Ask your doctor!

Hi, there seems to be a lot of posts on this forum asking about medications - side effects, alternatives etc. in Oz I am able to have these discussions with my GP and pharmacist and have my problems resolved. What is the situation in Britain?

[Heythrop51]

I haven't had any issues with the medication prescribed and all my numbers are improving. There does seem a massive amount of negativity about statins and increasingly about BP medication. People posting "I have been prescribed Xenopril, what side effects are people suffering?" quite bizarre. Recently I was attacked for saying that there was a degree of autosuggestion going on. Although getting a GP appointment can be difficult you can also speak to your pharmacist.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Heythrop51]

Tend to agree David!

[Sprinterknot in reply to Heythrop51]

Hello,

All medications will have a down side. Monitor how you feel, record the symptoms. Its a try this tablet.

[stevejb1810]

It’s the same here too. Getting a GP appointment can be a struggle for some but there are plenty of pharmacists to talk to. In fact there is a TV ad campaign running at the moment to encourage people to talk to the pharmacist first

[Alison_L in reply to stevejb1810]

Hi Steve. I love the chemist's consulting room in that ad, which is the size of a decent sized shop. My chemist's consulting "room" is literally an old broom cupboard - if you both sit down, your knees are touching, and there's certainly no room for your partner!

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Alison_L]

Mine's is slightly bigger with seems like a card table between us. I half expect him to whip out a crystal ball and say "Oh, crystal ball, oh, crystal ball - tell me what ails Michael? Is it the statin? Is it the Bisoporol? Is it the ACE inhibitor?" to which the crystal ball says "Nay, he fancies a malt!".

[Tessie28]

For me the issue is now one of trust. My GP listened to my chest back last May when I was getting funny noises. Found nothing wrong. Before Christmas a paramedic on duty at my doctors listened found nothing wrong. How the hell then on the 9th of January does the nurse at the hospital hear what she describes as a loud murmur? And turns out to be severe and now critical aortic stenosis. Nope don't trust this person or practice anymore. My heart surgeon I trust, my pharmacy I trust. Sorry to budge in on your post but.... Even when we can see a GP there may be issues. And as for mental health issues don't even go there. So I now understand why people might post about medicines.

[Sprinterknot in reply to Tessie28]

Hello,

The sign at the surgery about zero tolerance, behind a big screen. Life is a struggle enough. nobody really cares anymore. Pharmacists are tops, trust,

[Desanthony]

The best person to speak to first is your pharmacist. I do know a lot of people who never read the pack insert - I am not saying that people on this forum do not but I do personally know some who don't. So really the first thing to do is read the insert - sometime sthese are even available to read on line if the insert has been lost. Then speak to your pharmacist either in person or by telephone as it is far easier to get to see them than a GP and quite often they have more up to date information than the GP. I have also spoken to my practice Nurse who has looked up information for me and also called a Doctor in to explain things to both of us where she has not been sure about something. I think asking on this forum especially if side effects are slightly different from those described and finding out if others have suffered the same helps you feel you are not imagining things and helps confirm that these are valid side effects. This gives tremendous support which is wonderful but people really should still talk to a medical professional.

[Sprinterknot in reply to Desanthony]

Hello,

just to add my GP advised that I did not read the leaflet, just incase I came along with a side effect, cheeky mare.

[Desanthony in reply to Sprinterknot]

Oh, well in a way I can understand that as she didn't want the extra work of your appointments to sort out side effects - got to say your reply made me laugh and I needed a laugh this morning. I imagine quite a few people are on medication for a few things and then more medication for the side effects. I certainly am. Thing is if you don't read the leaflet for side effects etc some people are not aware of when and how to take tablets - not always told by Doc or pharmacist and people forget so reading a leaflet does help and if a rather insignificant side effect is known about from reading the leaflet then it stops anxiety and rush to Docs when you get it sometimes - I speak from experience as my sister is like this. Doesn't read anything and then wonders why she gets heart burn after taking medication and it's purely because she hasn't read the leaflet which says to be taken with food - which would avoid the heartburn.

[Sprinterknot in reply to Desanthony]

Laugher is the best, on a sunny day doing what you like.

[Jackdaw44]

My first appointment with the doctor after my HA I was scared stiff. When I asked the her how I could help myself recover I was told, take your pills and get on with your life, very helpful. 😠

[Calliope153]

The problem is getting an appointment with the GP - they are, without exception, overstretched. On the 6th Feb I was told to leave my cardiac rehab session as I was clammy, pains in arm and neck, short of breath and severely nauseated. I rang for an appointment immediately and I have it on the 27th of this month..... I can;t imagine getting an appointment just to discuss medications...... pharmacist can be helpful but it depends on who you get..... (saw the practice nurse in the end who summoned the duty GP...... everyone does their individual bests but there is no doubt the system is imploding in my neck of the woods).

