To think this was poor from the pharmacist?

[Pharmacy1one]

6 weeks or so ago I got two cartilage piercings in my left ear, tragus and helix.

I kept irritating them by turning over in my sleep and my toddler has knocked them a few times too so I was getting those annoying irritation bumps which were tender. I haven't had any pus coming from them, no temperature or discharge, just a bit of clear fluid when i removed them which I know isn't that abnormal.

I went to the chemist and asked to speak to the pharmacist, receptionist asked what the problem was and I briefly explained and said I want to buy something for the inflammation but was hoping the pharmacist could take a look first.

Receptionist relays that to the pharmacist and the pharmacist decided, without looking or even speaking to me at all, that it's infected and I need to go to A&E and get antibiotics and sprays would be no good.

She had her baby with her strapped to her back so I don't think she could have sat down with me in the consultation room in the first place.

I'm a bit miffed as we are routinely encouraged to see a pharmacist for minor ailments to take the strain off of GP's and hospitals, but this is the response I got for trying.

I have PTSD after having sepsis so now I'm scared about an infection that I didn't feel I had in the first place 😔 I can't just rock up to A&E for something like this surely, and there's nobody to have my children anyway.

Do you think I'm being unreasonable for thinking her response was poor?

Yes she did.

Why are people on this thread judgy and unsympathetic 😂. Beautiful sunny morning let’s give the OP grief … 🤨

The pharmacist has a limited range of things they can assess and prescribe for. Infected piercings is not one of them.

Buy some hibiscrub, make a solution and clean it 3 times daily with this. Don’t go to A&E and don’t make a GP appointment unless they become infected - pussy, red, hot to touch and/or you feel unwell and fluey with a temperature.

(I’m a nurse practitioner)

I've been using sea salt rinses in water but I'll take a look for NeilMed now. Thank you for your help.

And I can’t believe your piercer didn’t give you this aftercare advice. That’s rubbish.

What does this even mean??

So unprofessional

Are you reading a different OP? Because this one says she's trying to avoid going to the NHS.

Perhaps get your facts straight before jumping in with the "cost to the NHS" trope and I hope you never do anything that may cause you to need NHS care. Lead a totally excellent lifestyle, with zero risks!

Not all pharmacists have taken on consultations.
GP

You shouldn't have taken them out without talking to your piercer first.

But in the future, saline solution is best for irritated piercings - you can buy it online or just make your own with rock salt and boiling water. Just allow it to cool before use. There was no need visit a pharmacy for this.

Cartilage/tragus piercings are a pain to heal (I've had both) but saline solution and not fiddling with them is all that's needed, for the most part.

Please read your moronic comment back and have a rethink 😂

OP went to a private pharmacy and you accused her of wanting the NHS to pick up the pieces. You then directed her to go to her GP ….which is the NHS 🤨

Ridiculous comments from you which make zero sense 😂

No one gonna talk about the baby strapped to the back? No?

This stuff cleared up a piercing bump on my nose piercing in about 3 days.

Have you removed your piercings permanently? If so the irritation bumps should go away as they heal so you dont need anything other than perhaps the neilsmed spray to keep them clean whilst they heal

If you haven't removed them permanently then you are making the problem worse. Leave them in, dont mess with them, and get the neilsmed spray to clean them with.

You would have been better going to a piercer for advice rather than a pharmacist tbh

Not sure I see an issue with that.

Put some Sudocrem on the soreness

Of course pharmacists are in the NHS. Next you'll be telling me GPs aren't in the NHS, because they're self employed!

@TheIceQween Maybe its totally normal and we're the weird ones for thinking it's not

A pharmacist employed by Boots pharmacy is a boots pharmacist not an NHS pharmacist

At a guess, she popped into work on her way somewhere and ended up covering for a colleague briefly?

I mean there could be plenty of innocuous reasons tbf

Sudocrem is a bad idea because it blocks oxygen to the wound and slows healing

Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you! I do actually feel a bit unwell and have for three days but I'm almost certain it's side effects from one of my medications being increased (I'm on another forum where others are reporting exactly the same) but now of course my PTSD brain is now saying "well the pharmacist said you need antibiotics, you might be going septic" 🙄

I've checked my temperature and it's perfect.

I wouldn't dream of going to A&E for something like this. I haven't seen my GP in about two years as I don't like taking up their time with things I can sort with something bought OTC.

Not sure a dispensing pharmacist should have a kid with her... a bit distracting

Hence her fobbing the OP off

Yes they're both out. I've cleaned the piercing sites thoroughly with a sea salt rinse. I'm not planning on putting them back in.