Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3

AIBU?

To lie to pharmacist

63 replies

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 29/10/2017 20:12

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!

OP posts:

Report

HolgerDanske · 29/10/2017 20:52

As I always say on these threads, pharmacists are more cautious because they operate under very stringent rules and they are personally liable for every prescription they dispense.

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 29/10/2017 21:07

Went to pharmacy. Didn't ask so didn't lie. Brought Generic Fluconazole and clotrimozole. £7. Compared to £14 for same from Cantesen.

We are skint but on payday going to gift the £7 difference to Breastfeeding network - they are such a valuable resource.

The pharmacist had hands tied earlier but seriously this needs addressing. Such a waste of a GP appointment.

OP posts:

MynewnameisKy · 29/10/2017 21:16

Wellloutnumbered I definitely agree but Dr's write the protocols!

Misspollyhadadollie · 29/10/2017 21:26

Pharmacy wouldn't give me anything at all for hayfever (I only wanted it in pill form so no eye drops/nasal sprays) but I was refused despite me reading online of other women who were given things and bf aswell. So I don't bother with pharmacist anymore.

MynewnameisKy · 29/10/2017 21:32

Thrush protocol for NI

To lie to pharmacist

notangelinajolie · 29/10/2017 21:45

Medication I'm on means that each time I pick up my regular prescription there is a note saying pharmacist needs to 'discuss' possible food interactions. After 16 years of taking this drug I have had enough 'discussions' to last a lifetime so now when I'm asked if the prescription is for me - I say no. It cuts out the discussion part.

Do what you have to do OP. It can't be that dangerous if you are able to buy it without prescription.

MynewnameisKy · 29/10/2017 21:59

It can't be that dangerous if you are able to buy it without prescription.

Well it isn't if you use it as directed. However if it says don't use if pregnant/ breastfeeding/ taking other medication and you choose to ignore this then it won't be.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 29/10/2017 22:21

I ended up being advised to lie to a pharmacist by a hospital!

I was 6wks pg on holiday in a different part of the UK and had thrush which I suspected was causing spotting. My first port of call was the pharmacist, and on disclosing that I was pg, they advised me to go to my GP which was unfortunately about 8hrs away with a sea in between, so I did a walk-in to a gynae ward at the hospital (via A&E). The easiest and cheapest option all round was for them to advise me to go to another pharmacy and omit the pregnancy detail to buy the usual treatment without the bother of NHS charges or the hospital pharmacy.

Ginglealltheway · 30/10/2017 06:03

The BFN is an amazing resource and one to be trusted.

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 30/10/2017 07:50

Bloody spread to boobs so doctors today too!

OP posts:

Roomster101 · 30/10/2017 08:07

The pharmacist isn't allowed to sell it to you if you tell them you are breast feeding. Obviously if you want to lie and not tell them, it's up to you. Noone actually cares.
By the way, before you do lie consider that the breastfeeding network states that it's advice does not replace that of professionals and the manufacturer also states that a risk to the breastfeeding child can't be excluded. If you lie and don't follow advice, it is your responsibility should anything go wrong, particularly as it is your child's health rather than your own that could be affected.

MynewnameisKy · 30/10/2017 08:43

Bloody spread to boobs so doctors today too!

Exactly the reason pharmacies are asked to refer you to GP.

iJustReallyLikeIt · 30/10/2017 09:43

You should go to the GP.

Why lie? Because you're on an ego trip?

I'm constantly baffled by the way MN users can quote discrimination legislation, think disabled spots on buses are like shrines and shouldn't be touched but think that laws re. controlled drugs are simply guidelines.

VileyRose · 30/10/2017 09:45

I just order online!

Roomba · 30/10/2017 09:51

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.

Roomster101 · 30/10/2017 09:58

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.

Ninabean17 · 30/10/2017 10:07

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.

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 30/10/2017 10:14

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.

OP posts:

seven201 · 30/10/2017 10:25

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!

seven201 · 30/10/2017 10:27

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

LemonShark · 30/10/2017 10:29

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.

Roomster101 · 30/10/2017 10:56

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.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

HolgerDanske · 30/10/2017 10:58

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.

Ninabean17 · 30/10/2017 11:21

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.

OnionShite · 30/10/2017 11:49

What standard of proof is used, balance of probabilities?

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.