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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

193 replies

BlueButTrue · 29/10/2017 10:08

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 Confused 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!

OP posts:
squizita · 30/10/2017 22:02

CaptainCallisto your boss will sell low dose aspirin though - trust me. I've bought it when very obviously pregnant from the pharmacist. Who IS permitted to sell it off prescription - I just showed my notes and all was well. The reason was I realised my 99p pack cost the NHS a LOT more if I cashed in my free prescription. So I ended up prescribing the heparin and buying the aspirin.
Did this in: Tesco, Super drug, local pharmacy.

I printed off the drugs in breast milk info sheets similarly when breast feeding for 2 1/2 years.
What you have said is inaccurate. It could cause worry to women seeking medication.

squizita · 30/10/2017 22:09

Flyinggeese unless (as in my case) it almost cost me my pregnancy.
The fact is however knowledgeabLe pharmacists are, they need to exercise common sense - if someone's pregnancy notes or prescription from a maternity hospital say aspirin and heparin, bloody well sell it. It's not a competition to be wiser than the Dr (especially if the Dr is Lesley Mother fucking Regan).

Flyinggeese · 30/10/2017 22:10

Theresamayscough no it's not discrimination, in the way I think you mean. It really isn't.

Flyinggeese · 30/10/2017 22:14

Squizita agreed, but (correct me if I'm wrong) it sounds like in your case it was an error and the pharmacist rectified it pretty quickly by dispensing what you needed. These things will always happen but I still believe erring on the side of caution (at the risk of inconvenience/upset) is, on balance, absolutely right.

Trafalgarxxx · 30/10/2017 22:29

The problem as I see it, is the fact that I have been told stuff by pharmacists that I was then told we're wrong by a specialist.
And this seems to have been a recurring line on this thread. People being told to get X or Y at the chemist to then be refused on the grounds that it was dangerous/not suitable etc....
How do you want people to then Trust a pharmacist?
And of course, it encourages lying to get what you want/think you should have/have been told by a GP or midwife to use.
This is only going to get more and more common with GP telling you to get XX otc because it's cheaper and pharmacist telling you can't get it...

MasterofKittens · 30/10/2017 22:35

What gets me too OP is that they can decide by looking if you're pregnant. Obvs you're about to drop, but what if they made that judgement call on someone who wasn't pregnant but they deemed her to be so? Conversely, what if they sell it to a woman who is pregnant but they can't tell? It's ridiculous. You do right to be annoyed.

HGLB87 · 30/10/2017 22:37

Your pharmacist is a trained professional who is responsible for not only your health but also for the health of your baby... They are bound by lots of legislation (including UK Medicines Market Licenses) and will not sell you something that could potentially harm you or your baby (even if the majority of cases come to no harm). Although as long as castor oil was only used on skin/hair - fair enough - I think as long as there was appropriate advice it should be sold, but canesten, some antihistamines, some decongestants etc can be inappropriate and have never been tested in pregnant women.. Is it really worth the risk?? Years ago we freely gave pregnant women thalidomide for morning sickness - look what happened there... I can't help but think that if your pharmacist did just sell it all to you, and something awful resulted from it, everyone who'd be pointing at them asking why they sold it in the first place...

Judydreamsofhorses · 30/10/2017 22:37

I sent my DP to buy Feminax Ultra for me, which is pharmacy only. He was astonished when the pharmacist (automatically without really looking at him) asked him if he was pregnant or breastfeeding - he’s 6ft 5 and in no way presents as female.

clairethewitch70 · 30/10/2017 22:40

My Aunty had a stillbirth after taking castor oil to induce labour in the 1960's. It can be dangerous stuff.

Terrylene · 30/10/2017 23:03

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/pdfs/ukpgaen_20100015_en.pdf

I don't know about rules in pharmacies, but it is discrimination to refuse sell cigarettes to a pregnant woman on grounds that she is pregnant when they would sell them to someone else. Page 23.

I wouldn't go near Castor Oil, personally. It doesn't work and it really is not worth the pain and mess.

Geordie1944 · 30/10/2017 23:14

Dear God, OP, why waste electricity on this ridiculous thread? Send someone else to buy your castor oil.

endehors · 30/10/2017 23:27

Some people find it very good for their hair, lovelymess, and apparently good for thickening. Also hot cloth cleansing method as already mentioned too.

