chemist refused to sell cough syrup!

Indie_Kid

elektra-2007 wrote: »

My friend had a bottle of K+M we compared the ingredients and active ingerdients they were the same!!

Was the percentage of ingredients the same?

mickeypops

One of my pet hates is being quizzed by a young, unqualified shop assistant about the product I'm trying to buy (usually antihistamine.)

Is it for me?
Have I used it before?
Am I taking any other medicines?
Did I know it may cause drowsiness?
Do I know that I musn't drive or operate machinery..
What's your inside leg measurement...

OK, I made the last one up.

I wouldn't mind so much if it was the pharmicist asking, i.e. someone who knows what and why he/she is asking the questions....

But I was really miffed last weekend. I wanted to buy my antihistamine, got asked the usual rigmarole, but was then told "Sorry, the pharmmicist has just gone out to lunch and I can't sell these tablets unless he on the premises !!"

!!!!!!???

Indie_Kid

mickeypops wrote: »

But I was really miffed last weekend. I wanted to buy my antihistamine, got asked the usual rigmarole, but was then told "Sorry, the pharmmicist has just gone out to lunch and I can't sell these tablets unless he on the premises !!"

!!!!!!???

My dad had this 3 years ago. He's been taking the same medication since 2004ish.

Curious_George_2

plumpmouse wrote: »

Because you can still buy them for over 6's!!

Whatever your feelings on this the assistant did right and did her job properly. I sure everyone who has dubbed pharmacy staff as "counter nazi's" would rather this than a sales assistant sell a medicine to a child (or anyone for that matter) and them die (or be seriously affected by the sold medicine) as the assistant didn't do their job properly!!!!

if my child didnt react badly to the cough mix the first time then he isnt going to react to later doses, one 2.5ml spoon once a day for the 3 days he had it wasnt going to kill him...

as for the counter nazi thing... lets face it, pharmacy staff and doctors receptionists dont have the best 'bed side manner' and rightly or wrongly have the reputation that comes with it..

Over the counter medicines are not very effective for coughs. The ones you can buy in tescos are different to the ones that Pharmacy's can now not sell for under 6's. They are akin to simple linctus and will only sooth the throat. The ones that are now unavailable to under 6's will not be on Tesco's shelves.

actually... the bottle i bought was exactly the same as the one on the shelf of the chemist, same dosage, same bottle, same box....

I say well done to the sales assistant for a job well done!!!

woopee... she did her job! I never complained about the assistant, i complained that they refused me something that can be bought just about everywhere else

kingfisherblue

Curious_George wrote: »

if my child didnt react badly to the cough mix the first time then he isnt going to react to later doses,

Sorry, but I have to disagree with this statement (not disagreeing with your other posts). It's just that it is possible to react differently to medicines that you have previously taken. I used to take ibuprofen for arthritic knees, from the age of 23. I didn't take it often, only when I really needed to. Six years ago, when I was 35, I had a sudden and unexpected reaction to ibuprofen. My face swelled to almost double it's size (not a pretty sight :eek:) and I developed a rash that completely covered my front and back. For some reason, I had developed a severe allergy and as a result I can no longer take ibuprofen, aspirin, or any other non-steroid anti-inflammatories. I also have to carry an Epipen.

So whilst I agree that it is unlikely that your child will have a different reaction, they could have one completely unexpectedly. Of course, all the questions in the world from the pharmacy assistant could not predict something so unexpected

plumpmouse

Curious_George wrote: »

if my child didnt react badly to the cough mix the first time then he isnt going to react to later doses, one 2.5ml spoon once a day for the 3 days he had it wasnt going to kill him...

as for the counter nazi thing... lets face it, pharmacy staff and doctors receptionists dont have the best 'bed side manner' and rightly or wrongly have the reputation that comes with it..



actually... the bottle i bought was exactly the same as the one on the shelf of the chemist, same dosage, same bottle, same box....



woopee... she did her job! I never complained about the assistant, i complained that they refused me something that can be bought just about everywhere else

I keep trying to respond and it won't let me!!!

Will keep it simple for now and hopefully it will work!!

Sorry if I have offended you. I truely didn't intend to.

Most of my response wasn't aimed at you but others who just seem to think pharmacy staff are only there to make life difficult for them.

The assistant may have made a mistake as if it is a medicine included in this new ruling you really wouldn't (shouldn't ) be able to buy it at Tesco. Infact all Tesco can sell are things like simple linctus and glycerol based ones.

Whatever anyone thinks of the ruling it is law now and pharmacy staff can do nothing about it. Its similiar to when you stopped being able to buy paracetamol in packs of 100 and could only get 32's.

I supose like every job there are good and bad staff.

My biggest gripe when I worked in a pharmacy shop(as a fully qualified and well trained Pharmacy Technician) was customer thinking you ask the question purely to make their life hell. I didn't - I simply wanted to do a good job and make sure people took suitable medicines for them.

The pharmacy staff have to ask what is known as W-Wham questions for all medicine sale (including things like paracetamol). They don't do it just for fun.

Again I'm sorry if I offended

patchwork_cat

I think what gets people is the dispensers attitude. We have one that I'm sorry to say really hasn't got a clue, but makes us beg for medicine. I always ask to speak to teh Pharmacist if he is giving us grief. I know that regualtions are forever changing and it puts people out as the government are dictating for the lowest common denominator. However as I say it is the way this particular chap asks the questions and his inability to identify that we do have knowledge.


You can't judge everybody as if they have no knowledge.

Curious_George_2

plumpmouse - never offended
it was benylin chesty... same box i swear!

Patchwork cat - we have one the same (not the one that served me this time) not only does she make you almost beg for your prescription to be filled but one time she tried to hold a rather loud conversation with me across the chemist shop about my sons surname as it is different to mine...
it was almost as if she was questioning my right to the meds and trying to fraud the government by using a name she didnt recognise!
silly bint

Curious_George_2

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Sorry, but I have to disagree with this statement (not disagreeing with your other posts). It's just that it is possible to react differently to medicines that you have previously taken. I used to take ibuprofen for arthritic knees, from the age of 23. I didn't take it often, only when I really needed to. Six years ago, when I was 35, I had a sudden and unexpected reaction to ibuprofen. My face swelled to almost double it's size (not a pretty sight :eek:) and I developed a rash that completely covered my front and back. For some reason, I had developed a severe allergy and as a result I can no longer take ibuprofen, aspirin, or any other non-steroid anti-inflammatories. I also have to carry an Epipen.

So whilst I agree that it is unlikely that your child will have a different reaction, they could have one completely unexpectedly. Of course, all the questions in the world from the pharmacy assistant could not predict something so unexpected

sorry to hear that,
i wasnt aware that can happen... it must be rare though??

doesnt matter what you say on here someone is always the exception to the rule! lol

Savvy_Sue

I remember trying to buy an unreasonably large quantity of Disprol one Friday afternoon, all the boys were a bit feverish, and one 100ml bottle doesn't go far when the recommended dose is 10ml. Until recently you'd been able to get 500ml bottles, but no more, and I'd asked for TWO of the small ones.

Cue pharmacy assistant calling out to the pharmacist: "It's that lady with all the children, she wants to know if she can have two bottles of Disprol."

I have THREE children, not THIRTEEN! :rotfl: