To think it a a bit shit that pregnant women can't buy Castor Oil?

[BlueButTrue]

Yes, I’m aware some people use it to induce labour. But some people also seriously abuse alcohol or whatever have you and are still sold it You wouldn’t even know they’re an alcoholic half the time!

Castor Oil is brilliant for the hair and eyebrows.

Boots won’t sell me anyway.

Holland and Barrett won’t sell me any.

Local chemist say they don’t think it suitable so won’t sell it.

Superdrug won’t sell me anyway.

Apparently they cannot sell to those who’re pregnant. And I’m very clearly about to drop.

AIBU to say this is a bit shitty towards pregnant customers?

I know it gets misused but so does a lot of things sold in chemists etc... And yet those are on shelves!

Yes I agree this is an outrage. When you think it's fine to sell cigarettes and alcohol. But on the other hand I suppose they must err on the side of caution in case somebody tries to sue them.

Boots are the absolute worst for asking intrusive questions and giving you unsolicited advice when you're buying OTC meds.
eg -- Who is it for/Are you on any other medication/Have you taken it before/Don't do this, that or the other when you take it.
I just lie.
I always read labels and have educated myself on whatever meds I take.
And beside, they're not doing it for me, they're just covering their arse.
And don't get me started on the self-righteous twats who bang on alarmingly about 'self-medicating' when you take a couple of OTC analgesics for the occasional headache or period pain. They can fuck right off.

I’d just say oh how awkward I’m just fat not pregnant and watch them squirm.

This is outrageous! And it's clearly f all to do with being sued.

Next time someone tries to refuse you a prescription on the grounds of pregnancy, you could always try this:

vimeo.com/52003662

I was refused a pack of paracetamol the other day in Asda because I didn't have any ID on me. I was clearly unwell, to the point I had lost my voice and couldn't even talk to the guy who was interrogating me! I was buying my weekly shop, including a pack of ibuprofen which I didn't need ID for. Absolutely ridiculous behavior, the attached pharmacy have sold me much stronger stuff with no ID. Never ever had a problem buying the stuff before, I'm clearly not 12 either!

Persephone - oh mate, that is just the worst.

I went to Holland and Barrett at 38 weeks with DS to buy raspberry leaf tea. A combo of hyperemesis and killer abs meant I looked more like 20-odd weeks along. The shop staff refused to sell the tea to me because I wasn’t far enough along. I gave her my due date and she asked me if I was sure! Well, yeah... I haz smartz and can do calendars, lady.
I had to go back the next day with my notes.
Then there were the caffeine whingers during DD’s gestation.
And the bellends who went bonkers over the antiemetics that kept me out of hospital both times.
And the knobhead who physically steered me away from some foods at a buffet.

Urgh had a pharmacist insist on calling my doctor about my anti-emetic prescription once

I had a problem with aspirin from a chemist when I was pregnant. I had a prescription. He wanted to call my dr surgery to query. I pointed out the prescription was from a consultant (prof not dr) so he'd need to call the hospital. He changed his mind.

My friend wasn’t allowed to order the cheese plate in a restaurant when she was pregnant. The waiter said he refused to give it to her and she had to choose something else instead. She was so taken aback (and hormonal) that she started crying. They paid the bill and left.

Ooooh! Just remembered I went into the chemist to buy otc co-codomal for my DP.

They refused to sell it to me - the pharmacist said she wasn’t happy to sell it to me because I may be lying. I don’t actually look like a drug addict. Just a normal slightly older mum.

I was very pissed off

Do you remember when everyone got bread makers? Some of the recipes in our bread maker book included powdered vitamin C. I think it makes the yeast work better.

Anyway, went into local pharmacy to get it. They can’t sell it as people mainly use it to cut drugs with. I got all embarrassed and stood there awkwardly saying ‘I just want to bake bread though.’ And shuffled out.

I had this shit as well. I was refused (on separate occasions) low dose aspirin (which my fertility clinic had advised me to take) and codeine for my husband. In the latter case, apparently pregnant women are not to be believed - the pharmacist wouldn't believe me that it wasn't for me. It's such paternalistic bullshit.

