Folic Acid

[Kookymare]

I've been prescribed 2× 5mg Folic acid but resent paying nearly £10 for 8 tablets.Anyone found them elsewhere to buy? I was getting them from Amazon but can't find them anymore.

[Boxerlady]

Sorry but I don't understand why they're costing you so much - don't you get them on prescription? 🤨

[bpeal1 in reply to Boxerlady]

That’s the cost of the prescription charge.

[Bootoo]

As Boxerlady has replied. Who on earth is charging £10 for 8 tablets!! that's daylight robbery 😬 Your doctor should be prescribing them, or speak to your rheumy team.

[bpeal1 in reply to Bootoo]

That’s the cost of the prescription charge!

[TheBoys]

You can buy 60 for 3.95 on Amazon.

[bpeal1 in reply to TheBoys]

Be careful buying them from Amazon as most the folic acid tablets on there are only 400 micrograms (the required dose for pregnancy) therefore you would need to take 12.5 of them to get a 5mg dose.

[AgedCrone in reply to TheBoys]

Sorry I’m afraid you can’t…you can only get 5mg tablets on prescription!

[TheBoys in reply to AgedCrone]

Your right - just gone on e-pharmacy.com and purchased 84 at 16.95

[AgedCrone in reply to TheBoys]

You surely aren’t going to take tablets you think are 5mg Folic Acid bought on line …..together with Methotrexate?

You can’t be sure what they are….they could be full of fillers & you could be taking something that messes up your prescription drugs.

[TheBoys in reply to AgedCrone]

I do - I have to. Medications are expensive and I don’t get benefits of any kind. Just live off my work pension . Most of the big online pharmacy companies are transparent and involve a screening process. I think meds are too expensive in the U.K. and the prescription is a de facto tax. I do have a pre pay and I think a lot of us have to resort to this nowadays though I would never source my core meds online and would stick to the gp/consultant route.

[AgedCrone in reply to TheBoys]

If you are a pensioner…like me…why are you still paying for prescriptions?

What I meant was…you don’t know what is really in anything in the way of pills that you buy on line….there could be something that conflicts with Mtx or any other prescribed meds you are taking?

If you aren’t eligible for free NHS prescriptions…have you tried asking your doctor to prescribe a 3 month scrip of any drugs you are safely settled on? Explain how much it is costing you….although I do understand some GPs are not interested in helping patients economically.

Hope you get something sorted out soon.

[TheBoys in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi

Thanks - am 58 so don’t qualify for free prescription. Would you believe I did ask about getting a 3 month or even 2 month - and the answer was a resounding No. It was great when the rheumatologist would prescribe as they gave what you’d need for minimum 3 months. When I first was on MTX - and the prescription started coming through the GP was only on 2 a week plus one folic and even the pharmacist moaned about dispensing such a tiddly amount and charging per item. All the local GPS in this part of Herts are the same

Roll on 60 and free prescriptions!

[AgedCrone in reply to TheBoys]

Indeed! It is a very unfair system……but sadly with the state of finances in the NHS it does look as if you will have to wait until your 60th birthday.

You do know that your Rheumatologist decides how many FA tablets to be prescribed don’t you? Under a Shared Care Agreement, a GP doesn’t decide doses, he prescribes what your rheumy tells him to….. ….so maybe a word to your rheumy next time you see him?

[TheBoys in reply to AgedCrone]

Thanks - I wasn’t aware of that regarding dosage. I’ll email the Rheumatology Nurse now. Thanks again,

Paul

[SEAgran3]

you should be getting them on prescription

[bpeal1 in reply to SEAgran3]

They are - that’s the problem as it’s only being prescribed 1 month at a time so they are having to pay a prescription charge (of nearly £10) for 8 tablets. They were asking if you could buy them over the counter cheaper. However the way forward, is probably, to buy a prepayment certificate.

