Rheumatology playing God!

loubiedoouk

Greetings all.

I am currently living overseas, however fully entitled to NHS treatment as I've been overseas less than 5 years. I've had previous battles with Rheumatology about receiving meds as I'm overseas, however they have agreed I can have my 3 month supply of Enbrel when I visit the UK and have my usual blood tests etc. This has gone smoothly over the last 2 years. I am luckily so well, my 3 month supply of Enbrel (12 injections) lasts me a year - thus saving the NHS money?????

However, this visit, my Rheumatologist has decided that because I inject monthly, I am only entitled to 3 injections (because I told them I was injecting monthly / not weekly - silly me).

Does anybody know where I stand on this. I am leaving the country tomorrow with no meds (as they have delayed and dragged their heels with me), so flare up is inevitable - therefore when I return, I WILL need to inject weekly!!!

I have had no end of hassle with Rheumatology recently - not helping the fact are Healthcare at Home.

Any advice is greatly welcome.

Thanks

Louise

dreamdaisy

I don't think they are, you were. You were granted an expensive drug on the understanding that it would be injected weekly but such was its effectiveness for you that you self-medicated and changed the rules; now comes the reckoning.

I don't think you have an arthritic leg to stand on, you admitted what you had been doing and of course they will re-think their prescription. We are expensive patients and as such should behave with some degree of responsibility towards those who are trying to help us. Some of us do not have the choice about whether to inject weekly, fortnightly, monthly or whenever we feel like it. DD

mig

Honesty is the best policy so is taking the drugs as prescribed,some people have to wait months even years before they can get these meds,I'm sorry but you did wrong and it's come back to bite you.Hope you don't have to suffer too much before you can get things sorted again. Mig

loubiedoouk

They are now sending 12 injections - but late. I'm just so frustrated with my Rheumatologist who always leaves things until the last minute - she's had 4 months notice about this!