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[Ayesha]

It was not his greatest day when he told me that he wanted a word about the pessaries in my prescription and the fact that the leaflet in the Vagifem box says two pessaries only a week, he didn’t get the chance to say anything else, a red rag to a bull situation occurred.
I wasn’t rude in any way but I told him no, no, no that leaflet is out of date and I am tired of women having to justify themselves for what is required to control a nasty condition. I explained a gynaecologist prescribed my dose and that shouldn’t be questioned in any way.

This all taking place in front of other customers but as I explained to all and sundry that I didn’t care about what people heard me say, I will always fight for what women need and as I said this a woman patted me on the shoulder and said well done, the whole situation was surreal!

I said a lot more but in finishing I did say to him I am not getting at you but please don’t say this to any other woman about this medication as she should not have to justify herself and be left to continue her treatment without interference. He was silent most of the time but he did say he wouldn’t mention it again.  As I left I think I will always remember the dear old man sitting in the corner waiting patiently to be served with an enormous smile on his face, bless him.

As I returned to the car park a woman about my age came running up to me and asked what is the name of the pessary I was talking about, it was a brief conversation but she explained to me about invasive procedures she has endured all with great embarrassment to her, resulting in her still peeing constantly and still in a lot of discomfort. I wrote down the name of the pessary and told her to make an appointment not with the GP but with the nurse practitioner as we both attend the same surgery and I know how amazing she is.
 
What happened to that once shrinking violet I once was, oh yes she aged disgracefully 

[Dazedandconfused]

Go girl!   

Good on you. 

My prescription was queried by our pharmacist once, along the lines of - I'm just checking that this is correct as it's more frequent doses than is usually prescribed.  I said yes, it was correct and no more was said - he's never queried it again. He was very discreet - certainly not in front of everyone like you.

[CLKD]

    Well done U 

Every Pharmacy should have a copy of "Me and My Menopausal Vagina"  or we should each go in armed with the book  ...... of course a Parmacist is there to make sure that Patients are kept safe but to mention in front of others for a start  .  No going into his private area for a quiet discussion there then?

Hopefully U will meet the lady again Ayesha so that you can form a 'group' ;-).

[Dierdre]

Well said Ayesha. There seems to be alot of this happening with pharmacist querying and questioning prescriptions lately, I had mine queried last month and put on hold until the pharmacist spoke to the doctor. It's since the responsibility of all minor ailments have been delegated to the pharmacist, they now think they are qualified doctors!

[SundayGirl]

Well done for speaking up, not just for yourself but for all women. By doing this you've probably made at least one lady's life more comfortable.

A pharmacist should not be questioning what has been prescribed. They have no idea of our medical history or the literal pain that ladies have gone through over the years with this condition.

I'm all for growing old disgracefully 

[DottyD68]

Hi Ayesha,

I am glad you had the strength of character to challenge the pharmacist for much-needed medication that had been prescribed. Many things, especially on the medical front, feel such an unnecessary battle these days.

I am fortunate to have an excellent and very professional pharmacist (& pharmacy) in our village, who knows his Customers very well so we can always have a healthy discussion with him about medications etc. However in recent times this pharmacy (like many others) has become ridiculously and unacceptably busy and I have real concerns about the way things are moving towards "Prescribing" pharmacists. Our surgery's strategy appears to be going down the route of actively not wanting to see patients and sign-posting them elsewhere/anywhere including to prescribing pharmacies. I was recently sent down this route with a reoccurring condition but I insisted on seeing a GP. I was made to feel like I was making a big fuss, but my argument was that the prescribing pharmacist in a nearby town (not our normal village pharmacy who is not prescribing) would not have access to my history and would not be able to record the detail of my "consultation" on my medical records for future reference. The whole "Prescribing" pharmacy experience is chaotic and disorganised (queues of people in pharmacy waiting to see a really hassled and over-stretched pharmacist) and I have minimal confidence in it for some conditions/situations.

