Hi all. My mum has Parkinson's and earlier this year started to find the Sinemet started to wear off an hour before the next dose. At her last appointment in June, her consultant suggested Rasagiline but mum's GP was unwilling to prescribe it as she wasn't familiar with the drug.
The consultant and GP are still exchanging letters....but I want to bang their heads together and feel helpless.
I'm now left ringing both (or rather their secretaries) every few days to chase for the drug to be prescribed, as mum has lost all confidence leaving the house after a recent trip to A&E when she fell in town (an hour before her Sinemet dose).
I'll be taking Mum's to her next appointment with the consultant in December and I see no chance of this being resolved beforehand, so she's had to wait 6 months whilst her mobility and independance has deteriorated.
I would have thought it's down to the GP to prescribe isn't it? She knows what other drugs mum is taking (blood pressure etc) and is surely responsible for my mum's overall health. But what if she refuses?
Does anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences?
when i was first diagnosed with PD in August this year my consultant put me on Rasagiline, he gave me a script for a months supply and told to get further supplies from my GP , well the time come for a repeat prescription , gp phoned me to discuss she also said to me she had never heard of it either she had to look it up , then her reply was ' oh that is a very expensive drug , how are you on it ' when i replied i was much better and if she has a problem with the cost take it up with the consultant who prescribed them . she rather grudgingly put them on repeat for me after she had made it apparent how expensive they were .
Hi, I have always thought that the treatment of PD was completely in the hands of the neurologist. they are the experts. They prescribe , but the GP dispenses according to their advice. It is not up to the GP with their limited knowledge of the disease to question the advice of the consultant. The GP is, of course, the manager of the overall health of the patient and together with the pharmacist hopefully keeps an eye on all drugs prescribed and their interactions. Some think Rasagiline is neuroprotective and might even slow down the disease process, but their is no solid proof yet.
