repeat prescription renewal advice please =/

You shouldn't really have an inhaler for hayfever. If you get symptoms you need to get over the counter antihistamines. You would be wasting your and the GP time with this. However, if you have asthma then you need an appointment

Repeat prescriptions can take up to 48 hours to process so please be patient and remember to hand in your request at least three days before you need your medication renewed. Please send your repeat prescription by post, fax or in person. We can not take repeat prescriptions via e-mail or telephone.

The starting point for treating simple hayfever is antihistamines, yes, but some people have 'hayfever' that's technically seasonal asthma triggered by pollen - the cough, tight chest and wheeze the OP describes sounds like this is the case. These people get prescribed inhalers just like people who have asthma all the year round ... it's not the doctor making a mistake.

OP, I'd make an appointment with the doctor (you're not wasting their time - they need to check the inhalers are still appropriate/sufficient, that's why repeat prescriptions don't run indefinitely). Do the doctors know you're getting symptoms/needing to use the inhaler most of the year? If they don't know, or you're using it more than twice a week, then ask for an urgent appointment as you need to be re-examined.

Thanks for your help, I'll feel a bit less stupid about going now. I'll make an appointment in a few weeks when I have thought of an excuse to tell my mum so that she doesn't force me to let her come and then make the whole appointment about her! (it has happened before). My last inhaler is still half full so I should be okay waiting.

I was worried I was wasting their time as I went to see a nurse practitioner in December (no docs available) after having a cough for a month, laryngitis and tonsilitis and she told me that if I was using the inhaler in December it was due to winter flowering plants- I was confused by this but I had no voice to argue with and assumed she knew what she was on about =/.

Is it worth me asking them to check me for.asthma? I've always struggled with breathing and assumed it was normal but today we did a peak flow test in biology and my result was way below the rest of the class. Although most girls.didn't turn up today so there was me (thin and 5"2) and 17 boys all over 6 foot and massively built and my teacher said that was the reason. Sorry I can't remember the value.

Thank you =) I did feel worried after that first comment but you helped reassure me=) you'll make a great doctor next year! =)

What is it that scares you about seeing the doctor? They'll will probably ask you some questions about breathing - how often you get symptoms, how often you need the inhaler, if you wake up in the night with cough etc. They'll listen to your chest and probably measure your peak flow and may get you to have a few puffs of inhaler and sit you in the waiting room then re-measure your peak flow a little while later.