Tresiba Woes

[Noaddedsugar]

Hi There. I'm a Type 1 and lives in Wales, due to manufacturing problems I cannot get Tresiba pre filled Insulin pens. My GP surgery refuse to give me any alternative and are happy for me to be without an alternative. Apparently they cannot prescribe any alternative unless my Diabetes specialist nurse requests it, I have contacted my Dsn and she said she will email my surgery, but as of yesterday hasn't done so and its Xmas in a few days. I have a few pens left but soon will be without and my GP surgery are happy for me to be without too. Also they are only giving me the rest of my medications 2 weeks at a time because I'm due for a review and they won't give me an appointment for a telephone review until weeks away, they won't see anyone anymore because I don't think it's in their job description. My surgery are beyond a joke, whoever heard of a GP surgery refusing life requiring medication?

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Noaddedsugar 🙂 Sorry to hear about your problems. My surgery once tried to withhold my insulin from me due to a late prescription review. They are not allowed to do this!

As for the Tresiba, the shortage is just with the pre-filled pens, I believe. Get your GP to prescribe Tresiba cartridges and a reuseable pen, eg Novopen 6.

 

[Noaddedsugar]

Welcome @Noaddedsugar 🙂 Sorry to hear about your problems. My surgery once tried to withhold my insulin from me due to a late prescription review. They are not allowed to do this!

As for the Tresiba, the shortage is just with the pre-filled pens, I believe. Get your GP to prescribe Tresiba cartridges and a reuseable pen, eg Novopen 6.

Hi there Inka. Thanks for your reply. My Diabetes nurse has told me I need to have the reusable pen and that she is emailing my surgery to tell them. However, my surgery says that they have not had any email and as such cannot prescribe me any alternative. Also 2 weeks ago they stopped my Metformin as they said I needed a prescription review, I had to battle to get it back and was without for 2 days. I cannot believe they are doing these things to me. I have a telephone prescription review on 23 December which is purely to try and cut back on my medications to save money. My only alternative regarding my Tresiba is to ring 111 Nhs emergency number once I'm nearly out of my current supply.

 

[Noaddedsugar]

Hi there Inka. Thanks for your reply. My Diabetes nurse has told me I need to have the reusable pen and that she is emailing my surgery to tell them. However, my surgery says that they have not had any email and as such cannot prescribe me any alternative. Also 2 weeks ago they stopped my Metformin as they said I needed a prescription review, I had to battle to get it back and was without for 2 days. I cannot believe they are doing these things to me. I have a telephone prescription review on 23 December which is purely to try and cut back on my medications to save money. My only alternative regarding my Tresiba is to ring 111 Nhs emergency number once I'm nearly out of my current supply.

Sorry I meant 22 December not 23rd.

 

[helli]

When my surgery were "misbehaving", I found they responded to a discussion with the practice manager. Until then, I was restricted to the gatekeeper receptionists who have limited medical knowledge so not aware of the implications of their stubbornness.
As for a reusable pen, it was common for DSNs to have a supply so you could ask them if they could provide a pen direct. I would also get them to contact your surgery again explaining why you need the insulin and that they do not need to do a medication review for the diabetes medication they request.

 

[Inka]

Hi there Inka. Thanks for your reply. My Diabetes nurse has told me I need to have the reusable pen and that she is emailing my surgery to tell them. However, my surgery says that they have not had any email and as such cannot prescribe me any alternative. Also 2 weeks ago they stopped my Metformin as they said I needed a prescription review, I had to battle to get it back and was without for 2 days. I cannot believe they are doing these things to me. I have a telephone prescription review on 23 December which is purely to try and cut back on my medications to save money. My only alternative regarding my Tresiba is to ring 111 Nhs emergency number once I'm nearly out of my current supply.

Awful @Noaddedsugar ! Phone the surgery urgently this morning, ask to speak to the practice manager and say you need the pen and cartridges today! What they’re saying about needing to hear from the DSN is utter crap. I suspect the real answer is that they can’t find the correct pen on their lists. I had that exact problem where the surgery were telling me it didn’t exist. In the end I had to find the prescription list number for it and give it to them. I wish I could remember what it was called. It had an acronym.

Anyway, the Novopen should be easier for them to find. Be polite to the practice manager but very firm. I told my surgery I’d be going to A&E if they didn’t give me my insulin. I also told them I’d be phoning the press from there and passing on names!

 

[JJay]

In the end I had to find the prescription list number for it and give it to them. I wish I could remember what it was called. It had an acronym.

It’s the PIP code. Sorry @Noaddedsugar, I’ve had a good look but I can’t find it anywhere. Annoying as I’ve just had 2 new Novopens myself. A pharmacist should know, though

 

[Inka]

Thanks @JJay That was in my head but I thought I must be getting muddled with the disability benefit.

I’ve now had a search and I can’t find the PIP code either. I did find other codes though, so I’m wondering if there’s been some kind of update to the system. Either way, I hope the surgery can find it for @Noaddedsugar

 

[Noaddedsugar]

Awful @Noaddedsugar ! Phone the surgery urgently this morning, ask to speak to the practice manager and say you need the pen and cartridges today! What they’re saying about needing to hear from the DSN is utter crap. I suspect the real answer is that they can’t find the correct pen on their lists. I had that exact problem where the surgery were telling me it didn’t exist. In the end I had to find the prescription list number for it and give it to them. I wish I could remember what it was called. It had an acronym.

Anyway, the Novopen should be easier for them to find. Be polite to the practice manager but very firm. I told my surgery I’d be going to A&E if they didn’t give me my insulin. I also told them I’d be phoning the press from there and passing on names!

Many Thanks. I had a telephone review this morning and the Doctor - aka hatchet person went through my meds and tried to cut back on how many to take. I then mentioned my Insulin and explained I needed it! 10 minutes after the review I received a phonecall from my Diabetes nurse, who said she had just been contacted by my Surgery and she had just emailed my surgery and the correct Tresiba pen will be issued. Then I had a call from the Doctor saying a prescription was being done. I thank my Diabetes nurse for sorting it and breath a sigh of relief I am not going to be without insulin. I am strongly considering changing surgeries after Xmas over this. I wish to say Thanks to the people on here for their kind and caring advice.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I am strongly considering changing surgeries after Xmas over this. I wish to say Thanks to the people on here for their kind and caring advice.

Good grief! What a runaround you had @Noaddedsugar

Sounds like changing surgeries might be a good option. I understand they have to have systems in place - but cases like this just show how important it is to treat people as individuals.

So pleased you were able to get the insulin you need. Well done to your DSN!

 

[trophywench]

I know because of the 'glitches in the system' that I've had to suffer myself over the years that it's very hard at times, to be a patient patient.

But - GPs have A LOT more oversight these days than they ever used to so their Powers That Be (who hold the purse strings) now keep constant pressure on them to save money where they can - so they actually have to check regularly that people are actually using whatever they have prescribed for them - rather than it being a personal vendetta against those patients.

 

[Leadinglights]

I know because of the 'glitches in the system' that I've had to suffer myself over the years that it's very hard at times, to be a patient patient.

But - GPs have A LOT more oversight these days than they ever used to so their Powers That Be (who hold the purse strings) now keep constant pressure on them to save money where they can - so they actually have to check regularly that people are actually using whatever they have prescribed for them - rather than it being a personal vendetta against those patients.

This also allows them to check that people are taking the medication they should be, this is more important with elderly people who may not remember to order items they should do because they don't remember the name.
My daughter had a patient who had only ordered 1 of the 3 medications he should have been taking, his wife had always sorted his meds but had passed away and he just didn't know what to order. Very sad really and a good job she picked up on it.