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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Problems buying medicine over counter- anyone else had this?

21 replies

Gigondas · 22/11/2011 21:40

Went to boots today to ask what if anything i could use for muscle strain (so told assistant I was pregnant ) - got predictable ask dr advice . I then asked to pay for a packet of low dose aspirin (have been recommended by consultant - it's easier to buy then get a prescription which involves either a trip to hospital pharmacy or gp trip). Was told that Werenf meant to sell these to pregnant woman without a prescription - only after saying had bought them before and offering to show them my hospitAl notes did I get some.

Now this Is my second pregnancy - have not had any issue buying drugs before (incl stuff for others like day nurse ) . I have no issue with asking dr or pharmAcist advice but haven't ever heard you need a prescription or note to buy stuff.
Has anyone else had this happen?

OP posts:

Original poster

Gigondas · 22/11/2011 21:42

Oh and aspirin is on shelf so it's not a pharmacy advice thing and put in bit about asking advice as not sure if they would have said anything if I had just got packet to buy and not mentioned I was pregnant .

OP posts:

fuckityfuckfuckfuck · 22/11/2011 21:43

I think they're right though aren't they? Aspirin isn't recommended, I thought it was only paracetamol. Am happy to be corrected. They have to follow guidelines, and unfortunately this means most medicines aren't recommened for pregnant women as there's no way to safely or ethically test them.

Sidge · 22/11/2011 21:46

Aspirin isn't recommended usually for pregnant women.

If your consultant has recommended it then s/he should prescribe it.

Original poster

Gigondas · 22/11/2011 21:47

Agree fuckity - but in this case it had been recommended - I happened to have my records with me and could show her where it was prescribed .

OP posts:

littleducks · 22/11/2011 21:52

I experienced this, so stopped telling them I was pg.

It was somerthing silly they wouldn't sell me mediate/medinol (this was back when tiny babies could have medised)

Original poster

Gigondas · 22/11/2011 21:52

He has prescribed it - but i havent asked for repeat script as it was a case of waiting an hour at hospital pharmacy (As script only works there and they only give you 2 weeks dose at a time) or getting Gp to do it which also meant first a letter from him (ok but takes time) then Gp deciding it was ok...

Hence why seemed easier to buy them . But thanks for pointing out that is correct (still puzzled as to how I managed to buy night nurse for dh ).

OP posts:

Original poster

Gigondas · 22/11/2011 21:53

Thanks littleducks- it probably is exactly that . If said nothing , nothing would have been said.

OP posts:

ciwi · 22/11/2011 22:09

Lots of drugs are not licensed for pg women so think that's why they can't sell them to you. I buy my low dose aspirin too but have not actually said I was pg so not had a problem. Dh couldnt buy a heat pack for my neck though because he told them I was pg. Thought that was a bit weird because its not a drug.

buonasera · 23/11/2011 07:31

I wonder if you'd get anywhere telling them it was for your other half? I'm going to be well hacked off if they stop selling me voltarol which my other half uses by the bucketload for his permanently messed up shoulder.

I've only had grief trying to get the flu jab. GP said it was a very good idea to get it but didn't have an appointment for 6 weeks (it would have been about now so, what, a month into flu season?). Suggested trying Boots but they don't prescribe it to pregnant women at all. So I went into another Boots and lied.

Original poster

Gigondas · 23/11/2011 07:39

Buonasera I think my mistake was mentioning it was for me. If hasn't then probably wouldn't have had an issue.

I gave up on flu jab for similar reasons to you. However asked consultant and my dad who Is a Gp and their view was can probably do without it if you are otherwise healthy and wouldnt consider getting one normally.

OP posts:

DogStinkhorn · 23/11/2011 07:43

It's a dangerous precedent when a completely unqualified pharmacy assistant is allow to overrule a pregnant woman about her own body. As previous posters have said, it could have been for someone else.
What next, pregnant women stopped from buying a bottle of wine?

DogStinkhorn · 23/11/2011 07:44

And hardly anything is licensed for pregnant women because it would be unethical to do the testing...

razzdazz · 23/11/2011 10:19

This actually happened last night to me!! I have been taking 75mg aspirin and had run out so my dad kindly went to fetch me some more. He forgot the dose and said to the pharmacist that it was the dose taken by pregnant woman......she refused to serve him. He called me on his mobile so that I could speak with them but they would not budge!!!! I managed to zip up my coat and buy it myself this morning.

eurochick · 23/11/2011 10:36

I am not PG yet (but trying) and my consultant recommends normal pregnacare rather than the conception one plus 75 mg aspirin and some other supplements. I went to buy them yesterday and the pharmacy assistant (assuming I was pg because of the pregnancare) asked if I had been told to take the aspirin. When I confirmed that I had, they served me. This was in Boots.

