Can I insist on generics?

Ames

Please bear with me, I'll try and explain everything.

I've been on a particular type of anti psychotics for years now, originally prescribed by a psychiatrist. The prescription was for the generic name, and the chemist gave me whichever brand they had in.

A few weeks ago, without speaking to me about it, a GP at my practice changed my notes/repeat prescription to a particular brand.

This brand isn't one which is regularly stocked, and so has to be ordered when the pharmacy gets my prescription.

I only get 7 days worth of meds at a time, so every time I hand in my script I've run out. Having to wait a day for the particular brand to be ordered means I have to miss a dose.

I saw a GP yesterday and asked for it to go back to the generic name, so I can get whatever's in. She said no, because the brand name is cheaper. I explained that it means I'm regularly missing doses, but she said that's not their problem and they have to save money somewhere.

She told me to find a pharmacy that stocks the brand. In the past I've had to go to up to four pharmacies to find one that has any type of the drug, finding somewhere that stocks this particular brand (as well as the other 7 items on my script) will be pretty much impossible.

So, do I have a right to insist that my script is changed back to the generic so that I can get it easily? Or am I being selfish wanting the more expensive drug?

To be honest there's been loads of problems over the last six months with the practice, it's gone downhill unbelievably and I've had some very questionable medical advice given. I was going to change, but I'm worried about jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

I haven't named the drug so that there can be no question of me wanting medical advice, but I'm happy to do so if it makes it easier to answer.

pmlindyloo

Can you not speak to the pharmacy where you get your prescription and ask them to order this particular drug so that they always have it in stock?

Ask to speak to the pharmacist rather than an assistant. This is the easiest option.

Ames

I did speak to the pharmacist last week, she said the branded one isn't cheaper than the generic, and seemed reluctant to order it in without having the prescription in hand. Although it is in the same building as the GP, so I guess if they've changed everyone on this drug to the branded version they might have to start stocking it.

So I suppose the problem could be with the pharmacy rather than the GP.

Annoyingly the bnf have changed and I can't look it up myself for free anymore.

Poppie68

The drug must be the cheaper of the generics if the GP is insisting on that particular brand, but it shouldn't mean you have to except them. Spk to the practice manager and explain the problem with the difficulty of obtaining them and all other medications also let them know that you frequently have to miss doses. As you pick up weekly and it is a long-term medication their is absolutely no reason the practice manager or even receptionist can't speak to the pharmacy to make sure they order in advance for you or.

cattermole

If it's a branded pharmacy like Lloyds or Co-op they have to order centrally from their own "warehouse" for want of a better word.

We had to change from Lloyds for this reason when we had to order multiple drugs for our daughter and they also moved the Pharmacist that was excellent to another Pharmacy.

We are lucky that we have a brilliant Independent Pharmacy close by and can source drugs really quickly from any supplier, usually same day or next day. They would also keep drugs in stock if they knew someone was going to be regularly needing them.

So it sounds like a combination of problems with your GP and the Pharmacist if you can't get the "brand" he's prescribing they should really right the name of the drug because it makes it much easier to get any brand then. I would do as suggested above speak to the Practice Manager.

[Deleted User]

our gp asked mrs w earlier this year to try a cheaper version of a strong pain killer she's uses all the time,on the condition that if there were problems she could change back,there were problems and he he changed her back the following month
as for changing practices why not ask friends and neighbours who they use and if they could recommend them?

Ames

Thanks everyone.

Cattermole, it is a chain but not a really big one (although it is national). You're probably right about it being a mixture of both.

Woodbine, I'm planning to ask members of my peer support group who live in this area of Leeds what their GPs are like.

I think one of the things that narks me is that it was done without even talking to me. So when I put in my repeat with the old name, I wasn't given any of them because he'd changed it to the new name without making a note on the system. So as far as the receptionist knew I was asking for something I shouldn't be having.

What you said about problems is interesting, I thought I noticed a difference with one of the brands I sometimes got but figured I must be imagining it as the active ingredients should be the same in them all.

After thinking about it all day I think I'm also going to ask to go to monthly scripts. The senior doctors (who I trust, but appointments with them are like hens teeth) have suggested it before and I've resisted it. But I think that if it smooths out the problems of getting meds it'll be better for me overall. The opportunity for overdosing might be higher, but the risk will be lower if I'm not missing meds, which happens every few weeks anyway when I forget to order them.

And not having to use the out of hours service (three times this year) to reissue scripts that haven't been signed or have items missing will save the practice far more than a few pence of each tablet!

Errata

Can you not order your repeats from the surgery online, and organise the the presciption(s) to be sent to the pharmarcy electronically so they're ready for you to collect when you need them?