I was suffering from heartburn in the evening towards the end of my last pregnancy. Popped into the chemist to buy a small bottle of gaviscon. The cashier refused to sell it to me.
I kicked up a fuss. The pharmacist came out from the back and agreed with the cashier and told me to see my gp.
I asked why when all the gp will do is write me a prescription for some?
Pharmacist said "we can't sell it to you because you can get it free" ???!!!! I was fuming!
I asked if she really wanted me to suffer for the next two weeks until the gp can see me, waste the gp's time when he could be seeing someone who is actually ill and make the already strained nhs pay for something that I'm quite happy to pay for??!!!!

I got my bottle of gaviscon.

I'm a pharmacy technician. I've also been through two pregnancies and I know how shit it is not to be able to take things when you're ill.

I hate having to tell pregnant women they can't have things OTC, but if it's not licensed for sale under those circumstances I cannot sell it to you.

Clotrimazole (thrush cream) isn't licensed, aspirin isn't licensed, anything with pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine (lemsip/sudafed etc) isn't licensed. I could go on! Yes, you can get those things on prescription, but it is illegal for me to sell it outside the bounds of its license.

Likewise, pregnant or not, if you tell me you want hydrocortisone to treat something on your face or neck I can't sell it. You hand me a prescription and I can give you the same tube of cream I couldn't sell you. It's ludicrous in a lot of ways, but it's not the fault of the pharmacy staff.

A while back now but I had to submit to the chemist’s warnings
when I wanted to buy some kaolin and morphine....for the dog.

Captain So it’s within the policy to make assumptions that people are in fact pregnant too?

Because as a lot of posters have explained, they often aren’t asked... Pharmacists have assumed.

I'm a pharmacist - I regularly refuse to sell things - old - young / male - female / pregnant - not pregnant. I always question, as do my staff or there would be no point in us being there.

Canesten pessaries - used to be licensed for otc sale in pregnancy - not anymore, it has to be on the recommendation of a Doctor or Midwife. I would sell you the cream to help control the itch until you were seen though. I wouldn't have refused a diabetic, but would have asked about their general diabetes control and if it was a regular problem and referred if necessary.

Cystitis treatment - rarely does any good and not suitable in pregnancy.

This week I've refused a decongestant to someone with AF - he said hew would buy it down the road. Fine if that is what he wants to do, but at least I won't be responsible for his stroke. Also refused Night Nurse to an elderly patient who was already taking sedating medication - at least I go thank you there.

The problem is that we can't win - just because you can buy something it doesn't make it safe.

As for Castor Oil - it has no medical benefit so I don't stock it. (See NICE guidance for further info).

Cystitis treatment - rarely does any good and not suitable in pregnancy.

What - those little sachets of Sodium Citrate? I've had Cystitis 3 times in my life. It's horrible - each time it's happened, I've lowered myself into a hot bath for as much relief as I can get and set DP sprinting to the chemist to get them - the time it started early morning I was crying it was so uncomfortable. The very quick relief they give is most definitely not placebo!

Now yes, if you're pregnant you should go to the doctor too, because you might have an infection, but the idea of sitting there with that awful feeling (not quite pain, but more like a really deep urge to wee that just won't go away - so it's very close to pain) doesn't seem like something I would do personally.

No Blue, I didn't say that.

I generally ask women of child bearing age if they're pregnant or breastfeeding before I sell them anything that they shouldn't be buying if they are. Same as I ask people if they're taking any other medication. It's what you're supposed to do when you sell any medication to anyone. I'm not saying all pharmacists/pharmacy staff do it correctly- obviously there are plenty who don't do things properly just like in any profession.

My only point was that if I tell you I can't sell you something like aspirin or sudafed I'm not infantilising you or trying to remove your bodily autonomy - I'm doing just doing my job.

I'm so glad I'm so grey and wrinkled it's assumed I'm not of childbearing age anymore.

Probably missing the point, but why castor oil? How do you use it?

Nanny state gone mad again.

You drink it with orange juice. 34 years later after the birth of my very overdue firstborn I can still remember the icky taste! My labour started within 5 hours and she was born just before midnight that day. Of course that may have happened anyway. Midwives used to recommend it, mind you, they also insisted on an enema and shaving too lol. It was known as the OBE.Oil bath enema