MEDICAL MATTERS

[Tizer]

Kev, you've seen my posts on relating my problems with our pharmacy. They admit they're understaffed and they don't keep much stock of drugs. Ten days wait from ordering a repeat prescription to them having it in the pharmacy even though it's one of the most common drugs that millions are using in the UK. Always queues in the shop. You wouldn't want to discuss your medical problems with lots of people waiting behind you and cursing because all they want to do is collect their prescription and often being told `We can give you one of the drugs but we don't have the other in, we'll have to order it.' NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard must live on another planet!

[Big Kev]

Indeed, it sounds ridiculous. I've given up on local chemists for prescriptions, mine are all ordered online and come in the post 3 days later.

[PanBiker]

Same conclusion I came to Kev. Has the benefit of being able to swap back to local if required for urgent stuff, (if they have it of course).

[Sue]

Kev, you've seen my posts on relating my problems with our pharmacy. They admit they're understaffed and they don't keep much stock of drugs. Ten days wait from ordering a repeat prescription to them having it in the pharmacy even though it's one of the most common drugs that millions are using in the UK. Always queues in the shop. You wouldn't want to discuss your medical problems with lots of people waiting behind you and cursing because all they want to do is collect their prescription and often being told `We can give you one of the drugs but we don't have the other in, we'll have to order it.' NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard must live on another planet!

Sound like ours

[Sue]

Who do you order from. There is normally a warning about ordering drugs on line

[PanBiker]

I use this one Sue:

Pharmacy2U

The MY GP app that I use on my phone also lists Lloyds pharmacy.

[Big Kev]

There are a few available, I use https://www.chemist-4-u.com
It's an option through the NHS app or they have their own app which links to myGP.

[Tizer]

How quickly do the online ones deliver and do they require someone to be at home to give a signature?

[Big Kev]

How quickly do the online ones deliver and do they require someone to be at home to give a signature?

Mine arrived within 3 days of ordering, no signature required but I had to collect from the sorting office as the box was too big for the letterbox.

[PanBiker]

Same here for my supplier but what I need fits through the letter box, just delivered with the other mail.

[Stanley]

At last I can report I am lucky. We have a good pharmacist at Well now and I am told by text when repeats are ready and the system is working fine at the moment. (They did my booster as well.)
On that subject, all the aches and pains and other symptoms that came at the same time as the booster have now gone and I am more free from pain than any time in the recent past. Long may it continue!
Susan visited yesterday, she has had Covid 4 times now and the last bout arrived three days after she got the booster. She said others have told her of more symptoms with this one which she was told had more modifications than previous ones.

[plaques]

Susan visited yesterday, she has had Covid 4 times now and the last bout arrived three days after she got the booster. She said others have told her of more symptoms with this one which she was told had more modifications than previous ones.

Sorry to her that. But have we reached the point where the mRNA covid vaccine is of doubtful use.
It doesn't stop catching covid again,
It doesn't stop you passing it on.
Vaccine immunity only lasts for five weeks.
Its only really affective for those with potential lung infection problems.
The side affects are still largely unknown or are being kept away from the public.

But if you are happy with it then the choice is yours.

[Tizer]

We have a good pharmacist at Well now and I am told by text when repeats are ready and the system is working fine at the moment.

We use a Well pharmacy too. In your case, how long does it take from ordering online to receiving your text? It's been at least a week for me. And if it's a script for multiple drugs they don't tell you if one is ready or all of them. I keep hearing customers in our pharmacy coming in to collect and being surprised to find it's only a part delivery and they'll have to make another journey the next day or later.

[Sue]

We have a good pharmacist at Well now and I am told by text when repeats are ready and the system is working fine at the moment.

We use a Well pharmacy too. In your case, how long does it take from ordering online to receiving your text? It's been at least a week for me. And if it's a script for multiple drugs they don't tell you if one is ready or all of them. I keep hearing customers in our pharmacy coming in to collect and being surprised to find it's only a part delivery and they'll have to make another journey the next day or later.

Ours is Well, we wait 10 days from ordering at the surgery

[PanBiker]

I order via the myGP app on my phone, normally signed off by the doc same day or the next day at latest. If I order on a Monday, I normally have the meds by Thursday.

[Big Kev]

Pretty much the same timescales as you Ian. I put in a request, via the Chemist4U app, on Sunday April 16th and collected it on Thursday April 20th as it was too big to go through my letterbox, delivery would have been the 19th if I'd been at home.
I have a few options to make a request, directly on the Chemist4U app (which links with the myGP app), the NHS app (selecting Chemist4U as my nominated pharmacy) or directly on the myGP app (same as Ian). Once the initial link between the surgery and the nominated pharmacy has been made it's just a few 'clicks' to make the request

[Tripps]

Might as well add my two pennorth. I ordered my repeats online direct to the surgery last Friday evening. It was a Bank Holiday weekend. They were delivered today (Wed) by a nice gent in a Mini Cooper from my designated pharmacy. I try to involve as few people as possible in the process, and have been successful for many years. I was told by the surgery software that the (male) German doctor had left after being with the practice for twenty years. I think he was their only remaining full time doctor.

