Arthritis Forum
Home.

News.

Personal Stories. Links. Message Board.  
Arthritis Forum  
Add your comments to this topic Start a new topic
Date: 15.02.2012
From: Paula

Subject: Medicine bottle tops

Hi,
Hope you are all keeping warm, am sure lots of youand will understand this, have trouble with the medicine bottle tops, the ones you have to squeexe, push down and twist. I asked the pharmacist yesterday if there was something that could help me as some of my meds come in liquid form and i want to keep my independence sort my meds out myself, with help, and the pharmacist says there was something to help but it would cost £450. Does anyone know of anything to help with this for medicine bottles that is a lot cheaper than this because i can't get around this problem, and the meds can't be dispensed in any other way. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks guys.
reply | back to forum

Date: 15.02.2012
From: bsk

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Did he say it would cost you £450 or the NHS? If you need it I would ask your doctor about it and let the NHS pay if possible. They can't leave unable to open your meds. That's not reasonable.
reply | back to forum

Date: 15.02.2012
From: rhona

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

hi paula, i know what you mean, some of the bottles are so hard to open, ive often to ask family to open them. i once got my tablets in a white plastic bottle with an orange top then was so easy to open, it was meant for people with arthritis, i kept it and now put my sulphasalazine in it but the rest are a nightmare to open, i dont know why they couldn't give us them like that all the time.
reply | back to forum

Date: 16.02.2012
From: charlotte

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

I heard that you can specifically request your medicine in more friendly containers. My mum works for pct and she told me this. So may be worth asking the GP - they would then need to specify it to pharmacy etc

I too have problems but my hubby sorts out for me
reply | back to forum

Date: 17.02.2012
From: Sarah

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi Paula,

sorry to hear you are having problems. I have a similar issue. I told the pharmacist, and they put a normal screw cap on instead for me. Perhaps they would do the same for you?
reply | back to forum

Date: 19.02.2012
From: Debs67

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi Paula, my pharmacist has been soooo helpful. I have the majority of my meds as pills and it is virtually impossible to pop them out of their containers when my hands are bad.The pharmacist must have seen the state of my hands when i went in with my prescriptions and he asked me if i wanted them put into bottles. It is so much easier now. Yes i have the bottle tops to contend with but i am lucky my daughter will undo them when i am replenishing my weekly pill box! The bottle for the sulfasalazine is more arthritis friendly thats for sure, i will have to ask if all my meds can be put into screw top bottles in September as my daughter will be going off to Uni. Your pharmacist should be able to help you more, you can but ask...If not, speak to your GP. No point having your drugs if they are in an inaccessible container! They must have come across this problem before you would think??? Hope you get it sorted xx
reply | back to forum

Date: 21.02.2012
From: Paula

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi,
Hi Bsk, thanks for your reply, yep the pharmacist said £450 and there was no help on the NHS with this. However, I am seeing the GP on wednesday and hopefully my CPN this week too, so will ask them for their feedback, but with the financial restranits, i think i have a clear what their answer will be, but I will find out and let you know.
To Rhona, Sarah,Charlotte and Debs 67, Most of my pills have been put in a pre packed dosset box, and just pop them out, the pharmacist does them and doesn't cost you anything. Can't put MTX or painkillers in it though, he won't touch those. In regrads to the Liquid Lithium, did ask about screw top bottles but i can't due to the nature of the medication as it is Liquid, toxic and dangerous, and I am even having trouble with screw top anything from bottles of water, etc, but I will see what the GP has to say and the CPN as the Liquid Lithium comes under their remit technically. Unforunately I cannot come off the Lithium as i would be the whirling deverish, and the doctor told me it is not an option as it would be disaterous as i am Bipolar. Screwed again. I thank you all for your comments, and will let you all know what happens. Hope you are keeping warm and not in too much Pain. To Bsk, good luck with the enbrel you are due to start soon, hope it helps you xx
reply | back to forum

Date: 23.02.2012
From: louloubelle

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hey Paula

I use Boots for my prescriptions and they have a note on their system to provide me with meds in easy to open bottles.

I'm sure they also provide a free service whereby they organise your tablets into a weekly sorter thing, I've attached a link to their leaflet, just copy the following and paste it into your web browser (it is a free service)...

http://www.boots.com/wcsstore/cmsassets/Boots/Library/Assets/PDF/CaringMadeEasier/MedisureLeaflet/MedisureLeaflet.pdf

I hope that helps.

Regards
Lou x
reply | back to forum

Date: 23.02.2012
From: Val

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi Paula, Like Rhona I have the same white bottle with yellow top which is easy to open but I also have great trouble with getting tablets out of blister packs. Was told by OT this week that there is an aid for this so am looking into it. Do ask your pharmasist as you can put them into easy to open bottles. Good to hear from louloubelle that Boots can sort them as well if needed.

Take care
reply | back to forum

Date: 23.02.2012
From: Paula

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi Lou and Val thanks for your comments, i will check the link out, the only problem i have with Boots with some of my meds is that i cant get some of my meds as they can never get hold of some of them as they are difficult to obtain, another pharmacist is putting all my meds in to pre packed dosset boxes, and any news from ot on aids for meds i would be intersted to know anything further, thanks for both of your comments and take care both of you x
reply | back to forum

Date: 23.02.2012
From: bsk

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Ask your cpn if there are any charitable funds available for that type of thing. I can't believe they are allowed to leave you with drugs you can't access.
reply | back to forum

Date: 25.02.2012
From: Paula

Subject: Re: Medicine bottle tops

Hi Bsk, thanks for reply, I saw CPN last Thurs and my GP the day before and the answer is no, appraently I have someone living with me and they can undo the bottle top for me and sort the meds out that way. Sure lots of people are in the same boat. How are you by the way, good luck with enbrel when you start, thinking of you. x
reply | back to forum

 

Add your comments to this topic
Subject:
Please type your comment here:

Your name:
email:

1+9=
(This sum is to help prevent automatic spamming through this page - thank-you)


top

Site design: T - Creative Home | News | Personal Stories | Links | Message Board