AIBU to get annoyed at being asked questions at chemists?

[SooBee61]

Today at the chemists (who shall remain nameless) I wanted some Solpadeine so am asked if they are for me and not to take them for more than 3 days. I've also been asked if I'm on any medication when buying other 'drugs'.

The lady before me in the chemists wanted some golden eye ointment. When asked if it was for her she commented that it was for a pet. Assistant immediately goes into police mode. 'I can't sell it to you, we're not licensed for that.' Lady says that it's for herself in that case. Assistant is implacable. I offered to buy it myself and she could give me the money. Assistant remains implacable saying she knew the circumstances!

I can understand why they might ask about other drugs as there can be a conflict but it's this policing attitude that grates.

I worked in two pharmacies in the early 90s. I did some counter assistant medicine courses and learnt about basic medicTion and conditions. Later, this sort of training became compulsory (late 90s?).

The assistants ask questions to check if the medicines are appropriate.

Human medicines are not licensed to be used in animals, and the pharmacy couldn't sell it knowing that that was it used for.

Codeine is addictive, hence all the questions.

My mother worked in a pharmacy in the 60s she gad to ask all these questions then. I'm not sure why you think it's a new policy op.

Our GP practice has its own pharmacy (being a rural practice) so I doubt the resident pharmacist would point out conflicts in the drugs prescribed, especially as she's employed by the GP's!

There is not a single competent doctor who would be bothered by a pharmacist pointing out a drug interaction. They respect that pharmacists are professionals in their own right and know far more about drugs than doctors do. In fact you may find that many doctors will consult a pharmacist prior to perceiving some drugs, especially if the patient is taking a lot of different drugs.

Chloe the problem with aspirin is that it increases your risk of miscarriage because it thins your blood. We're not licensed to sell it to pregnant ladies because of that. It's one of those things people get on prescription when the risk to their/baby's health if you don't have it is greater than the risk of taking it. Frustrating if you just want another packet without bothering your GP for another prescription, but much much safer overall.

Oh, in that case the pharmacist in Boots St Pancras cocked up - I was prescribed aspirin in my last pregnancy for preeclampsia. Was on my way to visit friends, realised I'd forgotten it. Grabbed it off the shelf, went to pay and he did ask if it had been prescribed (I had an obvious bump by that point) and I explained, and he sold it to me. No problems.

Grabbed it off the shelf, went to pay and he did ask if it had been prescribed (I had an obvious bump by that point) and I explained, and he sold it to me. No problems.

The pharmacists on the thread may correct me, but I don't think that is against the rules. It is not illegal to sell aspirin to pregnant women, but it would breach pharmacists' standards of good practice if the pharmacist did not satisfy himself that it was appropriate for you to take - which he did.

Not sure if the rules are different in Scotland but I buy baby aspirin for my cat (heart condition) and I always say it's for that. No further questions are asked.

They have to ask by law. Gone are the days when a teenager could walk into a pharmacy and buy razor blades and 100 paracetamol without being asked any questions and thank god that they have. Nowadays pharmacy staff have to ask questions and they do a fantastic job of keeping people safe. My cousin is a pharmacist and takes his responsibility very seriously, as they should.

I think it is one of those where it's at the pharmacist's discretion. I'm pretty sure it's not licensed for general OTC sales in pregnancy, but may be sold at the pharmacist's discretion. I think. I know our previous pharmacist would sell it if she knew the person had had a prescription during their pregnancy, but our current one won't sell it to pregnant women full stop.

Imo opiates should be prescription only.

They are too addictive and dangerous to be taken without medical supervision.

I remember my GP advising me to get some hydrocortisone cream for a wee patch of excema on my face (it was before prescriptions were free up here). It was close to my eye but he knew that I was hyper-sensitive to the risk of a steroid cream and would use it properly.

He told me to tell the pharmacist that it was for a patch on my back or some other inaccessible place as otherwise they wouldn't sell it to me.

I get piriton for our dog. Vet said it was fine to give her the 4 hour stuff and to keep some by us (she's allergic to all kinds of things, particularly bee stings).

I've learnt to always say it's for me as the one time I said its for my dog they wouldn't let me buy it (which I understand). I'm a terrible liar though, I'm sure I must look as if I'm planning to do something highly illegal with it!

Just lie. FFS. They're just trying to do their jobs.

I also had to go to a different Boots to buy anti-histamine. Ds was 11 months at the time and I was still breastfeeding. I made the mistake of being honest with the pharmacist who refused to sell me any.

I went home, checked with friends who are GPs and then went to a different branch and kept schtum. I was only wanting it just in case I got heat related urticaria as we were about to go on holiday, so that I'd then be able to calm it down.

