Do you have questions about managing your or your partner's health and wellbeing? Ask PillTime’s pharmacist

veejay

My
son has very bad nail fungus,he has been prescribed lamisil ,but after 5 weeksm they are no better and very painful after using the lamisil
My question is can he find anything better?

Hi @veejay, for someone to be prescribed Lamisil they will have to have had quite a significant infection. The most important thing is to make sure he has his liver function tests at the beginning, and after 4-6 weeks. The medication takes anywhere between 6 to 12 weeks to work, so he needs to keep going - as long as his side effects are not too painful and his liver function tests remain normal.

Warmglovesandsocks

For once I’m not sure if I took my 20mg Atorvastatin tonight or not when I was watching television, even though I set an alarm. I’m leaving it now as I wouldn’t want to take a double dose. If I hadn’t taken it and miss one dose completely, will it do any harm?

Hi @Warmglovesandsocks For statins, missing a dose won't do any harm.

teepee55

Should I use omega 3 fish oils and celandrine cream to alleviate arthritic knee and other joints? Or is it a waste of money? Is there any other medication I can use for the pain?

hi @teepee55, Omega 3 fish oils are a good supplement to have for joint pain and there is quite a lot of evidence that they can ease the pain and help improve movement too. As for Celandrine cream, its not one I've come across before, and it's hard to say when there is little evidence. It may be that, as a non-medical product, less research has been carried out on it. I'd say to give it a go for only a short time and if you see a benefit continue, but if you don't then stop quickly and try something else.

Astitchintime

I was prescribed statins as I had raised cholesterol……..after losing weight my cholesterol score has dropped significantly……..can I stop the statins as they really make my feet and legs tingle in the night.

Hi @Astitchintime, stopping medication should always be done with the help of your prescriber, such as your GP or pharmacist. This is important, as it means you can have a check-in in a few months time to confirm that no harm is happening to you from stopping the medication. A planned withdrawal is always better than an unplanned one, so whatever you decide to do, speak to the GP surgery first.

Kiwiqueen123

DH has been diagnosed with sarcopenia. It's got worse over the years. I read somewhere this could be due to statins. He's been on statins for years. Any advice please. Don't think it would be wise to stop them as years ago his cardiologist confirmed his arteries were "furred up".

Hi @Kiwiqueen123 It may be worth speaking to your GP to see if switching from a statin to one of the other classes of drug for cholesterol may be better. It seems like this may be worthwhile in your DH's case, but without the full history it's hard for me to say. I would speak to the Surgery and see if a change is possible. Whilst statins haven't been proven to have a direct link, I would think a change is worth a trial to confirm.

Oreo

Mum takes various medications daily including for hypertension, she avoids grapefruit as it’s not recommended when on certain tablets but I have heard the marmalade should be avoided too.Is this true?

Hi @Oreo, I think it's only grapefruit and Seville orange marmalade that's an issue. Having researched, I couldn't find anything on sweet orange marmalade so I imagine that's fine. It would be a shame to deny someone their marmalade on toast!

Cabbie21

I have run out of my statins. I went to the pharmacy to collect my prescription only to find the order did not go through, so I am having to wait four days plus the weekend. Will this have any adverse effects?

Hi @Cabbie21, as statins work over a long period then it's unlikely to have any immediate effects, but just to be safe it may be worth cutting out high cholesterol foods as this will decrease the workload on your body. Google can provide a pretty comprehensive list and you may even try some healthier options that you might want to continue.

Tizliz

This is a problem I have as well. Why are some pills so hard to get out the packet. Aspirin is always difficult whoever manufactures it. I sort out six medications for my husband every month and it is now taking over 20 minutes and causing stress. Don’t the manufacturers think about who is taking the medication.

Hi @Tiziz I'm sorry to hear that you're having difficulty with the Aspirin packets for your husband. One option could be to try and see if your pharmacy can provide your medications in bottles with non-click lock lids. These are much easier to open, so medication needs to be stored well out of the reach of children.

I understand the issue with the blister packets, as some have very thick backing, so they can be really hard to bend and pop pills out of. Sometimes using a sharp knife to score the back of the packet can help break the paper initially and make it easier to push the tablet out.

