Peakflow Meter

Will my Nurse give me a prescription to get a peakflow meter when I see her on Friday?

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she should do if you ask and if she can't u should ask your gp for one. i stand corrected if wrong but think she might or might ask gp to do one for you. anyoneone know better am i right?

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Heya

I'm not too sure on this. If she asks you to keep a peak flow diary then they may pescribe one, but some places may have some that they loan out for while you're keeping the diary.

Becca

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thanks! do Chemists sell them? I see you can get electronic ones now

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You can buy them from chemists, although I don't know how much one would be. Probably not a lot more than the cost of a prescription.

Some doctors are willing to prescribe digital meters such as the Piko-1, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

There's no real reason why your GP wouldn't prescribe one if you asked for one specifically - a peak flow diary can be a big help in asthma management.

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You can buy them from chemists, although I don't know how much one would be. Probably not a lot more than the cost of a prescription.

Some doctors are willing to prescribe digital meters such as the Piko-1, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

There's no real reason why your GP wouldn't prescribe one if you asked for one specifically - a peak flow diary can be a big help in asthma management.

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If your doctor suspects asthma they will give you a peak flow meter. Mine was a prescription only thing as apparently they aren't available in the chemist.

[yaf_user681_25830]

Your GP should give you a prescription for one fluffy fish. Since you are in the early stages of diagnosis, I think keeping a peak flow diary would be very useful for you, and for your doctor too.

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thanks sleepymazza - i am keeping a peak flow diary.

I did send you a pm sleepymazza did you not get it?

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Maybe i've missed something but how do you keep a peak flow diary when you dont have a peak flow???

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Ih ave got a peak flow meter I bought it today

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Surely it would have been better to wait until you saw your nurse on Friday? At least then it would only have cost you the price of a prescription.

Which meter have you got?

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and surely if I wanted to buy one today because I am struggling I am perfectly in my rights to!

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oh and I don't pay for my prescriptions as my other VVVVVV serious illness exempts me from paying

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But a peak flow meter won't help you if you're struggling. Indeed, it could make you worse if you don't know how to use one properly. If you'd asked your nurse for one, she would also have instructed you on the proper technique. No doubt the fact that you've not spoken to a medical professional about using a peak flow meter explains why you got such differing peak flow readings, as you mentioned on another thread here.

And if you're exempt from paying for prescriptions, it's even more baffling that you bought a meter today rather than getting one prescribed. The list of illnesses that qualify for exemption from prescription charges is really very short, and certainly none of them are the mystical rare illness that you keep throwing in our faces.

You'll excuse me for being forthright here, but as a moderator I have to say that much of what you're posting on here really doesn't add up.

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fluffyfish, you seem to be very angry with many of us here. I can wholeheartedly understand (from personal experience) how the impact of chronic illness can effect one emotionally, and indeed make one very angry at times, but I have to say that none of us here actually warrant being the target of your anger, in my opinion. Is there perhaps some deeper issue that you need to off-load?

Becky.

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i SUGGEST taht you get your facts right in future Peaksteve before bullying someone.

a) I HAVE been shown by my GP how to use a peakflow meter

b) contrary to what you think I do have a VVVVVVVVVVVVVV rare extremely dagnerous and lifethreatening physical illness which exempts me from paying prescriptions on medical grounds

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Careful about buying medical paraphernalia that aren't prescribed for you. If you are going to use the 'store bought' meter ensure it has the correct EU Scale.

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Fluffy, if you were shown by your GP how to use a peak flow meter, then I'm sure you would have also been given or prescribed one at the same time.

And now, let me quote you from the Prescription Pricing Authority's website regarding being exempt from prescription charges:

-- quote begins --

Medical Exemption Certificates (Medex)

People with specified medical conditions can get free NHS prescriptions if:

* they suffer from any of the medical conditions listed below and

* they hold a valid Medical Exemption Certificate

The Authority's Medical Exemption Issue Office is responsible for issuing Medical Exemption Certificates on behalf of the Department of Health for England to patients who suffer from one of the specified medical conditions.

The specified medical conditions are:

* a permanent fistula (for example caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance

* forms of hypoadrenalism (for example Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential

* diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism

* diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone

* hypoparathyroidism

* myasthenia gravis

* myxoedema

* epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy

* a continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months.

-- quote ends --

You can see this page for yourself at ppa.org.uk/ppa/medex.htm - the list above is COMPLETE - no other conditions, no matter how debilitating or rare - qualify for exemption from prescription charges.

So, let's try again, shall we. I'm not trying to bully you; many users of this website have expressed to me that they are baffled by your posts and that the information you're providing seems to make very little sense.

Aside from all that, your general tone - since you first started posting on this message board - has been immensely patronising and self-obsessed. Do you think you're the only ill person who posts here?! That's an extraordinarily one-sided view of the world, and is deeply insulting to the many other seriously ill people who post here but have more dignity than to keep throwing the severity of their illnesses at us every time.

I suggest you think long and hard as to whether this message board is a suitable place for you to be posting in the future.

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I am actually intrigued, from a purely medical point of view, as to what this incredibly rare condition is - no, I'm not being sarcastic.

I'd actually be fascinated to find out. You'll have to excuse me, us doctors get a little excited about rare stuff.

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Yes i am very intrigued aswell, not to be nosey, but this sort of stuff interests me! It must be very serious. One of my auntie has Essential Thrombosythemia, its quite a rare cancer! It means she is on so many different pills all the time, including chemotherapy. She has to pay for all her prescriptions and stuff, she is in hopsital every few weeks, and nearly died a few months ago! Is it that serious? If you dont want to say it publicly than please do pm me! I would like to help if i can!

Holly- May x