Nurofen and Bloody Chemists

Wickerman1

biko wrote: »

So here you are trying to smear the pharmacy by calling an assistant in a pharmacy you name a snotty bitch?
Cop on yourself

If you read the the post correctly would find that I called the pharmacist a snotty bitch! and considering I was there that is exactly what she was IMHO!:rolleyes:

4leto

I very seldom get painkillers, I am one of those types who just hates taking pills of any description. But when I busted (bad twist) my ankle and I needed to go to work, I went to the chemist for a painkiller, naturally for obvious reasons I wanted the strongest over the counter one. So I chose solphadine.

I was made feel a junkie by an assistant on some sort of power trip. Like the OP I just went across the aisle in the mall and got them elsewhere. They worked a treat, unbelievably good.

If they are going to give the hastle why stock them, if they want them to be prescription only, make them so. As I said it is our psychology to want the strongest one, so we ared not going to ask for solphadine without the plus, we are not going to say could you give solphadine minus instead.

tiny_penguin

Its the same in Australia. I remember when I was in Melbourne and i had been in work all day and i had a pounding headache, one of the worst i have ever had. I know that even with a light headache paracetamol do pretty much nothing for me. I dont bother with painkillers at all unless im in serious pain, but when i do need them I need something strong. It took me about 10 minutes to convince the pharmacist to give them to me. I was not going to waste money buying the paracetamol to go home wait 4 hours for it not to work - make my way back to the city to the closest chemist just to buy some more all while in blinding pain.

In another part of australia to buy benylin day and night tablets I needed to provide ID so they could record my details so I could not buy more from another chemist for a ser amount of time. All i had on me was my irish drivers licence and the woman did not want to accept it - i tried to explain that I had just used it to rent a car so obviously it was a valid form of ID. But I do think this is a better system than refusing to give it to people unless they exhaust other options - then you can see how often that person is buying it and if they are likely to be buying it to feed an addiction.

I get they are just trying to help and do their job. But there are times that the pain is so bad, and you know your body and what it responds too and you just dont want to spend 4 hours in pain trying something when you know something else will work!

sh1tstirrer

yammycat wrote: »

Theres nothing like 12 nurofen plus to take the edge off your liver.

.

04KY

Wickerman1 wrote: »

The point is she was not doing her job!
She did not ask me why I wanted them and just decided that she was not going to sell them to me! and lied that it was company policy not to sell 24 packs
in a very condescending way!

So do you actually think she decided to lie to you for the hell of it?

Seems like they don't stock the maxilief, she told you this and also they reason why they don't sell it. Then she offered you an alternative.

Sounds like you had a terrible time of it alright.

4leto

And yet pseudoephedrine or Sudafed and that class of decongestants are freely available here. You can't buy them without prescription in some of the American states because its the primary ingredient in making (or cooking) crystal meths.

Irish Slaves for Europe

Epicness wrote: »

Are they actually a good buzz? How do you feel after one like? Haha

They are fcuking A. A lovely warm feeling runs through your body. They make you really relaxed and happy. They are great for hangovers as well. Some brands are better than others though. I have found the soluble co codamol ones to be the best, but they are only on prescription in the south so you will need to go up north to get those.

Irish Slaves for Europe

msg11 wrote: »

Would you maybe consider that we might be a bit educated on the matter and buy pain killers that actully stop pain rather then fluting around with Painkillers that do shag all.

.

It's actually a disgrace that they are allowed to sell those painkillers without codeine. On the shelf painkillers do fcuk all, everyone I know who has bought them have said they do absolutely nothing. People are just pissing their money away by buying them.

x_Ellie_x

My mam needs a hip replacement and is in a lot of pain. She can walk but not for long and needs crutches. It annoys me to no end when the fecking eejits that work in chemists can see she's clearly in fcuking pain and yet still won't sell her the nurofen plus. Now I do go get them for her. I usually have to try 3 or 4 places sometimes 5 before I find a chemist that we sell them (sometimes the same chemist won't sell them to me if I'd already brought them there earlier that week). It's bloody annoying.

Paddy Cow

Sometimes assistants do show sense. I was feeling like sh!te and no one was home so I dragged myself to Dunnes. I got some paracetamol, 2 packets of lemsip and a few other flu related items. When I got to the counter it was obvious to look at me that I was sick. The girl said that I couldn't buy the paracetamol + 2 lemsips together. I had never heard of this rule and I felt so crap that I nearly burst into tears because I didn't have the energy to go trapsing around town to stock up. I wanted to bulk buy and go home and hide in bed for a few days. She said it was fine and she would simply put them through as seperate purchases. Sound girl with a fair amount of cop on. It seems to be a rare thing these days.

