Repeat prescriptions!

[Vonnegut]

I had been taking 100mg twice daily and then when I realised my heart had behaved without the first 100mg of the day I asked to have 50mg then in future retaining the 100mg at night. Both have been on repeat prescription for months and despite that one had to order them every month now about a week in advance! As I have chronic fatigue my husband collects them and last time I thought they had come with the low dose statin it was decided I should take and only discovered last night that they hadn’t so I had run out of Flecainide completely! I have made it through the night so am now about to ring the surgery and the pharmacy! And we are supposed to avoid stress!

[BobD Volunteer]

Yes I order online now and you can't do it too early. Orders are not accepted more than two weeks early.

[jeanjeannie50]

My docs surgery advise us to order our meds from them 10 days before they are needed. However, its so easy to forget to order them in time.

Having seen drugs delivered to a nursing home and the person dying before being able to receive them, it's such a waste of medications, which even if the pack hasn't been opened still have to be destroyed. So if people wonder why their prescription meds don't just automatically arrive (without them having to order) there's the reason why. You would think the answer would be to send the meds back to the pharmacy but no, crackpots are around who could have meddled with them.

Jean

[Vonnegut in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Wow! Ten days is more than the 5-7 I’ve been told. I am just exceedingly pleased that my heart has continued to beat normally since I took the 50mg of Flecainide yesterday at around 11:45am and trust it will continue that way til my husband can pick up the new ones “this afternoon” when I’ve been told they will be ready, and get them back for me!

[CDreamer in reply to Vonnegut]

Our pharmacy says 3-5 days but I can usually pick up my usual meds within 48 hours and emergency meds with an hour. May I suggest that you contact your usual surgery and ask for an emergency supply should that ever happen again, they will often be able to access your records and give you a few days supply to bridge the time they may need to fulfill your full script.

[Vonnegut in reply to CDreamer]

They don’t seem that concerned and I’ve got through a day and a half so far without the Flecainide and with my heart still behaving properly and I’ve been given some information about places where emergency prescriptions might be obtained which my husband is going to research more fully tomorrow. He’s also found the alternative medicine drops I used before the nhs finally appreciated I had a heart condition so I’ll try them if I get an episode in hopes they might still work after 7 and a quarter years!! I’m hoping the Flecainide might have “cured me” and I get another decent night’s sleep without it (and then a few more til I can get some more Flecainide).

[Cavalierrubie in reply to Vonnegut]

111 will give you emergency prescription.

[Vonnegut in reply to Cavalierrubie]

They didn’t but Boots has my Flecainide now and my husband is going g to collect it for me on his way home from the podiatrist where we both had appointments until I had to cancel mine as I’ve been feeling totally zonked from the fatigue I have and was concerned at any extra activity without support from the Flecainide. I’m quite proud of myself that I’ve made it through two days and nights with a well behaved heart even though I didn’t take anything to keep it that way!

[Cavalierrubie in reply to Vonnegut]

Hope you soon feel better. Well done and take care. It would make me panic too. Poor ol you, that’s all you needed, but good your heart has behaved. 🥰

[Vonnegut in reply to Cavalierrubie]

It didn’t “make me panic” - I was a little concerned perhaps, but I was taking it very easy as usual because of the fatigue I have and feeling quite proud of my heart for behaving so well without the Flecainide!

[Vonnegut in reply to CDreamer]

Thankfully, I seem to have made it through another night ok without the drugs!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Vonnegut]

I must admit I always get my meds within about 4-5 days. People retired here in the UK and on a pension get all their meds free of charge. I guess we have to ask for them every month so as not to waste any by dying. 😂

[Vonnegut in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I am retired and in the UK!

[pusillanimous in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Gosh , 10 days seems a long time. Here in South Africa I see my GP every six months and she give me a prescription for all the meds. I'm on (I see the Cardio annually and he may give me a prescription if I need it). Once I have the prescribtion , I email a copy to the Chronic meds dept. of my Medical Aid Society, and a copy to my Pharmacist. I have an account with the Pharmacy, and when I need a repeat I just send an email of what I need and it's delivered that same day. My Med. Aid Soc pays the bulk of the cost and the Pharmacist charges the balance to my account which I receive monthly by email and pay by EFT. If there is a stock shortage the Pharmacist substitutes another brand than my usual. It seems so easy.

[Vonnegut in reply to pusillanimous]

Things are good deal different here. Even though my husband has found a place that has some of the Flecainide available, they would need a prescription to issue it and my surgery won’t issue one as they know Boots has ordered it!! I’ve made it through two days now and just hope Boots do get them before my heart lapses! It’s a good thing I’ve retained my sense of humour (and have my husband to care for me)! And have you lot too!

[Crochetalong]

well done! You are coping very well, I hope you have your meds now.

[Vonnegut in reply to Crochetalong]

Yes, thank you. My husband collected them and as they had been so nice he gave the woman at the pharmacy some of our chickens’ eggs to thank her. I’m very impressed that my heart was not troubled by going for two and a half days without medication and remained in “ normal sinus rhythm” throughout!

I used to crochet too but the fatigue has virtually put an end to that and the knitting!