Warfarin - Yellow book system Kent
Discussion
Anyone on Warfarin in Kent?
Asking on behalf of relative - it seems the Yellow book system of obtaining pills ended as of 1st October.
Last time she had an INR test the nurse said a prescription would be sent through to pharmacy (relative thinks)
I went in with Yellow Book today and was told the book was no longer needed but they would only give me 28 pills - (she uses 13 a week and loses another 2 usually) - it's 4 weeks to the next appointment at the INR clinic which means I will have to go back to the pharmacist and request a top-up
Relative doesn't understand new system (used to get enough pills to go to next appt) - pharmacist didn't seem to either - I don't - does anyone on here?
Asking on behalf of relative - it seems the Yellow book system of obtaining pills ended as of 1st October.
Last time she had an INR test the nurse said a prescription would be sent through to pharmacy (relative thinks)
I went in with Yellow Book today and was told the book was no longer needed but they would only give me 28 pills - (she uses 13 a week and loses another 2 usually) - it's 4 weeks to the next appointment at the INR clinic which means I will have to go back to the pharmacist and request a top-up
Relative doesn't understand new system (used to get enough pills to go to next appt) - pharmacist didn't seem to either - I don't - does anyone on here?
Don't know if this is of any help.....
I'm on Warfarin and have been for over 2 years now. Things are somewhat up and down for me, inconsistent test results so the dose frequently varies weekly.
I attend my doctors' surgery for a blood test by the practice nurse when required to by the (Warfarin) Anti-coagulation unit of my local hospital. This is weekly when things are not totally stable and less frequently when things stabilise. The blood is sent to the local hospital for analysis and the results given to the anticoagulation unit. The anticoagulation unit email me the morning following my blood test with the revised or same dosage depending on results.
So far as concerns the Warfarin my GP's practice supply a prescription for this either by a request in person when I have an appointment otherwise by email and they send the prescription electronically to my nominated pharmacy.
I'm on Warfarin and have been for over 2 years now. Things are somewhat up and down for me, inconsistent test results so the dose frequently varies weekly.
I attend my doctors' surgery for a blood test by the practice nurse when required to by the (Warfarin) Anti-coagulation unit of my local hospital. This is weekly when things are not totally stable and less frequently when things stabilise. The blood is sent to the local hospital for analysis and the results given to the anticoagulation unit. The anticoagulation unit email me the morning following my blood test with the revised or same dosage depending on results.
So far as concerns the Warfarin my GP's practice supply a prescription for this either by a request in person when I have an appointment otherwise by email and they send the prescription electronically to my nominated pharmacy.
Thanks for that - it sounds like you're on a different kind of system - but it's always helpful to get an insight into the experience of others.
She's been on Warfarin for about 5 years maybe, for atrial fibrillation after a stroke. I think her target INR is between 2 and 3 and although at the beginning, it took a few months to stabilise, she was then fine for about 3 years and then over the past couple of years she's become fairly unstable again.
For the stable few years, she was on 12 weekly visits to what they call down here the Warfarin Clinic - either a local hospital or GP practice - that does all the blood tests.
At the beginning, when she lived in SE London, they used to send the blood sample to the hospital for analysis and then phone or write to her telling her what dosage to take over the period until the next appointment.
Now though, she's in East Kent & Canterbury NHS and they do finger prick blood tests and give her an INR reading straight away and tell her what dose of Warfarin to take.
They used to print off a label with the prescription and INR reading and next appointment and stick it in a Yellow Book that all the anticoagualant patients were given when first diagnosed - like an appointment diary really.
Then I could take the Yellow Book to the chemist and they would give the exact amount of pills needed to taker her to the next appointment - it was really easy as a system - especially when there were 12 week intervals.
The last couple of years her readings became a bit more erratic - it was often hard to tell why.
A couple of times she took the wrong dose and overdosed - the clinic would then reduce the intervals between appointments to 2 weeks for a few months until they were sure she was managing the doses again.
One of the biggest issues still is her use of paracetamol for pain. She has chronic arthritis and takes codydramol for that. It's quite addictive, she seems to enjoy the experience of being a bit out of it - but paracetamol sends the readings off the scale and then she's back on 2 weekly visits for a few months again.
