Stockpiling

[Maryis80]

Just collected my repeat prescription and find I have been given 224 Pred 1mg and 224 Pred 5mg I am currently on 8mg per day starting to reduce to 7mg next week. Also got two months worth of AA and Leflunomide and one month of Apixapan. GPtold me last week that they were issuing double prescriptions to help local pharmacy cope when the expected peak in our area arises. Saves me having to reorder for a while but does seem a bit excessive.

[Hidden]

I would say result. Doing it once saves lots of resources, a fact I tried to tell my surgery!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Have you checked the expiry dates? Especially of the 5mg as you’ve got 8 months worth!

[Maryis80 in reply to DorsetLady]

Just checked and all boxes are ok, some up to 2023!

[Hidden in reply to Maryis80]

Even more of a result 😉

[Hidden in reply to Maryis80]

Don't forget to number the pack in what order they should be used ....expiry wise.

[Yellowbluebell]

I would rather have a stock pile than worry if I dont get my prescription delivered on time. YBB

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As long as you keep an eye on the expiry dates and store them in a dry, not too warm place, it is fine. It saves money for the NHS and it is the same effect to put out 2 months-worth as 1 - and I know a lot of people who would be delighted!!

[Marijo1951]

I wish somebody would mention this idea to my GPs. I emailed my prescription to them last week and was hopeful they'd be more generous than usual, but no. I also asked them to send the prescription to a different pharmacy than usual as that was easier for my daughter who was picking it up. Of course he/she didn't read to the end of the email so it went to the usual one. I have a stockpile of 5 mg pred tablets because for ages that was all my GPs would prescribe. I kept telling them that if I was on 9 or then 8 mg I needed far more 1 mg tablets than 5 mg. For a time a prescription from the hospital kept me going, but eventually I had to make an appointment to see one of the GPs about it and she agreed to take 5 mg tablets off their list and add 1 mg tablets, which didn't seem to matter at the time. However I'm now on 5.5 mg and will go to 5 mg in a month or so. At some point before I get down to 4 mg, my stockpile of 5 mg is going to need replenishing, time for another needless appointment I suppose.

[Arflane97G in reply to Marijo1951]

I have loads of 5mg boxes and less 1 mg so now I am down to below 5 mg and tapering 0.5 mg a month I am cutting up the 5mg tablets but even with a pill cutter I never get a neat cut . last time I asked for all my prescription to be in 1 mg boxes I just got the 1mg part of the prescription - even

the pharmacist said this must be wrong! No disrespect to the pharmacist but when I rang the surgery they claimed that the prescription had been double checked but the pharmacist knew it was wrong straight away

[Marijo1951 in reply to Arflane97G]

I find the pill cutters often don't cut neatly in half, though I think this also depends on the brand of the tablets as some are definitely more inclined to crumble than others. I really don't fancy having to cut a tablet into even smaller pieces.

[Griggser in reply to Marijo1951]

In this e circumstances I would ring 5he surgery and ask the receptionist to request the change or ask for the doctor to ring you. Seems a waste of both yours and the docs time to have an appointment. Luckily when I reorder online there is a section for comments and this is where I make any request for change. Good luck.

[Marijo1951 in reply to Griggser]

Thank you. I might try that. Fortunately I live literally 5 minutes' walk from the surgery so sometimes it actually seems easier to go there in person rather than hang on for ages on the phone. Maybe the way to go is to do what you do and reorder online, but honestly I don't trust my GPs to get it right. I have another problem with them - when I was first prescribed methotrexate I was on 5 mg folic acid per week. This was changed after a couple of months to 5 mg 5 times per week. The GPs were informed of this in a report from my rheumatologist. Nevertheless no matter if I remind them and give them the date of the letter, they always prescribe 5 tablets only to cover a month. As 5 mg tablets of folic acid aren't available over the counter in the UK, I've sometimes resorted to buying them on Amazon.

[Longtimer]

Yes about 3 weeks ago couldn`t believe how much I was given....looked liked a years worth to me!...but I`m not complaining....

[Bridge31 in reply to Longtimer]

Me too , Longtimer. Perhaps it’s a Norfolk directive ! My son brought practically a suitcase worth !!

[Hidden in reply to Bridge31]

I am moving to Norfolk!! I have a large carrier bag full monthly....it would be a suitcase full!!!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Hidden]

It would have solved your supply probs wouldnt it?

[Hidden in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I have stuck a long note on saying how getting meds delivered has been very hard so having all my meds at once would really help the situation. I have 2 off the rota now. I can't imagine what going to the chemist once a month will be like once I get them on the same date. 🤸🏼‍♀️

[Hidden in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Just looked ....they haven't . Idiots.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Hidden]

Our chemist doesnt take notice of anything you put as notes. I was surprised they even agreed to put ours on the delivery van this month after telling me even though husband is sheilded I should collect them!! The girl.who has been there for years has become the manager of the chemist now and the power has changed her completely. YBB

[Longtimer in reply to Bridge31]

Just saw a massive pharmaceutical lorry go past..... Perhaps that's why theres plenty for us here in Norfolk....😉

[SheffieldJane]

Lucky you! I would buy an airtight storage box for them. I am anxious every month.

