Buying (needed) quantities of paracetamol

[WaltWitmanItIs]

So first of all I understand the risks of paracetamol overdose (including unintentional). I know the limit on paracetamol sales has hugely reduced overdoses. I know this. I understand this. I support this.

But surely for people who genuinely need it regularly there has to be a better way?

I have a relative who needs the full 2 tablets four times a day, and this will be ongoing.

The GP will happily prescribe but that is £9.90 a time for the prescription charge, for a cheap as chips medication.

So I have been merrily adding 2 packets to every shop. Then I was told that you can get 3x32 from a pharmacist. Great! Except today the pharmacist refused a sale because I’d been in a few weeks running and she recognised me and said she couldn’t do it repeatedly. She told me to mix up the pharmacies I am using.

I just don’t understand why there is not a mechanism in place to allow this. The pharmacist can dispense more (I’m not sure how much more?) with a prescription. Why can’t there be a system like a letter from a Dr to authorise it? Or a disclaimer form? Or an agreement that you understand the dangers of overdose?

I was honestly made to feel like a drug dealer today.

Ask the gp for a larger quantity.

If your relative gets lots of medications, a prepayment certificate may be cheaper.

Surely the amount they get from their GP is a lot more tablets then you can buy in one go? Do they get more then one prescription a month as you can get a prepayment which is cheaper if you need more than one prescription.

Thank you, this is a very kind offer. But I guess this is my point. It is needed legitimately, but the difficulties getting it make people do things like dodge round pharmacies, hoard it or share supplies.

Online.

I do as you and buy from different shops for DF and keep him topped up that way.

However of course if getting more than 11 prescriptions in a year a prepay certificate us cheaper, but not just for paracetemol!

Find someone going to America and get them to bring back a tub of 500, you can but them in all the drugstores there.

Thanks everyone. This person has a type of arthritis which actually paracetamol works really well for. No other medications. I think I worked out that the pre-pay did not work out cheaper. I also, to be fair, don’t know how much a GP can prescribe, so maybe the £9.90 would be worth it.

I was just made to feel so dodgy today!

Oh my! That would certainly help!!!

Dh had surgery and I mentioned it to the lady on the til when I was asking how many I could buy and she went and spoke to the pharmacist who gave permission for me to get loads.

When I’ve got it from the GP, it’s normally at least 100, if not more, in one go.

When I told the pharmacist that I needed it for 3 family members at home they let me buy several packets.
Can your relative get a prescription season ticket for their medicines?
You could enlist more people to help you?
I am quite used to only buying small packets of paracetamol and was horrified in New Zealand to see huge boxes of it. I knew someone who killed themselves with a paracetamol overdose so I support the restriction.

This is what I was doing. But I guess surgery is a one-off. The problem is I have gone fortnightly and today was the third time. The pharmacist said no more. Then said to mix up my pharmacies so I did not become familiar to them.

I think the upside is that you can buy it everywhere, like your local "food and wine". Unless you live very remotely, I'd just get into the habit of buying it daily. There must be corner shops near where you live or near where you work or near your dc's school etc, part of your daily routine.

Edit- or a rotation of the above

It’s a nightmare. My dad needed to take max dose constantly like your relative but the GP wouldn’t prescribe it at all. Then my mum had major surgery so needed it for a few weeks too. Me and my sister spent so much time nipping to different shops to get enough it was a nightmare at an already stressful time!

there should be some sort of certificate of need you can get from a HCP somehow!

Just try getting enough for a horse. And never tell the pharmacist it is for an animal. I'm not going to tell you how I know.

100 tablets is 12.5 days worth, I think. A prescription charge each time, that would cost a few pounds over the counter. And the NHS that encourages buying medicines rather than getting a prescription.

Has your relative asked in the pharmacy that they take their prescription to?

MIL buys her paracetamol from the pharmacy that dispenses the rest of her medication. They can see that the GP is happy to prescribe so they are happy to sell from it being on her repeat slip. they just ask that every few months she has an actual prescription so they can see the dr is still happy.

they won’t sell the amount to me or DH on her behalf, only MIl directly

I’d get the prescription for the large amount and take it to the pharmacy. Ask if you can buy the same quantity in generic as you’ve clearly got a doctor’s permission.

I am very sorry about the person you lost, I understand that there should be restrictions. As I said, I also support it. I’m not saying the general sales law should change. But that in light of that there needs to be a better mechanism where people do legitimately need it (including the are educated on its safe use).

I really don’t think people should have to recruit others to buy a medicine for legitimate use.

This is interesting thanks. My relative is prescribed no other medications. But I wonder if they would sell it if he had a prescription. Though surely the pharmacist could have advised that?

This sums it up completely. I don’t have the headspace to juggle the constant “how can I get more”.

This is a whole additional level of complexity 😬😬

Surely the GP cam prescribe enough tables so that 9.90 wouldn't work out too expensive

I definitely do not go into a shop daily. My point is why should I need to just to juggle this. It can’t be uncommon, and there must be a better way.