At the Doctor's
A while ago I was put on Metformin tablets for my diabetes. One tablet a day wasn't enough: two a day made me feel slightly nauseous all the time. Eventually I got bored with this constant nausea and went back to the doctor, who prescribed Glucophage, which is a slow-release kind of Metformin. This proved much better and didn't make me feel sick.
So when I was a few days away from running out of these tablets, I emailed a request for a repeat prescription, typing GLUCOPHAGE.
When I went to collect it the prescription said METFORMIN.
I showed this to the receptionist and said this was the wrong drug. Much faffing about ensued. Finally, after it had all been discussed with everyone behind the counter, she wrote a note for the doctor that said This Patient Wants GLUCOPHAGE Instead Of METFORMIN and said the doctor would redo it - could I come back at half past four to collect it?
Well, I couldn't, actually, because I was busy, so I went back the next day.
The receptionist handed me the prescription that I'd rejected the previous day, with METFORMIN crossed out on it.
Then she handed me the new prescription, which said METFORMIN.
I held them both up to her. "Can you tell me any way in which these are not identical?"
She looked at them. Much faffing about ensued. Finally, after it had all been discussed with everyone behind the counter, she wrote a note for the doctor that said This Patient Wants GLUCOPHAGE Instead Of METFORMIN.
"The doctor's busy at the moment," she said, "can you come back at half past four?"
I explained firstly that however busy the doctor was he wasn't busier than I was, and secondly, that I was beginning to feel that I was in Groundhog Day rather than at the doctor's. She could tell I wasn't happy.
At half past four, having learned a thing or two in all my years of dealing with the NHS, I rang the receptionist. She wasn't keen to speak to me, I could tell, but she told me that Doctor was running late but that Doctor would do my prescription and it would now be ready at half past five.
I just couldn't be bothered to collect it. So this weekend I'm on Metformin, feeling slightly sick and wondering what exciting prescription item will be awaiting me on Monday.
So when I was a few days away from running out of these tablets, I emailed a request for a repeat prescription, typing GLUCOPHAGE.
When I went to collect it the prescription said METFORMIN.
I showed this to the receptionist and said this was the wrong drug. Much faffing about ensued. Finally, after it had all been discussed with everyone behind the counter, she wrote a note for the doctor that said This Patient Wants GLUCOPHAGE Instead Of METFORMIN and said the doctor would redo it - could I come back at half past four to collect it?
Well, I couldn't, actually, because I was busy, so I went back the next day.
The receptionist handed me the prescription that I'd rejected the previous day, with METFORMIN crossed out on it.
Then she handed me the new prescription, which said METFORMIN.
I held them both up to her. "Can you tell me any way in which these are not identical?"
She looked at them. Much faffing about ensued. Finally, after it had all been discussed with everyone behind the counter, she wrote a note for the doctor that said This Patient Wants GLUCOPHAGE Instead Of METFORMIN.
"The doctor's busy at the moment," she said, "can you come back at half past four?"
I explained firstly that however busy the doctor was he wasn't busier than I was, and secondly, that I was beginning to feel that I was in Groundhog Day rather than at the doctor's. She could tell I wasn't happy.
At half past four, having learned a thing or two in all my years of dealing with the NHS, I rang the receptionist. She wasn't keen to speak to me, I could tell, but she told me that Doctor was running late but that Doctor would do my prescription and it would now be ready at half past five.
I just couldn't be bothered to collect it. So this weekend I'm on Metformin, feeling slightly sick and wondering what exciting prescription item will be awaiting me on Monday.
posted by Daphne at 12:25 am
2 Comments:
You can email requests for repeat prescriptions ? What a wonderful world we (or you) live in.
Well until you actually go to get the pills, it would seem. Then the usual NHS service kicks in.
What's most worrying here is that your medical records, which are presumably checked by the doc before issuing the prescription, don't seem have been updated to show you are now on Glucophage.
On the up side, you got to participate in some medical role play with the receptionist - so it wasn't a total waste of your time.
I'm SURE you saw it like that too. Hehe.
Ian
Email for prescription repeats??? Here you have to ring at 11am - or else! It took me three months to get our surgery to change the chemist I collect his medication from.
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