I believe that Prescribing pharmacists get 90 hours of training to allow them to prescribe (or not) for a set list of conditions. 2 weeks of training compared to several years of a GP. Not only is this totally insufficient, in my opinion, it is blurring the lines of responsibility between a GP and a pharmacist and also adding lots more pressure onto the latter. There are definitely times where it is appropriate to go to a prescribing pharmacist eg to get emergency antibiotics but I believe the pharmacist is going to get dumped with more and more responsibility without adequate training and/or awareness of Customer's full medical history or possible contraindications. So I kind of have some sympathy for the position and pressure under which pharmicists find themselves in - their responsibilities are becoming blurred and maybe (?) explains them questioning some of the prescriptions they are dispensing when they shouldn't do.

In terms of privacy, this is another flaw in the system. Most pharmacies are not designed with sound-proofed consultation rooms and even if there is one available, again you feel like you are making a fuss dragging the pharmacist away from behind his busy counter. So we are just made to feel like it is acceptable to discuss your private medical matters in front of everyone.

I, like you, would challenge any threat to getting the treatment I know I need and which has been prescribed to me, but I have concerns that many people wouldn't feel comfortable doing this. It is such a shame and worrying to see the system deteriorating in this way. X

[Ayesha]

I've been collecting Vagifem from the same pharmacist for nearly a year and to question me out of the blue yesterday came as a bit of a shock and I immediately went on the defensive.  I was more annoyed with the powers that be who can't be bothered to change the out of date instructions in the leaflet thus making the pharmacist question why I am using so many pessaries a week even though this is what I am prescribed, perhaps they have been given too much power, to actually question a GP's instructions doesn't seem right to me when this particular medication and dosage has been the norm for me over the last four years.

[DottyD68]

I agree. Their function is (was?) to dispense what has been prescribed by a qualified GP.
Glad you got sorted.
Happy Christmas 

[CLKD]

It's a way of reducing the patients that don't need to see a GP, but repeat prescriptions should be that: not queried in front of every1.

I've never had to ask to have a private consult, the pharmacist has always suggested it.  [Lloyds].  The room is sound proofed.

[DottyD68]

I understand that CKLD. Unfortunately our surgery seems to think that very few people need to be seen by a GP despite having spent 15 minutes completing a very detailed e-consult form and requesting to see a GP. They encourage you either to phone 999, 111 or going to a prescribing pharmacy in the first instance. It is very difficult to get an appointment.

I agree repeat prescriptions should not be queried. I personally don't think any prescriptions should be discussed in public.

I sympathise totally with Ayesha. My post was relating to the pressure put on the pharmacists in our area by the surgeries trying to limit seeing patients who need or want to see a GP.

[HellsBells]

Good on you!! If people can get expensive surgeries and prescriptions they DON'T need then you shouldn't have to battle over this.

[CLKD]

I refuse to fill in e-mail forms etc., I go to the Desk with my very large calendar.  We can't ring to update a prescription either, a form has to be handed in!  Which means that if any1 is away i.e. should I have to dash to sort out an issue at Mum's care home and run out of meds .......... 

I HATE technology 

[chopsuey]

Well done Ayesha for standing your ground. I suspect we will be getting more of these kind of situations unfortunately, as more work normally carried aboout by GPs is handed over to pharmacists.

I have just had an argument over the telephone with a late night pharmacist. I have had to stop taking my usual estriol cream, as one of the ingredients is causing internal burning. However, I am now getting burning symptoms from not using it. As I am away from home, I though I would try some over the counter Gina estradiol pessaries. First I was told he couldn't sell it to me because it was for thrush. When I explained my symptoms and what I normally used for this, he said Gina was a contraceptive and I'd need a prescription for it. I tried again and said it was available over the counter for VA for women over 50 with pharmacist approval, is advertised on TV etc, he then said he didn't stock it.   

I had to give up at this point, in despair. I hope I have better luck tomorrow at Boots.

[CLKD]

Gina is for women over 50 who haven't had a period.  Why don't pharmacists keep up!  For thrush indeed 

Which ingredient might be causing the burning, if the vaginal walls are thin that will make it worse. 

[chopsuey]

I only stopped using the estriol 0.1% cream about a week ago. Cetyl and stearyl alcohols are listed as possible irritants for some women (can't find the source reference just now). I didn't find pessaries very effective previously but am a bit desperate at the moment until I get back home in the new year and try the 0.01% estriol that has been ordered for me. I shall use the pessaries every day when I get them.