FrillyMilly · 23/11/2011 10:51

It is a bit of a pain to have to get a GPs appointment for something that you can easily get over the counter, it's also a waste of money for the nhs. Ive had thrush repeatedly in this pregnancy. First pessary/cream I got from hospital but after that I just sent DH to buy it for me. If the GP says yes and it's something lots of pregnant women use without issue then I don't see what the problem is. I can understand reservation if it's something that is an outright no no for pregnant women.

thegingerone · 23/11/2011 11:03

Can I just defend the "unqualified" pharmacy assistants out there. Most are qualified to a set standard, but at the end of the day they should refer to the pharmacist (Ok I confess, me, a pharmacist) who will be able to discuss the situation with you. Aspirin isn't recommended in pregnancy (Something a first year pharmacy student would be able to tell you) However as a qualified phamacist with other 15 years of experience and confidence in my abilities to make decisions I would take your individual case and make hopefully the correct decision. I KNOW how completely annoying it is that you can't get hold of ANYTHING in pregnancy but it is due to lack of safety evidence (and YES no pg woman would put herself up for clinical trials even if an ethics committee agreed to it)
I have bought voltarol for my DH while very very heavy because I politely mentioned that it was in fact for DH. Staff in pharmacies are not out to GET preg woman. The arguement that something isn't "behind" the counter is irrelevant if at the end of the day you are standing in my pharmacy and I am trying to offer you advice that I (or my lovely collegues!) feel is appropriate.
Sorry if I'm a bit ranty. I've been at both ends of this. (Not just when preg...I have a particularly annoying pharmacist at my local tesco's who won't sell me anything ie eye drops for my 6 year old's conjuctivitis because I've not dragged him to the store with me or even drops for my own because she doesn't feel my eye looks red enough to her even though I usually end up with oral antibiotics as well when I get eye infection. GRRRRR ! However I've also had people be very rude to me and especially to my team about our"silly little rules". Not the way to win friends and influence people!)

We are trying to stick to the licenced uses of meds. My advice would be that if your request is potentially unusual to ask to have a quick word with the pharmacist from the start and "skip" over the pharmacy assistant refusing, then "getting" the pharmacist to "back them up". You might still get the same response from the phamacist but at least you'll have a better chance of having a discussion with the pharmacist on a equal footing.

thegingerone · 23/11/2011 11:04

"over 15 years" but not able to type

DogStinkhorn · 23/11/2011 11:36

A pharmacy assistant is very different to a qualified pharmacist. I will not take medical advice from a pharmacy assistant because they are no more knowledgable than me. They certainly shouldnt be deciding who gets drugs.

I don't know of a pregnant woman who would knowingly take anything that would harm their baby. As I said it is very dangerous to give non healthcare professionals more rights over a pregnant woman's body than she has. Legally that baby doesn't have any rights until its born. I don't believe thats necessarily right, but a pregnant woman should have the right to choose over her own body.

thegingerone · 23/11/2011 11:48

Agree. A pharmacy assistant should get the pharmacist to discuss anything that involves children (born or unborn) That's the deal in my phamacy at least!!
The prob arise when something isn't known to be harmful but isn't actually recommended due to lack of information. There was a big push (pardon the pun!) a year or two ago for more consideration to be given to breastfeeding mums and use of meds. Prior to this it was a bit like preg, if you're breastfeeding then NO MED is allowed. Someone sensibly thought "wait a mo. That isn't strictly true", so pharmacists are recommended to look into it if a woman is bfing and wants to use a product.
I don't think it's about rights. I think it's just about advice.

ciwi · 23/11/2011 11:55

thegingerone I was just making an observation, cant blame them for not selling me things if they are not recommended. I have never had a problem buying aspirin and to be honest I should get it on prescription but they always dispense the dispersible ones that are disgusting so I prefer to buy the enteric coated ones and my consultant has said that is fine. Can you shed any light on the heat pack for my neck though? Really don't understand why I couldn't buy that

thegingerone · 23/11/2011 12:02

I'd sell you the ec aspirin in your situation! I didn't mean to sound like I was having a go at anyone .

Not sure about the heat pack. There is a culture of "if it's not def safe, then don't sell it" when it comes to preg so you may have been a victim of that! Can't really say for other pharmacists though. I am just one of many!! (But I do try to be sensible about stuff without risking getting struck of the Register too often in one week!)

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