Sativax how to get this on the NHS in Scotland Help!!!

Everyday living
1

Hi

Have found out that some folk are getting this via the NHS in Scotland, my neurologist told me about a scheme that you can request that you receive this if you cannot cope wwith the standard medicines(me) I found the webside however you would have to be a philidelphia lawyer to make head or tail of it.

Have you been prescribed Sativax on the NHS and if so can you help?

trish

2

Hi Trish

My GP has said that he will prescribe it for me if I get approval from the hospital. I am getting a month’s trial to see if I respond to it. If it works, I will ask my GP to prescribe it for me. However, I strongly suspect that he hasn’t looked into it properly as his response was very quick and seemingly off the cuff. We’ll see. I’m in the North east of England incidentally.

Good luck.

JZ

3

thanks for the reply Jake, it seems to be easier in England than Scotland, i was told it was unobtainable , then i started to discover some folk have been getting it so i am starting to dig, gp hasnt a clue and said could i find out and she will try and support me as best as she can

trish

4

Hi Trish, I am on Sativex, I live in Lancashire, and there is only one neurologist in the north west who can prescribe. I was lucky that my neurologist referred me to him. I had to try everything else first, then he could put a case forward for me to be prescribed it. I use it for pain, it does help, but not all the time. My GP cannot prescribe, I have to collect it from the hospital.

Wendy x

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thanks Wendy, seems the neurologist can assist but not here in scotland but have heard that folk are getting it on the NHS up here so someone is aiding them.

trish

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I’m in Scotland and failed to get sativex on the nhs. I did however obtain it privately through e-med, if you’re prepared to pay you could go down ths route. It cost £412 for 270 sprays of sativex, and £15 for the prescription and £20 to join e-med. have to say, I bypassed the nhs in the end but e-med is legitimate and I obtained it legally. It’s a few years now since I did this so things might ave changed. Cheryl:-)

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i cheryl

how long does a spray last have been told it would cost around £5000 a year to be on it afraid cant afford that amount.

trish

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Cheryl, When l first asked about trying Sativex - my GP wrote a private prescription for me and the pharmacy connected to the surgery got it for me. Then when it became licensed for MS use - l think it is nearly 4yrs. GP contacted a neuro - got the ok from him and since then l have had no trouble getting an nhs prescription. A box of 3 phials - 90 sprays each lasts me ages - l only use about 4 a day. So it i not as expensive as many other meds. All the neuros l have seen since - [ always a different one] - have endorsed the use of Sativex. When l had to pay for it - it came in 4phials a box - and cost me £190.

l am sure it will soon become more readily available - especially as it does not have the side-effects other meds have.

l read on here - about someone who is going on a trial to test another cannabis based med at her hospital. lf more then one med of the same type becomes available that will hold down the price. A bit of competition.

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Hi Trish I could only take one or at the most two sprays a day, because it made me a bit “high”, and I work and drive to work so would n’t take it when I had to drive. At one or two sprays a day the £412 I paid for 270 sprays lasted me ages, maybe abut five months or so. Cheryl:-)

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thanks cheryl for the info