Ladies,
I am after a piece of advice. I am starting chemo in a couple of weeks. I was given a prescription for 3 different tablets to help me through the nausea.
I am now thinking of purchasing a pre-payment certificate but do not know whether to go for 12 months or 4 months.
Can you tell me how many prescriptions you were issued both from GP and oncologist.
I understand it would vary greatly, but it might give me an idea.
I will start Tamoxifen after my chemo and this for 5 years. How long is each prescriptionn for tamoxifen.
Do we also have to pay for Herceptin?
Thanks in advance
Sophie
Hi Sophie
I didn’t have to pay for my anti sickness drugs, they wrer delivered to chemo unit along with chemo drugs. So just check that you have to pay for your prescription and that it has been done correctly. They are being tight if you have to pay.
You do not have to pay for herceptin.
Tamoxifen varies whether you get 1 month or a couple. Ask your GP for as many months as he can give you.
I am on medication for high blood pressure and asthma so I buy a prepaid certificate - used to be for 4months but now 3. I ask for repeat prescriptions a week bfore I run out, and if you keep doing this by looking at the date you requested your last prescription you end up with some in advance and can not get your certificates following on. I can now manage to get 6 months prescritpions on a 3 month certificate.
Good luck with chemo
Marilyn x
Thanks Marilyn,
Looks like we are back to the postcode lottery again. I wouldn’t be whinging if it was the same rules everywhere.
I am certainly going to investigate this one further.
Sophie
The only prescriptions I paid for were ones issued by my GP between chemo sessions, for example if I developed something that required penicillin. Everything else was issued by the hospital pharmacy after the chemo nurses questioned you on what side effects you had suffered. I was dispensed all sorts of things like Senokot and lactulose for constipation and Bonjela and Difflam for a sore mouth; also antifungal tablets for oral thrush and painkillers for the joint pains I suffered. I had gone out and bought a load of basic things to pre-empt any minor side effects and the hospital told me off and said in future not to buy anything as they would dispense everything free. Someone I know has dry skin side effects from Tamoxifen treatment and the hospital gives her a big supply of Oilatum for this. Check up that they have not made a mistake on this, you should certainly be getting the anti sickness tablets as part of the treatment.
Forgot to add, when I was on rads the hospital also provided tubes of aquaeous cream.
3 monthly certificate - then repeat all medications each month request another in the last week of the certificate and i get four months out of each certificate.
Wondered if anyone knows if you can use a prepayment certificate to pay the prescription cost of a wig in addition to medication prescriptions.
Thanks.
Wendyx
I WAS TOLD NO AT THE PHARMACY YESTERDAY.NOT SURE IF THAT IS JUST IN MY AREA OR ALL.GILL X
SORRY THAT LAST COMMENT WAS IN REPLY TO WENDY’S QUESTION ABOUT THE COST OF A WIG. GILL X
If you need to pay for two items or more per month, it is more economical to get a pre-paid card. If you were only to pay for one (£6.85) it is cheaper to pay as you go.
Jenny.
Hi Vercors
I have a pre-payment card as I have high blood pressure. So when I started chemo they took the details and I did not have to pay. I am also on tamoxifen and my doctor only lets me have one months supply at a time.
It works out cheaper if your buy a pre-payment card if you have 2 prescriptions a month. I have an annual card which I pay for by direct debit monthly at £9 ish. If I need any other medication for any reason then the card pays for itself.
Fudge
i also did not have to pay for any anit-sickness medication whilst having chemo, neither did i have to pay for mouthwashes, heartburn medication etc., all were supplied at oncology unit free, my first tamoxifen was free from unit but after that had to pay, i get 3 mthly supply from GP,.
like Fudge i also buy an annual card and pay by direct debit.
karen
I have an anuual pre paid card too and pay monthly for 10 months.
All chemo and anti sickness drugs were free at my hospital too. However I had to buy everything else, ie painkillers, lactulose, aqueous cream etc.
I’m currently on Femera and my GP prescribes 2 per script. Even though the first script was issued by my onc I still had to pay for it. I am also on anti inflammatories and pain relief for my joints so the pre paid card works out cheapest.
Jackie
I am just going to start chemo on 13th march asked at chemist about pre pay and they said in April the price of prescriptions are going down and so is yearly prescriptions by quite a bit of money but they haven’t been told how much so was told to hold on till then.
.
jackie
Hi Jackie259
I have just phoned the pre pay prescription helpline and they have informed me prescription charges will be increased as of 1st April as is every year! Therefore I have purchased a 3 month one to commence from the date of my first chemo session (12th March) - paying for drugs seems to differ area to area - but my hospital informed me I will have to pay for anti sickness drugs given with chemo etc. Roughly working it out whilst on the phone, it means to purchase a 12 months one works out about £9 or £10 cheaper. Decided that as at the present time I have no idea that far ahead, I will stick to the 3 monthly one and just keep renewing it as need be.
They also advised the cost of the pre payment certificate has in the past increased about £3.00 for each option so that may give you a bit of a guidline I hope.
Good luck with chemo
Jacqui - brightonbelle2008 x
thanks you
I live in Scotland so don’t know if it different from you.
Don’t know about you but i am quite scared .
hope your chemo goes ok.
Jackie
Jackie
I’m also in Scotland and my prepayment cert expired on 338. I’m hanging of until the 1st April as the prices drop significantly details below. I found that the prepayment cert worked out cheaper for me during chemo as i needed a few extra drugs. Best of luck for the 13th
Lesley
X
For single prescriptions the costs will be:-
April 08 : down from ££6.85 to £5.00
April 09 : down to £4.00
April 10 : down to £3.00
Free from April 2011
For PPCs which cover a person’s total prescription costs over a 12 month period:-
April 08 : down from £98.70 to £48
April 09 : down to £38
April 10 : down to £28
Free from April 2011.
lesley
thanks for info was begining to wonder if i had herd chemist right so i will wait till 1st of April. Dont know if i have to pay for anti sickness tablets yet see oncolagist tommorrow so will see what she says.
thanks jackie
Does anyone know if prescriptions and prepayment certificates are going down in price from April 2008 throughout the UK or just in Scotland.
Wendy x
Not in England. Wales is going free as well I believe at some point