I’ve been taking tamoxifen for 2-3 months. My GP will only prescribe the tamoxifen for 28 days, so every month I have to phone and order a repeat prescription. I also have to pay the prescription charge each month. I did ask if it was possible to have a prescription for 3 months but my GP said no. Is this usual practice?
I get 60 tablets with each prescription
I have been on tamoxifen since February and I get a 30 day supply at a time. I have a pre-paid prescription certificate (£48 for 12 months in Scotland) so it saves me a fortune. I think it is double this price if you live in England (but you can also get a 4 monthly card) but whatever you choose it is cheaper than paying per prescription. I also make a point of getting my GP to prescribe whatever he can to save me paying over the counter prices … my GP is wonderful at giving whatever I need as he feels that cancer patients should get free medication.
Hi there
My GP prescribes Arimidex for two months at a time, but did say that there was a move afoot to make all prescriptions monthly (in fact they recently did this with my husband’s medication, though as he is over 60 he doesn’t pay). I have two other regular medications as well, and also pay for my prescriptions. I got a pre-payment certificate and it is much cheaper even at two monthly intervals - and of course covers anything else you might get landed with. Doesn’t get away from the nuisance of getting repeats every month though.
Cheers
Dilys
Thanks for your comments. It’s helpful knowing what’s happening to other people.
My GP prescribes 3 months Arimidex and gives me a post dated prescription for another 3 months. I usually say I am going away for a few months!
Hi Bessie,
I am really lucky, my GP gives me 6 months of tamoxifen at a time, he sees me every month for my zoladex injection so always checks me out then and asks if there are any problems…apart from the obvious!!!
Good luck with getting more than a month at a time. Shonagh x
How can I persuade my GP to give me a prescription for more tamoxifen? When I asked her she was quite adamant that the practice only gives prescriptions for a month.
I only get one months tamoxifen at a time which is a nuisance cos I dont ever see anyone I just order them online so cant see why I cant have more in one go. I got a pre-pay last year at the start of the chemo and it has saved me a fortune, will probably renew it cos I would only need two extra prescritions in the year to make it a money saver which i am bound to have.
Bessie - that is ridiculous - once you are established on Tamoxifen you should get 3 months plus a post dated prescription for another 3 months. Why not check with your local health authority and see if one month is the ruling. Maybe they will post prescription to you if you give them saes.
I get 4 months each time-GP said he Could only give me 3 months the first time but when I phoned and faxed my repeat through-told them it wasn’t up to GP to review meds and that my oncologist was reviewing in 4 months time-got it!
My GP would only prescribe me one month until i told him that this was rediculas as my appointments with my oncologist was every 3 months. I kindly reminded him that he couldn’t decide to change my prescription only my oncologist could do that, so if it were to be changed it would be at the end of every 3 months… He agreed in the end to prescribe 3 months at a time. There on a right money making scheme out of us arn’t they?
K x
I put in a for a pre payment cert three weeks ago well before chemo. It still hasnt arrived. I rang to query she said it takes 7/10m days after they take first payment from bank. The NHS cannot do lst class stamps.! If anything needs an overhaul its their admin. They are still back in 1948 with their admin and I should know because for a a very short while I worked for a consultant. Couldnt stand the red tape and archaic practises.
I get a 60 day supply of Nolvadex D each time. I also take Iscador (mistletoe) and use SYLK for my vaginal dryness - which I suffer quite badly from. Until recently I paid each time which was costing me a lot of money. However, the pharmacist told me last week that I could say myself a lot of money by buying a yearly prescription certificate (£48 per year in Scotland). I have now done this and I’m sure it will be quite a saving. Others ladies might be interested to know that SYLK is now available on prescription. I had been buying it off the internet for the last three years but this has now changed and you can ask your GP to prescribe. Every little helps.
Love
Jeannie
I just got my pre-paid certificate at the pharmacy and they included that days prescription in it … which was handy cos I had 5 items on it!
I initially took the 4 month certificate as the prices were coming down in April in Scotland. Squeezed an early prescription for tamoxifen out of the GP (that man would give me the moon on a prescription if he could) just before my certificate ran out - when I need the next batch I will just pay at the chemist for the annual certificate.
Hi
I have just been given Tam too and with 3 other regular prescriptions I have ordered online for a years pre paid prescription certificate. It saves me a whole lot of money although £102 sounds a lot it wont be next year after all the tablets I have to have! I am in UK so charges are very different than Scotland! amaxing
my GP is great too and I can email for some things, order online for repeat pres too which is great.
My pharmacy told me that i can claim back the money spent if certidficate not arrive in time - which i did first time round and they did it there and then - no probs - thay are great…
cheers for info
Fortunately I don’t need any medication other than the tamoxifen at the moment so it would not cost in for me to have a pre-paid certificate. What really makes me cross is the fact that tamoxifen costs the NHS about 67p for 30 20mg tablets, but I’m paying £7.10 for 28!!!
I would just like to say that if you have a word with your oncologist he may get intouch with your GP so that you are prescribed more than a month at a time. Your oncologist is there to help.
Lots of Hugs
Karen xxx
I get six months a time from my doctor too… maybe ask why he will only give you that amount when obvioulsy other GP’s give more. I didn’t even ask mine he suggested it.
I have just been diagnosed as diabetic [bloody steroid induced] and evidently being diabetic I am now entitled to all prescriptions free!
Not that I’m suggesting we all look lovingly at our steroids
Margaret