I have COPD/Asthma crossover in 2016 I had a serious exasperation could not breath and didn't know what caused it. I was in hospital on oxygen, steroids, meds I can't remember much about it but it was frightening. I could not move from the bed to the commode without gasping for air or wash myself or dress myself without gasping for air. I was in my late 40s and had never experienced any problems like this before and was very active. It took quite a while to learn to manage the condition I went Pulmonary rehab that helped build my confidence to exercise and manage my inhalers. after a couple of appointments I was discharged by the consultant to My GPs care. The GPs have improved vastly in that time have regular LTC reviews and a care plan. I think as I have not had a stay in hospital since I am managing the conditions well. This site helped me Hugely tips and others experience was a great help. However I over the last few years have concerns as when it comes time to order a prescription if I will get it before I run out. I started using NHS ap to order my prescriptions It says that it replaces paper prescriptions and that you can nominate any pharmacy so helpful if your working in town and cant get to your local Pharmacy or out of town. However it is not working that way I only use local pharmacies and The GPs issue the Prescription very quickly It shows on the ap as Issued and I would expect a couple of hours it should reach the pharmacy electronically. But the Pharmacies Always ask have you had a text message if not they say it hasn't come through and tell you you have to wait for text message. This has taken anything from week or more to come through on checking with the Gps it has been authorised advising you to ring the Pharmacy. Boots was the worst I once waited a week could not get through on the phone so popped in the assistant asked have you had a text I replied no could you just check please she refused and told me if I didn't like it I could go elsewhere. Then I Wells they take over a Week from order to dispense they said you need to wait for a text if you running out you should order a week earlier. The Ap will not allow that and if it has been issued It can not be reordered for a different pharmacy Unless I make an appointment and inform the Gp Practise.
I thought I had finally found a small local Pharmacy who was polite and quite quick at dispensing I had ran out of fostair my preventer could not order until Sunday on the Ap it was issued Monday morning showing on the AP I waited until 4.45pm rang the Pharmacy Only to be asked had I received a text I said I had not then came It hasn't come through and you need to order it a week before so you don't run out. I told them the Ap only Allows you to order on the due date and a week prior to this my son had ordered a repeat prescription eye drops a week or more went by when I called they apologised as they had not sent a text and it was ready 2 days after order.
I went to speak to them the next day they gave me my prescription Fostair the preventer but not without telling me I should order it sooner again I explained the Ap Is not flexible they then told me I should not run out basically implying I am miss using It explained that sometimes I cough when taking it and have to wait and take it again it does happen with asthma and Copd when you take a deep Breath and let it out before taking the inhaler it can occasionally cause a cough or splutter so you don't really inhale the meds. I do use a spacer. Some years back I trained with Diana nurses on how to administer inhalers at that time they showed us to let out one puff to ensures the Inhaler was free of debris/ blockages and was working before administering a dose. I have never done this for myself as I fear running out of metered dosage.
Does anybody else experience difficulties running out of dosage for fostair or other inhalers before they are administered or with the Nhs Ap I am finding it more and more stressful I am managing my condition well as I haven't been hospitalised since 2016 the pharmacist also told me that each puff of fostair cost the NHS over £3.00 I pay for my prescriptions I and all of my family have payed tax and national insurance for generations also How much would it cost the NHS for me to Have a stay in hospital.
I really feel let down.
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kidas
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I order my stuff 10-14 days before I'm due to run out .... the gp sometimes takes time to "approve the prescription" and then most of the stuff the local pharmacy doesn't keep in stock (and never has so it's no surprise) .....ive never had any issues apart from once when I ordered in advance and the smart ass gp decided to post date the prescription for a time I was away.... it was fixed within a few hours and the prescription was sorted out a few days later by boots
I use Lloyds Direct and would recommend them. You order your prescription online, they contact GP then your medication is sent through post. They remind you to order about 10 days before you run out. This allows for delays at GP end and out of stock at their end. You can order anytime you're getting low though and if GP authorises they send it. Not had any problems with getting medication.
I use Patient Access via my GP surgery website. It has a note space when ordering and I use this if I'm ordering meds early to explain I'm going on holiday. If I order on a Sunday the meds are usually ready at Boots by Thursday.
I tried the Boots digital ordering service but it just didn't work.
My GP surgery website also shows the NHS app to download or there's a third system to download one's request. I've not tried either.
Check your GPs website in case they offer Patient Access as an option as it's very reliable and doesn't prevent early requests for meds.
When have your check up ask for a spare. You can use this if you are running low. Some pharmacies will give you an inhaler if you stuck. I order online EP and have them delivered by knights pharmacy 2-3 days later. I've been lucky nothing missing. You can get Lloyd's online they'll sort your prescription. You've been very unlucky. Chests are stressful enough.
When I had my first ever repeat prescription the pharmacy told me to order two weeks before I needed it. Which as you say is an issue with the order dates on the app.
I discussed it with my asthma nurse and she has manoeuvred it so I should always have one inhaler spare. So I personally would discuss with your gp asthma nurse, as she will know how to manoeuvre the system, probably by prescribing a bit extra at some stage to create a bit of slack in the system.
