or just naive at medication available over the counter abroad?

[PacificDogwod]

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 .

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

I think in the USA they use pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) for making methamphetamine. That's why they've tightened up supply regulations.

I am quite astonished how many of you do not see the possible risks

I do see the risks, I don't, however, believe its the responsibility of the State to protect us from ourselves.

If people want to take risks, that is up to them, and yes, they should be the ones to pick up the pieces afterwards. (I also believe in compulsory health and 3rd party liability insurance for all btw)

The ventolin nannying is excessive
People like to have spares in the car
It is just the knowledge you have one in your desk/upstairs/downstairs/car.
It isn't about ignoring doctors advice.

I've pulled a muscle in my back and love that I can get prescription strength codeine over the counter here in Spain.

I have an inhaler in the car, by the bed, in my handbag and a spare in the medicine box
I can't see an issue with wanting more than one

I can understand some of the worry over drug use, but if you have a good medical or nursing background, you're probably happy to take most things and can do so safely

I think in the USA they use pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) for making methamphetamine. That's why they've tightened up supply regulations.

Yes, this is what happened. You used to be able to walk in a buy it and then suddenly you had to request it, sign a logbook, and show ID. But they still put Sudafed on the shelves, just without the pseudoephedrine, so if you didn't know you just got stuck with Sudafed that suddenly seemed to not work (happened to some guests of mine once).

The UK used to sell many more medicines over the counter. And there was widespread addiction to painkillers. I am in my mid 50s and remember the campaign to change this, because so many housewives were addicted. There was a lot of news coverage about the issues for a while, and lots of things you used to be able to buy over the counter, became prescription only.

Also suicides declined when they reduced the amount of paracetamol and paracetamol based products you could buy.

ktown You can buy ventolin inhalers in this country. Just the NHS restricts how many it pays for. If you want more, buy them.

It's not just in other countries, it happens in the UK too. I buy stuff over the counter when in the UK which I can only get on prescription in my home country.

I went to Amsterdam and was sleeping really badly so got some over the counter sleeping pills. I took them for a week, and it completely screwed up my menstrual cycle for 5 months! Turns out it was Melatonin which I had never heard of, but is prescription only in the UK. That was blast.

Melatonin can be dangerous, which is why it is prescription only here. But in some parts of the US it is taken like a vitamin pill

the medical industry is over-professionalised.

Good grief!

I can buy Clarityn D here (Cyprus) which contains pseudoephedrine... great for when I need to give the house a good spring clean 😇 Also bought amoxycillin and norithesterone without a prescription. Can't get Night Nurse but have heard a local dodgy pharmacist will sell you diazepam

I bought aftersun spray containing lidocaine after getting sunburnt in Florida. Ohh my, that stuff was heavenly! I've since seen it on Amazon, Ebay etc but they will not ship it to the UK.

(I have the Ginger Gene. I do try my best to stay safe in sunlight but get caught out occasionally.)

Ventolin issue is not nannying! Overusing relievers is a key indicator of out of control asthma. It isn't a joke. Far too many people die in this country unnecessarily from asthma. It therefore flags up on a GP's system if you request lots. You shouldn't need more than two (one in bag, one in safe place). They are for emergencies. It is the preventative that should be taken regularly.

If you want ventolin in lots if places that's fine. You get a few as one off scripts but none of them should be used often enough to run out

If you're needing more than one a month as they are running out then your asthma control is poor and your risk of death from asthma is not insignificant.

I do see the risks, I don't, however, believe its the responsibility of the State to protect us from ourselves.

Personally, I agree with that to some extent but current regulations and laws are quite the opposite.

pacificdogwood unfortunately the courts don't agree with you. A woman who had turned down multiple offers of a smear test and had the consequences explained and documented in the notes many times sued her GP and won when she developed cervical cancer. As a GP I basically cannot rely on the patient taking any personal responsibility for medicolegal purposes

On what grounds did she win??

As a GP I basically cannot rely on the patient taking any personal responsibility for medicolwegal purposes

Yep, I know. And I know of the case you refer to.
It's terrifying working as a dr these days.

She won? Smear test woman, that is?
On what grounds - as GPs you can't make a patient have a particular test, can you?

No, but the onus is on GPs/healthboards (in the case of smears) to keep registers and call/recall systems and to keep chasing defaulters.
Nobody can be permanently removed from a smear register for instance (unless they had a total hysterectomy - including cervix).