Author Topic: OTC antibiotic creams (Neosporin, Bacitracin, etc.) - not available? (Read 18275 times)

« **Reply #30 on:** July 10, 2017, 06:54:28 AM »

Interesting. I am so very used to it being in the States you're responsible for yourself - the stores never ask why you're buying anything, as it's none of their business (literally). More than once in the last 10 years I had a doctor prescribe a penicillin-based med (to which I am horribly allergic) and I was the one who had to read the label and then take it back to the pharmacy and complain that I'd be deadsky if I took it....

« **Reply #31 on:** July 10, 2017, 07:12:06 AM »

Quote from: Nan D. on July 10, 2017, 06:54:28 AM

More than once in the last 10 years I had a doctor prescribe a penicillin-based med (to which I am horribly allergic) and I was the one who had to read the label and then take it back to the pharmacy and complain that I'd be deadsky if I took it....

Wow, that's crazy - in the UK, one of the common things you get asked when you see a doctor is: 'are you allergic to penicillin?'

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« **Reply #32 on:** July 10, 2017, 08:27:14 AM »

Yeah, I used to fill it in on every intake sheet - there was always a place for allergies. BUT, when using a HMO where they shunt you to whatever doctor happens to be available at the time, and they're rushed.... Could have been a simple click wrong on his automatic prescription chooser software on the computer. Either way, I don't take anything I haven't read about extensively first, these days.

« **Reply #33 on:** July 10, 2017, 10:12:24 AM »

Quote from: Nan D. on July 10, 2017, 06:54:28 AM

Interesting. I am so very used to it being in the States you're responsible for yourself - the stores never ask why you're buying anything, as it's none of their business (literally). More than once in the last 10 years I had a doctor prescribe a penicillin-based med (to which I am horribly allergic) and I was the one who had to read the label and then take it back to the pharmacy and complain that I'd be deadsky if I took it....

Well, in Colorado you get a little bit of a quiz when you buy ephedrine products. AND you have to show them your ID. They track who buys what with those products since it's use to make meth.

« **Reply #34 on:** July 10, 2017, 11:28:10 AM »

I found it could be difficult to get certain things, like more than one month of birth control for traveling or whatever, in the US that are no problem here. It's so funny what is really controlled there and what is here.

« **Reply #35 on:** July 10, 2017, 05:55:07 PM »

Quote from: lyonaria on July 10, 2017, 10:12:24 AM

Well, in Colorado you get a little bit of a quiz when you buy ephedrine products. AND you have to show them your ID. They track who buys what with those products since it's use to make meth.

Yeah, that's a federal thing, I think. Had to do it in California, too.

« **Reply #36 on:** July 13, 2017, 03:49:59 PM »

Quote from: durhamlad on July 07, 2017, 08:14:02 AM

You should not have a problem, we brought stacks of such stuff. Decongestants, aspirin, ibuprofen, naxproxen etc are much more expensive here than in the USA.

I can't even find naproxen here! Is it under a different name? It was my go-to for headaches in the US, and I've had to switch to ibuprofen, which just isn't as good.

EDIT (I'm full of edits today!): Right, so now I've continued reading the thread, and apparently there's lots of people interested in naproxen! No need to reply. I'll look out for the super secret incognito stuff.

« **Reply #37 on:** July 14, 2017, 01:28:21 PM »

You need to secret squirrel naproxen but you can get paracetamol with codeine with no script, but you do need to have a conversation with a person behind the counter first (or online with no conversation!) . Funny quirks.

As someone who's taken a fair bit of naproxen (on prescription) for lupus, I would definitely recommend you take it on a full stomach as it can be really harsh on the stomach.
I also need to take anything with phenylephrine hydrochloride, paracetamol, diclofenac, guaifenesin, or ibuprofen on a full stomach or I puke

Everyone should read the leaflets that come with whatever medication you take and take sensible precautions. Always worth a check with a pharmacist or GP if you want to take something for longer term or off-leaflet.

« **Reply #38 on:** July 14, 2017, 02:01:58 PM »

Quote from: phatbeetle on July 14, 2017, 01:28:21 PM

You need to secret squirrel naproxen but you can get paracetamol with codeine with no script, but you do need to have a conversation with a person behind the counter first (or online with no conversation!) . Funny quirks.

I know! I was so surprised when I complained of a pain issue (torsion in my ribcage due to congenital scoliosis) and my husband brought home the paracetamol/codeine tablets that very same night after work. I thought he had performed some sort of heroic feat. He was all, "I just went into the shop and asked for it..."