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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Tesco pharmacy- refused to sell me painkillers!

41 replies

squizita · 20/03/2015 12:53

... because I breastfeed.
I asked the pharmacist for painkillers for a bad back, and said my GP and HV said paracetamol or ibuprofen were ok while I was breastfeeding.

She was just selling them to me when her college came up, snatched tem from her hand and said in an angry, accusing tone "it's not what you SAY your allowed. .. its what we are allowed to sell you!!" as if I was a child poisoner of something. Sad

The irony is of course I just went round to the medicine aisle and put it in my trolley anyway - so clearly they could sell it to anyone.

I don't know whether to mention it or complain? Even if it was forbidden she could suggest another thing. Angry

OP posts:
thatstoast · 20/03/2015 12:59

I would complain about the customer service element. I wouldn't mention the child poisoner thing.

Is there a reason you consulted the pharmacy in the first place rather than just picking up what the GP recommended?

Original poster
squizita · 20/03/2015 13:08

I consulted the GP over the phone months ago (known back issue which flares up, just wanted to check what I could take) who told me to ask for something ibuprofen or declofinac based as I was breastfeeding. So I just repeated that. Never been an issue before.

OP posts:
Original poster
squizita · 20/03/2015 13:10

...my baby was with me and ime they ask (or try to sell expensive cocodamol) hence I just mentioned it.
I was asking for what the GP said I could have.

OP posts:
Original poster
squizita · 20/03/2015 13:12

Sorry multiple posts.

I'm not paranoid - I meant like she thought my milk would be tainted not giving anything to a baby! Shock

Bit clearly limping to a pharmacy because I could barely lift my child, I did something stupid and it's my fault. Hmm

OP posts:
NorahBone · 20/03/2015 22:49

I was once told in a pharmacy that I couldn't take paracetamol and ibuprofen together, after I'd been recommended it by a doctor.
I'd mention it to the shop, surely she's talking balls? Unless she misunderstood the situation and thought you were trying to buy too many packets?

Zanashar · 21/03/2015 08:58

norahbone, ibuprofen and paracetamol are absolutely fine to be taken together ( they work in different ways)

squizitza, I'd perhaps complain about the customer service aspect here. However they were right to not sell you ibuprofen and if the GP wants you to take it whilst you are breastfeeding they should provide you with a prescription for it ( your maternity exemption covers you for all NHS prescriptions until your LO turns one)
In all the product literature for ibuprofen/co-codamol/diclofenac all the manufacturers advise to avoid whilst breastfeeding and legally pharmacists cannot sell outside of these licensed uses. GPs however can prescribe outside the product license but in doing so take responsibility for any potential side effects etc that may occur.

If you choose to buy the smaller packs of ibuprofen that are not classed as Pharmacy only, off the shelf and there was an adverse reaction you could not 'blame' pharmacist or GP.

Personally I would only ever sell paracetamol as analgesia to someone breastfeeding and direct them to their surgery for a prescription to be issued if they require anything else. Smile

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 14:09

Zanashar - Are you a pharmacist? The NHS advice seems to totally contradict what you've said - here so I'm wondering why pharamacists and lay people are given different advice? You'd think, if anything, lay advice would be more conservative.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 14:15

"In all the product literature for ibuprofen/co-codamol/diclofenac all the manufacturers advise to avoid whilst breastfeeding and legally pharmacists cannot sell outside of these licensed uses. "

Again, I'm really interested to know if the professional literature contradicts the published literature. For the brand name Nurofen this is what they say about using ibuprofen so I really don't understand how it can be outside the licensed use?

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 14:20

Sorry, just realised that last link was to the Australian nurofen site. I suppose it's possible advice varies by region, though given the NHS advice it seems unlikely?

I'm just a bit confused. I've been told by GPs, MWs and HVs that ibuprofen is fine whilst bfing and not whilst pregnant. I don't understand why, when I've been given a consistent message across three children by countless NHS staff, the training for pharmacists should say the opposite. That sounds nuts to me Confused

mousmous · 21/03/2015 14:24

not selling codein containing meds I can understand as codeine in contra indicated in breastfeeding, but ibu or paracetamol?

zoemaguire · 21/03/2015 14:31

Why are you putting cocodamol and ibrofen in the same bracket zanachar?! They aren't remotely similar except for both being painkillers. I've been breastfeeding for five years and never heard of ibuprofen being contraindicated. As for paracetamol, well I may not be a pharmacist, but it is plain wrong to state that you can't take it while breastfeeding.

I think your mistake was telling them you were breastfeeding in the first place Grin

zoemaguire · 21/03/2015 14:34

And I dread to think of what my gp would say if I rocked up asking for an ibuprofen prescription!!

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 14:44

Yes, mine too!!

ginmakesitallok · 21/03/2015 14:48

The pharmacist was right in that it doesn't matter what the go says you can have, the pharmacist is the one who is selling you the painkillers so legally they are responsible, not the gp. If you still want them go to a supermarket?