Anyway, now at the Warfarin clinic they take the pin prick blood test, tell you your reading and electronically send the prescription to the nominated pharmacy (we think - not sure what they would do if she didn't use the electronic prescription service.) It could be that they are actually sending the prescription to the GP for approval before sending to the pharmacy - but that would seem unnecessarily complicated.
Either way, she no longer needs her Yellow book, no longer has a paper record of her readings or what the prescription is meant to be.
She's meant to turn up at the pharmacy and just say the prescription was sent through but the last time the pharmacy said the prescription hadn't come but they'd give her the pills anyway.
Now we have to go back to get extra when she runs out before the next formal appointment.
It all just seems a bit random with no explanation given of the reason for change and so on.
Always had to work out where these changes are being instigated from too, so hard to know who to get a proper explanation from.
Equally, they don't want to talk to me because I'm not the patient and yet the patient is not able to ask or understand why the changes have been made.
It'll settle down in the end but initially it just seems pointlessly chaotic - it's just a small thing - to tell people why... but it seems beyond them.
Or has she been told and can't remember...
She's been on Warfarin for about 5 years maybe, for atrial fibrillation after a stroke. I think her target INR is between 2 and 3 and although at the beginning, it took a few months to stabilise, she was then fine for about 3 years and then over the past couple of years she's become fairly unstable again.
For the stable few years, she was on 12 weekly visits to what they call down here the Warfarin Clinic - either a local hospital or GP practice - that does all the blood tests.
At the beginning, when she lived in SE London, they used to send the blood sample to the hospital for analysis and then phone or write to her telling her what dosage to take over the period until the next appointment.
Now though, she's in East Kent & Canterbury NHS and they do finger prick blood tests and give her an INR reading straight away and tell her what dose of Warfarin to take.
They used to print off a label with the prescription and INR reading and next appointment and stick it in a Yellow Book that all the anticoagualant patients were given when first diagnosed - like an appointment diary really.
Then I could take the Yellow Book to the chemist and they would give the exact amount of pills needed to taker her to the next appointment - it was really easy as a system - especially when there were 12 week intervals.
The last couple of years her readings became a bit more erratic - it was often hard to tell why.
A couple of times she took the wrong dose and overdosed - the clinic would then reduce the intervals between appointments to 2 weeks for a few months until they were sure she was managing the doses again.
One of the biggest issues still is her use of paracetamol for pain. She has chronic arthritis and takes codydramol for that. It's quite addictive, she seems to enjoy the experience of being a bit out of it - but paracetamol sends the readings off the scale and then she's back on 2 weekly visits for a few months again.
Anyway, now at the Warfarin clinic they take the pin prick blood test, tell you your reading and electronically send the prescription to the nominated pharmacy (we think - not sure what they would do if she didn't use the electronic prescription service.) It could be that they are actually sending the prescription to the GP for approval before sending to the pharmacy - but that would seem unnecessarily complicated.
Either way, she no longer needs her Yellow book, no longer has a paper record of her readings or what the prescription is meant to be.
She's meant to turn up at the pharmacy and just say the prescription was sent through but the last time the pharmacy said the prescription hadn't come but they'd give her the pills anyway.
Now we have to go back to get extra when she runs out before the next formal appointment.
It all just seems a bit random with no explanation given of the reason for change and so on.
Always had to work out where these changes are being instigated from too, so hard to know who to get a proper explanation from.
Equally, they don't want to talk to me because I'm not the patient and yet the patient is not able to ask or understand why the changes have been made.
It'll settle down in the end but initially it just seems pointlessly chaotic - it's just a small thing - to tell people why... but it seems beyond them.
Or has she been told and can't remember...
If it's any help OP, my dad was on warfarin for a few years then his GP replaced it with rivaroxaban - there's some info on it here:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
Bomma220 said:
If it's any help OP, my dad was on warfarin for a few years then his GP replaced it with rivaroxaban - there's some info on it here:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
That's very interesting - cheers for that.https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
footnote said:
Bomma220 said:
If it's any help OP, my dad was on warfarin for a few years then his GP replaced it with rivaroxaban - there's some info on it here:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
That's very interesting - cheers for that.https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-matters-magazine/medi...
ETA He's been on the rivaroxaban for about 3 years now with no issues at all
Edited by Bomma220 on Tuesday 11th October 11:56
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