Frequency of Prescriptions

[margiebell4]

I am given one month's supply of prednisolone at a time. Is this the case for everyone? I pay for my prescriptions so, as this condition seems to last for years it's going to cost lots! I'm 18 months in.

[Hidden]

Hello margiebell4

I get 2months worth of all my other drugs & l get my 5mg & 1mg in much higher numbers than l need from when I've been on historical doses so l just order when necessary, my 2.5mg are still x28days but I don't often order them.

I'd never really thought about the cost implication before, perhaps you could ask GP to double it up, what dose are you on now?

Mrs N

PS If they double the dose it saves on the dispensing fee, which is a cost to the NHS

[Rugger in reply to Hidden]

....but a loss to the pharmacist! (See my reply to Margiebell4)

[SusyTe]

Hi Margiebell. My pharmacist suggested I got one of these to help with the cost.

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcos...

[Stroppymoo]

Like susietea says get a prepayment cert. I've got a direct debit one for 12months although you can get 3 or 6 month ones, but I don't think you can DD with those, or get a reminder.

[TooSore]

In the USA the amount you're given depends on what the doctor orders. I typically get 30 2.5mg, and 180 1mg at a time, usually with a refill. If I need them, I call or email the doctor and they email the pharmacy. I should note that I'm down to 3.5, but it was similar when I was higher dose pills.

[margiebell4]

Thanks for your comments. I'm currently on 4mg and the doctor prescribes 100 per month, which actually doesn't last a whole month. I don't have enough prescriptions to make a subscription any cheaper. I just thought if others get more than a month at a time it would give me the confidence to ask.

[Hidden in reply to margiebell4]

Hi when you see him next or drop him a note to say that 100 tablets isn't enough for a month, you need 120 minimum. And maybe could he please increase it to two months supply so your not in danger of running out.

Mrs N

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Your doctor is being silly - you aren't going to be off it in the immediate future so I would challenge them on it.

As has already been said they are costing the NHS money by doing so, the dispensing fee for 6 packs of 1mg tablets is the same as for 1. If the prepay option isn't worth it - there is no reason at all why they can't give you more at a time. If the dose is 4mg the only option is 4x1mg and they should be giving you at least the number for the month.

I was given enough for 6 months at a time as I lived much of the year here in Italy but my healthcare was predominantly in the UK then. Here I am entitled to have enough to cover 2 months - if it is long term medication, for 6 months. They aren't going to be changing the tablet size - everything from here on is multiples of 1mg.

[margiebell4]

Right, I feel empowered! I order my prescriptions online and did add a note saying I needed more now, but it obviously wasn't looked at. I have a new doctor who I haven't met yet and I am a little worried because my previous doctor was fantastic. When I told her I was a member of this group she basically let me manage my own medication because she said I would probably know more than her, which was very honest , but she did make an effort to find out more and always agreed with everything that was said on here. So thanks everyone for all your advice over so far. 😀

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to margiebell4]

The lady on the lupus forum I and others told to stand up and say her piece got an apology from the specialist and an offer to revise the letter that was not about her appointment it appeared and a change in treatment.

If you don't ask - you don't get!

[piglette]

I order mine online and can order 100 of any size tablet when I want. Although I assume they would probably not authorise it if I was ordering too often!

[Hidden in reply to piglette]

Hi piglette

I happened to be at my GP Surgery yesterday, l was invited to test their online system & I have to trial it over the weekend.

They wanted all aspects testing so I was able to order an item online while I was there & the IT Girl showed me how it comes through at the Surgery & it shows what % you are up/down on your ordering! Interesting!

Mrs N

[Hidden]

Prescriptions are free in Wales

[Patience_1]

Hello Margiebell4,

I live in England, but fortunately (?) am past the age of having to pay for my meds. Nevertheless, I've had a discussion with my GP about having larger quantities prescribed as, with the upping and downing I find it difficult to work out ahead exactly how many tabs I will need. My GP's response was that it's practice policy to prescribe no more than 28 days' medication at a time (unless it's for a period when there will be time away from home, say on holiday). They even take the trouble to open the packs that are pre-packed in quantities of 30 and cut out the extra 2!

Seems lunacy to me - more work for them and constant worry for me that I might run out. I haven't mentioned to them the fact that for another medication I've been taking for years I get 2 months' worth at a time - an arrangement set up before this idiotic policy was put in place!

Hope you get a better response. There's no reason not to ask, and I'll probably be raising it again as I don't like giving up.

[Hidden in reply to Patience_1]

I get mine x2months but l also have one that comes in a 30 Tablet Pack & they cut two off, then every so often I get lots of 2's in a box, they are a joy to get out too! 🙄

I'm actually going to write my GP a note about these anomalies plus one or two others as I have to request an extra months worth before I go away anyway!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Patience_1]

Utter lunacy - and adding to NHS costs as well as work.

[Rugger]

If your pharmacy is located within the GP's surgery, it might be that the arrangement has been made so that the pharmacist gets twelve dispensing fees a year for patients' meds, rather than only 6 fees a year if the doctors prescribed two months at a time.....! I don't know what the dispensing fee is at the moment, but many years ago, when I was working in the NHS I was amazed to find that the dispensing fee paid to the pharmacist was as much as the prescription charge to the patient. Just imagine how much they get when folk are on several drugs. Call me cynical, but that could well be the explanation of the 'rule' about one month's supply at a time. I don't have to pay these days, but I get two months (or more!) at a time. My preds are in packs of 28, so I ask my GP for 112 or other multiples, otherwise the pharmacy do cut the strips!

[margiebell4 in reply to Rugger]

Yes it is within the surgery.

[piglette in reply to Rugger]

My pharmacy have taken to phoning me up if the prescription is not for full packs and ask if I will take less. At least I don't get chopped up packs of tablets and they are not wasting their time with scissors. Also you never know the sell by date when they chop them up either. Recently I was given some tablets past their sell by date so I am now paranoid!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

I was on enteric coated for some time with no problems at all. Then I got a new prescription which, instead of being in blister packs, was in a tub. I wasn't amused, the blister packs were so much more convenient if I was away, but when I finally opened the tub of 5mg pills a month or so later within 2 days I had a flare - big time. I took the same dose of the 2.5mg pills - miracle result as usual. Back to the 5mg one, pain and stiffness. The pharmacy said they'd had no other complaints - and he couldn't tell me the use-by date either. There was something - but what?

That was when I was switched to Medrol (you don't get prednisolone of any shape or form here) and I entered a hellish year and a bit. Thank goodness that is all in the past.

[Poshcards]

My new Gp's will only give one month at a time,( I moved!) they say it is their protocol. All my other GP's have done 2 months, in fact one of them used to give me 3 months

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Poshcards]

I really would ask them why they are costing the NHS more by doing that. The usual argument is that it reduces the wastage of unused tablets but that isn't going to happen with PMR patients - you MUST not stop taking the pred suddenly - they will have plenty of warning when that point is approaching!

[Poshcards in reply to PMRpro]

I have Lupus and have been on multiple Meds for 23 years, so won't be stopping them at all x

[Marcy47]

I am reducing from 9.5 to 9 at the moment so needed more 1mg tablets. I told my GP who immediately changed my prescription and doubled the amount of 1's. I now have a stockpile of pills that will be ready for when I reduce further. I only get the prescription filled when I am running low.