I’m going for an op on Friday and will be in for about 5 day apparently. I’m getting a bit concerned about the timings of all my medication while I’m an in-patient as I take quite an array of prescription meds including levo, Liothyronine and steroids. I currently have 7 different alarms for them so they don’t interact with each other!
Has anyone been in hospital lately who has to take meds outside of drug round times? I’m can’t see them agreeing to me self medicating.
I was allowed to self medicate...too complicated to expect ward staff to do complicated timing regime. In my case as well as levo., other pills, they didn’t know how to give insulin!
they didn’t know how to give insulin
Jeez, that's rather worrying!
Yep...good reason to go DIY with hypothyroidism problems...health care can be a bit limited ‘up north’!
Kinda related, an acquaintance is an A&E nurse, I'd once asked for her help in taking blood for a medichecks test (had to be venous) only to be told she doesn't know how, as only phlebotomists do that!
Yep I’m a phlebotomist and we hear that all the time. The worst ones though are doctors(especially new ones) who think they can just keep trying until they get it. When they give up eventually the poor patient is black and blues when they come to us.
I won’t be letting any over eager doctors practice on my veins that’s for sure 😂
Won’t show you the photo of my arm where a doctor decided to put a cannula as she wanted my drugs to be as close to my heart as possible. Third time lucky!!
Off topic I realise....but I’m from “ up North “ and I find nothing of the sort , it doesn’t take me three weeks or longer to get an appointment with a doctor and all our healthcare professionals are trained to the same level if not better than our friends down south. Please don’t help to foster the idea that we’re behind up here. 😊Some of the most revolutionary advances in health care are being found “ up North “.
Hear hear! I'm "up North" too.
Me to and don’t have a problem.
Having said that re my original question I’m in hospital now and I’m sooooo glad I had an extra stash of meds. I have to take steroids due to adrenal insufficiency and if I hadn’t had kept my own I’d never have been given them xx
Hope all goes well...great idea to continue self medicating. I've often wondered what I'd do if I had to be in hospital .....now I know. Thank you!
You are very lucky....not in a continuously failing Trust; having to travel 1.5 hour one way to specialist hospitals, and yes waiting weeks to get a Gp appointment. Perhaps something to do with rurality, low wages....it is very difficult to recruit and keep medical staff in ‘my north’.
I’m sure it’s absolutely no different down south. I get so sick of having the North of England being put as second best to our southern neighbours. The NHS is struggling all over the country I imagine that down in the south where it’s more densely packed it could in fact be worse. I still think we’re lucky to have a Health service unlike our American friends
That’s is very worrying 😱
I’m hoping they let me self medicate, thank you
I've heard some bad stories on the forum about people not being given their medication on time, or having things forgotten.
I think I'd go in with at least a plan B to administer all your own medications, and keep an extra, secret, supply hidden in my smalls. Or brief a friend or relative to bring them in for you at the first visitor option.
I've heard of people being challenged and having things taken off them, but I get the impression that in general no one will have the time to bother with things you're doing. And I definitely wouldn't make a point that you're self medicating unless you either have to or are pretty sure it will be treated sympathetically, just allow your own meds to be mixed in with the idea you're taking extra supplements, or prescription items for different conditions, or whatever vague thing 
Don’t you worry I have 2 separate lots of meds, 1 for them as requested and 1 in my bag “just in case” I’m sure once they’ve had me asking at 3am the first night they’ll leave me to do it myself 😂
Glad to hear you are well set up! Good luck. xx
So am I. Best wishes.
I've had a few issues re taking meds. All have been happy to let me take my meds when I like so other that a bit of despaired looksthat been ok but then they take your water away at the wrong time so nothing to take it with and told not to worry dear it with be back to have a drink with your breakfast! grrr! It was never there before! But I gave up worrying about it! I was admitted and a couple of weeks after a new hip I had a Pulmonary Embolism and rushed to hospital. I was to be put on Warfarin and stay a week. After I think 4 days I caught the Norovirus and was put in isolation or as my son said the lengths I go to to get a room to myself! But I was usually after 11 at night that the doctor came to see me withvmy correct Warfarin dose for the day so I wasn't an early rise but I gather my water was whisked away about 5 am and didn't reappear till after breakfast. My only saving grace was that food went straight through me so it probably wouldn't make any difference! But it was the battle bit that annoyed me. Other than that they were very good to me as it's not easy getting out of bed after a new hip and getting quickly to the bathroom! I understood as well that the doctor had to visit me when rounds were finished because of the risk of infection. But difficult to get my head around the water issue!
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