To lie to pharmacist

[Wellandtrulyoutnumbered]

Went to pharmacist today.

Have had antibiotics recently and started taking kefir and probiotics too late as too ill to think and nursing poorly children too. So now I have the joy of thrush.

I'm breastfeeding a 10 mth old. Been trying to clear it up for past couple of days using an old cream. Possibly not effective as old but thought right need a pessary or fluconazole tablet.

Told pharmacist breastfeeding as thought I should. Told me can't give you anything not even a cream. Downloaded and Showed her breast feeding network drugs factsheet on vaginal thrush. Both drugs fine.

Pharmacist said no GP only.

I have neither the time nor inclination to waste a GP appointment. I could order online but that will take days!

AIBU to just going to another pharmacy and not disclose /lie of necessary. Obviously I'm maintaining good hygiene but my nipple had an itch earlier and if it's spread to boobs or baby mouth it's awful to shift. Argh!

GP will be better for full clinical assessment, so safer all round. Buuuut having been in your boat I'd selectively choose what I told the next pharmacist!

Honestly I'm all in favour of taking ownership of your own health etc but I'd be more inclined to trust the pharmacist than a factsheet you found online.

Then again I do regularly lie to them and say I'm not on anything else to save myself the lecture they have to give you, I already know from years of being on the meds I take what's safe to use them with, what my tolerance is etc so I just say I'm not on anything to save time. If anything happened it'd be on my head for lying anyway.

If you’re confident it’s safe, I’d go to another pharmacy and just not tell the pharmacist about BF. Otherwise I guess it’ll have to be GP. Watch carefully for nipple thrush, it’s agony so I’d nip that in the bud now if you think that’s starting.

Completely trust breastfeeding network more than own GP at times who regularly needs to consult same websites authors publications!

Not even cream seriously? I thought that was ok even for pregnancy ?
Ive had such conflicting advice in the past even with ibuprofen. If I were you I'd try a different pharmacy!

Pharmacy wouldn't give me anything for thrush when pregnant- went to see GP and she gave me pills no issue.

I think pharmacists are just more cautious

I would go to another pharmacist and lie in the circumstances you describe. The BFN are superb on what is safe to take during breastfeeding. They have a dedicated advice line staffed by specially trained pharmacists if you want to double check. I once spent 20 minutes talking to one of them when DD was tiny. She was brilliant.

Yeah I mean, GPs often consult sources while you're with them and people complain but they're also filtering that info through their existing knowledge of medicine, your specific health concern, possible interactions, and taking clinical responsibility for the treatment they prescribe. So even if they look something up online I'd still be more trusting of your own GP than a fact sheet for the above reasons. Your own health and decision though!

Rheged email only now due to lack of money but yes Wendy and her team are amazing and saved me more than a couple of times.

I'm nipping to chemist now. Closes at 9pm.

Not even sure if actually a pharmacist earlier. She just got leaflet out of box.

We all know that says nothing other than not recommended which is different than the actually what passed into breast milk.

I'd be more inclined to trust the pharmacist than a factsheet you found online.

In relation to breastfeeding, I would definately trust drugs in breastmilk network over the pharmacist.

I think by 'regularly needs to' you mean 'sensibly chooses to'...

BFN is a reputable source and the information is accurate.

However, the pharmacist is not bring unreasonable - they are allowed to advise on and sell certain medications but with some exclusions. Breastfeeding and pregnancy are common ones. Just because it's considered safe doesn't mean they're allowed to sell it to you. They're hardly going to risk their license for your convenience.
If your surgery offers telephone consultations or telephone triage you will likely be able to have a script generated without too much trouble.

lemonshark no issue with GP looking things up. Point is it's often the same resource I'm using so confident in site

I would trust Breastfeeding Network more than some pharmacists. They seem now to want to send everything to GPs who usually look at you like when you take up an appointment or ask for a prescription. It's no wonder the NHS struggles
I would go and lie as you suggested unless you know a pharmacist you can trust

Did you get it? Hope so!

Ah I see! I missed that bit. Well yeah, I don't see any issue morally with lying to chemist. You're the one taking the risk and nothing can come back on them. Have pharmacist friends who are all fully aware they're lied to all the time for various reasons and don't mind at all!

Another vote for breastfeeding network. I would trust them over your pharmacist any day of the week!

I'm a prescriber, the BFN advice sheets are, in my opinion, the best source of advice avalible & I always consult them when prescribing to a breastfeeding mother. As much as you do need to be careful with 'factsheets from the internet' that isn't the case here.

Just lie! Wendy and BFN are fab. Sadly pharmacists and GPs aren't usually familiar with their work and it's a crapshoot whether they will carry out the recommendations.

I always omit any info about bf or anything else controversial when having to deal with a pharmacy. (When DD had oral thrush I had to make up some excuse for needing Daktarin gel as otherwise I knew they wouldn't give it to me). And I'm a midwife!

Was getting thrush cream from pharmacist yesterday and he let me buy it but did say guidelines had changed so really I should be going to gp as the pharmacist saying it was ok isn't considered enough any more.

I'm struggling to understand why your pharmacist is sending you back to the GP.... waste of an appointment.

The pharmacist is exceptionally qualified to discuss medications and interactions and can also consult the BNF!

Another vote for Wendy and the BFN. And I also would normally caution against trusting random online sources. The BFN is a different beast entirely. Hope you got what you needed.

The breastfeeding network info is not "some factsheet".

The people behind the information are professionals who have devoted their working lives to studying drugs in breastmilk.

The pharmacist is bound by their own code so your GP might be the best port of call.

Feel better, thrush is awful.

Sometimes a medicine is not licensed to be sold to pregnant or breastfeeding women even if it is known to be safe - it depends what the manufacturer put in their application. So the pharmacist would be breaking the law to sell it to you. Frustrating though.
Try phoning GP or NHS 24 (or English equivalent) to see if you can get a prescription without an appointment.

The pharmacist is in a no win situation. Clotrimazole and Fluconazole are not licensed for sale as Pharmacy medicine to breastfeeding mothers. If she sells it she won't be covered by her indemnity insurance.

You can buy the cream in Tesco etc and take the risk yourself.

Some medications have different license restrictions so eg. Piriton can only be sold for children over one but a Dr can prescribe it for a younger child but obviously they need more careful assessment. It's the same kind of thing here. Breastfeeding mothers need more assessment than can be provided in a pharmacy. In this case customer has diagnosed herself.

YADNBU...I was refused eye drops recently because I’m breastfeeding!