To be annoyed at out of date advice from pharmacist?

[Womnaleplus]

Earlier today I tried to purchase a branded ibuprofen/paracetamol mix from behind the counter earlier. I suffer from severe migraines but as I am breastfeeding I am limited to these two painkillers. I was on my own with two small DC, could feel a stinker of a headache coming on but had run out so went to buy some more.

The team flat-out refused to serve me saying that ibuprofen isn't suitable for lactating women. I said I had checked with a midwife and later a bf'ing counsellor, but they were insistent I couldn't have it. So annoying - they're wrong!

AIBU to be irritated? This is the second time I've been refused service in this way (both by pharmacists from the same large chain). I usually omit mention of the bf'ing but was caught on the hop. Certainly won't be telling the truth in future.

I don't pay the extra for Nurofen either, but if I was as desperate as the OP to squeeze as much oomph as possible out of underpowered meds then I think I might.

In hospitals you don't need branded drugs, you have magic White Coats, which are the most powerful brand of all.

White coats are banned now! Infection control.

I think it's just us children's nurses being ace.

As I typed it I did wonder whether people actually wore them any more. It's a metaphor for your general aura of awesomeness.

Just say that it isn't for you. And the other person isn't taking other meds.

Crohn that's very interesting - migraine seems to be a mix of structural (certainly by the time you've had them for over two decades as I have, there is a structural element) and other factors like stress, blood sugar, disturbed sleep, physical trauma etc etc.

I am desperate. I am beyond desperate - was recently carted off by ambulance to A&E overseas and given a brain scan because they didn't believe I was having a (severe, admittedly) migraine. They're awful.

Interesting comments about the role of the researchers in the efficacy of the placebo. For me, everything about branded drugs, from the size and colour of the pills to the packaging, position in store and associated advertising scream superiority. And whilst I do understand this on a cerebral level, years of conditioning still make me respond!

Maybe it's just me but I think ibuprofen is crap and so is paracetamol. So is codeine actually. I was in hospital recently for an operation, and when I woke up my migraine had come back, so they gave me morphine. Didn't bloody work either.

So I am not surprised that we need a bit of hypnosis and placebo effect to persuade ourselves that they do work.

Crohnic, generics may not always be subject to the same rigorous levels of quality control that branded medicines are. They also are often made with less & cheaper excipients, so the absorption etc can be different. If you find that a particular brand works perfectly for you, every time, you may be disappointed by a generic version. Personally I find that any old cheap paracetamol works for me.

Argy- there were studies done where they gave volunteers the exact same tablet- but told half they were expensive brands, and the other half that they were on sale. The full price group showed a greater response to the meds than the sale group, even though they were given the exact same tablet. Therefore I'm inclined to believe that any difference in performance between brand and generic is purely placebo.

Pharmacist's are NOT allowed to sell a medication if they know it will be used outside of its product licence. If the manufacturer's information states not to be used whilst breast feeding then a pharmacist cannot legally sell it if they know it is going to be used by a breast feeding mother.

bestofburden - apparently codeine has no effect for about 8% of Europeans. Genetics again! :)

But the manufacturer's information doesn't state it's not to be used while breastfeeding! It says to consult GP or pharmacist. So if her knowledge had been up to date she could have sold it to me.

Sorry - me again. Don't forget they're always wary of being caught out by mystery shoppers.

Pharmacists are not allowed to sell some perfectly safe medications to pregnant/lactating women, even though they could have a prescription for the same stuff & use it without any concerns.