Pouching is also a useful service to help with opening medication, as pharmacists will put your medication easy-to-open pouches that are sorted by date, time, dose and name, so you can easily take all your medications at the right time, without having to sort through medication boxes. PillTime offers pouching for free for NHS patients who take four or more repeat medications. We package medication into small pouches that are very easy to open, and are marked with the date, time, name and dose, so it's easy to take them at the right time. You can find out more about pouching on our website pilltime.co.uk//

dustyangel

What is the solution to not being able to open the medication? I had to ask a workman who came to the house to open a tub of pills today. Actually they were for my husband but he couldn’t open them either.

Hi @dustyangel Yes, some medication packaging can be really difficult to get into. That's partly why we created our PillTime pouching solution, which is free for NHS patients on four or more repeat medications. We package medication into small pouches that are very easy to open, and are marked with the date, time, name and dose, so it's easy to take them at the right time. An alternative to this is asking your pharmacy to provide your medication in bottles that don't have click-lock lids, as these bottles are much easier to open. If you choose to try this option, ensure you keep the medications well out of the reach of children.

Bobsue

I have had my and my husbands medication from pilltime for several years without a problem till the last 3 months. The medication has been coming unpouched in the original boxes. We use pilltime as opening several boxes of medication each day is difficult for arthritic fingers. This has been happening for 3 months also out of 9medications I received 3 this month so had to get in touch again (last month 3 medication pouched and the rest missing) similar problem the month before. Waiting on hold for an hour and 8 minutes to talk to someone is unacceptable. We used to be able to phone untill 6 pm but now you cut it back to 12 noon to talk to anyone. If my meds aren't correct and pouched next time I will be changing pharmacy's. Having to rely on others to sort out getting tablets out of boxes is not good. The reason I use pilltime is the pouched medication.

Hi @Bobsue. I'm really sorry to hear you that are having problems with your order. We have a new app that helps you see what is happening with your order and you can send messages to our Customer Service team if you have any issues. Unfortunately, there are some medications that we can't pouch if the quantities provided don't match the other medication quantities in your order, so we cannot synchronise them so you have a full 28 or 56 days. Others we can't pouch due to them being 'as required' medication. I'd suggest the best way forward is to download the PillTime app and log in using your NHS login account so you can see what is happening, when, and you can speak to our customer service team directly on the app through the messaging system.

Madmeg

My statins say take at night but my husband's give no advice on when to take them.

Hi @Madmeg, take an hour before bed and he will be fine.

Greciangirl

My statins say on the label.
To be taken at night.
So that’s what I do,

Hi @Greciangirl, thats good as you will be getting the most from them

win

How important is it to take medication as advised in a 2 hour fastening gap. Does it really make so much difference if you have them with food?

Hi @win, usually if a medication says take on an empty stomach, it is to make sure that you get the complete dose. When you eat food with these medications it is likely that during the testing and reviews of these medications, studies found that that the dose absorbed is lower than expected if it is taken with food, and maybe even sub-therapeutic, which means it is not high enough to even work. So, it is best to follow the advice from your GP or Pharmacist if the medication is recommended to be taken in a window before or after food.

icanhandthemback

I am diabetic (Type 2) and I have recently been prescribed Ozempic. My blood sugar control can be good but I have a problem with binge eating and I find it hard to get back on top on things. Ozempic has helped with the cravings for sweet stuff 6 days out of 7 which is great but I do worry about the side effects, especially the acid reflux which has increased. I take a large dose of Omeprazole daily. My question is, "Is there a better medicine to deal with binge eating with less side effects than Ozempic?"

Hi @icanhandthemback. All the new GLP1 medications help with the problems you are describing. If you are currently on the highest dose, then you may need to change to a dual effect product such as Mounjaro. As a top tip, drinking water helps with the side effects and in our Private Weightloss patient service we see that when people increase their water intake to the 2 litre amount, the side effects reduce. Its hard at first, but it does help with the appetite too.

Kate1949

My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014. He had 37 days of radiotherapy and hormone injections. Thankfully the treatment worked and he is fine. He has a yearly blood test, which he requests. How long should he keep having this blood test for? Thank you.