It's annoying but understandable, I take prescription codeine and initially found it too strong so got the over the counter strength. I sent DH and had to coach him in what to say so he'd not get refused. I can well imagine there are drug seekers encountered by pharmacists fairly regularly. GPs can treat us similarly, advising us to stop drugs without offering an alternative treatment. Or they don't understand newer medications despite it being less risky. And you can't just ask for some things, like diazepam for muscle spasm, you have to do it indirectly so the GP suggests it like its their idea. There is a real clamp down on opiates and diazepam type drugs so I understand why but it prevents honesty, even from me when I'm super careful and not addicted, just in stupid amounts of pain :(

I was annoyed when I tried to buy domperidone in the OTC form (now prescription only) to increase milk supply, they refused because I was breastfeeding. Although I know it's because it's an off licence use. GP prescribed it no problem.

'I also had to go to a different Boots to buy anti-histamine. Ds was 11 months at the time and I was still breastfeeding. I made the mistake of being honest with the pharmacist who refused to sell me any. '

Yeah, I was honest like one time and then not again.

I have PTSD and use what's basically Nytol One a Night to get to sleep. I hated having to go to chemists to get it. 'If you use this more than 3 nights you need to see your doctor.' Um, okay, has he got a pill to bring back the dead and expunge horrific memories? Because if not, there's no way to fix this problem out.

But in the US I buy it in huge bottles so now I just stock up at home.

I'm glad they ask as a pharmacist pointed out a potentially lethal interaction between one of the mess my mum had been on for years and a new one she'd been prescribed. It is really annoying though when you've got a raging migraine and a dc driving you nuts and you get what feels like the Spanish Inquisition to buy migraleve.

What I don't understand is why some pharmacists won't sell otc pink migraleve if you don't have a 'card' yet my gp has never heard of having to have a card to buy it. I actually cried when I'd run out and the pharmacist refused to sell it to me when I was in the middle of a huge migraine because I didn't have this card that I'd never been asked for in ten years of buying otc migraine medication.

With the pregnancy/aspirin thing - I went away for a week and forgot to take my aspirin with me (prescribed due to high risk for pre-eclampsia) so went into the local pharmacy there. They couldn't give me 75mg tablets because I was pregnant, but were perfectly happy for me to buy the 300mg tablets and cut them up.

OP - I completely understand.
For some reason this issue always brings out those who trot out the law that you must discuss your personal health issues in public in a shop .
No I am not going to discuss why I wish to purchase iron tablets . The idea is based on the the principle of assuming that the general public are ALL clueless idiots and in need of advice. I have NO problem with a question as to whether I need advice but I will not answer inappropriate questions in a public place. I discuss my heavy periods with my doctor in private - I'm not about to discuss them in public and this idea that we should all suddenly abandon our right to privacy and answer personal questions in a shop is ludicrous. I'm not attempting to buy illegal drugs and I am intelligent enough to read the label and to ask if I need advice.
OP - you're not alone - lots of people object - it's just that the power of it goes to some people's heads and they forget that many adults don't wish to discuss private health matters in public, they just want to buy something. On the occasions I do encounter inappropriate questions, I politely decline to answer - so far they have always sold it - it turns out that their 'rules' aren't as hard fast as they would have you believe.

Solphedine is one the the most abused over the counter drugs, you will always get asked and advised always.
Pharmacy staff have to ask the questions every time, If you lie then basically its up to you, fair enough if you have been advised by a gp but obviously the pharmacist has to make a judgement with the facts presented there and then, they could lose their job on someones say so so rules must be followed.

Yes, of course all pharmacists are power-crazed and love asking people personal questions

And it is great that you read the drug information, but 99% of people don't.

You can get medication for animals from a human pharmacy, you just need a written prescription from a vet, just like you'd need one from a doctor to get medicine for yourself. My vet normally provides but one time they'd run out so they wrote out a prescription and told me to go to Boots as it'd be quicker than them ordering in. When I needed the same thing again a year later I asked him to do it again, because Boots gave me it in banana flavour and that proved much easier to get into a sick animal than the unflavoured veterinary formulation :o

Our vet has sometimes advised what human medications or other products are safe for dogs or cats (I have two dogs and a cat), what dose and how to administer. Then I just go to the pharmacy later to buy some, much more cheaply that if the vet himself supplied it.

If asked though, I always say they are for me. I know I wouldn't be sold them otherwise. I also know that I am taking full responsibility for my own actions.

The pharmacists do have to ask questions and objecting to that is pointless. They have to abide by a lot of regulations and the terms of their licences are strict.

Our local pharmacist is a goldmine of information if needed. As a regular there, and with a few items on repeat prescription, they know me well. I have at times been very grateful for his advice.

I actually don't mind them asking questions (although I do think they should get a bit more educated about breast feeding ) and I'm also one of those strange people who always, the first time I get prescribed a new medication, reads the whole leaflet

swirl You may be intelligent and know what to do but how does the pharmacist know? he HAS to treat everyone as if they know nothing, people lie, often dont read instructions or disclose important info. Not all customers are as intellegent as you!
As for the privacy issue you can go into the consult room, go to a regular chemist where they will know you or write it down.
Looking after personal information and dealing with embarrassing questions is all part of the job for pharmacy staff, just let them know it's private and deal with it in one of the ways I've mentioned.