How to increase amount of a prescribed medicine.

Caleo I too am surprised the receptionist thought it was her job. Sorry you encountered that. The pharmacist was doing their job correctly and am sure the doctor will help you.

Germanshepherdsmum I'm surprised you can get your Class A drug early. My DH has narcolepsy and for 30 years has been prescribed a controlled drug. He has to follow strict guidelines on when he can have the next 33 days tablets. He can't collect earlier than the due date which is to the day he would take the last tablet. He once needed his prescription a few days early as he would be working away from home at the time he would need the next prescription. He had to see the doctor first.

Caleo. Like yours, our surgery do on line ordering. My DH has written a letter giving me permission to collect his medication.

Annodomini, I can order my repeat Rs only through the central orderline by phone or online. The people who pu the order through to the chemist are efficient and helpful. When I asked if they would ask the pharmacist to increase the medication question(it's available over the counter )I was told I'd have to ask the doctor to authorise the increased amount.

I'd have done so but I happened to be visiting the surgery that day so-----. I was surprised to find the receptionist thought it was her job to find out what the med was, how it was packaged, what I used it for, how much I used and when, how I applied it, and why I considered I needed more.

There's a space at the end of the form on which I order my repeat prescriptions. If I need an extra quantity of any medication, I can add a message there and usually the GP will consider my reasons and increase the prescription. Or I can leave a message on the web site for the GP to ring me. There must be a better way than going to the surgery and hanging on for all that time.

Could your son sign you up for online ordering of prescriptions? He could then order them on your behalf, have the prescriptions sent electronically to a pharmacy who might then deliver them - all without you leaving your house!

When I order online, there is a box to write comments and I often have to ask for some of my repeats ( I have seven tablets a day) a bit early to avoid repeated visits to the pharmacy as they all seem to run out at different times! I think I now have five of them synchronised so I can order them at the same time with the final two on a different cycle. That’s because one is a controlled drug and I can only reorder every 28 days. But like you, if my pain is very bad, I need to take them four times a day so I run out. I do limit the number I take and try to do without but that’s not always possible.

I don’t have mine delivered as I am able to drive and park outside to collect them and feel that there are more needy people who need the limited delivery slots. During the lockdowns, my trips to the pharmacy were the highlight of my week!

You can do an online message either via your doctor's website or using the NHS app. If you can't manage that maybe a relative could help.
Just ask for your regular prescription to be increased from one to three (or whatever).

Thanks, Barmyoldbat, and JaneJudge. I needed to know your separate advices, As it was I followed the receptionist down a conversational rabbit hole.

You need more than one a day. The Reye hospital I attended said I needed to use them every hour. In fact I only use them about once every two hours during the winter when indoors. Suggest you make an appointment to see your Dr and discuss it with them. If the receptionist asks what is the reason just say trouble with my eyes and medication. If she asks for more details refuse it, simply say I will disclose it to a Dr. It works every time.

Just say you need a medication review x

have a look on the surgery website for other ways to contact them.

Pittcity

I have a similar problem in that my surgery can't understand why 6 lots of 28 tablets don't last me 6 months!!!!
They are quick to respond to emails though....no long waits on the phone or standing at the reception desk.
Some pharmacists can write prescriptions. I don't know how you go about finding one.

I used to have the same problem with my late Mother's prescription. I shouldn't have to point out that with the exception of February, all months have at least 30 days so after six months, she was running a fortnight short. It's not rocket science is it?

Thanks to you all for your help. I will ask for a phone appointment with a doctor if this sort of thing happens again.
I'd have asked for this in the fist place, only I happened to be at the surgery to see the nurse and she said see the receptionist to change my prescription. Wrong advice!

Gosh! What a performance, caleo, that they put you through! I'm amazed your pharmacist couldn't up the quantity for you without a diversion to your GP surgery being needed.

I think the suggestion of a letter to your GP is a good idea.

My surgery refuses to allow prescriptions to be ordered early, as it says on one of the many severe notices pasted outside the still-locked door, and there are no extra pills included.
It is almost impossible to speak directly to a doctorand everything is conducted via the receptionist.
Other local surgeries are offering far better service, and I believe there is a formal complaint being convened against the two 'permanent' doctors, both very recent appointments.
Never had any previous trouble with the NHS since 1948.

I think you need to be insistent that you cannot visit the surgery and need either a phone consultation or a home visit (they wont want to do a home visit) I'm glad it is all sorted for now though

You need to speak to the GP to have the repeat changed. You can do that by phone or email but phone is better. Then the next prescription should be more. The receptionist cannot sanction it but perhaps she has done that by talking to the man. Did your son not check? Hopefully it is sorted now.

A letter to your GP explaining the situation would be simpler than standing for ages trying to explain to an unhelpful receptionist.

Can the eye drops also come in a dropper bottle? Those are cheaper than individual phials, so don't cost as much to buy over the counter. You could use less each time but more often, too, so the bottle would last longer.

I bought some night eye ointment (Hycosan) for my dry eyes, as early mornings were when they were most uncomfortable. You use a tiny amount in each eye overnight. I found that the benefit lasted awhile into the next morning, so I used less of the eyedrops. If your GP could prescribe that too, you would have a second line of defence.

Definitely a conversation with your GP, who might prescribe you something else entirely.
I order repeat prescriptions via the NHS app. I only get 1 months supply of Blood Pressure tablets, this time I put a note in the box provided ‘ if you want to ask your GP a question’ and asked for 2 months supply, which I was able to collect from my Chemist yesterday, far easier than contacting the Surgery.

Those single phial things are a good idea but you only have to squeeze a bit to hard and the flipping thing is empty! They usually advise using drops at least twice daily so very easy not to have enough to last a month.
As others have said, requesting a chat with your GP over the phone - even if you have to leave a message with the receptionist for him to call you back is the best thing to do. They should be aware of at least your age and how difficult it is for you to make a visit to the surgery that isn't really needed, and be happy to help you.

Germanshepherdsmum

I never have a problem re-ordering a few days early. And one of my medications is a class A drug.

I think it varies from one surgery or practice to another. Ours is usually pretty reasonable, but a friend is at a practice in the next village and they are absolutely adamant about not allowing repeat prescriptions to be ordered early - even by a day (which seems a bit draconian to me).

I never have a problem re-ordering a few days early. And one of my medications is a class A drug.

I have a similar problem in that my surgery can't understand why 6 lots of 28 tablets don't last me 6 months!!!!
They are quick to respond to emails though....no long waits on the phone or standing at the reception desk.
Some pharmacists can write prescriptions. I don't know how you go about finding one.

Germanshepherdsmum

You could always order another prescription ahead of the end of the 30 days.

I don't think you can do that, not at our practice, anyway, GSM.

I'm a bit confused by this though, Caleo.
You say you have a repeat prescription every four weeks ie every 28 days, for 30 so most months you will get 2 or 3 extra,

If you think you need more than one per day then you do need to see your GP, preferably a face-to-face appointment so he or she can examine your eyes.

It has all been very difficult lately with telephone appointments and receptionists being given more authority to ask personal questions. It can be extremely frustrating and I'm sure we all have had some difficult experiences with communication lately. (both DH and I have)

You could always order another prescription ahead of the end of the 30 days.

You can email our surgery and they are pretty good at responding. Alternatively a telephone appointment would also suffice for a variation on a prescription.

You could try ringing and asking for a telephone consultation. If you find standing difficult for long this would seem a better option.