Major rant (if you work in a Drs surgery you might want to look away)

Today I went to collect my new repeat prescription. Being the 1st one I collected it myself so I could check it before taking to the chemist, rather than allowing the chemist to collect it and make it up. First thing I noticed was my clexane dose had been split in 2 so that would be double the stabbing! I asked if it was possible to have the single injection like I had been using. Receptionist looked and could not find a 120mg one could find pretty much everything else but not the 120 one. She called over the lead nurse and the convo then went like this!

LN: We can't prescribe it, as it is not on the computer, it does not exist

Me: can you get a BNF I know it must be available cos I have been using it

LN: Its probably a hospital only drug

Me: No I have been using it at home

LN; You don't do clexane injections at home

me: You do cos I do, could you call the chemist and see if they can get hold of the 120mgs and then do a hand written script

receptionist: Ok I will call the chemist

LN: I don't think they will

Short delay

recp: Chemist say the only 120mg one is clexane forte

me: yes that is it it is clexane forte

LN: but you said clexane

me: I did not know there was a clexane forte or I would have said

LN: what proof do you have

Me: well I have my discharge letter that say clexane injection 120mg as the only one you can find that is 120mg is the forte one is must be that one.

LN: but we need proof, people don't do clexane injections at home,why are you having them do you have any proof on you.

Me <rapidly losing the will to live and my temper I was being made to feel like a drug dealer> will my pink discharge letter do and my protocol mentions I am on it for a clot do?

LN: no it needs to be the yellow one

Me: I gave that to the Dr at the start of the week

LN: well there is nothing on the computer

Me: I am not trying to be funny here but how many patients do you know who would come in here asking for something like clexane, provide 2 bits of proof and actually be making it all up?

LN: we need proof it is clexane forte

Me: OK I will get someone to bring down on of my remaining injections in the box

recp: I have asked the chemist to order you 30 of the clexane forte 120mg

Me: <to recp> thank you

LN: we really need something from the hospital not just the empty box

Me: the box has a pharmacy sticker from the hospital on it and my remaining injections will that do?

LN: If you have injections left why are you so worried.

Me: because next week I will not have injections left surely it is better to sort this now rather than on Monday when i am down to my last 2

Recp: I have printed out a new scrip that has the clexane forte 120mg

LN: it will be at least monday before a Dr can sign it and they will probably need to check it too

Me: fine I will come back Monday

Me exits stage left to rant to my son for 5 minutes in the car park, about people who should know better being so damned condescending, patronising and untrusting.

The sequal would be some 30 minutes later when my GP calls to clarify he is signing for the right thing because he does not want me to be upset again, he was in the coffee room with the window open and heard my 5 minute rant and said just before I hung up ""you were right you don't look like a drug dealer""

Bex

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God don't they drive you nuts when they do that!

Have a huge hug and glad its being sorted. Definitly deserved of a RANT!

Can really empathise as have been arguing as to why i need 5mg and 1mg prednisolone tablets today with my GP receptionist.

Try explaining you take 10mg yes that is 5 add 5 but i take split dose 8mg and 2mg so need 5's and 1's to make it add up.

Quote receptionist well why can't you just take two 5mg ones Really felt like saying where did you get your medical degree from and i didn't know you were consultant endocrinologist but bit my tongue in case never get given another appointment, oh to have such power!!!

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I sometimes find it amazing the lengths some will go to, to make you feel about an inch tall. I would not mind but I have to be a model patient. I see my GP to tell him about medication changes, to get my flu jab and once a year I turn up for asthma review despite the fact the asthma nurse and I both know it is a total waste of time but for the sake of getting the percentages correct I turn up. I very occasionally might call and get a script but out if I have thrush and I did trouble him once when I was being so sick I could not keep my pred down. But to made to feel like some drug abuser in front of a growing queue of people was a bit much. I feel a strongly worded letter coming on.

I feel sorry for the receptionist who bless her has had to sort out the mess the Dr has made of entering my medications before now and was really trying her best to help!

Bex

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Bex,

Glad you finally got what you needed in the end!! I defo know the fustrating feeling, send in repeat script for pred, and when i go to pick up the script is the pred on there? no!! but a note saying - 'please call to discuss' and becasue you cant call the docs while in the waiting room i have to step outside of the docs and call them, for them to question why i am on pred ... even though i have been on it for over 2 years !!!!

some you win and some you loose!!! there's always the next script to be hopefull for!!

hope your on the mend

katie xxx

[KateMoss]

That is plain picky!

I got Co-codamol and Co-proxamol muddled one day at the chemist and she was adament it wasn't on the prescrition, what ever it was I asked about!

Boots are very good though, the sweet young looking pharmacist changed prition tabs in glass pot to boxed strip piriton when I said i need to take it on a plane.

Had rants in the past.......

Kate

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Bex i know how u feel.

Mine wont prescribe anything that is not on their computer either (eg tramadol) even if it is on the hospital discharge.

They have changed most of the reception staff at our surgery and they dont know anything at all about anyone!

They wont even let you phone up for repeat script. I argued with them a couple of weeks ago wanting some montelukast paed tabs for my son. I asked if i could order a repeat and they said no as they dont do it over the phone. I said i was in hospital and there was NO way i could get in to do it and he only had 3 days left so after a few mins of argueing and the receptionist went off to talk to another receptionsist, she finally came back saying that if i had told her my name then there would have been no problem at all!!

Glad yours is all sorted now tho!

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You know what annoys me most is the feeling you are taking the micky all the time. Its not like I asked for any of my meds, in fact I am on a constant quest to reduce the number I take, I am not into the longest repeat prescription list award (we will gloss over the fact I collected 6 new ones on my last admission). I don't go to the Dr's with every sniffle and aching toe, I would need have my legs bitten off by tiger in the night before I got a Dr to do a home visit. The worst I do is call maybe once or twice a year cos I have thrush and ask for a script to be put or I might request a blood test form. The only way I am a pain in the rear is I am a on a few meds that are probably not the cheapest.