PS I find that there are now ten doctors with the practice - partners, salaried GP's and registrars. They are now all women.
Is that now typical? - I guess it might be.

[Stanley]

I don't have to order my meds, they are on a repeat prescription and I think it's 6 months at a time. Well will tell me when it is running out.

[Sue]

I don't have to order my meds, they are on a repeat prescription and I think it's 6 months at a time. Well will tell me when it is running out.

I have to order mine as some are 1 or 2 as needed, thus they may run out in two months are they may not

[Sue]

Might as well add my two pennorth. I ordered my repeats online direct to the surgery last Friday evening. It was a Bank Holiday weekend. They were delivered today (Wed) by a nice gent in a Mini Cooper from my designated pharmacy. I try to involve as few people as possible in the process, and have been successful for many years. I was told by the surgery software that the (male) German doctor had left after being with the practice for twenty years. I think he was their only remaining full time doctor.

PS I find that there are now ten doctors with the practice - partners, salaried GP's and registrars. They are now all women.
Is that now typical? - I guess it might be.

I understand that there are now marginally more women train as Doctors than men, they favour GP work as the hours are more regular and they can work part time more easily fitting in with family life. Only what I have been told. This is part of the shortage problem, but only part. I think our practice is more men than women, marginally. .

[Sue]

Pretty much the same timescales as you Ian. I put in a request, via the Chemist4U app, on Sunday April 16th and collected it on Thursday April 20th as it was too big to go through my letterbox, delivery would have been the 19th if I'd been at home.
I have a few options to make a request, directly on the Chemist4U app (which links with the myGP app), the NHS app (selecting Chemist4U as my nominated pharmacy) or directly on the myGP app (same as Ian). Once the initial link between the surgery and the nominated pharmacy has been made it's just a few 'clicks' to make the request

Just looked up chemist4u. It looks good. I have to nominate a chosen pharmacist on my prescription reorder, do I put them as my chosen pharmacist

[Big Kev]

Pretty much the same timescales as you Ian. I put in a request, via the Chemist4U app, on Sunday April 16th and collected it on Thursday April 20th as it was too big to go through my letterbox, delivery would have been the 19th if I'd been at home.
I have a few options to make a request, directly on the Chemist4U app (which links with the myGP app), the NHS app (selecting Chemist4U as my nominated pharmacy) or directly on the myGP app (same as Ian). Once the initial link between the surgery and the nominated pharmacy has been made it's just a few 'clicks' to make the request

Just looked up chemist4u. It looks good. I have to nominate a chosen pharmacist on my prescription reorder, do I put them as my chosen pharmacist

You have to register with Chemist4U to handle your prescription orders first, on their website or on their app, so they know who you are and where you live, and then you just nominate them as your chosen pharmacist. I use their app but they do show as my 'nominated' in the NHS now too.
I have used them a lot as I buy antihistamines from them for hayfever.

[Sue]

Thanks Kev. I think I/ we will change. Our pharmacist is rubbish as well as being rude at times and ignoring you when you go in the shop. I know they are busy doing orders but they never have anyone in the shop itself and do enjoy a chat with each other rather than the waiting customers. It used to be the co-op. It was very good then

[Tizer]

Sue, knowing you are taking the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole I though I should tell you of my experiences with the related lansoprazole. First a bit of background. I got duodenal ulcers during a time of unusually high stress. I had a couple of hospital visits for endoscopy and was treated with antibiotics to kill the Helicobacter pylori. On my final visit the gastroenterologist told me the ulcers were gone but my gut was left suffering inflammation and to avoid pain and damage to the gut lining I'd always need to keep taking something to lower the acidity of my gut at night. He prescribed lansoprazole, one capsule before going to bed.

In recent years I've become tired and weary and also started getting scabby areas of skin on my face. I put these down to age and too much sun during my youth - my mother came from South Africa and was a great believer in health benefits of being out in the sun. By coincidence I recently found out that taking PPIs for an extended time often leads to subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) which is characterised by scabby skin very similar to my problem. Also another result of taking PPIs for a long time is magnesium deficiency and that shows up as fatigue, tiredness, confusion etc.

I can't be sure that my problems are due to the PPI but I've decided to stop taking it and to have Gaviscon at night instead. The consultant who originally put me on PPI said at the time that Gaviscon was an alternative but I went for the PPI then because it's in capsules and less hassle to take.

Unfortunately I've read that after stopping taking PPIs it can take a long time for the SCLE to disappear so it could be ages before I find out the result. But it's worth trying! I'm telling you all this in case your doctor, like mine, didn't warn you about long-term use and potential effects.

[Stanley]

Peter, reading that confirms what I have said so many times. I am so lucky! All I have to deal with is cancer, diabetes and a worn out knee. Everything else is functioning really well. In fact as I mentioned elsewhere recently, I have less pain currently than I have had for years.
My sympathy won't do any good for you or Sue but I do try to remember how lucky I am and give a thought for others.....