Phoned GP surgery to advise that despite emails and telephone calls my repeat prescription is not providing adequate medication to last until the next repeat prescription. So today I phoned and pointed out that I continually need an emergency supply as it runs out due to GP advising me to double up the dose due to being instructed to double up on my omeprazole as I was experiencing bad acid reflux and nausea leading to vomiting at times. Was instructed by the secretary that I should not be on double doses of omeprazole for a long time and therefore I should speak to GP but only appointment over a week away. I will run out in the meantime. Advised repeat prescription has been sent to pharmacy but by the time I can pick it up, I will have run out of Omeprazole. At first, I thought "Since when should the medical secretary be giving me medical advice about my condition and medication?". However, this quickly turned into "Thank goodness I spoke to this woman". My GP is not monitoring my medication". I would have been on this for much longer had this woman not questioned it. Just highlights that no one is running with the ball in terms of my care plan. I no longer have confidence in the care planning or lack of. There are things I think should be monitored like bone density due to long-term steroids. The effectiveness of the Adcal - told you should not be on that long term either. Any advice on how I should approach getting an annual health check. I've been on Steroids since 2017 due to the sensitivity of withdrawal. I am now concerned I am being left to it. Yes, I have six-month appointments with rheumy but only bloods are checked. My long term health and medication is never discussed. Opinions please.
Tail wagging the dog: Phoned GP surgery to advise... - PMRGCAuk
Tail wagging the dog
You need a proper GP appointment, face to face preferably. Make some bullet points of your issues and aim to get guidance on each one. My surgery employed a resident pharmacist to do regular medication reviews. I am afraid it didn’t work very well and I don’t know whether we have one anymore, in theory they would deal with these things, but seemed more concerned with cutting the costs on drugs consumed. I have to initiate everything too.
Our surgery also has employed a living pharmacist. Was seen f2f for medicine review. Had to ask her to slow her speech down as I lip read. Thought that was it …… but a few weeks later she rang for a medicine review. Same person. Told her I had had one , but she went off about 100mph so don’t know what she said. Surely she had made notes that she had seen me. Then GP rang and changed my medication. Lanzaprole at a lower dose.
I agree this situation is far from helpful or efficient…..though I’m sorry to say that I doubt it’s unusual. I too have to initiate all prescription reviews, medication requests and even blood tests. I’m having my first blood test since June tomorrow, at my own request….
So I agree, get an appointment and go through the issues, resolve what you can, but be aware that you will very likely need to be your own advocate for some time to come.
Good luck with it all xx
Haha. I always have to ask for blood tests. What is a care plan? Luckily my repeat prescriptions are online - I tick the boxes and they sign and they are ready to pick up in chemist. I am my own care manager. The GP never read my notes when I turn up. This is why this group is so fantastic and important and also going to NHS or Mayo Clinic websites.
“I am my own care manager”
Exactly!!
The NHS professionals are fantastic. The system is overloaded (the media does not help). It is fine if you are on this website which helps so much and you can be your own patient advocate but it you are alone and old and not IT literate it is not good.
I agree, and would add that if you feel really ill or overwhelmed, it can be difficult to be your own advocate however competent or IT literate you are!
Oh that is so true. I frequently feel so exhausted I can't face co-ordinating it all.
Totally!
Me too. With this forum for support
What is happening. Begin to feel older people are being left by the wayside. Good job we have this forum to count on
That became very clear to me upon diagnosis. I think perhaps it was less noticeable if they let the older folk just "get on with it". However, there is an increasing population of working-age subjects. So the neglect and lack of follow up may be more obvious due to being forced to leave employment and the burden on the benefits system. Just a thought.
I think a lot of things you are asking for are now things of the past. I have never had a care plan. If I want a blood test, Dexascan etc etc I have to ask, it is never offered. I have repeat medications, but there is a review date on them, usually once a year. I thought everyone with repeat prescription had them reviewed by their GP on the review date. Mind you during Covid they stopped bothering on review dates.
Morning Singr, think things with some surgeries are very far from where they were. I assume you took the appointment you were offered even though it is a few days away. Go with a list of prepared questions /bullet points that you want answered, but don't be surprised if you need another appointment to go through them all. At least you should be able to sort out the medication queries/worries.
As the others say - things ain’t what they used to be! At my previous surgery l went to see my GP to get all my Meds in Order & l’d worked out how many l’d need - we should never be kept ‘short’ of Prednisolone…..
Recently l had a phone call from the Pharmacist at the Surgery to say - one of the Admin Girls noticed l hadn’t picked my Methotrexate Prescription up for some time (well done that young lady) but l now have it prescribed by the Hospital & it’s delivered, so she had that information added as it’s important for them to know.
Good Luck sorting things out.
MrsN
“The effectiveness of the Adcal - told you should not be on that long term either.”
Where did that information come from? Haven’t come across that before.
My mum is also on adcal and was advised of concerns over longterm use, after she had been in it for years.
Ok-hope not - I was recommended to stay on it at my last DEXA even though no longer on Pred.
Sometimes the calcium side of it can cause issues for some.
There are instances where a PPI IS used longterm - and that is where the receptionist/secretary's knowledge is lacking: long term pred is one of those instances if you do have reflux problems. No reason not to be on AdCal either - who said that?
By double dose Omeprazole, do you mean 40mg?Btw, sorry to be flippant, but have you noticed the 'related posts'?
Yes I mean 40mg daily. No I haven’t seen the related posts.
I've recently been told to double Lansoprazole 30mg as I was having trouble. I hope to be speaking to my rheumatologist in ten days...providing they don't cancel again. I've also stopped my alendronic acid in hope that this will help with the acid attacks. Are you taking the alendronic acid as well?
Anyone with reflux or swallowing problems shouldn't be on AA
They put me on it...now I've taken myself off it! Thanks for your input again Ms Ambassador! x
There are alternatives - given by injection/infusion. IF you really need it ...
Yes, I've been told this but the backlash, with on teeth, with the injection, can be rather nasty!
Which is why I said IF you need it.
Ask your GP receptionist to book you a medication review.
I have been managing my PMR (and several other medical issues lately) on my own since 2017 and seem to be doing rather well. I am thinking of adding the term Dr to my name.
😂😂😂
I have learnt that you have to take charge yourself with pmr. My doctor is lovely but has little idea on reducing the pred and it is me that will decide what I am doing although I do talk it through with her. My ruemy was useless and said he was not sure I had pmr because my bloods did not show inflammation, well they wouldn't when I had increased my dose the week before the test. He just wanted me to stay on a very low dose and not increase it even when I had a flare. This forum is the best help I have had to understand pmr and to get to grips with pmr.Good luck and be firm.
What is considered a double dose of Omeprazole? I’m taking 40mg 2x/day since late 1990’s, not supposed to take long term. Ok, whatever they say.
My Gastroenterologist prescribed and monitored me and based on endoscopy my esophagus looks great and my acid reflux symptoms abated. I really enjoy Doctors’ generalizations. That’s like saying taking Prednisone long term “will” result in serious side affects.
Decent Doctors recognize the risks, know how to explain the likelihood of those risks and closely monitor for those risks and explain their approach should certain side effects appear without attempting to scare their patients.
My Dr.let me take omeprazole for two years for gerd.Two pills a day.I now take one a day due to relapse in pmr.I did get off it for a couple of years in between.I guess we can t be sure if the Drs give us the best treatments.
Oh dear. Not to mention that PPIs also lead to bone thinning.
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