Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen Can I ask - my GP will only prescribe 30 days at a time - this is b0oth expensive and time consuming have to arrange a prescription every four weeks. Given that he knows I’m going to be on it for five years you would think I should be able to get more than one pack at a time. How many will your GP prescribe for you?
Tamoxifen Our surgery prescribes 2 months pills at a time for long term usage. Hope yours changes after the first script. Otherwise think about prepayment.
Chris
When I was on Tamoxifen, my GP prescribed 2 months at a time. Since changing to Arimidex, she will only prescribe 1 month. I know Arimidex costs about ten times as much as Tamoxifen so she is probably restricted by PCT guidelines.
I think I remember there being a thread about this issue before and it seemed to be a bit of a post code lottery as to whether people were given 1 or 2 months at a time.
As Tamoxifen is a reasonably inexpensive drug, it may be worth asking again for a 2-month supply.
Best wishes
Jo
I get 2 monthly prescriptions so at least mine only works out at £3 odd per month, also allowed to order them on repeat, so only having to make a dr’s appt every 6 months.
Hope this helps, as like you say its a bloody pain keep going back and forth to the dr’s.
Debbis
Tamox I’m also on tamoxifen since March 7th.
When I saw my GP to get more tablets she only gave me one months supply so I asked her if I could have a 3 month supply as I had to pay and she gave me it at once, was okay about it and it’s now on my repeat prescription. I don’t have to go back to see her just put the perscription in the box at the surgery. She said something about it being policy to give out tablets monthly.
I read someone’s post on this site a while ago about getting tamox in 3 month supplies and she said that you can get the pill that way so why not tamox.
I would say to your GP that since you are having to pay and have to take these tablets for a while you would like them in 3 month supplies.
Michelle.
100 I’ve been taking tamoxifen for well over two yrs now. I had my first prescription from the hospital - I think they gave me a month’s supply. After that I went to my GP and he said he would prescribe me 100 at a time - i.e just over 3 months’ worth. I also use repeat prescription form so don’t have to see a doctor each time.
My GP prescribes 2 months at a time. He is not allowed to prescribe more as this is the limit dictated by the PCT. The local PCT has imposed limits to reduce wastage. I think this is a common occurrence around the country. My GP was inially prepared to give me 6 months on one 'scrip but is not allowed to.
Geraldine
This all annoys me so much.
Tamoxifen costs very little so the wastage excuse is rubbish.
it comes down to money and them getting as much as they can from us poor sods with BC.
I DONT THINK we should have to pay for our drugs anyway, diabetics dont and people with thyroid probs plus otjhers.
Ofcourse we arent important and well maybe they think we take the drugs for the fun of it.
Makes my blood boil and the more people do to lobby the government for free prescriptions the better.
Rx
Tamoxifen My GP gave me a months supply when I first started, then when I changed my doctor, he gave me 2 months supply at a time. They were both in the same area, so it depends on the individual GP as to whether they give one or two months’ supply.
I was told that they do not give you too large a supply due to the fact that you might stop taking the prescription, leading to waste.
Seems daft as we have to take Tamoxifen for 5 years, and it is important to take it.
David
Tamoxifen My G.P gives me 3 months at a time.
I also agree with Liverbird WHY! should we pay for something that makes us feel like CRAP most of the time. Breast Cancer as cost me a fortune up to now.
Janet
Spoke to PCT Spoke to an exec at my local pct -he confirmed that there are general guidance for drugs to stick around the 28 day mark to a void waste. When I said I had little option but to take it for 5 years he agreed prescribing more than 28 days at a time would make sense. He also acknowledged it’s now a generic drug and is therefore very cheap (pence per tablet). I also raised the issue of having different makes each time and he agreed that if I had a longer prescription I could get more used to the drugs. He is going to speak to my surgery and arrange a longer presription next time. Fingers crossed.
Please let me know how you get on wiht this as then i can talk to my Gp about it.
Thanks
Rx
Good news Hi there - just to let you know after contacting my PCT on Friday I got a prescription for 3 months of tamoxifen - hooray.
Hi,
My lovely Dr prescribes me 3mths at a time and was good enough to do 6mths just before my maternity exemption ran out!!
Still can’t quite work out how medication for some illnesses/diseases have to be paid for and others don’t.
Clare
my doc has just changed mine to 3 months
Only one month now I recently collected a prescription from my local chemists for heartburn, nothing to do with breast cancer, and there was a note from my local health authority (North East Essex) saying that as from Mat 1st, we will all only be allowed to have one months supply of drugs at a time.
This is to save on wasted drugs which people decide not to take any more.
It would appear that from now, it is not up to out doctor to decide whether we have one, two or three month’s supply, but up to our health authority.
If my doc prescribes two months of drugs, the chemist will only cut it down to one month.
Has anyone else been told of that new restriction, or is only my area?
David
prescriptions are free Hi all
just reading through your post, I find it amazing that you have to pay for your medication, I live in Wales, and all prescriptions are free to all, since April, although I still have to pay for Hospital Parking, which I get really annoyed about, during RADS it will cost me, around £10.00 a week, plus the travelling costs, I think all medication and costs should be free for anyone having treatment over a period of time, what ever the illness, we have enough to contend with.
Heatherellis
parking Hello
Sorry this is off the subject but I wanted to send a message about hospital parking fees. It seems to me to be very unfair on people in our situation to charge us so much for this - I’ve even heard it described as a ‘cancer tax’ , which is probably a bit over the top, but anyway…
At the Bristol Oncology Centre people having daily treatment such as radiotherapy only have to pay one small fee (£1.60) to get a week’s worth of daily parking.
Perhaps you should let your hospital know they are out of step with others on this and ask them to institute a fairer system.
I also agree that we should be exempt from prescription charges for drugs we are on for years, especially if we are only allowed to get one month’s supply at a time.
All the best
Rose