I phoned my GP this morning to ask for a repeat prescription for all my meds :- Sertralin, levothyroxine temazepam, orlistat, fentanyl, oramorph. Only to be told by a snotty receptionist that I could not have it until I had been weighed.
My GP never mentioned anything about this when I saw him last and he has not weighed me for months as he and I know I am overweight and have been for 20 yrs.
I am sick and tired of this weight issue so am back to square 1 without any medication.
I
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sugarlugs
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Anyway, it could be because orlistat is normally only continued if a specific amount of weight loss has been demonstrated. If this is the issue, the receptionist should be able to issue your other medications apart from orlistat, until your 'weight' appointment.
When did you last see your GP? Potent controlled drugs such as fentanyl should always be reviewed frequently. Could it be that your review is overdue? Just a thought.
None of your meds apart from orlistat should be stopped abruptly so it's essential that you get a prescription asap, even if it involves some inconvenience.
All my medicines have stopped because she would not issue them on repeat.
The receptionist was downright rude and was laughing when weight was mentioned. I have acute phobia about scales and everything else related to " W"""""T. that word is no longer in my vocabulary as I attempt suicide whenever it is discussed
Oh no, she sounds very rude. I think you should make an appointment to see the doctor and complain about the way you were treated when you see him/her.
It is surely not the receptionist's responsibility to issue repeat prescriptions, she just passes them on to a GP to prescribe? It makes me feel very angry you have been upset in this way and put in danger by being denied prescribed medication. Ask to see your GP immediately. Contact your local mental health services for support in getting help from your GP if necessary, your phobia is no laughing matter and should be taken seriously. You deserve to be treated with respect at all times.
I also think the w****t is because of the Orlistat.
Rudeness by the receptionist is 'never' right so that was out of order, in her defence she may have just been readin a 'warning'/'alert' on the computer and the prescription perhaps was never issued anyway so she could not give it to you and all she could do was to advise you of the issue without rudeness.
Also as I take it you were upset on the phone she could have reassured you that she was going to get the duty doctor to call you back 'asap' about it to discuss it.
If I were you I'd keep my calm and call the surgery, ask to speak to the surgery 'manager', just say politely it is urgent but do not say what it is about, say you would prefer not to discuss it with others.
Tell the practice manager your experience and tell her you are very worried you have run out of medications, explain to her about your phobia of the scales and whether someone sympathetic with good manners can help you out/meet you half-way, I don't know, is it possible that you go on the scales without looking at them and they do not tell you the result?
If 'apparently' you have to be w*****d can you ask if you can arrange today a talk/meeting with one of the doctors to see how you can get around this/solve it?
Hello Sugarlugs, well, the receptionist should certainly be reported and severely wrapped over the knuckles and be made to give you an apology. She is not in any position other than being on reception. How dare she.
They always want to weigh me when I go to the hospital. I too have a phobia re weight & scales. You are on quite a cocktail of meds. Perhaps it is about time all these are checked out. I do believe that "cocktails" can counteract each other therefore improvement in health will not happen. Go to your GP, take the "cocktail" and say that this has got to change. Have you had all the usual minerals & vitamins checked? This is very important. Have your adrenals been addressed in any way & not by the usual NHS blood test alone?
I 3 have a phobia about weight! I couldn't persuade nurse to test vitamins or t3 etc I might need to get private test
Oh poor you. A complaint in writing to the Practice Manager is what's needed. Might also be worth writing to your GP and stating that your health is not good so a complete review is needed.
You deserve better treatment and there's some good posts by others.
as "nobodysdriving" stated above the practice manager is the person to approach, yes it takes courage to make the move and write letter of complaint or ask for help, but do it, otherwise nothing changes.
I think they just need to know if the orlistat are working for you so they're not wasting money be prescribing more. Doctors to seem to be obsessed with the w word . In my experience they blame it for everything . I'm tired all the time cold etc but tsh is normal so they say its because I'm overweight . Not fair
Hi there, so sorry to hear you have been treated this way Hun.
As Orlistat is given to us to help lose w.......t then it is their duty to see if it is working and you have no problems.
I was on this for a few months, and didn't do well, although that is a few years ago.
When it comes to getting w.......d close your eyes my darling. Ask about anything g else that could help you!
As for the receptionist, well I would report this lady straight away to the Manager.
I don't know if this is relevant to you but every so often my doctor weighs me regarding my dose of levo. There seems to be some sort of rule of thumb regarding weight and dosage that they can go by. I think it's rather old fashioned but as long as my doctor gives me the right dosage for me I go along with it. He certainly doesn't use it as the b-all and end-all diagnosis.
Weight (1.6-1.7 mcg/kg lean body weight). Note: based on available research,
I would be more inclined to think it's the oramorph as when my husband was taking it the dosage was worked out by his weight,
Marfit
I have used Orlistat to lose weight,but my GP definitely weighed me regularly whilst using it and stopped prescribing it when I stopped losing any more weight.
I later had a gallstone attack which I think can be aggravated by it's use so though I am now wanting to lose some weight I will find another way.
I'm hoping that if I get my thyroxine dose correct that might help.
Sorry to hear about your surgery receptionist though.....there's no excuse for that behaviour.
You have to be weighed once a month at my practice where I go and if there is no weight loss every month the g/p or nurse can stop Orlistat. A repeat of Orlistat is only given if regular weight loss has been demonstrated. Orlistat is expensive and some Doctors do not like prescribing it because it is expensive and they do not think its effective. Have a look at the NICE Guidelines regarding management of obesity.
If you are eating low fat or healthily after a while on orlistat I found it stopped working and a little break was really helpful, just make sure you have something for constipation. Then go back on the orlistat - I like orlistat as fat has collected around my organs in the past and it feels great when this is reduced. Not just a weight thing - just alleviating the uncomfortable feeling fatness gives.
Just get your script or speak on the phone to a gp. If you don't get what you want straight away. Repeat yourself. If you don't get what you want. Repeat yourself. Keep em on the phone a bit longer. Say you are going away. Repeat yourself. Get the idea...
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