Prescriptions

[ImLostAgain]

I took my pal to the doctors today. He's wheelchair bound and 73 so I accompanied him to the waiting room. The doctor had called him in to discuss his prescriptions. He has a fungal infection on his face and back. Anyway when I was wheeling him home he said they were going to try him on different creams. He's ok with that but he was told they are over the counter medicines.
He's asking me if that means he will have to pay for them. Although I think he will, I said I didn't know, for fear of upsetting him.He asked me why they would take him off prescription medicine and make him pay when he worked all his life and payed his dues. I honestly don't know what to tell him.
Can they do that? Why would they do that?

[bednobs]

you said "this is the first prescription I've had in years or asked for" I just wondered how your GP from that knows it's the only cream that works for your problem

[sandra4444]

With respect bednobs, and save me from repeating what I've already explained, may be read all the thread.

[gingejbee]

I think sandra has her own ideas about this and no explanations to the contrary are going to sway her.
I think that what your GP/surgery has done is good practice.

[sandra4444]

Ok your right. But when someone turns months into years because they don't bother to read the thread .......

[ladybirder]

The NHS is short of money. If I can pay I am happy to. I have had my children on the NHS, no charge, a 5th of my lungs taken away on the NHS, no charge, and numerous other things over the years that I've forgotten about.
Why should I moan about having to pay for OTC medication.

[pixie374]

Very very few people (maybe billionaires) actually pay "their dues".
Any athlete's foot cream, is anti-fungal. Try one?

[ParsleyDumpling]

I work in a group practice, I have noticed that certain GPs will not just sign off a prescription because a patient has had it before. So, it seems it is very much dependent on which doctor sees the prescription.
Sandra4444 your reply at 16:36 does state years not months.

[sandra4444]

Ok let me spell it out. Would you now care to read my post at 17.02 parsley Dumpling.

I had an appointment a few months back, that is the time that my first prescription was given in years.
Hope the latter explains now fully?
The cream was given for a skin problem that the doctor said he had no idea what it was, but try this cream.

The cream in question works well to the point of almost clearing it up, but after a few weeks it can return.

I've been given 2 x 30g tubes over about 13 months this will be the 3rd one requested.
Whats the point of making an appointment for a none urgent problem when doctors are supposed to be over worked and have already said they don't know what the skin problem is.

Regarding any other doctor looking at the request for such, don't they any longer bring your file up and read it.

[Peter Pedant]

// He asked me why they would take him off prescription medicine and make him pay when he worked all his life and paid his dues.//

they tend to say buy it over the counter if it is cheaper

Nothing to do with paying his stamp in 1955 - NHS is self financing from year to year.

[Peter Pedant]

canesten
peanuts tell hin to buy it - the alternative is Daktarin which is better but more expensive.
Fungal infection of the skin - yup comes back regularly. it is not as tho this is cancer or something....

[Patsy33]

Canesten is good or Boots own brand, also.

[Buenchico]

To PP and Patsy:
Canesten (clotrimazole) is, indeed, effective against many fungal infections but ImLostAgain's friend is 73 years of age and, even if he was happy to pay for it, pharmacists can't supply it to him because it's not licensed for use by anyone over the age of 60.

[Patsy33]

I didn't know that, Buen. Why's that?
I've bought it in the not too distant past. I'm over sixty..:-)

[goodgoalie]

I bought a little tube of Canesten last week in Superdrug without any problem. It's for athlete's foot, and is 1% clotrimazole - worked brilliantly.

[davebro]

my GP prescribed it for me when I was 73.

[goodgoalie]

It was this:
https://www.superdrug.com/Health/Foot-Care/Athletes-Foot/Canesten-Athletes-Foot-Dual-Action-15g-Cream/p/471243

[Buenchico]

Dave: It's probably OK if there's a doctor's prescription. When I asked a pharmacist for it, I was told that a prescription was required for Canesten, and for any alternative anti-fungal creams, for anyone over 60. When I messaged my doctor about my problem though, he actually prescribed a different product. Other pharmacies have told me the same thing and that it's the reason why Canesten is now no longer freely available on most supermarket shelves.

This subject has come up her several time before, with input from people who work in pharmacies suggesting that the ban has come about because some women over 60 were using the product to treat what they thought was thrush when, in fact, they'd got vaginal cancer. So it was decided that it was best to try to ensure that anyone with symptoms in that area was forced to consult a doctor, rather than being allowed to self-prescribe. (Yes, I know that doesn't really explain why men over 60 can't have it. I'm only repeating what's been stated here, and on other web forums, in the past!)

It's also been mentioned before that some stores (such as Superdrug) seem to be unaware of the restriction on sales of the product!

[Sqad]

I can see no reason why antifungal creams should not be available OTC to the elderly.

Perhaps, just perhaps I could, if pushed think of a reason why an antifungal pessary should be used with care in females.......if pushed.

I thought that antifungals can be bought on Amazon.