Hi
I am newly diagnosed with Sero Negative Inflammatory Arthritis and today I visited a Pharmacist as I have a cold. They asked to see my Methotrexate book which I don't have, can someone tell me what I'm missing please, as they wouldn't advise me without seeing it.
All I received from the hospital is my prescription and an information booklet on Methotrexate from Versus Arthritis.
Many thanks.
That sounds like overkill!
I was given a Methotrexate book by the rheumy nurse when it was first prescribed. My dosage changes are noted in the back and there's pages for blood test results to be recorded with a space for the nurse's initials; it says that you need to show it to the pharmacist when collecting prescriptions.
However.... My blood test results are never sent to me, I've had to enter dose changes myself and I've only been asked to show it to the pharmacist once in 2 years and that was when I was collecting the Methotrexate, it's never happened at any other time.
It does seem that some health professionals are actually scared of Methotrexate - my GP told me that so maybe the pharmacist was just being over zealous? 🤔
Hopefully someone else will be along soon with more constructive advice 🤞
Me too. Ive got the booklet which I started to fill in myself, but I have to phone my GP if I want blood test results- and Rheumatology dont always pass them on. My GP does the mtx prescriptions under instruction from the hospital but sometimes won't issue them as they don't have the bloods results🙄 so I end up having duplicate tests. What a waste of money and resources!!! Sorry didn't mean to rant .
I never had any book for Mtx...but I do always use the same pharmacist who has a record of my drug regime..might be worth starting using the same pharmacist...might be helpful in the future?
My plan is to go to the pharmacist that gave me the mtx and take my pills with me tomorrow. Just they don't open on a Sunday!
It's a small book that you can record all you blood tests in, ask your rheumy team for one. My chemist asked for mine and I had no idea what they were talking about 🤷♀️ so I asked for one. I think it's because you have to have regular blood tests while on mtx so they're just being cautious, but on the other hand you wouldn't be prescribed your mtx if you weren't getting your bloods done 🙄
Never had a book.
I used to have a book to record blood test results in but don’t anymore as I can view all my results online.
How strange they need to see a book in order to advise you, I’ve never been asked to show them it no matter what I’m asking about.
I had a Methotrexate book when I first started taking it and it was just as Boxerlady said. That book was the first and only one I've had. Perhaps they are being phased out along with the little injection wipes?
Those evil little injection wipes...😫 they don't half make my injection sting, gave up a long time ago with them 😂
Me too
Now there's a funny thing. I found them useful and they didn't sting. We're all different aren't we? I do like the innovation of putting a little box on the metoject package so that you can write the date when the jab is due
Only just noticed that on my mtx box....not very observant am I 🤷♀️😂
I've never had any stinging with them either Gnarli but the last batch I had didn't have any in the boxes which I missed to be honest, but strangely, the new batch do?
I wasn‘t given any. Apparently they don’t issue them anymore…in fact I think I was specifically told not to wipe with anything
Very useful for disinfecting my secateurs tho’!
👍😂 never thought of that, whenever I purchase a pair I will keep it in mind 🤦♀️😂
Never had a booklet . First I heard of them was on here. I asked a clinic nurse about it to be met with a blank stare and a don’t know what your talking about . Pharmacist does ask if bloods up to date .
Given a book, was never ever asked for it or needed it, so stopped filling it in. I’m not medically qualified, but I can’t possibly think of any reason why a pharmacist would need to see your mtx bloods to determine what to give you for a cold. Apart from which, pharmacists aren’t trained or qualified to interpret blood results, in any event! I can’t remember which bloods specifically you put in the book, but the only thing I can think of is she might have been wondering about your white cell count and whether it could be a bacterial issue rather than a viral one (meaning you would need to see a doctor for antibiotics), or possibly your liver levels, but that’s really searching for a reason and doesn’t change the fact that they wouldn’t be qualified to interpret the numbers. Having had my own truly extraordinary experience with a pharmacist last year, my advice would be to use a different pharmacy going forward, and build a relationship with them.
I had a book initially but hasn't been used for ages and have never been asked for it, good job cause don't know where it is these days 😂
Thanks everybody, seems that the Pharmacist was being over cautious or just couldn't be bothered as they were working on a Sunday.I shall visit my local pharmacy tomorrow and they prescribed the MTX to me, plus I'll also take the bottle with me just in case they want proof of strength etc!
This is the booklet....although you can no longer download it.
nras.org.uk/resource/methot...
It used to be used a lot, and I had one for years. But with online blood test results and the like it really stopped being relevant and was never updated after 2006. It was produced by the National Patient Safety Agency, which was abolished in 2012. I wonder if your pharmacist knows that!😂🤣
If you were feeling kind to others who follow in your footsteps to that same pharmacy you could go back to them and point out it hasn’t been produced since 2012! And perhaps suggest they might wish to check this for themselves and amend their protocol. And that these days if a pharmacy wants to check your bloods before providing anything OTC that might have an interaction then they should just ask for latest print out to check it shows no anomalies. It is actually good practice for pharmacies to do so, even if inconvenient for us!
Otherwise, just go to a different pharmacy.....
I have a book that I take with me when I go for my bloods tested. I leave the book with them, it is updated with results and posted back to me a few days later. This has happened for the past 19 years. I have never been asked by a pharmacist to see it but as pharmacists are taking on more to ease the doctors siruations, maybe it is a new system. My pharmacist is brilliant and very 'on the ball'. It is a few years ago now but I was given a drug by my GP for something and when I went to chemist for it the pharmacist came to me and told me he couldn't let me have it as it would have been toxic with mxt. I now go to my pharmacist for advice about drugs, rather than my GP. Once bitten twice shy.
I’ve never had a book, didn’t even know they existed 🤷♀️Nor have I ever been asked by the chemist.
I do always keep a note of my bloods though, as I like to know what’s going on.
Never had a book just a yellow card that the gp or hospital fill in the results every time I have had my RA bloods taken.
Never seen one myself after two trials with it, My wife and Sister in Law have taken it for many years and were never given a book.
Morning. I’m on Book 4.. I fill it in myself as I can find my blood results online. I like to keep a record of everything, so it works for me. Also, I live in a different area to my Rheumatologist (moved but kept her), so it’s a record for her also. Hospitals tend to have a local IT system. Mx is a restricted med. If the chemist doesn’t know you, they are just doing their job. But if the GP prescribed that should be a sign!!
I order my meds online from my GP, and they are sent electronically to my Chemist, who then delivers them… heaven on a stick… used to collect them pre-Covid.. Find a method that works best for you x
Love your name btw!
Years ago I had one but in my area they stopped giving them out about 15 years ago. I found it quite useful as my Rheumatology hospital is in a different area to my GP & they cant share information as they are on different systems. X
Never had one . Started mtx 1997 which is prescribed by the GP x
I received my book when I first went on the drug 8 years ago and it was retrospectively filled in by the phlebotomist each time I went for my bloods, then a couple of years ago it suddenly stopped with no explanation and whenever I asked for it I was told off. I’m really interested to hear you get online blood results. Never heard of that before🤗
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