Buprenorphine

[Jezee]

Had a telephone appointment with the doctor today and tried to get him to prescribe Buprenorphine which I knew he wouldn't. I've had every other med out there and the only thing that worked for was Ropinerole for around 10 years, everything else either worked short term 1 year or less or just doesn't work. I asked him to refer me to another neurologist who might be able to prescribe Buprenorphine but he said he didn't think anyone will. He said I could try a private neurologist and it would cost me around £200 for a consultation. Is there anyone in the UK or North East that prescribes Buprenorphine?

[Joolsg]

My GP in S. London.Neurologists who have prescribed Buprenorphine include Professor Walker at UCL, Dr Chris Murphy in Salford, and Dr Robin Fackrell in Bath.

Check whether it's red listed in your prescribing area, because, even if Neurologists prescribe it, your GP can still refuse.

Two ways around this.

1. Get neurologist to issue a prescription on a green form & fill it at local chemist

2. Register at a GP surgery in an area where Buprenorphine isn't red listed.

[Jezee in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks for getting back to me. How do I find a neurologist to issue a prescription and how do I do number 2. Thanks.

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

Call thd neurologist secretary. Professor Matthew Walker at Queen Sq, Dr Robin Fackrell in Bath, Dr Chris Murphy in Salford.

Check if Buprenorphine is red listed in your prescribing area. If so, find nearest prescribing Area where it isn't and ask to register at a GP. NHS rules allow you to register with any surgery, as long as they agree to take you.

I know someone in N. London who has registered in S. London and someone in Gloucester who has registered in the next county. You have to sign an agreement saying you accept you won't get home visits, but I don't know ANYONE in England who has had a home visit in decades!

The above neurologists all do private and NHS work, but NHS waiting time for neurologist is 12 months average.

There is 1 neurologist for every 100,000 people in the UK. In Europe there are 12/15 for every 100,000 people.

[Jezee in reply to Joolsg]

Thank you so much will contact one of the neurologists as soon as I can.How much do they charge? How do I find out if Buprenorphine is red listed or allowed in a prescribing area?

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

You will have to ask your GP surgery or a local pharmacist.Prices differ. But the average is about £300 for a one hour consultation.

[Jezee in reply to Joolsg]

Hi Joolsg, sorry for being a bit thick but if I ring my doctor will they tell me where the nearest GP is who will prescribe Buprenorphine? If not how do I find a GP who will prescribe it? Thank you so much for your help.

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

No. They'll tell you whether Buprenorphine is 'red listed' in your prescribing area, but they won't even know the areas where it isn't red listed. Every prescribing area has different rules.Your best bet would be to go to a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist if they can help. They should be able to tell you which nearby prescribing areas allow Buprenorphine to be prescribed by a GP.

BUT, even if it's not 'red listed' some GP surgeries refuse to prescribe ANY opioids, even if NHS and NICE guidelines allow them. HipHop72 had that problem. His surgery just refused to prescribe Buprenorphine. He saw Dr Chris Murphy at Salford and Dr Murphy works with another neurologist near to HipHop and the other neurologist issues the prescription, to save travel.

It's a scandalous postcode lottery.

So, you will have to call around pharmacies and GP surgeries.

[Jezee in reply to Joolsg]

Ok thank you, so if a pharmacy is not red listed and will issue the drug I then contact the nearest doctor ask them if they prescribe it but even if they do they then have to accept me as a patient. OMG.

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

It's difficult. First you have to find an area where it's NOT red listed, then find a surgery that prescribes opioids, then hope they will agree to register patients from out of area.If they ever red list it here, I will move house.

[Jezee in reply to Joolsg]

Hi Joolsg, spoke to my pharmacist today and she said that she can supply the buprenorphine in pill form. So do I need to make an appointment with the doctor and see if he will prescribe it which I'm doubting it though. Is it the pharmacy or the GP that is red listed? If not and I make an appointment with a consultant and they prescribe it does my doctor still need to agree to it or can I just send the prescription straight to the pharmacy?

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

That's encouraging. It's the drug itself that is red listed. That means only a neurologist is able to prescribe it.As it's not red listed, your GP IS allowed to prescribe, but may refuse without a recommendation from a neurologist.

Normally what happens is you see a neurologist and they then write to your GP recommending sublingual Buprenorphine pills. The GP then continues the prescription. As it's an opioid, you are only allowed a one month prescription at a time. So you ask GP to set it up as repeat prescription.

So see GP asap to ask for Buprenorphine. If they refuse, say you are seeing a neurologist and that neurologist will recommend Buprenorphine for the GP to continue.

But some surgeries do have their own unique rules. Some refuse point blank to prescribe any opioids.

[SueJohnson]

Where exactly do you live?

[Jezee in reply to SueJohnson]

Near Durham

[SueJohnson in reply to Jezee]

Sorry - the ones I have for near there won't prescribe opioids.

[Jezee in reply to SueJohnson]

Can I not go further afield?

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

Yes. See my reply.

[Jezee]

Does this mean if no one in my area will prescribe Buprenorphine then I can't get it at all anywhere in the country, please help.

[Joolsg in reply to Jezee]

See my response. You will probably have to pay privately to see the neurologists I listed and get a green form prescription from.them.Also write to your new MP to describe the cruel postcode lottery situation.

There are tens of thousands of RLS patients currently suffering on.poisonous dopamine agonists and they are refused the low dose buprenorphine that works.

And we do NOT get addicted or develop tolerance.

Opioid Register set up by Dr Winkelman shows this. Here's the study by Dr Berkowski.

researchgate.net/publicatio...

massgeneral.org/rls-registry

[Jumpey]

To add to Jools response Dr.Jose Thomas, a sleep specialist , is willing to prescribe it.He works for the NHS in South Wales.And also works Privately at St.Josrph's Hospital,Newport.

[SueJohnson in reply to Jumpey]

Unfortunately he can't prescribe for someone who doesn't live in Wales.