Hi @Kate1949, I would say he needs his annual check up completed every year. As he is past 5 years since his first diagnosis, the more frequent testing may not be necessary, but it depends on his plan with his GP. At his next appointment, it may be worth clarifying this and checking what the protocol your GP is working to is. In my opinion, a yearly checkup seems like the minimum.

Mollygo

I take my tablets at night or at 3am.
Are they doing any good? Who knows?

Hi @Mollygo The NHS app provides you with test data from any blood tests you have to monitor your condition. You should be able to see if the medication is working by understanding your blood results, if they are needed to monitor your condition. I would say that if you are not sure they are working, then speak to your surgery and ask for someone to get in touch to explain what improvements you should be seeing, so that you can monitor the impact yourself as well.

TwiceAsNice

I’m due to have a major back operation because of worsening spinal stenosis. I currently manage the pain with regular paracetamol every day. I react badly to codeine based medication and don’t want to take morphine type painkillers post op. The consultant is arranging for me to speak to the anaesthetist but can you advise what painkiller I could take instead please.

Hi @TwiceAsNice, sorry to hear about your operation. In this case, I'd say that speaking to the anaesthetist will give you the best answer as they are specialists in this area and have significantly more training in pain management than I have and I suspect that anything I add to this will likely not be as good advice as what they will give you. I firmly believe in getting the right advice from the right professional and in this case it seems you are already in the right place.

123gran

I’d like to come off bisoprolol 1.25 as it’s pushed me into pre-diabetes over six weeks and I’ve put on weight. However, I’m worried about re-bound hypertension as I’ve previously had a stroke. I also take perindopril 8mg but now need to lower bp to below 130. How quickly should I reduce the beta blocker?

Hi 123gran, this is a question that is best asked to your GP or prescriber, as they will have a longer window of information to gauge your blood pressure over. They will also be the ones that can switch you onto another medication or adjust your Perindopril if needed.

Duvetdiva

A similar question about when to take statins. I’ve always taken them in the morning but a medic on TV this week said we should take them in the evening for maximum effect

Hi @Duvetdiva. This depends on the statin. If you are on Atorvastatin, you can take this any time as it has a long duration of action. The others are better at night as they're most active when they're just taken, and as the liver makes the most cholesterol whilst you're sleeping, they are better taken before bed.

NotSpaghetti

I'll start us off...

There is some evidence that when to take blood pressure medications (such as Perindopril) - morning or night, might vary according to ones own body clock.

Please can you take a look at this question?
If I am to be taking drugs I don't really want to take then I want to take them at the optimum time for me.
Thank you.

Hi @NotSpaghetti,
Yes, some medications are better taken at night and some are better taken in the morning. In the case of Perindopril, this is better in the morning as it can work throughout the day. If it's taken at night it can mean if you get up during the night you have a higher risk of a fall as your blood pressure is low whilst sleeping.

I have arthritis in my hip. I love to go for walks but find it painful and tiring. The only time I had any relief was from taking ibuprofen before the walk. Paracetamol doesn't help.
Is it safe to take ibuprofen occasionally? The only other medication I take is lansoprozole twice a week.

mabon2

Never again will I trust a pharmacist. I had a spot below my bottom lip, asked the pharmacist for something, he said it was an ingrowing hair. A week later I visited my GP for something different. She asked about the spot, took a photograph and sent it to the local hospital max fax department, a week later I was in hospital having a cancer removed from y bottom lip. Pharmacists are good at pharmacy but they are not trained doctors.

Anything like that ask your Gp to refer you for triage photos.
I’ve been this week- didn’t take photos but looks at them with a special tool, bit like a magnifying glass.
I had a thing on my ear, asked my mums max surgeon if he thought it was anything seven years ago. He only looked, said no.
This other specialist said,he thinks it’s a bcc. Nurse told me to look up MOHS

Grannynannywanny

How important is it not to take levothyroxine within 30 mins of drinking coffee?

I only read this recently. After years of washing it down with my morning cuppa 🙈

Hi Grannynannywanny

My DH was told to take his levothyroxine 1 hour before any food or caffeine so he takes his when he wakes and then waits an hour for breakfast

Very inconvenient!

Hi Peter, would appreciate your advice re anxiety medication before a long haul flight in December…🙏

I mean extra Ramipril (not extra empty capsules)