GlasweJen

Hi Ames,

Ask your doctor to prescribe 56 (or however many a 2 month supply is) as a weekly issue. If he doesn't know what you're talking about tell him it's the same system as they use for methadone.

Basically your prescription will read
56 atenolol 25mg
Take one daily in the morning

***dispense 7 tablets weekly***

Obviously substitute out your drug name and dose.

When you hand this in the pharmacist will order 56 (or however many) of your tablet and assign them to white boxes with the date on for when you're due to collect them - you won't be able to collect them before the date. When the phamacist hands you the last box they'll remind you to submit a new script.

You can do that for all of your medications too so that should cut down on you messing around.

I used to work in a pharmacy and saw all sorts of variations of this (dispense daily for methadone, dispense fortnightly, dispense to cater etc). It's usually for mentally ill people and a lot of doctors don't realise they can do it with any drug at all.

Ames

Errata wrote: »

Can you not order your repeats from the surgery online, and organise the the presciption(s) to be sent to the pharmarcy electronically so they're ready for you to collect when you need them?

Online?! I wish! We do have a new system where you can phone and go through an automated system to order, I've used it four times and only once was the prescription actually ready to collect two days later.

GlasweJen wrote: »

Hi Ames,

Ask your doctor to prescribe 56 (or however many a 2 month supply is) as a weekly issue. If he doesn't know what you're talking about tell him it's the same system as they use for methadone.

Basically your prescription will read
56 atenolol 25mg
Take one daily in the morning

***dispense 7 tablets weekly***

Obviously substitute out your drug name and dose.

When you hand this in the pharmacist will order 56 (or however many) of your tablet and assign them to white boxes with the date on for when you're due to collect them - you won't be able to collect them before the date. When the phamacist hands you the last box they'll remind you to submit a new script.

You can do that for all of your medications too so that should cut down on you messing around.

I used to work in a pharmacy and saw all sorts of variations of this (dispense daily for methadone, dispense fortnightly, dispense to cater etc). It's usually for mentally ill people and a lot of doctors don't realise they can do it with any drug at all.

That sounds good. I used to order and get four post dated scripts, but that confused the receptionists. The request seemed to disappear whilst it was being passed back and forth between the normal scripts and dossette person. At least one receptionist would go off on a break saying 'I don't understand it' and leave it to someone else to sort out.

Then there was the mix up where they gave me unsigned scripts, I didn't notice till I went to Boots at which point the surgery was closed. After a weekend off all my meds I found myself in a packed surgery waiting room on Monday morning in tears and shaking from withdrawal explaining that the meds were antipsychotics and I only got seven days because of the risk of overdosing.

I'll see what the GP thinks to your suggestion, it does seem to be a brilliant solution.

Scully38

Ames wrote: »

Please bear with me, I'll try and explain everything.

I've been on a particular type of anti psychotics for years now, originally prescribed by a psychiatrist. The prescription was for the generic name, and the chemist gave me whichever brand they had in.

A few weeks ago, without speaking to me about it, a GP at my practice changed my notes/repeat prescription to a particular brand.

This brand isn't one which is regularly stocked, and so has to be ordered when the pharmacy gets my prescription.

I only get 7 days worth of meds at a time, so every time I hand in my script I've run out. Having to wait a day for the particular brand to be ordered means I have to miss a dose.

I saw a GP yesterday and asked for it to go back to the generic name, so I can get whatever's in. She said no, because the brand name is cheaper. I explained that it means I'm regularly missing doses, but she said that's not their problem and they have to save money somewhere.

She told me to find a pharmacy that stocks the brand. In the past I've had to go to up to four pharmacies to find one that has any type of the drug, finding somewhere that stocks this particular brand (as well as the other 7 items on my script) will be pretty much impossible.

So, do I have a right to insist that my script is changed back to the generic so that I can get it easily? Or am I being selfish wanting the more expensive drug?

To be honest there's been loads of problems over the last six months with the practice, it's gone downhill unbelievably and I've had some very questionable medical advice given. I was going to change, but I'm worried about jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

I haven't named the drug so that there can be no question of me wanting medical advice, but I'm happy to do so if it makes it easier to answer.

I had a similar problem with one of my meds, I take 10 different meds, and usually it's the same one that I had to wait for. I spoke with the pharmacy as they now prepare my tablets in date order, so automatically make sure to get them in either from their other branches or elsewhere. There was one in particular they couldn't get, but gave me advance notice and spoke with my GP who changed it, even though they needed saving money as they couldn't leave me without.

If your chemist have tried repeatedly without success, you don't have any alternative but to go and get your prescription done elsewhere, and to be honest nothing Spurs the chemist on more when you say you've got to go elsewhere. Good luck.