Why does being pregnant suddenly make me thick and unable to make decisions about my own body?

[ThatOneHurt]

I was prescribed iron tablets that made me vomit. I knew I was ok with ferrous sulphate (I suffer with anemia pregnant or not) so went to purchase some and they refused to sell them to me.

Today they questioned me buying thrush treatment, I had to tell them that it was for a friend. They told me they were only selling it to me if it wasn't for me .

Same goes for topical steroid cream.

All of these things, I can buy when I am not pregnant to soothe my body.
None of these things have a detrimental effect on my fetus.
None of these things require a prescription.
All of these things can be bought.

Yet, when I am pregnant I am apparently become to fucking thick to have autonomy over my body, and someone else has to decide for me that I am no longer equip to deal with these decisions by myself ergo refuse to sell me the treatment and tell me to see my GP.

YES I know they are "covering their back". But that's a cop out.
It's my body, it isn't harmful to the baby and I should bloody well continue to have autonomy over my body and what I chose to soothe symtoms of various ailments.

Most OTC medicine bought at Boots is not dispensed by pharmacists but by sales assistants who really have no pharmaceutical knowledge and parrot ‘Have you taken these before’, ‘who are they for’ ...

The scary thing is that as much as a thing is made of being responsible dispensers of medication (which in itself is a good thing) it is circumnavigated when you go to another country and can buy serious OTC stuff without any questions being asked.

I do agree with you OP, it seems like there is a general thought that somehow owning working ovaries excludes you from making rational decisions and outsiders seem to have an equal/bigger say in decision making ...

I agree with you OP, it's ridiculous. I had a pharmacist nearly refuse to sell me ondanestron, which the obstetrician had prescribed me for morning sickness. Yes the obstetrician, not even the GP. He fannyed about for ages umming and ahhing over whether he could give it to me since I was pregnant. Well I wouldn't have needed it if I wasn't!

But I know they are just doing their jobs, so I just come in ready to lie and say nope not pregnant (wear a loose shirt/hoodie to hide it if needed), not breastfeeding, no other medications, and I've taken it before.

Ferrous Sulfate is hardly an unusual med for pregnant women to need, is it? My MW told me by phone to go buy some as my blood tests had come back showing slight anaemia, but she never gave me a prescription.

@bunintheoven88

Aren't you allowed honey during pregnancy?
I'm 32+3 and going through nearly a full Rowse squeezy a week 😳

Oh you are, that's the thing! She had obviously extrapolated from the idea that babies can't have honey and decided that pregnant women couldn't either!

@Allthewaves

A pharmacist (or pharmacy technician) is not risking anything by dispensing to a pregnant woman a medication that is listed as being safe to take during pregnancy. Refusing pregnant women things like Canesten and honey is misinformed, paternalistic crap and not based on any sort of rational scientific evidence.

Although thrush treatment IS safe in pregnancy, pharmacists are advised not to sell it to pregnant women in case the thrush may have been caused by gestational diabetes and a glucose tolerance test may be advised. I acknowledge that the chance of that is small, but their career could be jeopardised by selling it to pregnant women.
Also, it is advised not to use the applicator to insert the pessary in pregnancy and to insert it with your finger instead.
This is why you are advised to see your GP or midwife.

Pharmacists and pharmacy staff have undergone intensive training, and the OP and the majority of these comments are so small minded.

It proves that people do not understand how the healthcare system works in this country. The staff don't do it for kicks, IT IS THEIR JOB TO KEEP YOU SAFE!

Regardless of whether something can be used, if a medication is not licensed to be sold for a particular group of people (pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly, etc.) It cannot be sold, but has to be prescribed.

It is law (MEP) and I'm sure you'd be the first to complain if you'd lost your baby if you'd used something you shouldn't have without being told about the dangers! It's up to you whether to risk using it, but that responsibility lands in your hands!

However, why should they risk their jobs and livelihoods because you are ignorant?

They are following pharmaceutical law and ethics!

Honey also states it is not recommended for those under 12 months, as it has research to be linked with a syndrome and it even states that on the bottle! Similar to why you can't have Aspirin under 16 years of age.

Just because you've used it before pregnancy and been fine, doesn't mean it is safe to baby! The customer isn't always right...

OP, what medical background do you have to decide what will or won't harm your fetus? There are lots of drugs you can buy over the counter-that doesn't make them safe. A PP is complaining about not being able to buy aspirin when breastfeeding but it should be avoided as there's a risk of Reye's syndrome.

During pregnancy your body goes through lots of changes that can mean you may handle drugs differently. You also don't want people self medicating too much in case they're masking something more serious. This is why you may end up being referred back to the GP eventhoughsomeconsultantsdowhattheylike Pharmacists don't decide the product licenses either, a lot of things aren't licensed for pregnant women because it hasn't been sufficiently tested! I wouldn't recommend lying to any healthcare professional treating you.

The iron tablets are for my system because the baby is stealing my resources. If I were to suddenly become really thick and unable to take medication carefully, I would simply pee out the excess iron.

