Karen: Speaking with health professionals – Poor communication and lack of information
Listen to patients and health professionals speak about their experience with taking multiple medicines.
Karen
Female
Age at interview: 37
Number of medicines: 8
Cultural background: Anglo-Australian
Karen was staying with her parents when she first injured her back. She found it a real challenge convincing a GP closer to home that she needed prescription painkillers.
I'd lived up here for about four years or so, but because I'd been basically healthy, I hadn't found a GP and so I'd been going to the same practice the same time, but just been seeing whoever was available until I found the GP I'm seeing now and I'm seeing her regularly, since I got onto all of this stuff.
When I first hurt my back, I was with my parents and saw my childhood GP and, because I stayed with my parents for a couple of weeks, because I could barely move, then when I came home, it was seeing different people here, but having to argue with a few GPs on just getting Panadeine Forte prescriptions and getting lectures on the addictive properties of codeine and saying, ‘Look, I wouldn't be asking for it if I didn't really need it.’ I'd walk in ... getting frustrated at one point ... saying, ‘I need a script for something. It's either going to be an antidepressant or a painkiller. Help me out here.’ I just wasn't sleeping ... that was back when all I needed was Panadeine Forte!
The Living with multiple medicines project was developed in collaboration with Healthtalk Australia.