Tablets

[sonia owen]

Hi All,

I have been having troubles with getting my mum's tablets from the doctor's and the chemist. They seem to blame each other for the fault, but I do really think our local Boots are not sending the perscription to the doctor's early enough.

I have heard about Repeat Dispensing System, where a 6 months script is signed by the doctor. The chemist will then have it and give the tablets out monthly, till it runs out.
I rang mum's surgery this morning, to make sure her perscription had in fact been faxed to the chemist. It would seem mum's doctor's doesnot offer the 6 months service.
Have any of you heard of this system? Is it a new thing?
Love Sonia xxxx

 

[tomkitten16]

hi Sonia my mum used this service in conjunction with Boots the chemist and because she couldn't remember to collect her prescription I used to collect it for her-. The system worked really well and I don't think its a new system- I thought all surgeries used it to make life easier for everyone.Hope it gets sorted out for you.Good luck Lorraine xx

 

[TinaT]

As usual it seems to be up to us carers to organise and coordinate safe delivery of tablets. I arranged for the chemists to pick up repeat prescriptions on a weekly/monthly basis. Almost all chemists offer this service.

My mother's regular prescriptions are delivered each week, in the afternoons in a dosette box.

Sady this doesn't seem to stop my mother using the dosette box as a 'pick and mix' affair, taking some one day and others another day, or mornings and afternoons tablets all together etc., etc.,

I've had appointments regularly with the chemist who has explained that some tablets must not be taken with other tablets as this affect the results but she doesn't seem to understand when I explain to her.

Has anyone a solution to this problem. She has a carer in the morning who reinforces this message and district nurses call in the evening. Both prompt mum but to no avail.

xxTinaT

 

[jbiela]

My lovely wife has introduced both my Mum and Dad to the "nomad" system as used by Boots initially for tablet prescription.

This is a simple pop-out set of packets which are set up as per the prescription where any medication is to be taken at specific times of day.

The chemist issues them monthly/4-weekly and the layout is around an A4 piece of paper size little booklet with pop-out bubbles showing morning, lunchtime, tea-time and night-time along with the 7 days of the week....effectively 28 little bubbles that makes the taking of the tablets at the right time stress free and logical.

All the patient needs to do then is pop out the required tablet at the right time on the correct day and once this is used up (some 7 days later) start the new pack from the same spot - Fool proof !

Most chemists should know about this system and it not only makes life easier for them but also for the patient, given that all of the tablets need to be taken at specific times.

We distroyed all of the old prescriptions, after consulting the doctor, and insisted that the "repeat" medication was looked at every 6 months to see if they are still relevant for the conditions that they were originally prescribed.

Does that help ?

 

[sonia owen]

My mum has her's in a dosette box with an alarm , which sounds a alarm and a red light will flash for about 30 mins. It will go off at 9.30am. If for any reason she doesnot see or hear the alarm, the tablets will stay there till 7pm in the evening when her next lot will come round. The 9.30 lot if not taken go back into the machine, so there is no way she can take them then. We fill it. Its locked till we check it. So we can see what is going on with it. It can be filled for 2 weeks, and can you can set it for as many times the person takes the tablets during a day.
We found it much easier to fill the dosette box oursleves, too many problems with the chemists doing it. If anyone gets it wrong then it will be us.

Sonia xx

 

[TinaT]

Wow Sonia,

The answer to a very old maiden's problems I think. Where did you get this alarm dosette box and where can I get it myself for my mother?

xxTinaT

 

[sonia owen]

Box

Hi Tina,

We were given two dosette box's by our Occupational Therapist. I am not sure what stage you are at with your mum. Our's also gave mum a bath seat, to use to help her.
The therapist came round in the begining to give mum an assement, to see where she neeed help. I knew about the alarmed boxes, so I asked if we could have one. We did'nt have to pay anything for any of these helpful aids.
The box's are quite expensive to buy, yourself. But they really are a godsend.
Goggle them, for a look Tina.
I hope you are able to do something nice for you sometimes Tina, in your role as a carer.
Take care.
Love Sonia xxxxx

 

[fritzli]

I am so pleased that I have joint this help line. Thank you to every body for the advise about taking tablets at different times of day and what aids to look out for. Fritzli