Vivara

People sometimes are so misinformed.

A pharmacist (commonly called a chemist) is the professional who has the most expertise in pharmacology (i.e. antibiotics, medicines and drugs). All of their four-year degree is studying pharmacology and closely related topics.

In comparison, a doctor has far less training (often just one year of five) in pharmacology. When it comes to diagnosis — obviously a doctor is better; but that's not what we're talking about here.

Every time someone seems to mention pharmacist, someone interjects and says 'chemist' as if it's different. They're different names for the same thing. The proper title is pharmacist, obviously. There are, however, healthcare advisors working in places like Boots who are counter-hands; they work under the supervision of a pharmacist.

Then the OP has the audacity to say that "some of these people are taking themselves a bit too seriously these days" and that she "was a fecking Chemist, not a bloody medical consultant". WTF is all I can say — if there was one person who would be an expert in drugs and Nurofen and all that lark, it would be a pharmacist, not a doctor/consultant. It seems like the OP has ridiculously poor understanding of this subject, actually.

Then again, if he meant to say 'counter-hand', 'clerk', 'pharmacy-assistant' or 'pharmacy-technician', then yeah, I think this person behind the counter was a bit ahead of themselves — yet again, the OP seemed ridiculously immature in his responses to this person.

V.

Logical Fallacy

x_Ellie_x wrote: »

My mam needs a hip replacement and is in a lot of pain. She can walk but not for long and needs crutches. It annoys me to no end when the fecking eejits that work in chemists can see she's clearly in fcuking pain and yet still won't sell her the nurofen plus. Now I do go get them for her. I usually have to try 3 or 4 places sometimes 5 before I find a chemist that we sell them (sometimes the same chemist won't sell them to me if I'd already brought them there earlier that week). It's bloody annoying.

Unusual that given your mam needs a hip replacement she has no script for pain killers from her doctor.

ebixa82

Well if you would like a pharmacist's perspective.

My own personal take on the situation...

Most people who give out about how difficult it is and how evil the pharmacists are etc. are more than likely addicted. They just don't realize it which is a big problem with these codeine based compounds.

People who get the slightest headache and refuse to even think of trying anything else bar Solpadeine or Nurofen plus, I'm afraid you are addicted.

It is quite comical to see the anger on people's faces when they come in looking for solpadeine for a headcold or a blocked nose and you refuse them.

However, I could not be arsed listening to people and their bullsh.it excuses anymore. At this stage everybody knows how addictive these drugs are and know exactly what to say to get them. (periods, migraine etc.)

If they are happy to be addicted and either destroy their liver (solpadeine) or ulcerate their stomach (nurofen plus) then there's fcuk all I can do. If I refuse them they'l just go elsewhere.

So I just give it out and just give them a "btw, 3 days max" at the end of sale. When my assistants come into me relaying the reasoning of a customer I barely listen, I just tell them to give it to them and give them the three day warnings.

I'm covering myself and that's all I can do. If the Pharmaceutical Society think I'm not being strict enough they might give me a slap on the wrists but fcuk it, I'll take my chance. Pharmacy like every industry is suffering badly in this recession. If people are stupid enough to pay 7-8€ for a pack of solpadeine soluble instead of 2-3€ for plain Paracetamol then let them off. It's their money at the end of the day, they can waste it as they like (while helping to keep my business afloat!)

Pharmacists are responsible for selling these meds but they will never be able to stop them being abused. Just as publicans/off licences will never be able to stop alcoholics drinking too much or the cops will never be able to stop people taking heroin. Addiction is a very serious disease. But all those people addicted to codeine products (of which there are many in this thread) need also realize that pharmacists are also there as a first point in the treatment of their addiction.

Wibbs

ebixa82 wrote: »

People who get the slightest headache and refuse to even think of trying anything else bar Solpadeine or Nurofen plus, I'm afraid you are addicted.

While I agree with most of your post, this bit is bollocks IMH. Addicted? The last time I took a solpadeine must be 6 months ago. I've some left from the small packet somewhere(at this stage I might sell em on the street.:D). I got them for headache, something I rarely get. Aspirin? Might as well be chugging smarties for me(I find them good for muscle ache mind, better than codeine based stuff). Ditto for nurofen. Paracetamol has some effect, but not much. If I got a headache today, I can tell you I'd be asking for the solpadeine.

