Copd- how to get ensure drinks again?

[Robinface]

My 82 year old mum was in hospital a few months back with pneumonia- she has copd. Quite poorly and on return home district nurse prescribed ensure drinks as mums weight was 6st 4lbs. Mum is plain eater and doesnt eat much no real appetite! My brother tried to get repeat prescription but no joy! I believe mums mental and physical health has deteriorated because of this! She was much more with it on the ensure drinks! Any tips how we can get these prescribed? Much appreciated

[PaulineHM]

Oooooo so sorry to read that your Mum has been so unwell and is unable to get a prescription for Ensure drinks again. It certainly seems that she could benefit by having these drinks prescribed again.

I guess your brother has spoken to the district nurse who helped get the drinks before ? Has he/you spoke to the GP at all ?

Usually Primary Care teams ( your Mum’s surgery ) will have a frailty team, so that will be some health care practitioners who specialise in caring for those patients who are frail. It might be worth asking for someone from that team to see her?

Don’t give up, keep going until someone can help your Mum with the care she needs.

Go well.

Pauline

[Robinface in reply to PaulineHM]

Thank you!Good to know about Frailty team will see if i can find out. Getting to speak to a GP is a miracle! Cant email them either! Will keep trying much appreciated!

[Jocopd]

Why not buy them on Amazon? I am from the states so not sure how it works over there but they are not prescription over here. You can walk in any store and buy them, in fact I have a case my free medical supply place sent me by mistake and does not want them back. A case is very heavy lol

[Robinface in reply to Jocopd]

Hi yes you can buy them over here but mum is only on a basic pension and they are £2+ each but i will suggest it thank you

[jackdup]

Given her weight, age and medical condition find it hard to believe her doctor would not prescribe them to make sure she gets the nutrients she needs given she can’t or isn’t eating a balanced diet. Seems to me that is exactly what Ensure is designed for, but unfortunately I don’t have the answer as to how to get it prescribed if her doctor refuses.

[Robinface in reply to jackdup]

Just trying to speak to her GP is a joke! I will put in writing 🤞🏻

[jackdup in reply to Robinface]

Good luck as this seems so obvious i can’t believe you have to fight to get it.

[lovejoyliz]

Keep pestering them they will eventually give in, also write to your MP, mind you at this moment not sure what help any MP be right now since they are in a mess with the NHS.

But keep trying your mother needs help and she has a right to be helped in very way possible. ❤️

[Hussain1968]

Hi. I have been on the Ensure drinks for about 12 months now due to weight loss after seeing the dietitian. I was eating breakfast as normal and then take the Ensure drink twice a day, I was getting bloated and unable to eat for about 10 hours, so down to 2 meals a day. I lost too much weight and was always tired my stomach felt like an over inflated baloon ,I was unable to walk and couldn't make it up the stairs to bed. After a sleep i felt better and no longer Bloated, until I had the second bottle of Ensure, then BOOM ,bloated again . I stopped taking Ensure 3 days ago and have never been hungrier. I am back to eating 3 meals a day and feel 100% better mentally. The drinks are fine if you have no reactions but I found the opposite. I have about 50 bottles and won't be taking them again. This is just my experience and may not suit others.

[Hussain1968]

Hi. I have been on the Ensure drinks for about 12 months now due to weight loss after seeing the dietitian. I was eating breakfast as normal and then take the Ensure drink twice a day, I was getting bloated and unable to eat for about 10 hours, so down to 2 meals a day. I lost too much weight and was always tired my stomach felt like an over inflated baloon ,I was unable to walk and couldn't make it up the stairs to bed. After a sleep i felt better and no longer Bloated, until I had the second bottle of Ensure, then BOOM ,bloated again . I stopped taking Ensure 3 days ago and have never been hungrier. I am back to eating 3 meals a day and feel 100% better mentally. The drinks are fine if you have no reactions but I found the opposite. I have about 50 bottles and won't be taking them again. This is just my experience and may not suit others.

[Bluenotes]

I spoke to the Gp receptionist and told her i was down to 6 st in weight . Got a phone appointment with Gp and was put on ensure straight away , and refered to a dietitian. I think they are legally obliged to . Good luck 🤔