I had a telephone call yesterday to let me know that my injectable Methotrexate will be delivered every 8 weeks on a Friday. This is the only day that is available to me and unfortunately I work on that day. The man from BUPA (I think?) said they could leave it in my garden shed but I would worry about someone breaking in and it getting into the wrong hands. I had a break in last year. If someone stole it and then became ill I would be worried about getting sued for not storing it safely. I could ask to have it delivered to my work place as I work in the NHS in learning disabilities and we have a lockable drugs cabinet. I'd rather not do this but will ask if I have to. I suppose this might be seen as a 'reasonable adjustment' under the Equality Act. I have some colleagues who are rather dismissive and negative about my RA and I'm sure they wouldn't be supportive but my bosses probably would be OK. I don't want to ask my neighbours as it is embarrassing and they might be out when the delivery comes. The company will not post it through my letter box. I'm wondering about asking if the local hospital or a chemist could accept it. How do other people get around this dilemma and does anyone have any suggestions?

Where is the MTX coming from Naomi? If it was Healthcare at Home they are really good about delivering whereever you like. Are you sure they don't deliver on any other day? I would say that having the the drug delivered to work shouldn't be a problem, or maybe your loal GP surgery? It's worth asking them.

Thanks Paula
That made me chuckle. The delivery company have said they will only deliver on Fridays. I think they are reluctant to post it through the door in case children or pets get to it, even though we don't have any! Maybe they are worried about breakages. If I did have it delivered to work would I need to have a spillage kit there too? The warnings and instructions about accidental spillage are quite stringent so I would imagine that they would want to cover themselves as everything is risk assessed these days.
Naomi X

Hi Naomi
I've never had a delivery -my GP writes a prescription that i take to a local chemist -but i only get 4 weeks worth at a time,but it is convenient as i also work.
Maybe your local chemist would accept a delivery for you -they know about storing meds and most are open Saturday's too
Take care
Julie

Thanks Paula that is reassuring. Julie are you on tablets or injections? I did get my tablets from the pharmacy but now I'm going onto injections I can't seem to get the drug on prescription. It can only be delivered.
Naomi X

Naomi

I get mine delivered to work by the company "Healthcare at Home" . They even sent a nurse out to work to show me how to inject myself.

I am sure if you ask BUPA there should be no problem.

Like Paula said, when the nurse arrived at work and when the Methotexate was first delivered, it certainly peaked a lot of interest in people asking me what was wrong with me. When I explained and they also saw the warning stickers on the box, they soon accepted that maybe it was not the same "as their Granny had".

I work for a company who uses toxic chemicals in their manufacturing process and I am responsible for the health and safety of the company. The methotrexate injections are delivered in a sealed box and the injections themselves are in a sealed packet and the needle has a protective cover. The likelyhood of a spillage is negligable as long as you don't actually use them at work. If your company want to risk assess this, then the risk is minor and the occurrence is rare and as long as they say on their risk assessment that the injections are well packaged in a hazard warning box, then there should be no problem. You could always ask for an extra spill kit from the company supplying the Methotrexate for you to keep at work if this is required but I did not think this was necessary for my deliveries.

I think the thing you should keep in context Naomi is that they are not as lethal as you would think. When they send a nurse out to you to show you how to inject them that nurse is dealing with patients who have cancer and are having to have chemotherapy using Methotrexate at a much greater dose. They will go through with you the protocol as if you were using the full chemotherapy drugs and will say things about wearing aprons, double flushing your toilet etc. I have spoken to my RA team and many people on this site, and whilst you need to be sensible when injecting Methotrexate, you do not need to go overboard with what they say to you. My RA team said you really did not need to sterilise the site before you inject unless you have not had a bath for several weeks

Good luck

Jackie
xx

Naomi

Not a stupid question at all. I was told by the nurse who came out to show me how to inject that I should always double flush the toilet because of the Methotrexate in my system. I have since been told by many sources that this is totally unnecessary. The nurse who told me this is normally dealing with patients who are on full chemotherapy and very toxic drugs. In this case they need to be more cautious around people who may be using the same toilet.

Jackie
xx