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!

[Roomster101]

You will need to declare this if you ever need antibiotics again as can be classed as an allergic reaction and your GP may give you something else for your infection.

It has nothing to do with allergy!!

[niccyb]

I get thrush when taking penicillin and is a side effect of this. You will need to declare this if you ever need antibiotics again as can be classed as an allergic reaction and your GP may give you something else for your infection.

[Floralnomad]

Sounds like you needed seeing anyway then , hope the lump is nothing serious .

[Choccablock]

I say go for it. When I was pregnant the same thing happened to me. Went to gp and got a prescription. The next time it happened I didn't bother going to gp and got DH to get the cream for me!

[Wellandtrulyoutnumbered]

≥went

[Wellandtrulyoutnumbered]

An OOH docs? Are you serious? Those appointments are so scarce and for those whose medical needs can't wait to prevent them ending up in A&E.

My surgery doesn't do phone appts. They'd have wanted to see baby anyway.

As it is i was able to finally to discuss a lump and have bee referred for a mammogram. Probably just as well I wet!

[Floralnomad]

The point is you wouldn’t have needed a GP appt , it probably could have been dealt with by a phone call with a GP or ooh doctor .

[OnionShite]

I thought perhaps someone from/with experience of the regulatory body might be reading.

[Roomster101]

Hopefully we would all agree with that. I was just wondering what the standard of proof is at regulatory body hearings. It's generally balance of probabilities for tort law, burden on the claimant.

You would have to ask the regulatory bodies. Whatever the result of the hearing though merely going through a disciplinary process would be horrendous and personally I would resign anyway.

[OnionShite]

Well yes, of course you shouldn't lie saying you told a pharmacist of HCP something you actually didn't. Hopefully we would all agree with that. I was just wondering what the standard of proof is at regulatory body hearings. It's generally balance of probabilities for tort law, burden on the claimant.

[Roomster101]

What standard of proof is used, balance of probabilities?

I would imagine that more proof would be required than "balance of probabilties" to prosecute or sack a health care professional. However, going through any kind of disciplinary proceeding with professional regulators, employers etc would be very stressful for the person concerned so very unfair to put them in that situation.

[troodiedoo]

Yes go to another pharmacist. I've taken the tablet twice during 7 months of feeding.

[LittleRen]

I have had thrush during this pregnancy and I just buy it from Superdrug or boots, or even a supermarket - it’s available off the shelf, or at least it was about 4 weeks ago. The only one you can’t get off the shelf is the tablet. The GP said it’s fine to use during pregnancy so how can it not be fine to use during bf... I understand with the oral tablet but not the pessary/cream.

[OnionShite]

What standard of proof is used, balance of probabilities?

[Ninabean17]

Because unfortunately in my experience at least, they don't want to admit they were lying. Of course if they admitted it it wouldn't be an issue but as far as our bosses (the nhs) are concerned we shouldn't sell inappropriate medication. If someone lies and then lies again to cover themselves, it comes back on us.

[HolgerDanske]

Yes quite, it's not as if envy individual would say, oh yes I lied, this horrible situation is entirely of my own making...

It would be utterly impossible to prove one's innocence unless one had irrefutable proof, which one very likely wouldn't.

[Roomster101]

Nina, how on earth would you be blamed and at risk of disciplinary if someone lies and then something happens to them from taking the meds? You gave it out based on the info given. Legally there's no way you could be culpable as long as you have given appropriate meds for the info received.

There is no way they would be culpable if the person admited lying but some wouldn't so it could be a grey area Some people would insist that they had told the pharmacist though to offload any blame onto someone else. It may be difficult for the pharmacist to prove the person had lied.

[LemonShark]

Nina, how on earth would you be blamed and at risk of disciplinary if someone lies and then something happens to them from taking the meds? You gave it out based on the info given. Legally there's no way you could be culpable as long as you have given appropriate meds for the info received.

[seven201]

Oh and I did lie to the pharmacist when buying pessaries (before having them on repeat prescription) as I knew they were safe and that the pharmacist couldn’t sell them to me otherwise. Sorry it’s spread to your boobs

[seven201]

After reading this I am now annoyed at my GP! I was antibiotics for about a third day f my pregnancy and from about 5 months had permathrush that just wouldn’t shift. I had to walk like john wayne. I was prescribed cream a million pessaries and used one every other day for a while. Made sod all difference. They could have given me flucazone!!! If I get pregnant again I will know for next time though!

[Wellandtrulyoutnumbered]

I was being unreasonable to get annoyed about pharmacy worker just doing their job.

In future I'll lie because now I've had to have two GP appointments and got to treat boobs and baby. If I'd caught it earlier I think it would have been fine.

[Ninabean17]

Pharmacy worker here. We don't say no to piss anyone off. If you lie, that's up to you and obviously we won't know if you're lying or not. We have to have a certain level of trust. But if you do lie, and take medication that might not be suitable, and something happens (allergic reaction etc) we will be the first people that get blamed. We can lose our jobs, lose certain licenses, it's a nightmare. If you want to lie then lie, but please just understand we have certain laws to follow and we can't please everyone.

[Roomster101]

Not specifically about this scenerio, but referal is not always due to the fact that the drug may have side effects. Sometimes, it is because symptoms can be a sign of more serious disease etc. In this case, pharmacists might be expected to refer as the GP needs to check that the thrush hasn't spread. I think that if you are breastfeeding then you owe it to your child not just to take it upon yourself to treat a medical condition that could affect your child.

[Roomba]

Honestly? I would (and have) done exactly the same as you. No point in waiting a week for a GP appointment to obtain the medication in this instance. I wouldn't do that for all medication though, the OTC rules are generally there for very good reason.

The BFN are fantastic - I made good use of them when BF.

[VileyRose]

I just order online!