[Longtimer in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have always ordered through the surgery website, it then gives a date when I can next order, it's never been a problem, and think I am lucky compared with problems some people have on here....just hope it continues.......

[SheffieldJane in reply to Longtimer]

The last couple of times my order has been spot on. This makes me wonder why I have been given the run around for so long - average 3 phone calls to prompt each order, items missing, confusion between repeat dispensing and repeat prescriptions, the third degree about items I have taken for years. Nothing automatic about my identical monthly prescription, slight changes in tablet number requirements causing great confusion ( tapering) - especially if I then needed more again. Query on entitlement to home delivery. Now my OH was queried as to why he’d come in person to get my filled prescription, even though I was encouraged not to depend on a delivery service. Baffling!

[Longtimer in reply to SheffieldJane]

Not good enough is it...my sister with RA, has always had good regular ordering and collection of prescriptions...now, they told her, to go to her surgery to get it!...some days she can hardly walk, she got a lift, no choice...I was so angry I rang them, they apologised and said they are short of drivers!....

[Hidden in reply to Longtimer]

I put a post up the other day that had a phone number to access delivery. There are 600,000 volunteers who so far have done 50,000 "tasks". I had the same problems as your sister....I had to drive down to the pharmacy. Fortunately they came out and I didn't have to leave the car. This time I will use the RVS number or the local service that popped a leaflet through my door.

[Longtimer in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for that, will pass it on....

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Longtimer]

Our orders were always correct but when the pharmacist left the chemists attached to surgery and we had locums in everything fell apart and now even standard drugs are not in stock. Three times in the last 5 months I have had to take husbands prescription back and take it to another chemist.as they havent had morphine in stock!! YBB

[Longtimer in reply to Yellowbluebell]

When my sister went into B...s the chemist, she asked for Celebrex, she has RA, the pharmacist asked her to spell it, he had never heard of it...doctor told her to get it.....

Nothing is consistent anymore with chemists, but why not??

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Longtimer]

Eeh gods!! If they cant spell a basic drug like that theres no hope. Our locums just dont seem to care whether they run out of certain drugs or not. Sainsburys chemist was more than willing to fulfill OH's morphine prescription and when this is over we will be changing chemists but it's just a shame they dont seem to care anymore.xYBB

[Longtimer in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Certainly is a shame......yes, I think lots of companies people et c have shown themselves up with our present problem....and hopefully people will remember that......

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

A cool bag a good way of storing all pills. Cool, dark, dry and even in hot or cold snaps stays about the same temp.

[Orpheus82]

For information, there is also a problem at the moment with the 2.5 strength. I order these but the pharmacist was unable to obtain my last prescription. She wasn’t sure if it was a manufacturing problem or distribution.

[maria40 in reply to Orpheus82]

I'm hoping I get the full quantity of 2.5mg this month as I'm on 12.5 and only got half last month.

[Fieldofdreams]

wow, wish I could get this kind of result. I am on the same dose and when I re-order unless I state exactly how many of the 1 mg I need they invariably cant count and give me only 28 x 1 mg to last me 28 days! Hurrah for your doctor.

[PMRCanada]

I’ve had the opposite experience, as our local pharmacy is only dispensing one month worth of medication at a time. Even on the automatic phone message it indicates the maximum medication dispensed is 1 month to avoid a Canada wide shortage of medications.

I’m fine with it, but our step dad, who usually gets 3 months worth at a time, is grumbling. Now he has to pay a dispensing fee each month ($6.95 Cdn), no fee for the prescription itself as he’s a senior with a health benefits plan. I pay $11.99 for the dispensing fee, as I too have a benefits plan but am not 65 yet (the cost of the medication itself has been covered by my plan).

I’d gladly take 2 months worth just to save hubby from going into the drug store here in town for me (usually quite busy and located in the only mall in town where our first Covid 19 case arose in a store employee). Despite all the neighbourhoods being extremely quiet and without much activity, the mall remains very busy....perhaps because the liquor store is located there. 🍷🥂🍾🧉🥃🍺🍸🍹🍻

[Maryis80]

It sounds as if we are very lucky in our village, the surgery and the pharmacy seem to communicate with each other. They dont deliver but my neighbour picked ours up with hers yesterday. In a town near us, the local rugby club are doing deliveries for one of the local pharmacies. Wouldnt mind having a chunky rugby player turn up on the doorstep!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Maryis80]

Where are the rugby club delivering too? I want a hunky rugby player on the doorstep as well. xx YBB

[Constance13 in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Now now Ybb! I'll tell your OH!🤪