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Prescription amounts and payments

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#1 Mon, 10/03/2014 - 17:22
MelodyT
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Joined: 26/02/2014 - 15:05

Prescription amounts and payments

My gp will only release 10 sumatriptan injections and 24 zomig nasal sprays per script.... This means that I need to collect another script each 10 days and get charged each time for 2 items.

i have just now purchased the PPA for 12 months, which will be a bit of a saving...... But wondered if cluster headaches qualify you for a medical exemption card? I have tried to look online about this, but the website is quite bad... And can't work out if my queries was submitted (300 characters or less is all you allowed to have in the query)

thanx

melody

Mon, 07/04/2014 - 10:53
Boomshakalacka
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Hi MelodyT,

 

You should find all you need to know here...

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1126.aspx

From what I have been advised, no, we do not qualify for an excemption certificate.

Sorry for the bad news! Sad

 

Chris

Mon, 07/04/2014 - 11:51
sjuden
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Hi Melody T,

 

I also have the same issue...For 2 years my GP would only prescribe 3 x sumatriptan (6 x Injections) but after threatning to take it to the senior partner, she increased my prescription to 6 x sumatriptan (12 x injections) It is interesting that my Consultant also sent a letter to my GP explaining that it is unethical for me to be regulating my pain releif to the amount of sumatriptan injections I have !!!

It would be interesting if anyone out there has found a way of obtaining more that 6 x sumatriptan per prescription...and how

 

Steve

Mon, 07/04/2014 - 13:18 (Reply to #3)
Mike
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Have a word with your prescription advisors at your local CCG (was your PCT) They control the GP's budgets and are often more understanding than GP's

 
 
 
Chairman OUCH UK

Mon, 07/04/2014 - 13:26
duetto
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chronic clusters need daily therapy eg imigran injections and should qualify.

Sat, 12/04/2014 - 15:46
juliemil
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i only get 2 injections per prescription

Sat, 12/04/2014 - 17:13
duetto
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julie mil

 

ask your consultant to write to the gp.

Sat, 12/04/2014 - 20:49
Val
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Joined: 21/03/2012 - 15:16

Melody,

A little concerned that from what you said in your post you are getting through 34 triptans (either spray or injections) every 10 days, that means you are using three a day on average; just concerned that you may be exceeding the daily limit of triptans of whatever type they are.  Do take care.

Re; an NHS charges, there are only a few disease/health conditions where you qualify for free scripts - three that I know of are diabetes, epilepsy and myasthenia gravis, but CH is not among them.  In Scotland (thank you Brian!) and Wales all prescriptions are free of charge.

If you are on income support you qualify for an NHS exemption card (the exact circumstances are determined by the DWP) which would exempt you from prescription charges and also you would qualify for travel expenses to receive necessary medical treatment, eg: if you had to Queen Square (National Hospital for Neurology) for a clinic or inpatient traetment. 

Hope that helps.

Val.;)

 

Sun, 20/04/2014 - 19:04
MelodyT
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Joined: 26/02/2014 - 15:05

Thank you people.

my prescription does say up to 2 nasal sprays and one injection a day.  This was prescribed by Nick Silver, but to be honest I would rarely use that much a day, at least during this episode I don't! But I'm mindful constantly of my last episode that lasted 18 months in which I had at least 4 attacks daily (during that episode I had only the nasal spray, as I hadn't seen NS then) but now I have these meds and Oxgen, and I do seem to be keeping the beast at bay a bit! So I am kinda hoarding my meds, because if they return to how they were, I think I would use the maximum dose allowed, I am also not confident that my GP will continue to prescribe... as each visit entails a 'talk' about the cost!! I did say last time.... Have it out with big pharma, not me!

Sun, 20/04/2014 - 23:59 (Reply to #9)
Val
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Joined: 21/03/2012 - 15:16

Makes me so mad when GPs harp on about cost - no medication licensed and approved by NICE and the NHS as a treatment for your diagnosed condition should be withheld on a cost basis!  If your GP persists in mentionging cost as a reason for limiting prescribing, I'd suggest you make a complaint to the practice manager and if the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction, then as Mike said contact the prescriptions adviser at your local CCG.

Be firm but persistent!  ;)

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