RedKites · 21/03/2015 14:50

Just an anecdote but.... When DS1 was still a newborn, I got mastitis, and was prescribed antibiotics by a GP. When he heard I didn't have any ibuprofen, he prescribed me that as well. When I got to the pharmacy, I was a bit paranoid, so asked the pharmacist to check they were both suitable when breastfeeding, so she kindly checked them both in her big book. I didn't have my maternity exemption card, so she also kindly recommended that I would be better off buying the ibuprofen over the counter rather than using the prescription, so I did.

Zanashar · 21/03/2015 15:08

Product licenses for medications do differ from country to country, you can buy antibiotics in a lot of the EU without a prescription for example (thereby increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance )

The problem with the NHS advice is that it's a bit vague in my opinion. The product literature usually states to speak to doctor or pharmacist. When we refer to the BNF (sort of like the drugs bible for doctors and pharmacists) it states that some manufacturers advise to avoid ibuprofen with breastfeeding, even though the amount excreted in milk is too small to be harmful. So to err on the side of caution you'll find that most pharmacists would refer you to your surgery. I know it's a pain, but if ever anything were to happen (adverse reaction to mother or child) the pharmacist in charge could be in trouble!
If you're taking some medications on a long term basis, say longer than a week and especially with analgesics I would always advise to have it prescribed by a GP rather than self medicating. It's not a lot of bother for them to put said medication on repeat for you so you can request a script without booking an appointment.

Another issue with medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not many studies have been carried out to ascertain their safety..........ethically it's all a bit of a minefield to even suggest such a study, what may be fine for a mouse doesn't necessarily translate as being safe for humans.

For the record I took ibuprofen for about a week after my LO was born whilst I was BFing. I was discharged from the hospital with it. I stopped as soon as I was able to and stuck to paracetamol . I wouldn't take anything other than paracetamol unless it was prescribed to me by a doctor whilst BFing. But that's me and my decision.

Sorry for the muddled and lengthy response........ I hope it goes some way to clearing things up for the OP. I'd definitely be annoyed at the manner in which this was conveyed to you though. There's no excuse for that. A little time taken to speak to my customers makes all the difference I find.

( pharmacist for 15 years now - please don't hate me, we're not all evil I promise!) Wink

Zanashar · 21/03/2015 15:09

Zoe, I never stated that paracetamol wasn't suitable with breastfeeding.........

Zanashar · 21/03/2015 15:18

Redkites, if your LO was a newborn your prescription would not attract a charge. And if you don't happen to have your exemption certificate with you you can still have your Meds without paying for them. The pharmacy just has to put a cross on the back of the script denoting that no evidence of exemption was produced.
These are then randomly checked by NHS when scripts are sent off at end of month.

Unfortunately GPs aren't particularly clued up as to the circumstances under which some medications can be sold over the pharmacy counter. E.g. My GPs often send people to me to purchase hydrocortisone for use on the face ( not licensed over the counter for use on face or genital area). Obviously I explain this to customer and have to direct them back. Usually this goes down okay. It is a faff, but our hands our tied.

Ginmakesitallokay, thanks for that!
Gin time later for me!! Wink

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 15:18

I understand that your hands are tied really then.

Fairly stupid system though when NHS guidance says fine and so do gps. It breeds mistrust and the tendency for people to avoid the pharmacist. Which is the opposite of what protects public health.

Advice should be consistent within a country.

Booboostoo · 21/03/2015 15:59

LactMed is an excellent resource for checking what you can take while bf and it includes the relevant studies.

toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~Jn5Xqx:1

Original poster
squizita · 21/03/2015 19:45

Zanashar I read the leaflet in my ibuprofen - it says I can take it.
I did speak to them - turns out I can buy it off the shelf but not over the counter (same product) in case there was an issue and I sued. Regardless of the leaflet.

Litigation culture gone mad.

OP posts:
Original poster
squizita · 21/03/2015 19:52

This resource is one my HV has directed me to www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/detailed-information/drugs-in-breastmilk/

On the topic of risk - without ibuprofen I cannot lift my baby safely. When not breastfeeding I take strong prescription painkillers such as naproxin and sometimes anti coagulants. This is only for a few days at a time.

My GP like many, is super busy hence the phone call instead of appointment. It would be much further to go to the gp then the pharmacist too.

OP posts:
Original poster
squizita · 21/03/2015 19:55

Booboo thanks for that link. "Preferred" for nursing mothers alongside the point infants can even be prescribed low dose ibuprofen - so it's ok in the tiny amounts excreted in milk - are very reassured.

OP posts:
zoemaguire · 21/03/2015 20:03

Zanashar, no sorry - you didn't, I meant the pharmacist in the op.

craftyoldhen · 21/03/2015 20:08

A pharmacist refused to sell me calpol in boots because she didn't believe my baby was old enough (she was). So I literally walked round the corner to the medicine aisle and bought it off the shelf Hmm

I think some of them have a slight god complex.