Just curious....Day/Night nurse cold and flu meds

So why is this glorious medicine of glorious medicines that keeps my cold at bay hidden behind the Chemists counter? 

I have never once seen it and usually have spent the last year just buying stuff off the shelves...never once thinking that the chemist might have some non-prescription med that would work even better!

So why is Day/Night Nurse kept behind the counter?

I looked it up online and sent my FIL to Boots... he said he stooped by Superdrug and they said they were not licensed to carry it.  Strange thing is I would have thought to ask a chemist in a small shop or in another country like France of Spain... I just figured most things here were out on the shelves and everything prescription was with the chemist... well at least in a big place like boots.  Smaller chemists are different....

Quite a few medicines are  behind the counter ... something to do with controlled substances I think. Must be something in Night Nurse that is a controlled substance - does it contain codeine or something? I think it's so you can only get it if you talk to the pharmacist and they can advise you if it's suitable for you or whatever.

They do seem to worry about you taking paracetamol.  as for the codine... the day version has pholcodine... with is an opiate dervivative...so that may be why.

Though the chemist only wanted make sure I had not taken any paracetamol....

I just found it to be interesting and can only imagine the converstation between my eccentric FIL and the chemist.   

oh and it is intersting to take a look at these components and see what they do.. in the night version the is something called promethazine hydrochloride which is an antihistamine, but can also be used to help treat insomnia and anxiety oh and vomiting and nausea....

okay so yes I am a nerd... 

What I find interesting is half the time at Boots you don't even get to talk to an actual pharmacist usually some clueless 16 year old.   I find Safeway's pharmacy gives a better service in terms of advice.

The one in the centre of town is like that...bit of a mad house all the time...

We have a smaller branch near the house and they seem to have decent chemists/adivce people.

Sadly Boots is the only chemist near by.. no nice local ones for us.   

I'm going to try that new Vick's 'First Defense' and see if it really does halt a cold before it gets a grip.

On a bit of a different note I was in Boots several months ago looking for some rubbing alcohol, I asked a young woman who had no idea what I was asking for. I then found an older lady working there and asked her and she said "oh, quite a few years ago we had to stop selling it you will have a difficult time finding it anywhere".  I thought to myself why, are people trying to drink it (I don't think its drinkable)? Not sure what the real reason was, didn't want to press the issue. She then pointed me to Witch Hazel.

I found I had to get my Sudafed from the Pharmacist while I was over there.  But you have to get it from the pharmacist in the US now too.  It's supposed to keep meth cookers from steeling all the boxes on the shelves.

I found I had to get my Sudafed from the Pharmacist while I was over there.  But you have to get it from the pharmacist in the US now too.  It's supposed to keep meth cookers from steeling all the boxes on the shelves.

My mom occasionally goes on shopping trips for one of her older sisters. If she trys to buy more than 3 items with whatever ingredient the meth cookers want, they have to get a manager's approval for the transaction to go through. What usually happens though is that cashier rings up the allergy meds in separate transactions to the system doesn't kick them back. I guess I'm trying to say, if the cashiers are doing it for my mom, they're probably doing it for people who use the stuff to make meth.

My mom occasionally goes on shopping trips for one of her older sisters. If she trys to buy more than 3 items with whatever ingredient the meth cookers want, they have to get a manager's approval for the transaction to go through. What usually happens though is that cashier rings up the allergy meds in separate transactions to the system doesn't kick them back. I guess I'm trying to say, if the cashiers are doing it for my mom, they're probably doing it for people who use the stuff to make meth.

Except, the people who make meth don't usually buy it, they usually steal it.  If it's not out with the other meds, it's harder to steal.

Except, the people who make meth don't usually buy it, they usually steal it.  If it's not out with the other meds, it's harder to steal.

True enough. We're  not exactly dealing with upstanding members of society here, are we?

Well I have to say I love Day/Night Nurse....

They are my friends...

 

I found I had to get my Sudafed from the Pharmacist while I was over there. But you have to get it from the pharmacist in the US now too. It's supposed to keep meth cookers from steeling all the boxes on the shelves.

Some independent chemists are now keeping citric acid behind counters because apparently it's used to cut heroin.

Just curious, for anyone still living in the states, so they still sell the cross tops, (bronchial tabs) which are just ephedrine, at the counters? I used to work at a truck stop, and we sold them like mad. They are great for colds.....as they dry everything up....they do get you a bit loopy though...