Thank You I am waiting for meds review and will discuss this Christmas and bank hols can be an issue occasionally never running out sounds good and not worrying about the order. I just want to get on with life and manage my condition that's how it should be.
I am in Scotland, so sounds like you are in England or Wales, and your NHS systems work differently from ours.
I don’t use an “App” sounding like yours, but my surgery has a website so that patient information is freely available, appointments etc can easily be made, and repeat prescriptions ordered to collect in person, or your choice of local pharmacy collects prescriptions, fulfils and delivers to you. This can be as quick as next day, or can take up to 4 days, depending on how quickly GPs can issue prescriptions.
The website works better now than it did a few years ago, but still need to communicate via reception at times.
A couple of times I have run out of Fostair, but called pharmacy, who delivered same day, and accounted for that when they received my prescription. On their advise, I also requested GP to issue further prescriptions for 2, rather than just 1 inhaler, so that I was less likely to run out, and reorder every time I finished 1, so that there was always a “spare” in the fridge.
I now do this with Atrovent inhaler too, as harder to see it run down when there is no visible countdown meter, as on the Fostair.
Talk to your GP or receptionist about their website App, as it sounds pretty useless if it’s failing to renew your meds before you run out!!! Or is the problem with the pharmacies? Respiratory issues can’t just wait!
I also don’t know where your pharmacist get the figures for, “each puff of fostair cost the NHS over £3.00”, because if you look online, the average price for a Fostair inhaler is around £45, so each puff would cost 0.375p, NOT £3.00!
My pharmacy is brilliant, but sounds like your Apps are programmed inefficiently, and a word with a sympathetic receptionist and GP might find a better way of doing things online, as well as asking to have 2 inhalers dispensed on each prescription, so you don’t run out through no fault of your own!
Understandably, you are getting stressed about this, which won’t help your conditioner either, so make sure your GP really understands your concerns. You fear losing control and ending up in hospital again just because an App has delayed necessary medication. Being in control of COPD/ Asthma as well as you possibly can (I have too), makes a huge difference to your quality of life, both physically and mentally.
Respiratory issues have to be taken seriously. You have been doing brilliantly NOT to have been in hospital again, through LTC, rehab and your own hard work, so keep on going, keep active, positive and hopeful, and keep asking for help with accessing the meds you’ve been prescribed, so’s you can take them regularly as prescribed.
You want to feel at your best for the coming winter months. Hope any of this helps, take care and best wishes xo
Thank you for the encouragement and advice it means a lot to know others understand. At times started to question my sanity that's for sure but I know I've manged well deep down.
I would speak to your GP and ask for a one off prescription for the Fostair to help prevent running out.......I'm presuming you take 100/6 MDI (spray type) which is MART meaning you can take extra as & when (like Ventolin/ Salamol). My 'script is always for 56 days. I manage my meds so I don't run out (usually taking less Fostair during summer therefore 'saving up' some to get me through the winter months. We really shouldn't have to do this.
I agree we shouldn't I have actually thought about taking 1does in the morning and at night instead of 2 as prescribed I tried it but it wasn't good for me. I spoke to a nurse who told me not take any notice of the cost just follow my health plan and GP Pharmacist is going to call to look at my prescriptions with me so hope we can sort something out. High street Pharmacies need better training and accountability.
Hi kidas sorry you have had this experience but you are not alone I put a prescription in for a fostair and a salbutamol in the 14th if June this year and waited nearly a week before the Dr authorised it then it was sent to Lloyd's pharmacy .I ordered this through the Lloyd's direct app after a few more days I kept getting messages saying I was getting the lufabec instead and it wa out of stock but I could have the salbutal so I had the salbutamol delivered before and I still had a tiny bit of fostair left whi h I had to ration myself with. During this time my breathing was not 100%..on the Friday 23rd of June I woke up un able to handle breath at all and was rushed to resuss then put in life support where my oxygen levels were so low my next of kin where told they could do nothing else for me and I had to be sent to London St Thomas/St guys for ecmo.i was in a coma for a month and in hospital for 6 weeks including physio .I am very very lucky to be alive and owe my life to the ecmo team in London. My lufabex showed up on the 24th of June 11 days after I had ordered it .I think between the Dr and the pharmacy I sometimes really don't think they truly understand how life threatening asthma can be and if they got the medication out sooner I wouldn't of been in that situation .I only get one of each medication each month so if I lose one or need the blue more then I have nothing . Nobody should wait such a long time for a life saving medication .I wish you all the best 👍
I'm so sorry to hear that it is an awful feeling helpless. Gps Issued same day through online NHS Ap the delay is with pharmacies where I live. They used to blame GP when it was paper prescriptions but I can see it is issued now they say the it hasn't come through to their system. They say we have to wait for notification text and have even complained about how much they have to get out almost accusing of que jumping if you ring or pop in its unpleasant and unnecessary. One even mentioned how much each puff cost the NHS contemptuous attitude as we have all payed in and it costs the NHS an awful lot more If people have exasperations and are rushed to hospital it could have been managed. wishing you well.
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