What pisses me off about all this is many of the same pharmacists that are all holier than thou today, had little else on display but these class of drugs behind the counter. Solpadeine in particular. Hell some were even stocking generic solpadeines to get the punters in. I'd guarantee if their organisation hadn't asked for restrictions from the top down, it would still be the same today. Too many hypocrites suddenly found a conscience.

And as if to illustrate.. missed this edit.

Pharmacists are responsible for selling these meds but they will never be able to stop them being abused.

Yea the same pharmacists that were only to happy to hawk these meds, nay put them right at the point of sale in a very prominent place.

But all those people addicted to codeine products (of which there are many in this thread)

Po faced and an online expert in codeine addiction? Kudos.

need also realize that pharmacists are also there as a first point in the treatment of their addiction

The same ones that were only to happy to sell them the same addictive meds before this new guideline? The loonies have taken over teh asylum it seems. In any event, I'm sure doctors and addiction experts out there would be only too impressed with how high you place yourselves on the totem of addiction therapy. You're about as much the first point in the treatment of addiction as the bus stop outside my gaff is the first point in going to town for a beer.

Marcusm

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Sometimes assistants do show sense. I was feeling like sh!te and no one was home so I dragged myself to Dunnes. I got some paracetamol, 2 packets of lemsip and a few other flu related items. When I got to the counter it was obvious to look at me that I was sick. The girl said that I couldn't buy the paracetamol + 2 lemsips together. I had never heard of this rule and I felt so crap that I nearly burst into tears because I didn't have the energy to go trapsing around town to stock up. I wanted to bulk buy and go home and hide in bed for a few days. She said it was fine and she would simply put them through as seperate purchases. Sound girl with a fair amount of cop on. It seems to be a rare thing these days.

If you look at the Lemsip pack, you'll see that it's principal ingredient (other than the lemony flavour) is paracetamol, up to 2 tabs worth per sachet. You shouldn't need to take both at the same time and there's a limit (I think 24 or 48 tabs) of paracetamol you're allowed to buy at a time - supposed to stop people getting enough to try suicide without thinking much about it. Paracetamol in excess causes liver damage and, I'm told, is a fairly slow painful way to kill yourself.

Paddy Cow

Marcusm wrote: »

If you look at the Lemsip pack, you'll see that it's principal ingredient (other than the lemony flavour) is paracetamol, up to 2 tabs worth per sachet. You shouldn't need to take both at the same time and there's a limit (I think 24 or 48 tabs) of paracetamol you're allowed to buy at a time - supposed to stop people getting enough to try suicide without thinking much about it. Paracetamol in excess causes liver damage and, I'm told, is a fairly slow painful way to kill yourself.

Ya I know that. I wasn't going to use the lemsip to wash down the paracetomal but was alternating what I took

4leto

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Sometimes assistants do show sense. I was feeling like sh!te and no one was home so I dragged myself to Dunnes. I got some paracetamol, 2 packets of lemsip and a few other flu related items. When I got to the counter it was obvious to look at me that I was sick. The girl said that I couldn't buy the paracetamol + 2 lemsips together. I had never heard of this rule and I felt so crap that I nearly burst into tears because I didn't have the energy to go trapsing around town to stock up. I wanted to bulk buy and go home and hide in bed for a few days. She said it was fine and she would simply put them through as seperate purchases. Sound girl with a fair amount of cop on. It seems to be a rare thing these days.

Be very careful doing that, a lot of people worldwide accidentally overdose on paracetamol. I would say that pharmacist gave you stupid advice.

ebixa82

Wibbs wrote: »

While I agree with most of your post, this bit is bollocks IMH. Addicted? The last time I took a solpadeine must be 6 months ago. I've some left from the small packet somewhere(at this stage I might sell em on the street.:D). I got them for headache, something I rarely get. Aspirin? Might as well be chugging smarties for me(I find them good for muscle ache mind, better than codeine based stuff). Ditto for nurofen. Paracetamol has some effect, but not much. If I got a headache today, I can tell you I'd be asking for the solpadeine.

What pisses me off about all this is many of the same pharmacists that are all holier than thou today, had little else on display but these class of drugs behind the counter. Solpadeine in particular. Hell some were even stocking generic solpadeines to get the punters in. I'd guarantee if their organisation hadn't asked for restrictions from the top down, it would still be the same today. Too many hypocrites suddenly found a conscience.

