I had to make an appointment for a medicine review for my heart tablets so I went to my GP receptionist and she told me to go to the D.I.Y. blood pressure machine in the waiting room and to bring back the results to her, so I did and she looked at them and said that's fine you will get a phone call if the doctor needs to see you.
I got the feeling that that I had been fob off .
Surely that's a BP check not meds review .
I guess a lot depends on what happens when or if you hear from your GP. I can see some logic in getting patients to take their own blood pressure as it may reduce or even eliminate the “white coat syndrome” issue.
Please let us know what happens next......
Just had my medication review.....Nurse took bloods Then a week later when results returned I had an appt with my GP to discuss they are very thorough and do this every 6 months at my surgery.
The bloods test checks liver and kidney function and my INR all of which can be affected by the medication you take.
Sounds a thorough and good system, we also have an annual review with weight, BP, bloods and chat with the practice nurse and then follow up for results. Everything is recorded on computer - GP reviews and calls you in if there is anything of concern.
Yes we have one in our waiting room but the receptionists here are much more helpful and you would normally get to see the practice nurse immediately.
Unfortunately GPs are a scarce resource now.
I recently had a medicines review with my GP. In fact, my medication is prescribed by Barts and the GPs won't even consider changing it, but the review is one of the things GPs have to do for the CQC. The dr checked that their records were up to date, took my blood pressure and that was that.
I just did my own review. I've been getting very poor sleeping patterns coupled with lurid dreams and suspected strongly that it was due to the Bisoprolol. I made an appointment with my GP about this, and as I suspected they confirmed that this is likely the culprit. However, it also permitted me to discuss any alternatives. It seems there are none, as Bisoprolol is the beta blocker most suitable to target the heart. I take 1.25mg once daily, and apparently there is no lower dose available. My resting heart rate is in the lower 50's, usually around 54 bpm. I explained this, and the GP asked me to take a regular BP at home and bring the results in in 6 weeks time.
No, no, no !! Bisoprolol is the first beta-blocker to try but nebivolol is far more cardio-specific. However it also causes odd drewams. Another alternative is to try a calcium blocker if the dreams are too vivid.
I was on 1.25 of Bisoprolol, my cardiologist recently changed it to 2.5 of Nebivolol and have now seen EP who has taken me off beta blockers and given me 100 of Flecainide as a PIP. Resting heart rate around 52bpm but nobody bothered
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Hi. Hidden. In Ontario Canada we are notified at least once per year by our pharmacist for a meds review appointment. They naturally don,t change any of the prescriptions however it is beneficial to find out which drugs or non prescription meds may be unwise to mix or to take. I just had a review and found out that I should ease up on one med as too much can cause bone brittle faster.
I have found over the years that my pharmacist knows more about meds than some doctors do.
Even my GP sometimes suggest I ask my pharmacist about how meds interact.
Marney.
Well, Marney, in British Columbia, Canada, we have no such annual meds review by pharmacist. Furthermore, the waiting time for an ablation is horrendous.
Hello cuore. In Ontario Canada maybe it’s just Shoppers drug mart that does the annual review for meds.? And yes Ontario has a long wait time for ablations, in fact long wait to see an EP also.
However we do hear that British Columbia has access to more and better meds than Ontario. I hope this is true.
Marney.
From my experience, you have heard false.
My GP kept me for one year, from diagnosis, acting as an EP trying different meds until I became persistent. Then, it took me about 50 days to see a cardiologist who was supposed to evaluate me before seeing an EP. The time frame from GP to cardiologist to EP was scheduled for seven months. At the EP appointment, I was told that it would take from 3 to 6 months and beyond to get an ablation by which time, if you do the math, I would be in long-standing persistent AF with 7 rotors formed beyond the pulmonary veins. The BC system is content with letting persistent AF patients deteriorate with no remorse.
You and I both know that the outcome of an ablation is much higher if only the pulmonary veins are ablated which is the case in paroxysmal AF . Yet, B.C. promotes persistent patients to get worse and worse. B.C. is notorious for "waiting time" and, not only in cardiac issues.
I have read that you can get an ablation in Ontario in 3 months.
Since the approval of meds is federal, I would think that Ontario and B.C. have equal access.
If it is an electronic machine you may not get an accurate reading if you are in afib . MOMIST above seems to be on the best track. I usually get a very wide bunch of readings, error messages and eventually an old fashioned pump it up test to establish what the truth is. All good fun as long as you can convince the person doing the test that this may be the case
Nattokinase or serrapeptase instead of usual blood thinners
usual time to get results after EP appointment 
Shall I go or shall I stay - usual A&E dilemma 💓
If on warfarin long term and usually your INR is stable, how often should INR checks be made.
