All To Save A Few Pennies

[artemis84]

In advance, this is one long rant - apologies.

This morning I received a letter from my GP surgery stating that they had been contacted by the local Clinical Commissioning Group (whoever they are) asking them to review all long term repeat prescriptions to check that they were 'prescribing the most cost effective drugs'. It went on to say that as a result, they have changed my psychiatric medication - yes, without my consent!!

They have taken me off quetiapine MR tablets and replaced them with standard release quetiapine at the same dosage. Then, they have changed the time of day I should take the additional dose of standard release quetiapine I am prescribed from every night to every morning. To justify this they have just said that 'this will provide the same effect as your old medication'.

Wtf gives them the right to do that?? And no it won't provide the same effect, if i wanted that effect then I would be taking those drugs in that regime already! Argh, it has made me so angry. It seems ridiculous that they can just transfer me onto different things without consulting me, or the psychiatrist that worked with me over several years to arrive at the best medication plan for me and my issues, all just to save a bit of money. Like my drugs are gonna save them enough to do anything anyway!!!

I know from experience that if I follow the new plan I will not be able to go to work every morning because standard release quetiapine makes me incredibly drowsy. That's why I take the dose I do at night! Would they rather I just quit work?! Plus, the whole point of the modified release stuff is so that I always have some in my system to take me through the day's trials - if I take it all at night and then first thing in the morning I'll be on my own by lunchtime - none left inside me to do anything for most of my waking hours.

So so so cross. The letter says that if you have any questions then contact your usual doctor (which I don't really have coz they are all useless when it comes to mh issues) so I'll have to call next week. The thing is I am so upset and angry I know I'll just come across as aggressive and rude, give entirely the wrong impression and not be taken seriously.

I know the nhs is always needing to make cuts in spending but this just seems totally stupid to me. Plus, it upsets me because it supports my negative view of myself - obviously I am not sick enough or not important enough to deserve the more expensive drugs. Why don't they just stop all my meds altogether? That would make things cheaper.

[Lily-Bee]

I tend to look at this differently; because there are so many people with MH issues(the numbers are ever growing) and we are having an economical crisis theyre trying with little money to help as many as possible not because youre not important and they don't care but because you are in fact important and they want to make sure they can keep helping you and others that need it by being very careful money wise.

I agree they make stupid choices sometimes in my opinion the government can really be stupid about MH issues but also in my experience the people working in the field and the NHS genuinely care but are having an awfully hard time.

For a lot of psychiatric patients such a change of drug regime wouldn't have the negative effect it has on you.

I hope you can find it in you for your own best interest to kindly point this out to them. Would your psychiatrist maybe be willing to give them a call? Mine has in the past...

[artemis84]

Thanks, I can see the point you are making Lily - I just wished I believed it was true. I don't have the faith in the system that you do. NHS funding has been ringfenced in the last couple of budgets anyway and I truly don't believe that medical professionals actually sat around a table and discussed my meds at all, I think someone with a calculator who knew nothing about me just made the change assuming it would have no impact. If they do have to cut the spending to help help more people then that's something I would just have to grin and bear but I still think its wrong that they didn't even discuss it with me first.

I'd love to get my psychiatrist to call on my behalf but unfortunately I don't have contact with him at the moment. Another issue that upsets me greatly and is probably just as much down to saving money as it is for my best interests.

Sorry I know you are only trying to help me see it more rationally but it all hurts so much. Sorry.

[lexdance]

Secretary had a pile and did it that is how the NHS is

[artemis84]

So what should I do? Just swallow the pills and be glad I've got any at all?

I don't mean to sound short, I just honestly don't know.

Same ironic situation that mh patients often find themselves in - no self-belief or confidence, feeling that they are worthless and perhaps even better off dead having to fight their corner and shout loudly that they are worth more than they are getting and deserve appropriate treatment. No-one asks a patient with a broken leg to run 100m in order to receive their treatment yet often those with mh difficulties are expected to ignore their issues in just the same way in order to get their treatment.

I dunno, it's just really triggered me for some reason.

[lexdance]

Have to see doctor and explain it is a diff medication. They shouldn't have done this.

[jenny1471]

Hi

I'm sorry they did this. It does sound the NHS trying to save money yet not fully realising the impacts on people. Are you able to make an appointment with your GP and explain this to them? I know you haven't had great experiences with GPs but I really hope they hear you.

Sorry this has triggered you. I think it's understandable that it has.. just wish it hadn't have happened in the first place

Jenny xxx

[artemis84]

Thanks. I still haven't found the courage to call up about this. I think it would be so much easier face to face but I can't get an appointment with my GP for three weeks.

The mh nurse I saw last week said that she would go back through my notes and find when I was put on the MR tablets after trying the regular release ones and email that to my doc to prove why I need them but she said she wouldn't be able to do that until Monday. That should be a great help. However, she said I still have to initiate the discussion myself with the GP. So, I still have to make the call and hope a) that I can make my case coherently without getting angry and that he actually listens to me. This is definitely a situation where I wish I was one of those people that cries when they get upset and not angry - crying down the phone would probably help my case, shouting down the phone definitely won't.

I'm also currently on weekly prescriptions so I'm running out of time (and pills) fast.

I am so anxious just sitting here thinking about it. If only they could see that side of things.

[artemis84]

I FINALLY managed to get myself together enough to try and get this sorted. I waited until after the CPN had said she'd have emailed the doctor and then - with a script ready- called the surgery. In typical sod's law fashion my 'usual' GP was on leave so I had to wait for another one to call me back.

Anyway, when he rang I got about a third of the way through my script and reasons why I needed the MR tablets back and he agreed to change them! He was very reasonable and said he'd change my prescribed drugs list there and then - wohoo! It was such a relief!!

(The run of good luck didn't last long though since when I went and picked up the actual drugs from the pharmacy later in the week it turned out that they'd collected the prescription BEFORE he'd made the change back so I still had the wrong drugs! Aaaaaarrrggghhh!! So, there has been a lot more faffing and stressful trips and calls to the surgery to sort that again but....fingers crossed....all should now be back to normal.)

The doc said that there were bound to be some issues like mine with the blanket cutting of costs exercise that had happened so at least they were reasonable enough to acknowledge that it might cause problems. I probably was a little over-sensitive about it but the anxiety, fear and feeling of worthlessness that I experienced was all too real for me.