And as if to illustrate.. missed this edit.Yea the same pharmacists that were only to happy to hawk these meds, nay put them right at the point of sale in a very prominent place.
Po faced and an online expert in codeine addiction? Kudos. The same ones that were only to happy to sell them the same addictive meds before this new guideline? The loonies have taken over teh asylum it seems. In any event, I'm sure doctors and addiction experts out there would be only too impressed with how high you place yourselves on the totem of addiction therapy. You're about as much the first point in the treatment of addiction as the bus stop outside my gaff is the first point in going to town for a beer.

If you read my point I said I had no problem selling them before the restrictions and I have no problem selling them now. People will get their hands on them no matter what, lies, internet, travel north etc. However at the end of the day I am a highly trained medical professional. If someone fears they may have an addiction I can tell them within 5 mins if they have an addiction. I will also tell them exactly how about getting themselves treated.

ebixa82

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Ya I know that. I wasn't going to use the lemsip to wash down the paracetomal but was alternating what I took

Lemsip is paracetamol, just in powder form with a bit of vitamin C.

You are alternating the same thing essentially!

4leto

ebixa82 wrote: »

If you read my point I said I had no problem selling them before the restrictions and I have no problem selling them now. People will get their hands on them no matter what, lies, internet, travel north etc. However at the end of the day I am a highly trained medical professional. If someone fears they may have an addiction I can tell them within 5 mins if they have an addiction. I will also tell them exactly how about getting themselves treated.

How can you tell and I am absolutely not an addict yet the I was refused Solphadine +

ebixa82

4leto wrote: »

How can you tell and I am absolutely not an addict yet the I was refused Solphadine +

I'm not taking the piss but I have no idea what you are asking me there!

4leto

ebixa82 wrote: »

I'm not taking the piss but I have no idea what you are asking me there!

Yeah sorry I misread your post, I thought you implied you could tell if someone was an addict and not serve them..My error.

bleg

There's no "h" in Solpadeine

jive

Wibbs wrote: »

I'd guarantee if their organisation hadn't asked for restrictions from the top down, it would still be the same today. Too many hypocrites suddenly found a conscience.

Why would they turn away customers knowing full well they would get the meds somewhere else anyway? You're losing business and delaying the inevitable. Pharmacies are extremely competitive since deregulation and telling people "no you can't have these" without any regulations to fall back on would have been detrimental to business for the sake of someone addicted to codeine. The new regulations are a charade anyway and if you had half a brain you could get nurofen plus all you want. I could go out on Monday and score 40 packets from 40 different pharmacies, it's not hard as you just answer a few simple questions the way you're meant to answer them. The vast majority of pharmacists still do not care who is taking the meds and it's not easy to tell someone to piss off you're not getting them unless you have a reason to not sell them to them (i.e. them answering a question completely wrong)

4leto

bleg wrote: »

There's no "h" in Solpadeine

The assistant never asked me to spell it:rolleyes:

Paddy Cow

ebixa82 wrote: »

Lemsip is paracetamol, just in powder form with a bit of vitamin C.

You are alternating the same thing essentially!

Yes I know. That was the point. Sometimes I just wanted to take the pills and others, I wanted the hot drink.

Richard Dower

I mourn the loss of Distalgesic
If you want a good 12 hour buzz nothing better then Zydol 100

ebixa82

jive wrote: »

Why would they turn away customers knowing full well they would get the meds somewhere else anyway? You're losing business and delaying the inevitable. Pharmacies are extremely competitive since deregulation and telling people "no you can't have these" without any regulations to fall back on would have been detrimental to business for the sake of someone addicted to codeine. The new regulations are a charade anyway and if you had half a brain you could get nurofen plus all you want. I could go out on Monday and score 40 packets from 40 different pharmacies, it's not hard as you just answer a few simple questions the way you're meant to answer them. The vast majority of pharmacists still do not care who is taking the meds and it's not easy to tell someone to piss off you're not getting them unless you have a reason to not sell them to them (i.e. them answering a question completely wrong)

I agree 100% with this post. Unless someone is a total junkie or obviously addicted I won't refuse them as they'll just buy them off my competitor.

Basically people know exactly what answers to give at this stage so the restrictions are a waste of time.

Richard Dower

ebixa82 wrote: »

I agree 100% with this post. Unless someone is a total junkie or obviously addicted I won't refuse them as they'll just buy them off my competitor.

Basically people know exactly what answers to give at this stage so the restrictions are a waste of time.

The levels of Codine in one tab isin't sufficient to even get a buzz..if you're seeking it, unless you popped the whole blister pack.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Richard Dower wrote: »

If you want a good 12 hour buzz nothing better then Zydol 100

I've a ton of it as I get gout really, really f*cking bad.