Anxiety Regarding Pharmacy Getting Weekly Medication Tray Correct

[manuruth]

Hi All.

Well rather anxious again today beyond what I normally am. The problem is that for the last about 6wks or more, my local well known pharmacy have been causing me unnecessary worry about my medication. Every Wednesday my weekly medication tray is made up by them, but lately there has been problem upon problem. Initially it was available for collection on a Tuesday, which was good as it is Wednesday night my meds run out, giving plenty of time if there was a problem for it to be corrected. They for no apparent reason then said it would be available Wednesday after 3pm. My partner goes up after 5pm some Wednesdays and they are still not made up, so lately we have been resorting to phoning before he collects them, which is a problem in it's self as a lot of the time I can't face speaking on the phone which then feeds my anxiety. Then the other week they said that my medication needed to be authorised by the doctor and the prescription sent down before my meds could be done, the thing is that day my partner was adamant that he was not going up until later that day and that is exactly when he was informed of this. Of course I was frantic then knowing the pharmacy was closing and that I would have difficulty obtaining the GP that time of day. I ended up losing control completely on the phone at the surgery as the receptionist was not being very helpful. Eventually the GP phoned me back and by this time the pharmacy was shut. He said if my partner wanted to pick up a script at the surgery he was at (there are few within my practice) he could and it would be for that nights medication until the pharmacy was faxed the full weeks meds first thing the following morning, he said to get in contact with the pharmacy by quarter past nine and they would have received it. But my partner was not in the mood to run around that evening, so I told my GP I had some of my meds at home and would go without the others till the morning, which is what I did. That morning upon phoning the pharmacy they were not ready until later that morning. By this time I'd had no meds and only some of the meds for the night before. The pharmacy reckon they had tried to get in contact with me regarding the review of my script but I'd had no contact or message. You may think why I am not going and getting them myself, but since June I've been immobile with a very nasty broken leg of which I have had two operations on. Besides the fact I find it difficult going out the front door with the anxiety. The week before that happened though, I had attended my CPA and a copy of that would have been sent to my GP so really there should of been no need to review my meds as my psychiatrist is the one in control of them. Sorry to go on but the pharmacy is blaming the surgery and vice a versa it's awful and really stressing me out. I saw my psychiatrist last Thursday and he decided to increase one of my meds and change around the times I take others, I was a wreck when he said this and asked him please not to start last Thursday as I am having terrible problems with getting my tray, he then gave me a form to give to my GP to alter all the irrelevant changes, so on the way home my partner popped it into the surgery explaining to the receptionist what my psych had requested. At the end of last week the pharmacy was informed of the changes also. So woe and behold why today did I have a host load of problems again. My partner rang earlier this afternoon to ask if they were ready, he was told the surgery had not faxed the script over yet(this was about half three) and they had problems getting it, so to ring the surgery. I was all worked up and rang my surgery whom said they had just faxed it over as the pharmacy were querying it. Well my partner went and saw my GP and the one medication pregabalin he wanted to only authorise for another month which is in total conflict to my psych. Well the tray finally arrived but on the tray lid where the list of what is in the tray, there was no mention of the med that had been increased even though it was in the case. The pharmacy have given my repeat script to my other half and told him they have had a lot of problems with them. I live in a small village where this is the only one pharmacy, wiithout travelling. I am now dreading arrangents of my next weeks meds tray.

Have any of you had similar problrms would love to to read your experieces,

Ruth x

[erin31]

Hi Ruth.
I will start by saying I am totally ignorant about how the system works in your area. It just seem's so complicated!
I am not on any meds for my panic attacks or anxiety but I am on a couple of different meds for other problems and I simply order by computer then pick up from my doctors the next day.
Are your meds actually changed every week? I just can't understand why it is such a problem for your pharmacy to get this right!
Could you not speak to your doctor and explain the problems you are having and ask if you can have your meds dispensed from his surgery?
If this is causing you so much stress then surely he should find some way to help?
You have enough problems without these people adding to them needlessly!

[manuruth]

Hi Erin33,

Thank you for replying to my post. It sounds so simple in your area. My meds normally stay the same but as I have been sinking deeper into my depression and anxiety increasing, a month ago my psych decided to put me on Pregabalin as a add on and then 3 wks later to increase my Quetiapine and normally I take that in two doses but he wants me now to take it in one. I am on other meds for my mental health and a few different things for physical problems. I can not understand how it has become so complicated, the only suggestion I can think of is that the pharmacist has been being changed quite often. So I don't know where to fully put the blame the GP's surgery or the Pharmacist. Today I have a support worker coming to see me in the morning, I hope that when I tell her she will be able to come up with a suggestion and phone the relevant people on my behalf, as it's simply a nightmare.

Take care.

Ruth x

[KK77]

Oh Ruth, sorry to hear that you've been messed about like this. All I can say is I hope it's all sorted out soon - it's the last thing you need on top of everything else you have to contend with.

I'm doing well. Still taking pregabalin for a pain condition and zopiclone every now and then if I can't sleep. Are you taking pregabalin for anxiety? TC X