I'm currently going under diagnosis for inflammatory arthritis and was wondering how many prescriptions a month I might be getting when I go for treatment? Is it worth paying for them yearly?
There are so many treatment options. It may take some trial and error to find which works best for you. In the past 3 months I have started and stopped 5 different rx's and will begin a new one tomorrow.
I've just copied and pasted this from the NHS site:
"A 3 or 12 month PPC covers all your prescriptions for that period, no matter how many you need.
A prescription costs £8.20 per item, but a PPC costs:
£29.10 for 3 months
£104 for 12 months
This means if you’re going to buy 4 or more prescriptions in 3 months, or 14 or more prescriptions in 12 months, it may be cheaper to buy a PPC.
You can pay in 10 monthly instalments if you buy a 12 month PPC."
I used to get a 3 month one, stock up just before it ran out and then got a new one when I needed the next batch and that was cheaper for me than the annual one - but it is very convenient, you don't have to pay each time.
A good pharmacy will tell you about it - but you can phone the helpline and get one very easily if you have a debit or credit card. I once filled in the form at Boots pharmacy and they promptly lost it so I never went to them again! Independent chemists are the most helpful in my experience - but they are a dying breed of course aren't they!
Well worth getting a PPC if you are prescribed 3 items or more..If not pay as you go..It depends on how they are prescribed....I have 2 drugs that I get a 60 day prescription, and one which is 30, so its actually cheaper for me to pay as I go. But pay by monthly Direct debit, you have more control of your spending, especially as you may well get changes to your prescriptions over time.
What I forgot to mention is that I am a full time student and don't have a steady income but will get nearly £3000 in one go for my student loan, is it worth just getting a year one then I'm covered?
Oh and I am on other medication that I get a prescription for monthly too...
How do you know if treatment isn't working
If you need something regularly, whatever it is, then you will at the very least break even with the annual one - the medication you're already on will be 12 of the 14 you need if your doctor will only give you monthly repeats.
I got a toxic liver from Methotrexate and on Arava it didn't help at all with the flare and I now have peripheral neuropathy(possibly a side effect of Arava). I will be starting my second Biologic and hoping for relief. I've also been prescribed ibuprofen for pain and have gotten no relief. Tramadol is helping somewhat. Prednisone was prescribed as a bridge to help with this flare while waiting for a DMARD or Biologic to kick in and hopefully get me to remission.