Prescription items that are cheaper over the counter

Quillion

I work in pharmacy and am often on the counter. We always advise our customers if the item can be bought cheaper.

KxMx

happyinflorida wrote: »

I would never do this as I'm too frightened to buy any medicines online even for my pets! as I've heard they don't always contain what they are meant to and can be dangerous.

I trust British pharmacies and vets far more!

j.e.j. wrote: »

If you go through a reputable retailer, like amazon UK, you should be ok. But you're right I wouldn't just google and buy something randomly.

I always check pharmacy registration each time I buy medicine online, even if I trust the retailer and/or purchased successfully before. Any reputable website will have their registration number displayed on the website. I then go onto google and check on the above site (I don't use the link from the website just to be extra safe).

Hedgehog99

Careful if the tablets contain other active ingredients - e.g paracetamol/codeine tablets limit the max codeine dose because you can only have a certain amount of paracetamol/24 h - so the higher strength codeine meds are POMs.

purpleweasel

From the other side...i bought migraine medicines for years over the counter before working out that i could get more for c the same price if i asked my GP for a prescription. The GP commented that "they rather burn you for that sort of thing" (sorry to you struggling pharmacists)

Redfox78

Petaldust wrote: »

Many years ago I was prescribed a kind of travel sickness pill to help relieve dizziness/migraines and it was only when I changed doctors some years later that he checked and advised that I could buy them over the counter in Boots for a fraction of the price. Despite what people have said above, none of the pharmacists ever advised me of this in all the times I got them via prescription.

This is probably because the medicine isn't licensed for that indication. As mentioned above us pharmacists are only too happy to save you money where we can. It is of no advantage to us to make you get a medicine on prescription. But please understand everyone that we are confined by what the law allows and also patient safety is important too.

Redfox78

hgotsparkle wrote: »

I once had to pay prescription price for a hydrocortisone cream for a skin infection - turns out Caneston make the same thing and sell over the counter for about half the price.

Hydrocortisone can only be sold OTC within limits. It is only licensed for certain areas and if person is over 10. Also if it was a canestan product it is usually combined with clotrimazole an anti fungal. That combination is too only able to be sold within limits. The pack size is smaller as so often if you need 30g for instance you may be better off wih a larger size than the 15g OTC. I hope this highlights how things aren't black and white. Please always ask your pharmacist or as we are only too happy to advise you when and if you can save money.

InsideInsurance

When the Mrs was ill last year she saw a private consultant and so of cause had private prescriptions so no prescription charge and just pay for the drugs. They were a tiny proportion of the NHS prescription charge.

Now, did find that Boots never seemed to charge the same price twice despite having the same prescription for ~6 months but it was always the same ball park of around £4 for the two different meds.

Having stayed in other countries for long periods who have more relaxed rules on getting medications like antibiotics or HRT etc as over the counter there was very little that I remember having to buy that came close to the NHS charge. Unfortunately one of those that does is a medication I have to take daily for life and thats about £800 a month

barbiedoll

Things like iron tablets, lactulose, and OTC painkillers are often recommended to pregnant women or new mums. They are quite surprised when I tell them that they can buy these things over the counter, rather than waiting for a GP appointment, even if they do then get a free prescription. For the sake of a couple of quid, many women are happy to nip to the pharmacist rather than wait for an hour in the GP surgery with a screechy baby!

For migraine sufferers who buy the painkiller "Migraleve", the yellow tablets, (for ongoing pain relief) are simply co-codamol 8/500. These can be bought very cheaply at pharmacies if you need further supplies. You only get 4 yellow tablets in a standard Migraleve pack, I can remember my mum having to buy a whole pack just because she needed the yellow ones.

Always, always buy generic painkillers, they really are no different in strength to the expensive brands. I worked in a pharmacy for many years and we used to get lots of people who swore that Anadin (aspirin 300mg) worked better than "ordinary" aspirin. The only thing that works more powerfully than a generic painkiller, is the power of advertising!

Likewise, if you take vitamins, don't be taken in by shiny boxes and adverts on the telly. Many pharmacies sell "own-brand" vitamins and supplements, at very little cost, especially when compared to the branded ones. Check the labels, they will tell you how much of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) are in the tablets. If you must buy these products, do your research and save yourself ££££!

dotdash79

Normally when I get a prescription I ask if it's available over the counter and if it's cheaper. I forgot yesterday but the pharmacist told me it was cheaper and saved me a fiver.

I think if the medication has a P on the packaging then you can get it from a Pharmacy rather than a Prescription.

ruby_eskimo

I always buy my Iron supplements over the counter as it's cheaper than paying the prescription charge: about £2 compared to the £8 charge.