Canesten!!

Or say you are 55!!

Its annoying isn't it? I went to buy some for my mum, and wasn't allowed once they knew how old she was.

I went to buy something over the counter that I have used many times before and was asked my age being a reasonable honest person I said and was refused so I told them to keep it, now I was armed with the information I went to another pharmacy prepared to lie but I wasn’t even asked I ve never been asked since at Superdrug but always am at Boots so bye bye Boots
I totally understand some meds’ can react different in (oh I hate the word) elderly but when it’s something you ve used before and you know your body and it’s an over the counter med I do take exception

I bought Canestan when I was over 60 twice as I self-diagnosed thrush and decided to ignore the warnings. However when I developed a proplapse the consultant diagnosed vaginal atrophy which, being single, I was not aware of but would have produced the symptoms I thought were thrush. This might be why we should be checked out before using Canestan when over 60.

I was sure I had seen a thread recently.
www.gransnet.com/forums/health/a1239930-Thrush

It may be of some interest.

I too tried to buy Canesten two or three years ago when I believed I had thrush. The pharmacist wouldn't sell it to me because it is only licensed to people up to the age of 60 - she was legally unable to sell it to me. She explained the reason for this was that as women get older it is less likely that the symptoms are due to thrush, and could be due to another condition which would need investigating.
So I saw my doctor and yes she was right - I didn't have thrush, I had lichen sclerosus which, if undiagnosed and untreated, can be extremely serious. It is now under control with the use of topical steroid cream.

Eek Bathsheba - that's quite scary! I've had thrush before and the symptoms are the same so fairly certain that's what it is especially given the reasons leading up to it. I'll probably have to ring the surgery on Monday and ask what the options are if it's not cleared up. I did contemplate lying about my age in the second chemist but couldn't believe the over 60 age was really an issue!

Interesting. I am going to try and get some soon to take on holiday with me but I use it on my face ?. I know, I was surprised too but it worked. I had a very rare skin condition which took a long time to diagnose and this was the treatment. It is not the one with cortisone in but the plain canesten. I shall report back and see how I get on.

I bought some last week (I'm 68) but it was the one with corsitone as I have a nasty rash on my arm and leg which NOTHING is shifting.

Over 60, as others have said, this is less likely to be thrush and more likely to be vaginal atrophy. Why would you want the wrong treatment? If it does turn out to be thrush you will get the treatment for that.

Isn't this about being irritated for the sake of it rather than because it is a rational response to getting a proper diagnosis?

Not at all Gracesgran we are urged over and over to go to the pharmacy and not the doctors the item I was trying to buy was eye drops I know my eyes and I know exactly what I need to do to stop an infection instead of waiting 10 days for a doctors appointment when the infection will be well and truely harmful
And as for the original post the poster had been using anti biotics which are a well known trigger of thrush so the chances that it was thrush are extremely high I would never condone missing out the doctor for some things but if it’s something you have regularly and are well aware of the symptoms it must be the way most of us would go
It’s using common sense

Yes, BB, but we are being advised to consult the pharmacist. The adverts seem to be trying to explain the depth of training an knowledge they have. This thread is more about someone's own knowledge rather than the pharmacists.

As far as I can see they want to use this knowledge as a sort of triage. That means the pharmacist may be able to suggest something you can buy over the counter, a GP appointment or even to go directly to A & E. I would certainly rather have something checked out than end up using the wrong thing.

Personally I would rather make a decision based on knowledge rather than so called 'common sense' with no training or knowledge behind it, i.e., mine. I think common sense would once have suggested "eye of newt and toe of frog" but thankfully there is more science to it now.

I've just rung the surgery this morning only to be told I have to go in as the person (a man) I was talking to couldn't order prescriptions over the phone! What a carry on - I will go to one of the other chemists in town later today and tell them I'm 59! All the big supermarkets which are likely to sell it are out of town so necessitate a 20 mile trip!

You do need to go in Willow. You need to be examined to find out what exactly is the matter with you instead of thinking you know more than a doctor. They may agree with you but what if they do not? It could be more than one thing. You could make it worse. Why put your health at risk for the sake of a five minute appointment is worth it to be sure?

I have come across the same problem involving Ibuprofen Tablets. They advise you to not take these when you are in your mature years. I have to take stomach liners now when I use any pain killing drugs for my RA

All those advising people to wait two or three weeks to get an appointment before using Canestan have obviously never suffered from a severe outbreak.

'Being irritated'

I've been plagued by thrush all my womanly life (after sex and before every period) and have to lie about my age now to get Diflucan or Canestan pessary or internal cream over the counter or online - you can buy them off Amazon. I think if you are naturally high in oestrogen it makes you prone to thrush.

I also use Vagifem usually without any problem but I still get thrush after sex and know thrush when I feel the first twinges. I tried HRT but the oestrogen gave me thrush.

One of the reasons they are cautious about handing over thrush treatments to women over 60 without actually diagnosing it is that thrush can be a sign of undiagnosed diabetes, which becomes more likely as we get older.

I buy the Canestan feminine wash foam and you don't need to declare your age. Remember to iron your panties especially the cotton gusset. Wear only cotton anyway.

I suffered for years and got fed up with the anti-biotics which created a bigger problem. I take Optibac pro-biotics for women first thing every morning and I haven't had thrush or cystitis for two years.

It is a most unpleasant condition so I hope you find relief soon.

Thank you, Ginny42. I've just gone and ordered those Optibac probiotics. I've taken probiotics for years as part of my general armoury against thrush but didn't know of these which seem to specifically target women.

Well good luck getting a GP appointment.....most people don’t want to wait 3 weeks to be diagnosed as thrush is extremely uncomfortable......also anti biotics can cause it even if it isn’t on the accompanying leaflet. If people could get GP appointments easily they would go to doctors, but sadly it has now become such a struggle , people give up and self diagnose.

I went to the chemist to buy something that I always keep in my medicine bag [when we're away we can't get to see a doctor easily] and it was like the Spanish Inquisition [did get it in the end]. However, without any questions at all they sold me minoxadil for my hair [shouldn't be used by anyone over 66] and ibuprofen [ditto]. ....

Just been to Boots and bought a tube of Canisten (not the HC one). The woman at the counter asked if I had used it before, I said yes and she sold it to me. No question of how old I was. Also noticed Canisten pessaries for sale on open shelving so presumably you can just walk up and take it if you want.

Just typed the above post and when I scrolled back to the top of the page I found a big banner advertisement for Canisten saying is thrush causing you a problem. Is big brother watching us do you think? It can't be coincidence