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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sebastian on May 5, 2007, at 14:38:37
This is on my prescription, I'm afraid to turn it in incase it means placibo. Not sure if thats a g or q.
Posted by linkadge on May 5, 2007, at 15:26:18
In reply to Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by Sebastian on May 5, 2007, at 14:38:37
What med is it for? It is probably qhs which means to take at bedtime (I believe). This *not* mean a placebo.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2007, at 19:45:25
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by linkadge on May 5, 2007, at 15:26:18
Sebastian PO means by mouth and QHS is at bedtime as Link said. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2007, at 19:47:56
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2007, at 19:45:25
And the l ll should mean one or two but that definitely needs clarification from the pharmacist. Love Phillipa
Posted by Quintal on May 5, 2007, at 21:13:08
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2007, at 19:47:56
Maybe it means "One or two taken by mouth at bedtime"? I've never seen the "by mouth" bit on a script before. How likely is it a person would accidentally medicate some other orifice? I suppose you never know in this day and age?
Q
Posted by Phillipa on May 5, 2007, at 21:24:06
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on May 5, 2007, at 21:13:08
Q it's amazing what some people think. But the pharmacist should have written the instructions clearer on the prescription as he interprets the docs RX. And if he has a doubt before filling it he needs to call the doctor for clarification. I don't even want to speculate what some might do. Love Phillipa
Posted by elanor roosevelt on May 5, 2007, at 22:23:36
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on May 5, 2007, at 21:13:08
You're supposed to take them by mouth?
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 6, 2007, at 6:24:20
In reply to Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by Sebastian on May 5, 2007, at 14:38:37
> This is on my prescription, I'm afraid to turn it in incase it means placibo. Not sure if thats a g or q.
Totally routine. It just tells the pharmacist what to put on the label.
Latin for: Take 1-2, by mouth, every night at bedtime. That last clause could be expressed in slightly different ways.
Lar
Posted by kaleidoscope on May 6, 2007, at 14:11:03
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on May 5, 2007, at 21:13:08
Hi Q
Doctors often write PO (by mouth) on handwritten prescriptions, but not generally on computer generated scripts......which will state capsules or tablets etc, thus implying that the drug is to be taken by mouth.
eg. a computer generated script might say....
Diclofenac 50mg tablets
Take ONE three times a day....whereas a handwritten script might say
Diclofenac 50mg PO tid
Ed
Posted by Quintal on May 6, 2007, at 14:29:30
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » Quintal, posted by kaleidoscope on May 6, 2007, at 14:11:03
I didn't know that Ed; all of my prescriptions from pdocs were handwritten and they were all written in the same format as computer generated scripts i.e:
Quetiapine fumarate
Tablets 50mg
One or two to be taken at night
The only differnece I saw was that some would abbreviate 'at night' to @nocte when hand writing prescriptions.Q
Posted by kaleidoscope on May 6, 2007, at 15:30:02
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » kaleidoscope, posted by Quintal on May 6, 2007, at 14:29:30
>Quetiapine fumarate
>Tablets 50mg
>One or two to be taken at nightDifferent docs write scripts differently, although it would be unusual for unnecessary details such as 'fumarate' to be included on handwritten scripts.
More commonly.....
Quetiapine 100mg o.n x 28
Ed
PS. There is no 50mg quetiapine tablet in the UK. Sorry lol, I am so pedantic sometimes!
Posted by Quintal on May 6, 2007, at 17:42:02
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its, posted by kaleidoscope on May 6, 2007, at 15:30:02
Hi Ed,
>it would be unusual for unnecessary details such as 'fumarate' to be included on handwritten scripts.
That's why it stuck in my mind - it was a student that wrote that particular script if I remember rightly. Maybe he was just trying to careful in front of the pdoc? It was a teaching hospital and we had them sitting in every few sessions, in fact they used to ask all the questions and write the scripts with the pdoc acting as supervisor. I found it a little annoying and distracting, and I couldn't practice my usual 'persuasion' tactics with two against one - not fair!!!
>Quetiapine 100mg o.n x 28
I've never had any of my scripts written like that, but it's obviously a common practice.
>PS. There is no 50mg quetiapine tablet in the UK.
