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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or just naive at medication available over the counter abroad?

139 replies

PacificDogwod · 30/07/2017 21:12

Just back from holiday (Spain) with my parents.
My father had forgotten various fairly heavy-duty heart medication (he is just 8 weeks after open heart surgery) and every single thing he needed was readily available over the counter Shock.

Much as that was very convenient for us (no doctor visit), I was quite staggered how unsafe that practice potentially was. We had to provide no evidence that that was what he was actually on or that we knew what doses he needed, no questions were asked.

Btw, Bisoprolol (b-blocker) 2.5mg x28 tablets: 2 Euro 40
Rivaroxaban (blood thinner, NOAC) 15mg x28: 83 Euro and change
Amoxicillin 1g x30: 11 Euro + a few cent

OP posts:
FoxyRoxy · 31/07/2017 21:32

We lived in Spain for years and I bought the contraceptive pill, tramadol, diclofenac and all sorts of other things otc (always originally prescribed by a Dr or on advice of the pharmacist) I miss those days!

MozzchopsThirty · 31/07/2017 21:35

You can't buy much that's fun though, no codeine, no benzodiazepines and in the USA you now need ID and address in the USA to buy pseudo ephedrine

You can buy zopiclone OTC in Hong Kong though

ihatethecold · 31/07/2017 21:35

Is Valium sold otc in Florida?

MinkyWinky · 31/07/2017 21:38

I had the opposite. Wanted Sudafed in Portugal. They don't sell it over the counter at pharmacies Sad

raspberrysuicide · 31/07/2017 21:38

You can buy ventolin inhalers over the counter in Portugal.
I get some every year., they are about €5 each!
My doctors are very stingy at prescribing them and won't let me have more than 1 a month

CrochetBelle · 31/07/2017 21:38

Does anyone know if I'll be likely to be able to pick up another tub of melatonin in Majorca?

YellowLawn · 31/07/2017 21:41

diclofenac (tablets, not the cream) is not without risks, especially cardiac issues and gastro side effects.
great stuff for short term use and under supervision from dr.

TartanDMs · 31/07/2017 21:43

Can you buy codeine in Spain? I am a little worried about taking my prescription codeine through customs as DH and I are both on it for different things and I'm worried that the amount we take for a fortnight away will look dodgy. If we can buy it out there we won't need to take as much out with us.

MrsSchadenfreude · 31/07/2017 21:46

We lived in Romania when the DDs were small. My life was saved by the local pharmacist who supplied me with bottles of Canadian gripe water that contained alcohol. Grin

Dapplegrey2 · 31/07/2017 21:49

Tartan - when my DH had to take Tramadol for a shoulder injury he got a letter from the surgery confirming his prescription.
Also I always take that NHS green electronic list of medicines I'm prescribed when we go abroad, so should I lose them or have them stolen I can show the list to a doctor or pharmacist and hopefully they will be happy to give me a replacement prescription.

MozzchopsThirty · 31/07/2017 21:57

Nope you can't buy benzo's in America

You'll be fine taking codeine into Spain

Also you can buy ventolin otc here in the U.K. You just have to pay for it

MaidOfStars · 31/07/2017 21:59

Why do people hoard super strong ibuprofen? Just take more of the 200mg ones!

But Canadian cold relief tablets? Amazing. Was like taking speed.

TartanDMs · 31/07/2017 22:00

That's a relief. Thanks. I had visions of being stopped and refused entry! Good tip to take the repeat slip.

itsnotterrysitsmine · 31/07/2017 22:05

In Turkey you can buy most things over the counter - antibiotics, inhalers, antidepressants, steroids (for medical use), in fact I don't think there's much you can't get apart from very heavy duty medication like morphine (although never asked).

They also have there own version of lemsip that is bloody amazing

apostropheuse · 31/07/2017 22:07

You need to make sure you're aware of any drug interactions before buying drugs abroad that you haven't been currently prescribed by a doctor. For example, I used to be prescribed Diclofenac for arthritis, but can't take anti-inflammatories now as I take Furosemide for pulmonary oedema.

WideHorizon · 31/07/2017 22:09

We have just become accustomed to the Nanny State in the UK.

If people want to take drugs that will cause them harm, that is nobody's business other than the individual in question.

Over prescription of antibiotics (to humans) is a teeny tiny drop in the ocean compared to the widespread prophylactic use in the farming industry. We will get nowhere at all with tackling antibiotic resistance unless we get that under control.

Ktown · 31/07/2017 22:14

I stock up on beta blockers in France, Spain and Greece. Tretinoin is also easily available as well as my DHs back pills.
I also get amoxicillin and just call my GP for a phone consultation and they are ok with me taking it.
The NHS takes a very conservative approach, which is good but it isn't like everyone on mainland Europe is dropping dead so it hasn't done them any harm.

YellowLawn · 31/07/2017 22:17

but it isn't like everyone on mainland Europe is dropping dead so it hasn't done them any harm. you wouldn't say that after you had encountered a super bug infection in an italian hospital.
antibiotics belong in hospital for treatment of serious infections. a little ear ache or sore throat is no serious infection.

Sgtmajormummy · 31/07/2017 23:20

it isn't like everyone on mainland Europe is dropping dead so it hasn't done them any harm.
I disagree.

In Italy, due to the fact that medicine is sold in whole packs and not the exact number of (capsules) there is widespread hoarding of leftover medicine and subsequent misuse. For example:

Adult dosage given to children, sometimes even by doctors (a good friend of mine is a pediatrician and the point was raised on a national level).
Handing on of unsuitable or out of date medicine after unqualified diagnosis by a friend who had "the same" symptoms.
Whole packets being used up when the therapy only called for a small number. Or the opposite.

On the whole in Italy there is widespread hypochondria, self medication and a frankly cavalier attitude to medication. Some of which I'm seeing even on this thread. They're not sweets or legal highs, FGS!

AnathemaPulsifer · 31/07/2017 23:26

the medical industry is over-professionalised

WTAF??!

crazywriter · 31/07/2017 23:27

I was surprised when moving to Canada just how much was available over the counter. And how much of something you can buy! Melatonin over the counter is available in my local Wal-Mart.

ineedamoreadultieradult · 31/07/2017 23:37

However in Sweden you can't buy paracetamol without a prescription...

Musicaltheatremum · 31/07/2017 23:37

If people want to take drugs that will cause them harm, that is nobody's business other than the individual in question.

And who picks up the pieces when the harm is done. When you have a stroke because you've got migraine and on the OCP. When you kidneys fail because you take ibuprofen and frusemide, when your infection doesn't clear up and you get septicaemia because of the antibiotic resistance.

The problem is, if I sign a prescription and something goes wrong then it is my fault and someone could sue me but you can't do that if you buy it yourself.

WideHorizon · 01/08/2017 00:00

Musical - this is why I don't support socialised healthcare. You make valid points wrt the NHS, but if we put this out to the market and people paid according to their actual risk, a lot of these issues disappear.

Maelstrop · 01/08/2017 00:18

Obviously in other countries people take responsibility for themselves, rather than needing to clog up GP surgeries

And as someone already said, antibiotic resistance is a cracking reason for not merrily allowing everyone to buy what they want.