Eyedrops - prescriptions

[Tokki]

I am feeling a bit embarrassed about the last post. I thought the drops were prescription items as:

1. The hospital consultant prescribed them and wrote to the GP asking for them to be put on repeat.

2. The pharmacy said they had to be obtained as a special order.

I then learned that they can be obtained as an over the counter item for about £5-6 if you go to the right pharmacy. This made me think about why they were prescribed, with all the attendant costs when a phone call to say "buy this" would have been enough. I then thought that even though they are not a medicine, Bugs needs them solely as a result of this awful illness. I am therefore happy to carry on this way.

I have also learned that I owe tax on the Carer's Allowance. What a generous country!

[Patriciapmr]

Hi,

Are they Atropine drops? If they are we had similar problems at the beginning, doctor and pharmacist saying they were very expensive! However after a load of pushing from me we now have them on repeat prescription, it's awful how we have to fight for everything, I never used to be pushy but oh how I've changed!

As for paying tax on your carers allowance, that's disgusting! You are saving the government a lot of money purely by doing all the caring at home!

Sorry, I'm in a ranting mood today, not got off to a very good start!

Take care....Pat xx

[Kevin_1]

Hi Pat

Aren't you signed up for free prescriptions?

nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcos...

Worth talking to your GP maybe? They write the certificate.

Best

Kevin

[Patriciapmr in reply to Kevin_1]

Hi Kevin,

Yes we get free prescriptions as we are both of a certain age! The doctor and pharmacist were both grumbling because they were too expensive for them to pay for, probably taking a big chunk of their budgets I suppose!

Hard luck, that's what I say, if they are helping Keith then that's all that matters to me!

Hope you are ok.....

Love Pat xx

[Kevin_1 in reply to Patriciapmr]

Hi Pat,

Good on you. One thing I can say about being a carer is that it hones up the assertiveness skill a great deal!

Yup, had a good day to day... Liz to physio at the hospice and a nice country drive in the sun with her.

Thanks

(I still haven't gone for a bus pass yet... seems so weird!)

[Patriciapmr in reply to Kevin_1]

I haven't got one and I'm 67, don't do buses! lol! xx

[Heady]

Yeah, I learnt that little fact after the event! Crossroads kindly gave me £500 to join the gym. My fault I choose the one I always went to, at £60.00 a month, I.e. £720.00 a year, but I did use that at least twice a week. So thought the difference in what I had to pay was fine, allowing I can only make it once a week if I am lucky. Now found out I have to pay tax, so the cost difference is now considerable! Don't want to go into the maths of how much my sessions cost, knowing I am paying does make me go when I can!!!

Lots of love

Heady

[Tokki]

Thanks for the comments Bugs has atropine for oral use. She is also 60+ so prescriptions are free.

Someone else mentioned crossroads to me. I'll investigate.

[easterncedar]

Hmm. It's only by prescription here in the US! Just by way of comparison - no carer's allowance here, tax or no tax!

[MaddyS in reply to easterncedar]

No careers allowance here if you are on a pension. What little you get is taxable. They say it is not means tested!!!