"Not following allergy controls"

I found out that I was lactose intolerant about six years ago. Rather than the usual reaction of sore stomach, bloating, etc., it gives me migraines. And a side effect of my migraines is fainting. While it sounds humorous, until I got it under control I ended up in situations where I'd end up falling down stairs etc. The worst instance was when I fainted on a train and through sheer bad luck/timing fell towards the doors and then through the doors when they were opened.

I changed GP in 2015 to  Meadowbank Health Centre in Polmont and the first problem I encountered was that not all my medical information had transferred across. I made sure this was fixed at my patient review (within first 4 weeks). However, since then I have consistently been prescribed medications that I am either allergic to (ibuprofen/aspirin/amatriptalyne) or contain lactose as a filler. The first instance was in 2017 while I was pregnant and has happened on almost every occasion I've needed medication since.

This came to a head in June 2018 when I got to my wits end. I put a repeat prescription for a second course of a brand name antidepressant (that the hospital had recommended as it didn't contain lactose) and was then prescribed a generic version which did contain lactose. Given the fact I could only request these in the week before I ran out, and only had four days left (over a weekend), I was understandably worried. I contacted the practice to be told by the receptionist that there was no flag on the system regarding lactose. At this point I asked them to call me back and gave them details of my availability around my work schedule. I was called the first time while in a meeting, and the second time three minutes before the time window I gave ran out (I rescheduled my meeting to take the call). I was then told that the alert was there, but was on a different screen from what the receptionist looked at and "I don't know how you want me to prove it works other than tell you it does." (It's not hard. You pick a person with the flags, try to prescribe something and see if the alert appears.)

When I pointed out that I was consistently being prescribed things I couldn't take, and that the only two options were that the alert wasn't showing or the GP was overlooking it, she got defensive and began to talk in circles. I was meant to get a call back in four to six weeks (yes, six weeks!) when the holidays were over, but alas, I got nothing. 

Until recently when  a urine sample I gave to Maternity Triage came back to say I needed antibiotics. I went to the chemist to pick them up, and because I've been at the same place since I was tiny they know to check for lactose, only to discover that once again I had been prescribed something that contained lactose. The chemist tried to get a variation that didn't, but in the end had to go back to the GP to ask for either liquid form or something else. 

This time when I phoned back to complain the receptionist's first response was "but the alert works, I can see it on your file." and then admitted that their part of the process was working, it was up to a GP to action it. 

It's gotten to the point where I'm sick of arguing. I just want the process to work as it should.

Side note: I had a second bad experience with this practice, although I can't decide if it's worse or not. After I had my daughter in July 2017, they kept telling me that I couldn't take my previous pill because migraine was a contra-indicator. However, I was put on that pill to help treat the migraines and was told by a consultant neurologist that i was allowed as I don't suffer aura (only migraines with aura cant use the combined pill). Knowing my own history, and knowing I already had a letter in my file saying it was okay, I asked them to email my neurologist. At my post-natal check, I asked if there was a response.  The staff member left the room, came back then seemingly made up a response from my neurologist to support their view of the contraceptives I was allowed. Only to get caught out when the neurologist actually did reply and reception phoned me up to tell me the content of the letter. (Which funnily enough matched my view and the letter already on my file....)