Do GP's deal with your prescription and treatment once you have a diagnosis?

[jp83]

Hi all, just having a think...funny the questions that go through your mind, and I'm jumping the gun as I havnt even seen Prof Khamashta yet...if you are diagnosed with APS, what happens usually with your treatment in terms of prescriptions and such?

In a hypothetical way, say if I'm diagnosed, I presume I can see Dr Khamashta at regular intervals for check ups at my own cost but in regards to getting/accessing warfarin/heparin etc how does it work? Does prof Khamashta communicate with your GP and discuss what is to be done and then your GP gives you the prescriptions on repeat and monitor you? Also do most people find that GPs accept the diagnosis and treat you respectfully as they would if id seen an NHS consultant? I think I mean do they respect private Dr's findings or do they see it as going out of their loop if that makes sense? Thanks everyone x

[tassie]

I can't speak for the UK but my GP handles my prescriptions and monitors my INR and he is very ready to accept what the specialists say

[jp83]

That's reassuring to know Tassie, I hope it's the same willingness to accept things in the uk. Thank you xx

[SueLovett]

If you have a private consultation your GP doesn't have to prescribe for you.

I was lucky when I saw Dr Khamashta privately he gave me a private prescription for Clexane which would have cost me over 200 pounds for 1 months supply. Fortunately my GP agreed to provide it for me.

MK will write to your doctor who would be very unwise to ignore the recommendations of a senior consultant.

Let us know how you get on xx

[jp83 in reply to SueLovett]

Im hoping that if I am actually diagnosed with APS then my ammunition will be the fact my rheumatologist has failed to diagnose it and this is why I had to go private, it is the truth. This is all ifs and buts at present and they may tell me I'm just mad as a March hare but I do feel the pieces of the puzzle fit well to APS. I do hope if this is the case my GP will willingly prescribe me otherwise I do not know how I will cope xx

[jp83]

That sounds like a good way of doing things Apsnotfab, I can manage travelling a couple of times per year to London but I could not afford to pay for my prescriptions privately. I have read about some people being signed off from St Thomas' after a short while which they have been disappointed by, is this correct?

My GP is a lovely guy who does listen and is not quick to brush me off, he patiently listens to me and I am quite down to earth and honest in the way I speak with him. Recently after going to him and questioning the blood results he said he understands why I am worried as it is not a common Cold we are talking about and what has happened is serious, this gives me some reassurance that I can put my confidence in him, I think I'm just so used to feeling like a hypochondriac that I expect every barrier xx

[Zamalek]

Hello APsnotFab, just a query regarding your comments. As I understood

things, Professor Khamashta only now deals with pregnancy and APS

on the n.h.s. at St.Thomas. Another Consultant would deal with a patient

who is not pregnant, i.e.post menopausal woman.