Judderz - Free prescriptions

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Hello Judderz, I read in the ColinJ thread that you need Warfarin for life; can't you get an NHS necessary drugs certificate.

Master ArDee gets his epilepsy drugs on free prescription, even though he's 23 and working, as it's deemed a necessary prescription.

I believe he got a form from the doctor that he completed and the doctor signed to say that it is necessary that he takes the drug for the rest of his life.
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
MrsP needs a regular precription drug and has an exemption card from charges. You do indeed get the form from the Doctor's surgery.
 

Sandra6

Veteran
Location
Cumbria
It's ridiculous that so many necessary prescription drugs aren't on that list.
My son is asthmatic and that isn't covered either.
 

Judderz

Well-Known Member
Could you take a quarter aspirin instead J? ... supposed to have other benefits too.
At the moment, I'm taking 10mg of warfarin 5 days a week. 11mg 2 days a per week, my INR (blood thiness level) needs to be between 2 & 3, (average person is 1-1.1), unfortunately aspirin heightens the effect of warfarin, so have to be careful if I take it, along with certain foods, such as spinach, broccoli, liver - anything with high iron content, and cranberries and Special K are a no no, as vitamin K is classed as a warfarin antidote.

On the plus side, it helps with my cycling, as my blood is thinner, it gets round the body quicker and carries oxygen around a lot faster, on the downside, if I cut myself I'll bleed like a slit pig, if I bang myself, I bruise easy and it lasts for ages.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
We use Arnica cream straightaway on bruise sites where the skin isn't broken which really helps recovery, but sounds like you'd need to check with your doctor if it's OK to use it. Might be worth asking your doctor about using aspirin instead of warfarin [I believe my f-in-law does] rather than as well? - may be not as many food restrictions? How do you avoid becoming anaemic?
 

Judderz

Well-Known Member
How do you avoid becoming anaemic?
Normal meats are not as high in iron as liver, so I tend to have a decent diet, steak, beef, fish, chicken, plenty of veg and fruit, salad pasta etc.
When I first had a DVT 8 years ago, broccoli was a no no back then, they have relaxed that now, and is ok but in small doses.

The condition I have is Factor V (5) Leiden, which is hereditary, my father has it, and I have it, luckily for him, he has only had one DVT, so no longer on warfarin, unlike me :sad:
I carry a medical card everywhere I go, I got one from the hospital, but I re-vamped it, added 2 ICE numbers, my consultants name and number, medical number, address, condition, basically everything needed to know in case of emergency.

I know exactly how Colin feels, and what he is about to go through, the first 2-3 weeks are endless trips to hospital, ( I went every 2-3 days), having a deep vein scan, (if DVT is in his leg, then they will strap the leg, tight, inject a fluid in his foot so the xray will pick it up), injecting yourself (with Fragmin) for the first 2 weeks to boost your blood thinner faster than warfarin can, blood tests at hospital to check the thiness level, then possibly every week to hospital for the first few weeks while the regulate the blood level. Luckily for me, I had already had a DVT, so knew what the symptoms were, (calf muscle enlarges, goes a little sore, and goes hot to the touch), so straight to hospital, unlike the first time, just thought I had pulled a muscle and left it for 4 days.

At the moment I go every 4 weeks if I'm good, if I miss a day (which is easy to do) then possibly every 2 weeks. I used to see it as a hassle, but as time goes on, nothing I can do about it, it's an everyday thing, just have to get on with it.
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
Yes I'm asthmatic taking a brown preventer everyday if I'm to keep breathing and a blue reliever when I'm wheezing even after the preventer. They're not on the damn list either. Now I'm over 60 I get all my prescriptions free. Before that I used to pay circa £100/year for a prepaid card. Otherwise with Urticaria, Arthritis and Asthma my monthly prescription charges would have been around £50/month assuming I wasn't ill with something else.

Asthma kills, but you pay to live.
 
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