[bpeal1]

I’m assuming that your doctor is prescribing them (one month at a time) and you are talking about the prescription charge. In which case, assuming you’re also prescribed methotrexate monthly (or another medication monthly) a pre-payment certificate would be your best option. Pre-payment certificates cover all your prescription costs, you tick box F and sign the prescription. You can buy 3 monthly or 12 monthly ones (the 12 month ones come with an option to pay in 10 instalments by direct debit). Current costs are £31.25 for 3 months or £111.60 for 12 (or 10 instalments of £11.16). There’s more information on the NHS website. services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/buy-...

[Kookymare in reply to bpeal1]

Thank you, yes it looks like this is the cheaper option. I was able to find 5mg x 100 tablets on Amazon but they've stopped selling them.

GP was prescribing me just the months supply 8/10 tablets at a time. So that plus the Methotrexate, was being charged 2 x prescription costs.

[Wafflefan in reply to Kookymare]

When I got to the point where I was getting prescription items almost every month on average over the course of a year and I knew it wasn't going to stop for the foreseeable, I opted for the prescription payment certificate? It automatically renews each year and it's one less thing to worry about and saved me a few £££s... Link in case you want to look it up nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-pres...

[ageddancer]

I think that a majority of us take 5 mg per DAY and not to be taken the day you take/inject Methotrexate. So 8/10 tablets would not be sufficient anyway....I suggest you ask the surgery or rheumatologist to prescribe them and check on the dose.

[Cirrostratus in reply to ageddancer]

5mg once a week is quite a common prescription I believe, my rheumy won’t prescribe anything more

[bpeal1 in reply to ageddancer]

The amount of Folic acid prescribed varies significantly between rheumatologists. A lot only prescribe 1 x5mg tablet per week unless you have significant side affects in which case they increase it. The original poster said they had been prescribed 2 tablets per a week (ie 8 per month)

[Kookymare in reply to ageddancer]

My Rheumatologist prescribed 2x 5mg a week. I seem fine on this, very few side effects from the Methotrexate, rarely a mouth ulcer.

[Haz58]

My Rheumy did my prescription for a month supply at a time and then my GP did the same when I was MTX as that's what the hospital told him to do. They are being very tight with yours! With what we have I don't think we should have to pay anyway! But yes pre paid monthly is the cheapest way.

[Kookymare in reply to Haz58]

I agree! Since it's a life long thing. It's weird how if you have a Thyroid issue you don't have to pay prescription but with RA you do

[Paula-C]

My GP now prescribes me three months of mtx and folic acid, it was his suggestion to do this, been doing it for several years.

[Kookymare in reply to Paula-C]

That makes much more sense, I think I'll ask for this.

[Paula-C in reply to Kookymare]

From what I know chemists do get paid for doing prescriptions, so if your long term on a drug like we are it's saving money for the nhs if you have prescriptions every 3 months instead of monthly.

[Boxerlady in reply to Paula-C]

I suspect that the cost comes out of the GP surgery budget; mine has always been good about giving me 2 months worth but the lady at the pharmacy commented that I was lucky and that the other local (awful!) surgery would only give 1 months worth...

[wilbertjellyfish]

I live in NI so don't pay for prescriptions. I only take one 5mg weekly. However, I get a box of 28 twice a year. Previously I was getting four each month and pointed out the ridiculousness of this wasting DRs time, pharmacy time and packaging.

[Wedgwood123]

I get them on prescription from my GP, you need to ask for them to be put on your monthly prescription.

[AgedCrone in reply to Wedgwood123]

That would help only if you are old enough to get free scrips.

Some GP’s…like mine…seem to enjoy telling patients they are only allowed to issue drugs one month at a time.

I understand only issuing one month for a new drug in case it doesn’t suit…but otherwise I think 3 months is a good compromise…..& that would still cost those under age £40 pa for just one drug.

[Boxerlady]

I'm on 6 tablets a week and get 2 months-worth at a time - my surgery is very good in that respect. I get my Methotrexate and Sulphasalzine through the rheumatology department and they give me 3 months at a time! I now get prescriptions free as I'm over 60 but the bigger amounts really helped when I was paying. If your prescriber isn't willing to increase the amount they give you each time, it does sound like a prepayment certificate is the way to go.

