pharmacist? Many medicines are not available off the shelf in the pharmacy but can be sold by the pharmacist at their professional discretion. It’s worth asking if 5 mg folic acid for high bmi pregnancy is one of those cases.

@bluecurtains14 I appreciate your response, I never stated how far along I am, which is either 4 wks 2 days according to my ovulation, or 4 wks and 4days going by my lmp. The neural tube doesn’t close until 6 weeks, (4 weeks after conception) so I’ve definitely not missed the boat. Also, I would assume there are other reasons the folic acid is required, besides just this, as it is recommended for at least the first 12 weeks.
I will be going to the pharmacy today to get some.

@SapporoBaby I don’t want priority over sick people. I actually asked if I could just have them prescribed, but unfortunately I have to speak with someone. As I’ve explained, it’s a high dose, so I have not came across them to purchase over the counter. Besides anything else, I work full time, have done since I was 17. I have a well paid job and pay extremely high taxes. I pay for every medication I require because I don’t qualify for prescriptions at zero cost. Pregnancy is the ONLY time where I do not pay for prescriptions and nor should I need to!!!!! Very judgmental comment on your behalf.

This. Just buy it over the counter. You’re supposed to take them when you’re trying to conceive for the best impact not 4 weeks in.

You can't buy that strength of folic acid over the counter, just as an FYI for those suggesting that...

To all those saying to take folic acid when TTC, yes that’s the recommendation in the UK, but I don’t think we need to worry OP needlessly. Plenty of people get pregnant without planning to, therefore wouldn’t have taken folic acid beforehand, and have healthy babies, and it’s not even recommended in every country. OP can’t go back in time, so it would be better to focus on helping her now than worry her about something she can’t change.

My midwife sorted the prescription for me so I didn't have to see a doctor. She just sent me a message when it was ready to collect. So I'd definitely recommend speaking to your midwife

You can take more than one tablet though.

Okay, so for the extremely rude people, if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all.

This is the last time I’m going to explain, I WAS taking folic acid beforehand, but not the increased dosage required for my BMI because my GP WOULDN’T PRESCRIBE IT UNTIL I WAS ALREADY PREGNANT!

I have since become pregnant, but now instead of just phoning and speaking to a receptionist, it’s an online appointment system that asks very specific questions to assess the urgency, which obviously doesn’t include my issue and therefore I cannot be seen for 3 weeks.

For all those that suggested purchasing, please pay attention……

I have spent the last almost 3 hours driving around all the local pharmacies (7 in total!)

NONE will give out 5mg folic acid tablets without prescription.
NONE will allow me to buy multiple boxes of the lower dose.
As one of the ACTUALLY QUALIFIED PHARMACISTS explained to me, they can only sell 0.4mg tablets, meaning I would need to take 12 of these every day. They would not sell them to me. Point closed.

Instead I was advised to call 111, which I did, and they cannot assist because it is a medication request and they believe it should be dealt with by the GP.

I physically went to my GP surgery to explain my need for the prescription, unfortunately the receptionist repeated that she could not help me get a sooner appointment, but would send a note through to the doctor to explain, so I’m waiting to see if they can help.

I had also left a voicemail with the midwife team and they called back to say that they can’t help until my booking in appointment, which doesn’t occur until a further 4 weeks. Therefore it would also be no help.

Those of you that have actually tried to give helpful advice, I appreciate you and may god bless you sweethearts for taking the time to be nice.

To those of you that passed judgement and tried to make snide remarks, you are honestly just the perfect example of why I never post for help on these f*ing forums!!!!

I just bought the large tubs of standard dose in boots and took 11 tablets until I could see a doctor. I was also taking an overall pregnancy supplement which obviously also contains the 0.4mg. So 12 doses altogether.

The 60 pack is £2
Buy 4 tubs and it should do until you get the appointment in 3 weeks time