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.

Is it not 200 or 224 on the prescription though? That's what GP's normally prescribe for a month. A box of 32 is approx £1 so it's £7 for a similar amount from the pharmacy and multiple trips. So probably not that much more overall to pay the 9.90 if you are adding in some petrol and additional time to source multiple boxes.

paracetamol is dangerous in excess, hence the restrictions around buying it, but it’s not especially difficult to get round, supermarkets,corner shops, pretty much anywhere with the exception of clothes / furniture and electrics shops sell it. You don’t have to go to a pharmacy for it, I could buy 20 packets in a relatively simple walk around our local shopping outlet if I so chose. The two pack restriction really doesn’t significantly reduce overdoses,ask anyone who works in mental health. Admittedly being rural does make it harder for OP to get it

As a migraine sufferer who is legitimately allowed to buy triptans from a pharmacy but has still been challenged and made to feel like a criminal for doing so, I do sympathise, OP. It's not a nice feeling,

However, DH recently broke a bone and had to take paracetamol for pain relief every 4 hours, so needed a regular supply. I just bought the maximum allowed (2 packets) at every supermarket shop and at a different Superdrug/Boots every time I went out. Consequently the cupboard is overflowing with them. I don’t really see it as 'dodging round' - just addressing a mildly-annoying logistical issue…

There are online retailers who order stuff in from America, have a look for them and see who stocks the big jars of acetaminophen - you can get 1000 a go

I was going to suggest that. Get her GP to issue a prescription and then take it to her local pharmacy and ask if if they can sell it to you cheaper. They would have to dispense that amount if they follow the prescription so it doesn’t make any difference to what you are leaving the shop with! I would also ask to have a word with the head pharmacist and explain the situation, what it’s for that the GP is prepared to issue monthly prescriptions… you don’t ask you don’t get.

They are supposed to prescribe enough for 28 days (I have a prepay but I'm currently in a passive aggressive battle with the GP surgery over Gaviscon - 500 ml lasts 12.5 days if I'm having a bad week/month). So if that was £9.95 then that should be your monthly cost.

The gp can prescribe a box of 100 at the time . I get them on prescription as I prepay and have a split codeine and paracetamol prescription among quite a few others. But if you're buying them always use a variety of shops.

My MiL takes paracetamol in these quantities, she just gets them from her GP. She gets 100s at a time.

While waiting for an op recently, I needed paracetamol very regularly. I live in a rural village and there aren't many shops in an easy distance. I was having to ask DH, DD and a few colleagues to get some for me with their shopping. Fortunately, BIL then went on holiday to the States and brought back veritable buckets of drugs. I was relieved and horrified in equal measure.

When I was on paracetamol every 4 hours(for several years), I was prescribed two months worth at a time by the GP. This is the solution, no need to get it from the US, make multiple trips. I had a prepayment anyway as was on multiple other medications, but at those quantities I can’t imagine £10 ish every two months is any cheaper then getting it over the counter especially if you are going out of the way the different chemists etc.

I was definitely getting more than 100 at a time. I can’t remember exactly how many, but 100s. I think may 84 in a box off the top of my head and maybe 6-8 boxes.

When the legislation was first introduced to reduce pack sizes/availability my response was the same as many on here. What's the point? You can OD on relatively few anyway and you can get around the restrictions by going to multiple shops. The evidence since though is that it HAS significantly reduced harm from paracetamol overdosage so my opinion has swung to be fully in support.

https://www.bmj.com/press-releases/2013/02/06/43-reduction-deaths-paracetamol-due-smaller-pack-sizes

That said I also fully agree with the OP that those who legitimately need larger amounts shouldn't be scurrying around trying to get around the restrictions. Must be a better way to be "allowed" more surely.

Yes I know that. The vet has told me to give him paracetamol but can’t prescribe it.

I think the rationale is twofold: make it harder to get, which means you have to plan and think, which reduces impulsive overdose. Similarly, enforce blister packets so you can't just grab a handful and swallow. The popping out of a blister pack slows the process down and allows thought.

Neither will prevent a determined plan, but they will reduce the frequency of truly impulsive actions.

Paracetamol sales aren't limited in France either. I buy mine when I'm over there and bring it back. The doses are also larger, you can get 1000 mg so 1 tablet rather than 2. The French swear by Doliprane as a cure for most ills.

Ooh thank you this is really useful,

I had a supermarket pharmacist refuse to sell me two bottles of a cold and flu mixture when DH and I both had flu. In the end I got one from her and another off the shelf through the main till. At least that way you could buy four packets.

Can you show the pharmacy the specialist letter?

Maybe choose another pharmacy if that one isn’t comfortable?

Online as suggested if you can’t regularly get to a physical chemist and don’t pop into shops routinely.

I have severe arthritis so I'm in a similar situation and my GPs refuse to prescribe paracetamol due to the NHS costs which I've been told are in excess of £9.00.
I just buy two packs of 16 when I'm in any shop. I've got a small stockpile so if I have a serious flare up (this has happened a few times in the last couple of years) and become temporarily housebound I'm covered.

Get the Gp’s prescription then just pay the cost not the prescription price. I used to do this as reccomended by the pharmacist when I was pregnant and prescribed daily aspirin, I didn’t have my pregnancy exemption sorted yet, the aspirin cost something like 80p, so pharmacist said do you want to just pay for this instead of the prescription charge?
i really doubt that will be a problem for you either. I think you get 120 tablets from gp at a time

How old is your relative? Prescriptions are free over 60.

The pre pay certificate is £32 for 3 months or £114 for 12 months. I would get this as it saves the hassle of shopping around and will cover all prescriptions too

The gp should give 28 days’ supply. 28 x4bd

If you have 3 or more scripts for this person, pay annually. Otherwise ask the doctor for a bigger quantity. I'm surprised the pharmacy agreed to 3x32. I worked I'm a pharmacy and it's 2x16 or 1x32.
Your only cheaper option is to go to a number of different shops.
I sympathise. My husband gets 200+ at a time.

My NHS GP has written private prescriptions before - essentially telling the pharmacist a medication is prescribed but you are charged the over the counter cost.
Could this be a solution?