pinkmada
07-19-2008, 12:22 PM
does anyone know if we are exempt from paying prescription charges? (i mean after a diagnosis of lymphoma and/or being in remission). i am a poor student and cant really afford to pay for 2-3 prescriptions every couplf of weeks. are we entitled to the medical exemption card?
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Christine73
07-19-2008, 12:33 PM
I am pretty sure students are exempt, your doc or chemist will be able to tell you for sure though :)
pinkmada
07-19-2008, 03:20 PM
im not exempt for being a student cause im 22, you are only exempt up til 19. it's if i'm exempt for having lymphoma that i'm wondering about.
Christine73
07-19-2008, 03:55 PM
My bad, thought you were younger. Ask your doc I would suggest then, I guess it all depends on your income.
pinkmada
07-26-2008, 09:11 AM
yeah i just thought cause it's a chronic illness that we'd be exempt from paying. i will speak to my gp but i feel cheeky about asking.
BlackJAC
07-26-2008, 11:03 AM
Believe it or not the only conditions that will give you an exemption is Diabetes, Epilepsy and certain thyroid conditions. You are also exempt if you require a catheter(sp) or are unable to function without a carer.
I know this as i used to work for practitioner services in Edinburgh, so if you live in Scotland this is how things stand.
I know this as i used to work for practitioner services in Edinburgh, so if you live in Scotland this is how things stand.
pinkmada
07-26-2008, 12:02 PM
yep i am in edinburgh. oh well i guess i should be thankful that they at least reduced the prescription charges...
BlackJAC
07-26-2008, 01:05 PM
If you're having to pay for a lot of prescriptions there is a pre payment system in place which works out cheaper. I'm sure you pay around £20-a-month (might have changed as it was about a year ago I did them) and no matter how many items you need, the price remains the same.
I know it doesn't help your current situation, but all prescription costs will be reduced every year until they're abolished in 2011 here in Scotland.
I know it doesn't help your current situation, but all prescription costs will be reduced every year until they're abolished in 2011 here in Scotland.
pinkmada
07-27-2008, 07:49 AM
yeah i know, i had one before i was diagnosed cause i was spending about £100 a month on prescriptions!
lymphpre
07-28-2008, 01:40 PM
You are only exempt if you live in Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government brought in free prescriptions last year. England and Scotland did not follow suit. Free prescriptions (and free dental care) for students was abolished under the reign of Margaret Thatcher. I believe the pre-payment scheme is still in operation, whereby you can either pay for a 6 month or 12 month certificate. I used this when I was undergoing ClVPP, which is largely oral chemo, so they just wrote a prescription out which you took to the hospital pharmacy. I was a student at that time, and was horrified to find out I would have to pay rounghy £60-80 for each chemo. I got a pre-treatment cert, which was about £30 for 6 months at the time.
pinkmada
07-29-2008, 05:25 PM
what? you had to pay for each treatment cause it was pills? thats outrageous! i have never paid for drugs from the hospital pharmacy even if it's just been something like antibiotics i have never paid if the prescription has been from the hospital. surely you can claim all that back? i am so shocked by that!
how are you doing anyway?
xx
how are you doing anyway?
xx
lymphpre
07-31-2008, 02:33 PM
Hi Amanda,
I've not been on-line for a while. Things have been very difficult recently, due to a bereavement.
I'm on my last cycle of R-A(B)VD. Bleomycin has been dropped due to the fact that I can't even walk short distances without getting out of breath. The good news is that I've had a CT scan, which was clear, so the treatment appears to have worked. I'm still sweating profusely though, which is worrying. Oncologist says he does not think the sweating is caused by HD, although all he can suggest is to wait and see if it settles down once I'm off the drugs. I'm experiencing a lot more fatigue, which I suppose is to be expected. The first three post-chemo days I just stay in bed now, because if I get up I only fall asleep on the sofa. With one dose still to go, I am wondering if I will ever feel well again. It just seems like so long since I felt healthy.
How are you doing? Hope things are working out for you.
Best wishes
Simon
I've not been on-line for a while. Things have been very difficult recently, due to a bereavement.
I'm on my last cycle of R-A(B)VD. Bleomycin has been dropped due to the fact that I can't even walk short distances without getting out of breath. The good news is that I've had a CT scan, which was clear, so the treatment appears to have worked. I'm still sweating profusely though, which is worrying. Oncologist says he does not think the sweating is caused by HD, although all he can suggest is to wait and see if it settles down once I'm off the drugs. I'm experiencing a lot more fatigue, which I suppose is to be expected. The first three post-chemo days I just stay in bed now, because if I get up I only fall asleep on the sofa. With one dose still to go, I am wondering if I will ever feel well again. It just seems like so long since I felt healthy.
How are you doing? Hope things are working out for you.
Best wishes
Simon
pinkmada
07-31-2008, 04:39 PM
hey,
of course you're going to be healthy again. you only have one more treatment to go! they stopped the bleomycin in mine too towards the end cause i was really short of breath. i think its common and they are doing studies to see if it's even needed so i think it's okay. thats great that your scan is clear now! make sure once you're feeling up to it you go out and celebrate with your friends and family! at the moment i am sweating profusely too, i have been for about a month but my doc isnt worried about it either. has it been going on long? mine has been since the change in weather, its been so muggy recently and although everyone is complaining of the heat i seem to be the only one dripping with sweat everytime i go anywhere!
take care
xxxxxx
of course you're going to be healthy again. you only have one more treatment to go! they stopped the bleomycin in mine too towards the end cause i was really short of breath. i think its common and they are doing studies to see if it's even needed so i think it's okay. thats great that your scan is clear now! make sure once you're feeling up to it you go out and celebrate with your friends and family! at the moment i am sweating profusely too, i have been for about a month but my doc isnt worried about it either. has it been going on long? mine has been since the change in weather, its been so muggy recently and although everyone is complaining of the heat i seem to be the only one dripping with sweat everytime i go anywhere!
take care
xxxxxx