Doctors trying to save money - Yasmin

ThursdayNext_2

I'd hope they'd be a bit more understanding if you've actually tried other pills in the past and they haven't agreed with you,

no idea how much it would be to get contraception privately though!

IlonaRN

ThursdayNext wrote: »

GPs are making a push for long-acting reversible contraceptives (IUD, IUS, implant, injection) as the NICE guidelines show they are both cheaper and more effective than pills.

Yep, last time I went for a new Pill prescription, the doc said "Sorry, but I have to ask if you have considered a long-acting contraceptive instead of the Pill".
I've been on Yasmin for several years now, and it is the one that suits me best. I don't have a problem getting prescriptions for it.

IlonaRN

suki1964 wrote: »

At the end of the day I guess we should just be thankful that BC is still free. Imagine the poor Americans and Canadians - no subsidised medication there

When I lived in Denmark I had to pay for my Pills.
Interestingly, despite having to pay for contraception in DK, the teenage pregnancy rate is much lower there than it is here!

moneysaving_pharmacist

It makes sense to start with a cheap pill such as microgynon, unless there are additional factors such as acne. I normally see yasmin used as a second or third choice pill, which is sensible.

£5 per month is pretty cheap as medication goes. The most expensive medicines are those that are not used so I've no idea why this GP is trying to change back to microgynon.

Sam_26

You could ask for a Private Prescription. It's not going to cost you the earth and keeps you and the GP happy

FairyShazza

I had a nightmare trying to get onto Yasmin. Originally I was on Microgynon which they then withdrew so my doctor put me on a different one (we are going back a long time now) then as my skin was really bad they put me on Dianette but they took me off as I had been on it longer than the recommended time (apparently it can give an increased risk of clotting).

I was then put on Cilest - worst pill ever for me! I ended becoming very depressed, I went from perfectly happy to being an emotional wreck. Bursting into tears for no reason and just feeling generally down in the dumps, this got worse and worse until I actually started having really bad depression and at one point even considered suicide It was only be chance I read an article in Cosmopolitan about a girl who was also on Cilest and had exactly the same problems and become very depressed and suicidal and then changed her contraceptive pill to Yasmin and made a marked improvement.

Armed with the article I went to my doctor but had to see a locum as mine was off sick, explained the situation, showed her the article and asked if I could try Yasmin. She then told me Yasmin was very expensive and said "I notice you are almost 31 years of age and you have no children" to which I replied "well no thats why I am asking for the contraceptive pill as I do not want children right now" she then had the blooming cheek to say "well most people have had at least one child by time they get to your age and your clock is ticking you know"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To say I was fuming was an understatement. I explained firmly and politely that even though it was hard to understand that I had managed to make it to such an age without having a child this was because I hadn't met a person I actually felt I wanted to have a child with. She honestly made me feel like I should just go out and get pregnant because my time was running out and it would cost the NHS too much to prescribe me Yasmin.

I told her that if she didn't give me the Yasmin I would just stop taking Cilest as it obviously wasn't doing me much good and then in a few months if I returned pregnant with a child I didn't want I would make sure they were aware of the reasons why I had ended up in that stuation and that surely a termination would cost them more than a few packets of tablets.

I sometimes feel that too much emphasis is placed on cost even when it is blatently obvious the other options aren't really that good for the patient in the long term.

It does also depend on the doctor as since that episode I have had no problems getting yasmin when I had to move doctors after I moved to a new practice after I moved to a different town.

funguy

I read the above with interest - the cost of medication does not come out of the doctor's own pay packer nor that of the practice! It comes out of the NHS Primary Care Trust's budget. Therefore, it doesnt make any jot of difference to the individual GPs or nurses which medication is prescribed - however, doctors and prescribing nurses are forced, YES forced to change to cheaper medications by the NHS prescribing comittees. Most practices now also have an NHS Primary care trust employed pharmacist that goes through all prescribing in practices on a weekly basis with harsh consequences for anyone not complying with local prescribing protocols.

So, by all means complain and argue with your local GP or nurse - it wont make any difference! We live in an age where the NHS is expected to pay for anything and everything and the pot of money has run out! For every pound spent on a more expensive pill, another pound is taken away from a transplant patient, intensive care bed or useless NHS manager's pocket!......shocking but real!

System

Bah! Had the implant which led to constant bleeding (and subsequent aneamia) which led to me being put on a pill to regulate it anyway and the injection made me put on 4 stone and worsened my depression. Recently they are trying to get me to have the coil but the thought of it makes me feel sick i just hate the idea of putting a foreign object inside of me that only stops me getting pregnant because its irritating my insides (plus if it goes wrong its a life threatening medical emergency).

HannahIOW

Hi again everyone, thanks for the replies so far.
My usual doctor is a lady yes and she's very good, but apparently popular so normally she's booked up 2 weeks in advance. So anyway the time has come, managed to get an appointment with a different doctor as mine is yet again booked up. But I have a terrible feeling this is the doctor I had a problem with in the first place... I shall be fuming if he denies me my prescription especially as I have to go back on it on Weds and so not much time to sort it out.
So everyone, what are my actual rights regarding this? Can I demand to have the one I want, as it's right for me? I am NOT being put on something else. Thanks

elfen

I'm on Yasmin, it's great for my extremely severe period pains (curling up in a ball and screaming usually) Can't see why they won't give you it, you could be a little inventive and say it helps with period pain and PMT (this is what it does for me) You should be able to get the one you want tbh.