[Hidden]

Get any tablets from a chemist. If you don’t get free prescriptions get an Annual Card, which is £111.60 in the UK.

Do not buy drugs on the internet. They could be anything…

[bienassis]

Like others on this thread, I can't understand why you are buying Folic Acid tablets. They are prescribed usually in combination with methotrexate. You mention that they have been prescribed. By your rheumatologist?

[Kookymare in reply to bienassis]

Yep, but found them cheaper on the Internet until recently. I figured, if I started to have side effects/ ulcers then they were probably rubbish and not doing their job . But I've been fine.

[Gnarli]

I think it's wicked that you have to pay for your prescriptions. All other nations in the United Kindom get their's for free. However, as has been said by others, the prepayment certificate is the way to go and get the prescriber to be more sensible. All that hassle for just 8-10 tablets! It's farcical.

[AgedCrone]

You can’t buy 5mg FA., OTC…..it is on prescription only. Don’t even try to work out how many tablets you’d need to buy multiples of to make 5.mg!

Same problem occurs with Alendronic Acid…you only get 4 tablets… ..one month’s supply.

I presume you are under the age where we get free prescriptions?

If you have other prescriptions look at the annual prescription card…& see if you could save by buying one.

[Kookymare in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes will look at the pre payment option.

[Sheila_G]

Mine are on prescription.

[TheBoys]

I had this issue and it riled me. Only when I stopped requesting it on the repeat prescription did the issue arise at review.

I pointed out they were prescribing me 4 tabs a month at nearly £10.00 and I stated that it was ridiculous cost / waste of money and I couldn’t/wouldn’t afford it. Especially as I walk into a pharmacy in Spain and get 28 for a couple of euro or ordered online for 16.00 for 84 tablets . Anyways they don’t even bother now - if I need a pack of 28 I tick the box - ironically even the Rheumatologist said take what I need even if one a day.

[Jeff1943]

A 12 month prepayment prescription 'season ticket' costs just over £100 for any number of prescriptions on all the meds you are taking.

[Max1993]

There is no reason why your GP cannot prescribe a larger quantity of folic acid tablets to get around this problem. The only person benefitting from the way it is being prescribed to you currently is the local pharmacist!! Did you ask your GP about this or just one of the receptionists? Unless you are being prescribed other medication in addition to the methotrexate and folic acid ( eg bp meds or pain relief) by your GP, a prepayment certificate would not be quite as cost effective a solution as just receiving an amount of the folic acid tablets to last 3 months.

Hope you get this sorted out quickly.

[mld78]

when I paid for prescriptions I used to buy an annual payment. I think it turned out to be about £108 per year. Not sure how much it is now. That covered all my meds. But if you don’t earn much you may be eligible for a HC2 certificate meaning free meds. Check the prescription charges website for all the details. You can pay for a year, get the details and collect prescriptions before your card arrives, if they still issue cards.

[Nutlover]

An annual payment certificate is definitely very cost effective. You can pay by direct debit and it's about £10.00 per month.

[dix99]

I get 1000 mcg at Amazon…lots cheaper

[dix99]

I have to take 1000 mcg 2 times a day for RA

Sorry I neglected to read what you said about Amazon

[suwinter]

Hi Kookymare, when I paid for prescriptions (before I was ancient lol), at his suggestion, my GP would give me a private prescription for drugs which cost less than the prescription charge.

I’ve checked an online chemist and provided you have a private script, 5mg folic acid tablets are 3p each.

If it was me, I would check the private cost of folic acid at your usual pharmacist and talk to your GP about a private script.

Hope that helps

[Kookymare in reply to suwinter]

Oh this might be better thank you! I'll look into this.

[Ritaritis]

Hi, why are you paying if they have been prescribed?🐈🐕

[gailyb]

Ask your doctor for 28 and then reorder when needed.