Right you are, I was quoting my full dose which was 50mg - two 25mg tablets. I think he did actually write the script for 50mg because that's the dose I asked for and he obliged. I used to keep copies of my old scripts as records of what I've been prescribed. I'll see if I can find it. Are you allowed to dispense a script that lists a dose for which there's no tablet strength? I've certainly had my prescriptions filled with all sorts of odds and ends to make up the full dose when stock was running low, but I suppose they would need the doctor's permission to do that? I once got a month's supply of lamotrigine as a mixed bag of GSK's Lamictal, some Spanish strawberry-flavoured orodispersible tabs and English APS 100mg tabs. Our American cousins would no doubt have had a hissy fit!
Q
Posted by Phillipa on May 6, 2007, at 18:18:16
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » kaleidoscope, posted by Quintal on May 6, 2007, at 17:42:02
Q must dispense as prescribed so the pharmacy would have to order the right strength that is written. Would most likely arrive the next day. In the meantime if they have a larger pill strenth size and it can be split they will usually give you one or two till yours comes in. Love Phillipa
Posted by kaleidoscope on May 8, 2007, at 14:50:25
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » kaleidoscope, posted by Quintal on May 6, 2007, at 17:42:02
Hi Q
Hospital doctors are often relatively useless at writing prescriptions. They tend to miss off vital details (eg. the quantity) as well as including unnecessary information. GPs scripts are normally better.
>Are you allowed to dispense a script that lists a dose for which there's no tablet strength?
Yes, unless it's a controlled drug.
>I've certainly had my prescriptions filled with all sorts of odds and ends to make up the full dose when stock was running low, but I suppose they would need the doctor's permission to do that?
It's very unlikely that they contacted the doctor. Pharmacy staff are busy and doctors don't appreciate having their time wasted with unimportant questions!
>I once got a month's supply of lamotrigine as a mixed bag of GSK's Lamictal, some Spanish strawberry-flavoured orodispersible tabs and English APS 100mg tabs.
Three different brands lol, that would be unusual. I assume they gave you a mixture because they were short of lamotrigine and it was the only way to dispense the full quantity. Even so, mixing standard tablets with orodispersible tablets would not be standard practice, at least not without asking the patient whether they were happy with it!
Ed
Posted by Quintal on May 8, 2007, at 15:13:07
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » Quintal, posted by kaleidoscope on May 8, 2007, at 14:50:25
>Hospital doctors are often relatively useless at writing prescriptions. They tend to miss off vital details (eg. the quantity) as well as including unnecessary information
I've had that happen before (!) but spotted it before leaving the clinic. I've I also had the wrong drug prescribed entirely, i.e. isocarboxazid when I asked for Parnate.
I can't find that particular script but I did find one of my old clonazepam scripts where my GP had accidentally printed out tramadol but scribbled it through and put her signature next to it. The thing is that where the dosing instructions should be it just says 'as directed'. Is this normal/acceptable?
>Even so, mixing standard tablets with orodispersible tablets would not be standard practice, at least not without asking the patient whether they were happy with it!
I don't remember being asked what I thought of it at all! In fact I didn't realize I had a batch of orodispersible tabs until I noticed a strange strawberry taste, and the tablets would melt on my tongue before I could wash it away. It's rare to actually get a full script filled on the same day, and it's common for the IOU is filled with a different brand. That said, I've never come to any harm (AFAIK) or noticed any loss of efficiency from having mixed batches.
Q
Posted by kaleidoscope on May 8, 2007, at 16:18:13
In reply to Re: Prescription: I-II poghs -what is its » kaleidoscope, posted by Quintal on May 8, 2007, at 15:13:07
Hi Q
>The thing is that where the dosing instructions should be it just says 'as directed'. Is this normal/acceptable?
Yes, it's normal. It's not 'recommended' but it's certainly very common.
>In fact I didn't realize I had a batch of orodispersible tabs until I noticed a strange strawberry taste, and the tablets would melt on my tongue before I could wash it away.
It sounds like they probably gave you the orodispersible tablets by mistake.
>It's rare to actually get a full script filled on the same day
If you are getting unusual drugs like isocarboxazid, this is not surprising! Pharmacies cannot stock rare drugs because they tend to expire before anyone brings in a script for them.
>filled with a different brand
This is normal. The system by which pharmacies are paid in the UK requires that they dispense the least expensive generic available at any particular time. Using expensive brands will cause the pharmacy to loose money - they are not paid to do so.
>That said, I've never come to any harm (AFAIK) or noticed any loss of efficiency from having mixed batches.
I'm sure you haven't :) Some people waste far too much time worrying about which brand they're getting!
Take care
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