in really not wanting a public discussion about my medication at the desk in Tesco pharmacy?

[eltham]

Grrr...so there I was, head of a long list of people in a queue and wanting to buy an over-the-counter medicine (for myself)(it was a sleep aid pill), only to endure the Spanish inquisition about ...my medical history; did I know the exact reason for my (slight) insomnia? ('because of course there are lots of reasons why people can't sleep'..yes, I do know that, given I'm 44!); how long do I intend taking the medicine?..(well, until I re-establish a decent sleeping habit!....and so on and on while all and sundry listened with curiosity. They might as well as used the tannoy system given the number of people who now know about my health. Frankly, it was embarrassing and condescending. If they're going to bestow upon us the power to self-medicate, then they need to allow us the self-judgement to determine that it's appropriate.

If supermarkets are going to sell over-the-counter medicines then they need to stop their shop assistants acting like doctors and expecting cutomers to disclose their personal details. It is NOT a surgery, behind closed doors. Thank God I hadn't gone in for haemmorhoid cream!

but, OTC does not mean they can give it out willy nilly...those meds tend to be on teh shelf for all to buy...and the only comment you wold then get (and from a check out person) if you take a too large amount....

YABU.

Actually I did have this conversation regarding haemarrhoid cream..... I am now at the age where I don't give a shit who is listening (no, I'm only 44). And the others are right when they say that these counter assistants are only trying to help, and to make sure that people take medicines safely.

Get over it. They weren't doing it purely to embarrass you or p*ss you off.

There is a difference between medication they can sell off the shelf and medication that has to be sold through a pharmacy with a qualified pharmacist present. This is dependant on the type and quantity of medication. For example you can only but sachets of calpol off the shelf whereas at the pharmacy they can sell larger quantities.This is because there are trained staff there to make sure you are buying the correct medicine for your condition and using it correctly. The only restrictions on off the shelf medication is the quantity you can buy at one time. e.g. only two packs of painkillers. I think the assumption here was, as the op had gone to the pharmacy counter, she was wanting to buy a pharmacy only medication otherwise she could have just picked it up of the shelf without having to go to the pharmacy counter.

"By FairLadyRantALot on Fri 21-Nov-08 18:06:39
but, OTC does not mean they can give it out willy nilly...those meds tend to be on teh shelf for all to buy...and the only comment you wold then get (and from a check out person) if you take a too large amount.... "

So, if the OP's meds were OTC as stated, she is NBU to complain that she was cross-examined about them as if they were pharmacy-only.

I read it as the op meaning otc as opposed to prescription meds because she wouldn't have needed to go to the pharmacy for medication available off the supermarket shelf she could have just have paid for it through the checkout where the cashier would have only had concerns if she was trying to but too many.

sorry buy too many

The op was complaining about Tesco pharmacy speciically.

But you can buy OTC meds in the pharmacy section.

OldLady...not quite sure why you are picking my messeges out....and not others...tbh....
She obviously wanted somehting that she needed to ask for that is behind a counter...or am I missing something....she didn't just get something from a shelf....otherwise she wouldn't have been in a queue of a Pharmacy counter...
So, if it isn't something that they are keeping behind a pharmacy counter, than they have the right to find out more about why, etc....I can't see how that is so difficult...and am in mo mood, too, neither