to not understand inconsistency in pharmacies!

I agree. For about 4 years when my hair was thinning I bought a certain product once a month from Boots which had been recommended to me. One day while I was out shopping I went into a different Boots and took my product from the shelf and handed it to the person behind the pharmacy counter as that was the nearest pay point. This product was a hair lotion, to be applied to my scalp. He said 'are you on any medication?' I said 'yes I take tablets for high blood pressure.' He replied 'sorry, I can't sell you this then'. I said I have been buying this for years, it's to rub into my scalp, what have blood pressure tablets got to do with it?' He refused to give it to me. I just got the bus to the next town and bought it in another branch with no problems. Before this product was widely available in pharmacies, my doctor used to prescribe it for me, often on the same prescription as my blood pressure tablets. Jobsworth methinks.

That sounds ludicrous Kitty. Surely if you can buy any meds over the counter then that's what you should be able to do. So, if you lie, that counts as proof who the meds are for? Crazy!

I like it when the well meaning if misguided assistant asks "have you had this before?" when I am buying paracetamol. I am so tempted to answer No, it is OK to take the whole box at once isn't it? Come on I am hardly in my first flush of youth so the likelihood of reaching free prescription age is remote, no?

When I buy Ibufrofen from Sainsbury's I do not use the pharmacy counter, I just put them in my trolley and pay at the checkout.

It's much cheaper to buy them in the 96 box ann and, as Dh takes them daily and I use them occasionally we get through them fairly quickly.

Soutra know what you mean

I have seen them refuse to sell more than 2 packets of paracetamol to a person at the checkout in Aldi.

This is the'eatlh N safely polis coming in.

I go to India regularly and can buy all the things I think I need at the Pharmacy there. I do not overdose. I check on line or am advised by a chemist what to take, they all speak excellent English.
If anywhere I am at a loss where to go, I always look for a chemist

For far too long our GPs have been in thrall to the big Pharma companies, to peddle their wares.

It happened in Asia with cigarettes, now we have big Pharmas bribing Chinese doctors again to sell.

Such is life

Ah kitty I hadn't realised it was a large quantity you were buying and I expect these are not available over the counter. By the way I hope your DH is watching my DH's team try to get into the Premier League or would that be rubbing salt into the wound. Football is one of the few interests my DH has now.

They are available over the counter from the pharmacy but not on the shelves!

DH is watching the football and, as he's a Forest fan, 'he hates Derby'. Who does your DH support ann? I think the shame of Leicester and Derby being in the Premiership and the mighty Forest still languishing in the Championship would be too much to bear.

I'm currently watching Peppa Pig dvds with DGD2 to let them watch in peace!

jollyg

I experienced much the same thing in Spain. I forgot to take my thyroxin tablets on holiday so I trotted off to the local GP to get a prescription only to be told I didn't need one as you can buy them over the counter - and they cost pennies.

I have always wondered why so many things can only be obtained, in Britain, on prescription and, of course, this restriction on how much you can buy.

Well its Derby,sorry,but even DH doesn't think they will be good enough to survive if they do go up.

Unfortunately some countries sell antibiotics over the counter on demand

Hard luck to your DH Ann - jubilation here! I come from Derby!

This is Not A Good Thing.

Crossed posts Kitty that was not addressed to you!

It can be a good thing if you know which antibiotic you require for your condition.

I have done this a few times in France.

Quite aka including India I believe. I remember being DH being given over the counter antibiotics once in Spanish pharmacy.
I think pharmacists ought to be careful - probably more careful in lots of cases. Lots of drugs interact with other drugs. How many people do actually read all that small print on the leaflet? (Only the ones with really good eyesight) and they are often not written in lay person's terms.
Paracetamol is a dangerous drug that people use to commit suicide. It is a horrible death as it damages the liver and victims take days to die.

That's true, Jess, but limiting the number you can buy at a time isn't going to prevent a determined suicide - they'll just go to several different outlets.

I can only speak of my experience in France where pharmacists are required to have a 6-9 year degree as opposed to 4'years in Britain.

The French degree qualifies the pharmacist to supervise and validate all prescriptions.

You can buy whatever you like from an online pharmacy UK based, as long as you fill in an assessment form. This site even has "My Favourites":
https://m.pharmacy2u.co.uk/

I agree that it wouldn't stop a determined suicide but, possibly may stop someone who might have just been thinking about suicide and who might have just acted on impulse. That persons life might be saved by the fact they could not buy a large quantity at once. As JessM said, it is a horribly slow death and the pain the person suffers can be horrendous so if any deaths can be prevented then surely that is a good thing. I just think if you need long term Paracetamol you could ask your G.P to prescribe it.

A chemist in Tesco refused to sell me a mild hydrocortisone cream because I said I wanted to use just a little on my face.
She said it would thin the skin and could damage it. Doctors routinely prescribe a much stronger cream for eczema with just a warning not to use too much! Why is it available off prescription if it is so harmful?

agus no idea what supervise and validate might mean in this context.