Actually this isn't true. Iron toxicity is very serious and can be fatal. Some water soluble vitamins you would pee out any excess but nit iron.

Maybe that's why these pharmacy regulations are needed - because it's easy to make a mistake that could have serious consequences.

I had HG when pregnant and ended up being prescribed anti-emetics. A pharmacist refused to give them to me. I was (for the only time in my life) genuinely furious. Yes - because 2 gps and 4 hospital consultants (in a natal/gynae) hospital were unaware I was pregnant...apparently

I went to the pharmacy for KY jelly when I was 8 months pregnant. The pharmacist started quizzing me about my pregnancy, and wasn't keen to sell it to me. I explained it was to stick the pads of the tens machine on when I was in labour, and she looked relieved and sold it to me. Still curious as to what she thought I planned to do with KY jelly at 8 months pregnant.

@BrownEyedBiscuit2716

Honey also states it is not recommended for those under 12 months, as it has research to be linked with a syndrome and it even states that on the bottle! Similar to why you can't have Aspirin under 16 years of age.

Honey should not be given to babies under 1 year old. It is safe to eat during pregnancy.

www.amazingbreastmilk.nhs.uk/home-2/thefacts/antenatal/diet-vitamins/safe-foods/

www.eastcheshire.nhs.uk/Our-Services/preparing-for-a-baby.htm

www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-eat-honey-during-pregnancy_10305372.bc

Iron toxicity is very serious and can be fatal. Some water soluble vitamins you would pee out any excess but nit iron.

Indeed! And Im aware of this when I am not pregnant. When I'm pregnant I'm STILL aware of this.
But apparently once I'm carrying a baby I will suddenly lose the plot and eat packets and packets of iron tablets?

I won't do that any more than I would eat packets and packets of aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen.
And no one stopped me buying them in Sainsbury's.

OP, what medical background do you have to decide what will or won't harm your
fetus

The same medical back ground I had when I asked my GP if these items were safe in pregnancy.

@angelikacpickles

It's not worth taking the risk! I got Hepatits E weeks after giving birth from eating undercook pork, had it been a few weeks earlier, my son could've been still born! I was lucky, but I know of some who haven't!

Medical guideline information changes constantly and for one GP/HV who will tell something is fine, they'll be another to say it isn't! It's up to them to stay current with information! Oh, and just because it's on the internet, it doesn't mean it is correct!!!

Oh for goodness sake! There is no risk. Stop it. It's completely different to undercooked pork.

GP’s get prescriptions wrong a lot and OTC meds can have the most devastating consequences when mixed or taken inappropriately. That’s why pharmacists need to perform their own reviews— I presume if something did happen to your baby as a result of them blindly giving you an OTC you wouldn’t sue??

BrownEyedBiscuit, you are totally missing your own point. Honey is SAFE in pregnancy. There is no risk to the foetus of the mother consumes it during gestation. There’s no ‘taking a risk’, because there is none. Women don’t require a bubble for gods sake; they require informed choices and have the right to autonomy. Peddling mistruths under the guise of ‘its not worth the risk’ does women no favours whatsoever. Use your brain.

I’m guessing you are still anti-eggs too 🙄

They can still sell you fags,booze, knives and lighters! Probably get a sports gun license too! Clay pigeon shooting for pregnant women would be hilarious! Slightly less dangerous than archery.

I'm a GP and while I find this situation frustrating too I agree with BrownEyedBiscuit in that the pharmacists are complying with regulations - they're not just on an individual, crazy power trip.

I would argue that the regulations should be changed to avoid some of the more stupid things - even if a specific written document about risks and factors to prompt you to see a GP was given out with set meds in pregnancy, for example.

Even as a GP with a very close working relationship with our local pharmacist she was very wary of selling me OTC lactulose. She was very apologetic but I completely understood - I had my mat notes with me and showed her where the consultant had written down that he'd recommended it and it was fine. She said that if they have proof it's been recommended by a doctor that's ok, doesn't necessarily need a prescription. But I don't know if that's universal or not.

bsbabas as you've mentioned it - I shoot clays and have a shotgun licence. Definitely not been taken away from me due to pregnancy
Though not recommended after 16 weeks due to foetal hearing development...

I agree with you OP, it's very misogynistic.

My entire point, was actually less about the honey and more that taking medications and not listening to the advice isn't worth the risk!

In my first post I said about the honey and aspirin to explain that there are reasons why certain things aren't safe for certain groups of people!

It wasn't about just eating honey!

Cherries101 either you're being pedantic, haven't read any of my posts or just deliberately not taking in what I have said but you are literally missing the point so badly that the point got up, took off all its points clothes, did a burlesque points dance and moved all the way to Australia.

I agree. Im not pregnant but this back covering continues. My 15 year old had terrible periid pain and they werent going to sell us the pIn killerz we knew worked once they found oit she was 15. I said "they are for my other daughter. She is 18. She is at home. She also has terrible period pain". Pharmacist sold me what we went in for but it did feel like a farce.