Lloyds Pharmacy Clinical Homecare Tocilizumab delivery 👎

[Moomin8]

Hi Peeps 😊

If you've read my recent posts, you'll know that I'm changing from Rituximab to Tocilizumab. I was told it was coming from Lloyds Pharmacy Clinical Homecare.

Well, what a farce! They are supposed to honour the prescription well within 2 weeks. I tried calling on a number of occasions to chase them - each time I was over 40 minutes on hold each time! When I did eventually get through, the people were really lovely. However, they hadn't heard anything so couldn't put me on the system.

I got a bit fed up with this, especially the time I've waited on hold, so decided to write an email to the CEO and the head of Lloyds complaints.

Funnily enough, I had a phone call that day to arrange a delivery 🤔But I was informed that the nurse doesn't cover my area. That's ok I thought, I work it out myself. I replied to the email, which they sent to follow mine up and confirmed that a nurse didn't cover my area - which was OK....then the next day, I got a phone call from a nurse to say that she'll be out to me this Wednesday, the day after my injections are delivered! The only snag was that had to call back to confirm the visit. So, more holding on the line - 75 minutes this time!!! There is no online chat service, or any means of knowing where you are in the queue. The 2 other Homecare services which I have experienced have been amazing.

It's such a shame that we have to resort to these tactics. I'm so swollen, sore and tired at the moment, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered.

Has anyone else had problems with Lloyds?

So, Tocilizumab - weekly injections, Metoject (22.5mg) - weekly injections and Sulfasalazine tablets - 800mg, plus other bits and pieces for me - I sure know how to rock'n'roll 😁I just hope that it's not too long before they kick in 🤞

[Neonkittie17]

So sorry you’ve had quite some hassle. Glad you informed the CEO. The waiting for that length of time twice on the phone is unacceptable. There should definitely be an option for the healthcare company to call you back when they know you are waiting, or an email facility. I hope all goes well with Tocilizumab. 🙏🏻 I’m going to hopefully be starting a new biologic next year and had my last single pulse of Rituximab end of April 2021. Have to wait for the elusive B cells to return. I can often go a year before they do so my rheumy has said I need to test every month now for B cells returning as we’ve gone over 6 months. I wish you well Moomin and hope the Tociliz/combo keep the RA at bay. Rtx has been amazing for my RA and mobility but not so for my immunity. Lots of luck. 💗

[Moomin8 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks for your reply. I hope those pesky B cells come back as soon as possible, so that you can get going on something new. My rheumatologist said not to go for a 2nd round because my inflammation is horrendous.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Moomin8]

Thank you. 💗 I hope you can start Tociliz very soon.

[Moomin8 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks 🙂 Starting this Wednesday!!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Moomin8]

Excellent news! Hoping it works better for you.💗

[Mmrr]

I hope things go smoothly for you next week

[Moomin8 in reply to Mmrr]

Thanks 🙂

[Silverpixie]

Hope it works for you. It was my fifth biologic (Had cimzia, simponi, rituximab and orencia) none of those worked. Tocilizumab has been truly life changing. Be warned though - it took almost 5 months to work, whereas the others worked almost immediately for 3 weeks and then gave up! I can't take methotrexate (liver doesn't like it) so I also take two other immunosuppressive meds. I do hope that you have as much success with tocilizumab. I haven't had any side effects (well apart from getting my life back!)

[Moomin8 in reply to Silverpixie]

That's amazing news! Thank you so much for sharing it with me 😊I am quite worried about some of the side effects; I'll try and worry less now. I've been quite unwell for some time now, so 5 months would be fine with me 🤞

[helenlw7]

I was talking to my rheumatologist only last week about Lloyds delivery ‘service.’ We have talked a lot since August about the fact that the biologic I’ve been on for well over 10 years has stopped working. I was offered a JAK inhibitor or a different biologic. I decided to try the biologic because it’s not bad for your liver which the JAK can be. She asked how I found Sciensus (was HAH) and it’s been fine for me. The JAK would have been delivered by Lloyds and the hospital have had so many complaints about them from patients that, if as in my case, you live near the hospital, they deal with it in house now and you go and collect your prescription!

[Moomin8 in reply to helenlw7]

Madness!!

[Lolabridge]

Hi Moomin. So sorry that Lloyds have given you so much hassle and that you have been suffering as a result. I hope the nurse appointment goes ahead on Wednesday and that the Tocilizumab gets to work quickly for you. x

[hatshepsut]

Good luck with tocilizumab.... I do hope it's the one for you. I had to stop it, but I know friends who have done very well on it. Fingers crossed 🤞!!

[Moomin8]

Thank you 😊

[ruth_p]

I’ve never had any problems with them at all other than they seem to think I need a new sharps box every 4 weeks 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Moomin8 in reply to ruth_p]

The nurse came last night to do my first injection and she said that they've just been bought out. She said the phone line is notoriously bad and hopes that it will improve with the new people.

[ruth_p]

P.S tocilizumab has been brilliant for me.

[Moomin8 in reply to ruth_p]

🤞Thanks