Tablet packaging!

Ok here's another of my pet hates....medication packaging.

You either can't get into the foil packets without a Bowie knife and at least advanced level Kung Fu staus.

Or...........

Why why why why why do they pack Metformin in foils of 14 when the vast majority of the world take 3 a day?
The last lot I had had changed from the normal 14 on a sheet <Grrrrrrrr> with 4 lines of 3 (so that you knew that you'd taken your tablet if you're a forgetful whatsit like me) to 2 x 2 lines of 7 tabs. I mean what sense is that?? Now I have to write in black felt pen on the foil 123, 123 etc just so that I know I have taken them

If I have this problem in my 50's....then how can I expect people in their 70/80 or 90's to work them all out??

I have a patient on 17 different types of meds/day........anyone doing more than that??

Nick

17! OMG

I'm on 3 tablets and 2 inhalers and I thought I had it tough
Doug's on 5 I think....I lose track

Mmmm I kept wondering why their Zimmer seemed to rattle.... not sure it's the frame after all



N

Medication :

Tablets two in the morning... one at night (three tablets are all different).
Two puffer puffs am and two evening....

I've bought some tablet pots with days and times on so I don't forget as I am useless at remembering if I've taken them or not - days just merge together.

I try and take them as close to 8am & 8pm as I can.

I work at a vets and what annoys me is when vets dispense 30 tablets when the drugs come in packets of 28!!!

Hahahahaaa yep that figures! Do tehy have any metformin in packets of 30 for me please?

N

Sorry - it seems to me that all the diabetic dogs are on insulin injections...

I'm on 4 a day, gliclizade and a blood pressure tablet first thing, then metformin with lunch and dinner.

The packaging is awful and the different types of pill seem to vary with the ammount in each pack. It would be nice to have a months supply of each, makes repeat prescriptions easier. First time I had gliclizade one doctor gave me 3 months worth. My normal doctor was reluctantt o change until I said I wanted either 3 months of them all or just one month of them all.

Hi Caroline

Doesn't sound as though your Dr and the practice want to make anyone's life easier other than their own!

I just order 3 months supply of everything that I need and if I need testing strips I get them, if I don't I just ask them not to add onto the sript.

Nick

The problem manufacturers have, I guess, is that some people have one tablet once daily, some have half a tablet every other day - so whatever they do they are wrong for some people. I can ask my pharmacy ladies (at the Drs) to give me more of those tabs or less of those if I have too few or too many and then sort it out at my repeat prescription check up. They are very nice

Imogen wrote:The problem manufacturers have, I guess, is that some people have one tablet once daily, some have half a tablet every other day - so whatever they do they are wrong for some people. I can ask my pharmacy ladies (at the Drs) to give me more of those tabs or less of those if I have too few or too many and then sort it out at my repeat prescription check up. They are very nice

Mmm maybe but I think it's just that they produce everything on a 28 day basis, as it's easily divisible by 4 and ..........they don't care anyway.

Good to have nice pharmacy people. Mine always seem to say 'Oh we have part of your script...can we owe you the rest?' I always worry about the poor buggers that come in after me and they say 'sorry we don't have any more, do you mind living on hypers for a couple of days'??

Roll on the revolution !!!!!



N

At the vets there are certain drugs that we mustn't run out of even if they go out of date - the life saving ones!!

Imogen wrote:At the vets there are certain drugs that we mustn't run out of even if they go out of date - the life saving ones!!

Doesn't that sum up the UK?
N

My local pharmacist is brilliant and is willing to help out in an emergncy. I actually get better advice from him than I do from my GP!

I feel sorry for the pharmacists round here as so many of the GPs can be idiots. I have been in the pharmacy several times when he has had to phone this or that GP for clarification on prescriptions,,,

Nick wrote:

Imogen wrote:At the vets there are certain drugs that we mustn't run out of even if they go out of date - the life saving ones!!

Doesn't that sum up the UK?
N

What I mean is - we have to keep them in stock - so we have to keep them on the shelf and risk not using them by their use by date. Then obviously we replace them...

Imogen wrote:

Nick wrote:

Imogen wrote:At the vets there are certain drugs that we mustn't run out of even if they go out of date - the life saving ones!!

Doesn't that sum up the UK?
N

What I mean is - we have to keep them in stock - so we have to keep them on the shelf and risk not using them by their use by date. Then obviously we replace them...

Ahhh OK
Mind you as so many are on Metformin you'd think there was no chance of them ever going out of code which is around 2-3 yrs but you would expect them to have a supply when they were down to the last 50 packets or so especially as most people get them in 3/12 lots