[Sunnie2day in reply to Calliope153]

Not to hijack the discussion but how are you getting on now, did the duty GP work out what was going on?

[Calliope153 in reply to Sunnie2day]

have sent you a private message.

[Prada47]

Hi

Don't forget we have the NHS and you have Medicare which as I understand it is a scaled down Private Health system!!

Plus the fact we seem to lose GPs to Oz better lifestyle more Pay so I don't blame them for going. We can't do anything about the weather and pay at £100k + is what we can afford with our system. So I think people use forums to reinforce what they have read on the information leaflet which comes with all Meds.

Regards

[Shoshov in reply to Prada47]

morning just a wee note this time🤣my rehab nurse always tells us not to read the info notes just ask medical professionals. she says they’re responsible for people stopping medication unnecessarily if they see something that scares them. says doctors know your history and wouldn’t give you said meds if they weren’t appropriate. just a thought❤️

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Shoshov]

Interesting! A friend's mother lived independently and died in her mid-nineties. Her take was so not read the inserts but read the ingredients of supermarket products carefully. She was especially wary of certain E numbers. She also felt the upmarket supermarket ready meals were far better than the companies that specialise in delivering to the elderly/disabled. As for Meals-on-Wheels it was 👎!

[Sprinterknot in reply to MichaelJH]

Hello,

I believe the food industry is corrupt. Eat as well as one can in this treat tempting world.

[Shoshov in reply to MichaelJH]

wise woman michael

[Desanthony in reply to MichaelJH]

Yes good point.

[Desanthony in reply to Shoshov]

True but usually the leaflet tells you not to stop the medication until you see a GP unless it is really bad but even then you should obviously see a GP or some health professional.

[stevejb1810 in reply to Shoshov]

I worked in the pharmaceutical research and manufacturing industry for over 40 years. I now never read the patient information leaflets. I know from experience that they have to cover almost every eventuality and can scare the bejeebers out of you. In some cases they can lead people looking for a cause and to blame the medication 'because it says on the information leaflet that XYZ might be an issue' and in some cases to stop taking the medication (you should always talk to a GP before doing this!). Even though the likelihood of you having a problem is very small I totally accept that its scant consolation if it is you who happens 'the one'.

I am never going to tell anyone not to read the leaflet, it is there to inform. But read it carefully and do not assume that because it says there are these side effects etc., you are necessarily going to have any of them.

I should add that if you think the information leaflets in the UK are big, you should see the ones that go into products in the US!!

[Sunnie2day in reply to stevejb1810]

Very well said, Steve!

As for me - I read every line of the leaflets, post them on the fridge, and when I open a new box I read that leaflet, post it on the fridge and bin the one it is replacing.

For me reading the leaflet has been THE help deciding if a symptom of a side effect is a big enough deal to bother the doctor or chemist about. LOL, every time something seems to be happening and I mention to my husband 'I have this (insert 'symptom' here)...' he's now saying automatically - 'What does the leaflet say?' (and he says it in a rather annoyed tone).

Off I go to read the leaflet again - and wouldn't you know, my 'symptom' is nothing to worry about and I'm calm again.

I will say this as well, though - when I was on Colchicine for a very brief time (I have recurrent pericarditis amongst other heart things) and re-read the leaflet in the middle of the night I knew to ring for an ambulance.

The leaflet is an important tool for patients on medications - but should always be seen as part of the process.

[Shoshov in reply to Sunnie2day]

good points sunnie❤️

[Shoshov in reply to stevejb1810]

couldn’t have put it better myself steve❤️

[Sprinterknot]

Hello, We did have a very good GP system.

Weeks for appointment, one is pushed to A&E or 111 phone. I have just asked the surgery to book a cardiologist. It will be put to the panel of GP`s. can they afford to send me ?

I hover to go private ?

My BP high for over a year. Range of tablets with horrid sides. Give me Australian values anyday. Boots the Chemist pharmacy staff brilliant, many time advice, that GP should have given.

East Kent Health Trust area for me.

[Whatamug1]

So many of us have been thoroughly let down by 'the system' many times. It's a matter of 'trust', and when no longer can, you put out feelers. Must admit that when I lived in Oz I found the drs/consultants 'normal' to talk to. Also my second child who was born over here and was very ill benefited from an Oz dr who 'listened' and agreed and fought with me!!! He lost his job at GOSH but he helped save my son's life.