I read a letter in the Voice concerning being unable to contact doctors in this area.
I felt I should add my experience to this subject.
I was recently contacted by my surgery to tell me I was to collect a new medication from Superdrug. This is my selected chemist for all my medication.
When I queried this I was told that the person I was speaking to had just been told to advise me of this. She did arrange for a Practice Nurse to ring me about it.
The Practice Nurse told me this was for my hypertension. I said I was already on medication for this and, as I had already had very severe side effects to a previous additional medication, I was worried about taking this further prescription. Her advice was I should ‘suck it and see’.
On collecting the medication I found the instructions on the box were ‘One to be taken daily’. No instructions as to when or if they could be taken at the same time as my other medications.
I spoke to the pharmacist at Superdrug who explained how the tablets should be taken and the possible side effects. He took my telephone number and agreed to ring me after a week to see how I was getting on with them. This he has religiously done.
I told him after three weeks that I had been taking my blood pressure readings and had noticed no drop in the readings and I was continuing to experience headaches.
He advised me to continue to take the tablets but to contact my doctor and advise him of the problems I was having. I had to attempt to call the surgery four times before I was able to speak to anyone.
I was advised by a recorded message that I was 27, then 29 and then 32 in the queue. On my final attempt I was 24 in a queue but as it was now 4pm I decided to hold.
After waiting for over an hour my call was answered and I was able to arrange for a doctor to ring me for a telephone conversation.
A doctor rang me back and following this conversation I was told an alternative prescription would be sent to Superdrug.
On collecting this prescription the pharmacist again discussed the medication with me and arranged to ring me to see how I was coping with the tablets.
Again, after I had been taking them for a week, he rang me to see how I was.
Each time I have spoken to a pharmacist, either in the dispensary or over the telephone, I have been told if I have any problems or queries then I should not hesitate to contact them.
As far as I am concerned I would say that Superdrug certainly has super pharmacists.
Name and address supplied
