We've been in the new house (probably should say new to us as it's around 130 years old) it all went as well as could be expected but it did mean we had to change doctors which was a bit of a worry as our previous ones were brilliant. Had a telephone consultation with new docs this morning. Very impressed, seem to very with it, on the ball and lovely. She went through all our various ailments, checked medication and was very happy and cheerful about everything. Put everything on three month automatic prescription, but, and at my suggestion she's put my Pred and Co-Codamol on request by me as their usage is variable. She has given me an extra four boxes of Pred to be getting on with. She was very impressed that I could cut the little 1.0mg tablets!! (In theory I've now got enough to see me through or until Christmas!!) She said you obviously know and understand about managing your PMR and was more than happy to leave the management to me and just let them know if I needed help. Review for everything in nine months. All in all a good appointment and I and OH are feeling very relieved that we seem to have another good practice.🙂🙂
Update on House Move and Doctors Move: We've been... - PMRGCAuk
Update on House Move and Doctors Move
Good news all round then…. 😊
Very much so. A big worry off our minds.
Sure it is….
Hallelujah!!!! Your neck of the woods must attract a high calibre of GP!
My daughter is moving soon, just a few miles but where she is is only just in the catchment for her wonder practice that she joined a few houses ago but she's stayed in the area the whole time. She found a possible get out - her practice is one of few registered for ongoing care of her ADHD so she's hoping that might count for her staying there.
That's really good news. I know how concerned you were. Really pleased everything is satisfactory with your new GP.
great news Bcol. So glad it has all worked out for the best. Hope the walks are up to scratch.
What a wonderful relief. A good GP is invaluable!
In my practice, they've said new regulations mean they can only prescribe a months worth of meds like pred at a time. And they need 7/10 days notice so I seem to be permanently order 1mgs. 😡
The doc said they work on three or even twelve months to save everyone unnecessary time, visits to doctors/pharmacy and work, which seems to me to be very sensible,
One way of costing the NHS more in dispensing fees. That is a piece of nonsense for longterm patients.
So why do my surgery say it's new regs but it doesn't seem to apply generally??They've taken hrt off repeat prescription after 30 years but luckily that's 3 months supply. Double Dutch.
If you are on long term medication it doesn't make any sense at all to make/require people to get another prescription and visit the chemist every month. Even if it's a repeat prescription it still has to be signed off and sent to the pharmacy. It's a complete waste of time and money for everyone in the chain.
Because some practices will do anything that suits them. I would ask to speak to the Practice Manager and explain just how inconvenient it if for you and (if the PM isn't a doctor) the risks of being left without pred for even one day. You aren't going to be stopping taking pred suddenly any time soon and even 2 months worth at a time would be a help.
My docs still have a message on their phone about Covid and then saying they can only prescribe one month’s medication at a time. It does seem a waste of everyone’s time for those on long term meds.
Lots of temporary measure put in place re covid seem to have become permanent..
But having said that my GP surgery has always done monthly prescriptions..
You would have thought, that given the difficulty of seeing people during Covid then giving patients a longer supply of medication would have made a lot more sense rather than giving them just a short term supply!!
My last refill of pred was cut by 2/3 for some strange reason with 14 refills?? Took calling the pharmacy and my rheumy to straighten it out. Thankfully my rheumy re-sent the prescription for the usual which is refilled every 3 months and when I checked with the pharmacy they assured me it was indeed adjusted.
They certainly are and compared to some on the forum we have been very lucky.
that’s my kind of Doctor!
Great news!! Xx
Enjoy your new home. I must admit, before I joined this forum I thought everybody managed their PMR as you & I do, & had a cupboard ‘full’ of different steroids, 1mg, 2.5mg, 5mg, & just ordered what they needed. Now I think we are in the minority. Hope you’ll be happy in your new to you home!
I had the same concerns when we last moved and, like you, fears were unfounded. In fact, dare I say it, our new surgery is even better. It’s such a relief isn’t it. 🌺
Glad you are all moved in and hopefully settled…that’s a big job. Also happy that your new dr and practice is pleasant AND competent (you don’t always find both).
We are not moving but my wonderful GP is….thankfully only a 35 minute drive away, and we’ve all received forms to complete to transfer to his new practice.
Although it is an inconvenience (as currently it’s a 3 minute drive to his office here in town), he is the best doctor I’ve ever had so I’d follow him to the ends of the earth!!
Its certainly looking very positive here, bit of a pain for you with an extra 35 minute drive but at least you get to stay with someone you trust. Think my sisters docs are also about twenty five minutes drive away and the hospital even further, she is in Ontario as well.
I was "moved" - when we came here there were 2 doctors in the village, one over-subscribed but he wouldn't willingly give any up, not surprising since it was all the octo and nonogenerians, and the other for the newer arrivals. She then decided she wanted more and moved into town assuming her patients would go with her. We weren't allowed to and had to transfer to change to other villages, neither of which are easily accessible by bus. It isn't that far - but still takes over 15 mins with a car. Pity help the ones who don't have one. Then a new second doctor was found - but those of us who have the journey weren't automatically transferred to her and her spaces diappear in a couple of hours. PITA.
I’ve done several different things with different tablets (in UK).
One long term med, I asked my GP a long time ago for 2 mths supply instead of 1 mth due to inconvenience. He was happy to do it, and no future GP has amended it.
Also, as it was a long term med, I couldn’t suddenly stop taking it, and there were some times when local pharmacies seemed to run out. I’ve therefore gradually built up a small stock, to accommodate: the pharmacy problem, the 3 mth med wind-down should I have no choice, and a window so it should never get that point! Quite a lot of boxes! I ensure I take into account the box dates and cycle them accordingly.
For my pred, I’m still on 1 mth supply. When I 1st started, the pharmacies seemed to have hellish problems keeping stock (Covid years?). So I now do the same as above and have built up a small stock.
I go through an online pharmacy now (Pharmacy2U, although I’m sure others are available). GP likes it as he only needs to use 2 mouse clicks to change or reorder meds. My pred med went down recently due to a 2wk holiday, so I repeat ordered earlier added a small comment why, which was accepted no questions asked.
For those that don’t know about the online service, just set up with say Pharmacy2U your details, then change the pharmacy with your GP to Pharmacy2U (we’re fortunate in that this latter bit can be done online too) and bingo that’s it. To reorder, tick a box, press return, goes electronically to surgery, Dr ticks box, Pharmacy packages med’s, then sends out in the post. Takes slightly longer sometimes, but really convenient. Set it up right, you get emails of each stage & in UK the PO states when will be delivered within 2hrs! (Abnormal UK efficiency!)
Apologies for long blog.
I tried the home delivery service from out last pharmacy, but unlike others around here, they used Royal Mail not their own delivery service and I wasn't happy that the medication/drugs came, not having to be signed for, and just left outside if we were out. Sacked them straight off.
Sorry not PO, meant Royal Mail . Guess it depends on delivery person with the Royal Mail. We normally try to be in for them. The normal delivery person just gives to one of the neighbours (my loh is friendly with him and requested certain neighbours for the deliveries). However we were out the other day & not normal person delivered to non- preferred neighbour. Fortunately on this occasion (not always) said neighbour was OK. (Guess it is only a problem with my loh!)
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