I had a pharmacist refuse to sell any indigestion medicine to me when I was pregnant, advised me to ask my GP for a prescription. DH bought it for me instead.

planetclom · 31/10/2017 00:29

My mum who was a midwife was asked how caster oil worked with overdue labour she said it stops women nagging the midwife for 24 hours as they would be strapped to the loo the entire time but wouldn’t actually induce labour and any labours which did occur it would save them having to administer the enaema (Old school)
Another one of her words of wisdom was my hot water and towel? To get rid of the father/mother/mother in law to give you 5 Mins free with Mum to check she was okay, to keep them calm and feel useful and finally she and mum would need a cup of tea and a towel to wrap baby when born.
She had fucking hundreds of these alternative realities to pregnancy and birthing practices.
Shame I never wrote them down because I suspect these where more true than she would admit.

minifingerz · 31/10/2017 00:39

evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-using-castor-oil-to-induce-labor/

Just in case anyone’s interested in the evidence on caster oil.

Atenco · 31/10/2017 05:07

I find this refusing to sell to pregnant women stuff appalling, but you lot should really appreciate the other care that pharmacists take to make sure you are fully aware of any possible side-effects, etc.

I had a horrible doctor who prescribed me a pennicilin-based antibiotic when I am allergic to pennicilin. Fortunately the pharmacist checked with me and could well have saved my life

I now live in Mexico and the other day I was sold a pain-killer in a pharmacy that I found out afterwards had quite a few caveats, but the pharmacist didn't ask me or tell me anything

treaclesoda · 31/10/2017 05:23

I think it's ok that staff question what people are buying, in this case make them aware that it's not suitable for inducing labour. What angers me is the assumption that being pregnant makes women stupid or turns them into liars.

And 'just get someone else to get it for you' is really not the point. What if the pregnant person is caring for someone else? Eg you've got a husband at home in agony and you find you can't buy a box of painkillers for him because you're pregnant. It's insulting.

Boots refused to sell me Fybogel when I was pregnant, even though it clearly states on the box that it's suitable for use in pregnancy. They said that just because it says that on the box doesn't mean it's correct Hmm

ZaphodBeeblerox · 31/10/2017 05:31

I know what you mean about it feeling infantalising.. although unlike health conditions where the patient often knows a lot about what they need, pregnant women come in all stripes.. so someone who’s been using canesten pessaries occasionally for over 2 decades may genuinely not realise it is proscribed in pregnancy without doctor’s approval.

Mind you I’ve also had a barista at a clearly hipster American place (in London) refuse to serve me a double shot coffee because that would take me over my daily caffeine limit (according to him). I didn’t want a double shot anyway, but felt annoyed at him deciding for me iykwim.

wtffgs · 31/10/2017 06:07

Oh, Persephone - that is just horrible for you Brew

MrsKoala · 31/10/2017 07:03

Same as breastfeeding. Don't ever mention you are breastfeeding.

minifingerz · 31/10/2017 07:05

“My Aunty had a stillbirth after taking castor oil to induce labour in the 1960's. It can be dangerous stuff“

I’m not sure there’s any medical evidence that caster oil is dangerous, only that it makes women very nauseous and prone to diarrhoea.

WomblingThree · 31/10/2017 07:49

Jesus, are people still stupid enough to take castor oil? @minifingerz, yes it absolutely could cause a stillbirth. If it makes the mother shit, consequently it can make the baby shit. Meconium aspiration can cause neonatal death. This is why chemists won’t sell it to pregnant women.

Maybe OP and others could dial back the righteous indignation, and think why pharmacists have the discretion and wherewithal to refuse sales. For some of you, it seems like it’s a bloody good job they do!

treaclesoda · 31/10/2017 08:26

This is why chemists won’t sell it to pregnant women.

The OP wanted it for her hair. Not to ingest. The indignation isn't about pharmacists looking out for people's health it's about assuming that because you are pregnant you must also be lying about what you want it for.

CurlyBlueberry · 31/10/2017 09:08

I have never had a problem with actual pharmacists - they are very well trained and have given me excellent advice before.

But once, the pharmacy assistant in Boots clocked the baby I had in a sling, asked if I was breastfeeding, and when I said yes... refused to sell me Lanacane gel which is a gel you rub on your THIGHS to stop them chafing!!!! Grin

endehors · 31/10/2017 10:24

The indignation isn't about pharmacists looking out for people's health it's about assuming that because you are pregnant you must also be lying about what you want it for.

Quite.

Kerala2712 · 31/10/2017 10:24

Thee evidence suggests castor oil is dangerous in early pregnancy, but not after 38 weeks. Certainly wouldn't cause stillbirth or meconium inhalation- those things just happened. At worst just wouldn't do anything. Probably weren't allowed in birthing pool as it gives you the squits.
Pharmacists/assistants have an important legal and ethical role. Shop assistants/baristas/any other random nosey parker do not. Nobody has the right to patronise/belittle/infantalise/be rude to or upsetting and judgemental.

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