Just a quick up-date about my parents and their battle with their Doctor to stay on the medication that was working for them, and not giving them side effects. I did not have to intervene because as I mentioned previously, my Dad had terrible pains in his legs so he had yet another appointment and on this occasion, the Doctor prescribed another tablet, even cheaper and even less effective, requiring more blood tests and several gradual dose increases, and guess what - with the same dreadful leg pains as a side effect. Result - my Dad is now not taking the drug, and is therefore no longer protected against heart disease or a stroke.
Imagine how much all this messing about has cost the NHS in wasted appointment time, my Dad in wasted travel time, and with no benefit in the end (unless you count it a temporary benefit that the NHS is not paying for any tablets now Dad is not taking them - what is the cost to the NHS of heart attacks and strokes compared to the annual cost of this effective class of medicines?)
As you can tell, I am not seeing this as a positive outcome - I have suggested that on their next visit, they say that they have had the information and do not now give informed consent to the switch - let's see what happens next.
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