General Medical issues thread

[love_the_life]

This is in this morning’s Oz online



I’ve never had any problems getting two month’s supply at a time, for instance when I’m going on a longer overseas trip. The several pharmacies I visit have never batted an eyelid at my request to have two of each of my scrips at that time.

How have other people fared asking for two scrips at a time?

Sounds like a beat up by the pharmac_ guild and not surprising that it is in the Oz. Super large grain of salt.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

Sounds like a beat up by the pharmac_ guild and not surprising that it is in the Oz. Super large grain of salt.

But wasn’t there a shortage of some medications mid-COVID? H@v3 we recovered from that? Could it be related?

 

[prozac]

But wasn’t there a shortage of some medications mid-COVID? H@v3 we recovered from that? Could it be related?

By all reports we are going to have alot of medication shortages. Why we do not manufacture in Australia is puzzling.

This week I had a script filled for cancer cream Fluorouracil. Priceline price was $82. I walked round the corner to Blooms The Chemist and they quoted $64 or $60.69 for the generic brand. I will be checking the prices of my other medications in due course.

 

[Pushka]

From another thread

Great minds and all that.

Post automatically merged: Apr 22, 2023

But wasn’t there a shortage of some medications mid-COVID? H@v3 we recovered from that? Could it be related?

Yes and still is for antibiotics manufactured in China but they aren't prescribed for more than one script anyway. And also a medicine required for diabetes management but is being used by people without diabetes to lose weight. Disgraceful. There was a shortage of plaquenil - hydroxychloroquine, in early Covid because one well known red head proclaimed it as a cure for Covid and people bought it just in case. And a noisy Qld wannabe politician bought up millions of dosages as a stockpile. Meaning that those who'd been on it for years couldn't access it. So much so that in Australia GP's were no longer able to precribe it and had to be prescribed by a rheumatologist who could then authorise the GP to prescribe it.

 

[maia200]

My pharmacist offered me 2 months supply on my scripts last week. But then the computer rejected it. So looks like I have to keep on going monthly.

Post automatically merged: Apr 22, 2023

And he told me they are doing away with one of my medications but he will let me know so we can make the plan to get some in stock hopefully.

 

[Quickstatus]

This is in this morning’s Oz online

Makes sense on one level, given that a lot of scripts have repeats and treatment durations are often for more than 1 month.

However on another level, a lot of medicines require adjustments such as changing doses so a 2month be problematic.

I would support more than 1 month at a time so long as the treatment has stabilised. There are a lot of meds which fall into this category.

Some meds should have reduced pill count example the S8. Oxycodone x20 is too much for most circumstances. Valium can come in boxes of x50 but BP meds only x30?

The number of patients presenting to hospital with Woolies bags of pills where a particular medicine is represented by more than one box/bottle is very concerning.

Prescribing history should be available to every prescriber and pharmac_. It is currently available for S8 and S4D but not all scripts.

 

[mrsterryn]

So husband is off to a gastro specialist with a jumping the queue referral
In regards to the GP being necessary, I am truly grateful for my husband's GP. He coordinates husband's various specialists and keeps an overlying eye on them all.
Husband does have one of those 99 year referrals to his neurosurgeon.

Post automatically merged: Apr 22, 2023

With regards to scripts, though it is a rare endone is in the house, ours are all done through our local chemist. Husband's, mine and the dog's

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

In NZ we can generally get 3 months worth of prescription medicines. Chemist is apologetic when they only have 1 or 2 months worth available.

As for major shortages there have been times during covid lockdowns when there were issues as not enough supply coming into the country.

 

[p--and--t]

Never had a problem getting 2 months worth at a time. I just say I have a holiday coming up without any other detail and they say sure, no problem.

For thyroid meds, they don't dispense less than 6 months worth at a time.

 

[Pushka]

For thyroid meds, they don't dispense less than 6 months worth at a time.

Tell me about it. My script usually expires before I get the second repeat done.

 

[drron]

In Australia if you need more than one lot of a medication then get your doctor to write out the script with as many repeats as you need and get them to endorse it Regulation 24 and you will be supplied with the original script and as many repeats that have been written.
May get asked if you are going away and of course you will say yes.

 

[Quickstatus]

Regulation 24

often used in remote communities where the pharmacist is hundreds of km away

 

[Pushka]

This is in this morning’s Oz online



I’ve never had any problems getting two month’s supply at a time, for instance when I’m going on a longer overseas trip. The several pharmacies I visit have never batted an eyelid at my request to have two of each of my scrips at that time.

How have other people fared asking for two scrips at a time?

Today I heard that the Federal Govt is proceeding with this for July 1. It will save them $1 Billion. That money must be 'extracted' from the pharmacists. No wonder the Guild is antsy. Go fo it Feds.

 

[Flyfrequently]

By all reports we are going to have alot of medication shortages. Why we do not manufacture in Australia is puzzling.

This week I had a script filled for cancer cream Fluorouracil. Priceline price was $82. I walked round the corner to Blooms The Chemist and they quoted $64 or $60.69 for the generic brand. I will be checking the prices of my other medications in due course.

@prozac my 20 gm tube cost $52 at Chemist Warehouse.
Definitely pays to ring around!

Hope you go OK with the cream, I had to take a break for a week (@ week 3) but back on it now without issue.

 

[prozac]

@prozac my 20 gm tube cost $52 at Chemist Warehouse.
Definitely pays to ring around!

Hope you go OK with the cream, I had to take a break for a week (@ week 3) but back on it now without issue.

Thanks for the tip. It would cost me more than the difference to drive to a Chemist Warehouse. In-case you were not aware, my insurer, HCF, is reimbursing me $30.70 the cost.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for the tip. It would cost me more than the difference to drive to a Chemist Warehouse. In-case you were not aware, my insurer, HCF, is reimbursing me $30.70 the cost.

We are 80+ kms from Melbourne, nearest major shopping centre 30 minutes but love having Chemist Warehouse 1.2 km away, can walk there!
With HCF as well, had forgotten about that, thanks!

 

[prozac]

@prozac it is probably a good idea to get a chest xray done. It might be a bacterial infection which has progressed to pneumonia.
The other thing is to rule out heart failure with your previous history. Heart failure classically causes more shortness of breath when you lie down. Often there will be swollen ankles but some don't get this. Nausea and changing taste can be due to fluid accumulating in the liver.

Finished the antibiotics tonight so back to doctor tomorrow. Some symptoms have retreated significantly. No longer coughing up heaps of gunk but I can have difficulty getting words out as my throat can be so sensitive and I am trying to breath whilst breathlessly trying to get words out. I also have no energy so not inclined to walk too far.
Had a worrying night Saturday when I woke at 2am with chest pain which stayed with me for around 18hrs. Then last night I woke with uncontrolled shivering and MrsProzac had to cuddle me to try and settle it.
Problem is my doc is away for some weeks and his partner is not as thorough.
I am hoping I am just over-reacting and another course of antibiotics will settle it quickly ... it's now nearly 3 weeks on Friday and I am worn out.

 

[Quickstatus]

gunk

What colour

uncontrolled shivering

= rigors in industry parlance

Chest xray?

 

[prozac]

What colour

= rigors in industry parlance

Has been clear/yellow to sometimes black and sometimes with what appears red blood. Frequency was every 2-5 minutes.

Rigors are episodes in which your temperature rises - often quite quickly - whilst you have severe shivering accompanied by a feeling of coldness ('the chills'). The fever may be quite high and the shivering may be quite dramatic.

Yep, that's it. 1.5-2 hrs in time.

 

[Quickstatus]

When you had the shivering were you also sweating?