Guidelines?!

[sapphire]

I'm glad you're seeing your own GP this week Sapph - good call.  Let us know how that goes but, in the meantime, if you want to PM me or Beryl with any details (eg: your area, DSP etc) you'd rather not broadcast, we're always here and confidentiality is guaranteed.

I had to have a 24 hr BP monitor recently - what a pain in the arse that was and now I have to have medication although I'm still convinced it's stress-related given the year I've had.  Your GP sounds a good sort though so let him/her know what stress this is putting you under.  If he/she and a cardiologist can't convince your DSP GP, then you should take it further.

Take care & best wishes

Jules

The thing is, I had a 24hr cardiac monitor done, and it showed NO problems, and when I've had ECG's done witthout threat of script reduction, the QT was well under 450ms, which would lead any right thinking person to believe that I panic at the thought of them dropping my dose, and as such when I have the ECG done my BP increases, and the QT.

It is apparently well known that hihg emotion (stress) attribute to high QT, and obviously I was under great stress at the ECG's for the DSP.

I've got an appt with my GPon 12th Jan (couldn't get one earlier) and have printed out the SMGP and Orange Book to show him that the DSP are not playing fair.

Thing is, if I lose my script, I'll lose all my 'recovery' capital and be back to where I was in 2007, homless, crack/smack/benzohead.

[sapphire]

Ok, have pm'd Jules with details, but nothing can be done until Ihave my GP appt and DSP appt at the end of next week.
So, after that I'll let you know what happens, or you may see me on the news with a 12 gauge holding the DSP staff hostage!

[simon]

What about e mailing the commissioner and asking for a second opinion?

[sapphire]

I don't know how I would get the details of who the commissioners are and how to reach them?
My keyworlker wouldn't even confirm or deny that there was a manager of my DSP, ley alone give me their name and contact details.

[OP8S]

That's bang out of order what your key did, if you want to make a formal complaint against the key or the DSP then they should show you the proper channels to go through. Or bypass them & make a complaint about them to your PALS,or fuck them. As Simon says complain to the GMC that would give them a fright you'd think. A key should never withold information about how to make a complaint, they should provide you with it. It happens in every other care-sector so I see no reason why drug treatment should be different ?

[simon]

I don't know how I would get the details of who the commissioners are and how to reach them?
My keyworlker wouldn't even confirm or deny that there was a manager of my DSP, ley alone give me their name and contact details.

Google your area and drug action team. The commissioner is likely to be employed by a primary care trust or a council, you should be able to get hold of them easily enough. Ask the commissioner to intervene and also ask for a copy of the complaints procedure. Councils and PCT's will pay into the treatment budget and are public bodies covered under the freedom of information act.
You are asking for a medication that is indicated for the condition you have - nothing more. GP practices are paid small bits of money for treating medical conditions properly if we don't treat people properly we don't get paid, this is for other condtions though such as mental health, learning difficulties, epilepsy, heart disease, kidney, disease, cancer, in fact anythng other than substance misuse.

[sapphire]

What I'm doing is, seeing my GP on the 12th, seeing my DSP on the 13th, if I get no joy fromeither of them, it will be the Alliance advicating for me and me complaining up the chain to the local NHS trust etc.
So,I;ll let you know what happens after the 13th!

Simon; thanks for that, I will Google and see if I can find the info.