Advice from Pharmacists

theoretica

I have had some very helpful advice from pharmacists, and some less useful encounters. Much like people in other professions really. I have found that going to a quiet pharmacy at a quiet time is more likely to get a pleasant result.

teddysmum

ThemeOne wrote: »

As I was leaving she just shouted out to me "Any CD?" which I twigged meant controlled drugs, so I just shouted back "No" and walked out.

If she'd known anything about drugs one quick look in the bag could have told her there were no CD, so I felt the implication was I'd somehow hidden some amongst the other stuff in an attempt to get rid of it.

So nil points for all aspects of that service, and I won't bother again.

Sometimes when disposing of part used packs, I have put a number of different tablets in one box.


There no excuse to shout her question , but she could be in trouble if putting controlled drugs in the general disposal, as I imagine a record has to be kept.


I take Tramadol, a controlled drug and wouldn't be embarrassed to be asked about it. Controlled doesn't imply that you are an addict; just in need of special drugs, which need to be monitored.

CrabbitDutchie

I think pharmacists are an excellent source of advice, but you have to ask them about their area of expertise.

You don't ask your car salesman about replacing the timing belt of your current car and then complain when he doesn't know. Same goes in health, you don't ask your orthopaedic surgeon about your diabetes, you don't ask your endocrinologist about injury rehabilitation and you don't ask your pharmacist about a mole (well not one on your skin anyway).

You ask them about drugs used to treat the disease, not the disease or diagnosis. After all their degree was pharmacy not medicine. Yes they'll have been taught physiology, but they will not have been trained in history taking, diagnostic tests and diagnosis which are skills GPS should have. So ask about doses of medication, whether 2 drugs can safely be taken together, if there are alternatives to the drug you have been prescribed, side effects of drugs etc. Stick to their area of expertise and they will on the whole be a great source of knowledge.

Last time I chatted to a pharmacist it was about pain control following shoulder surgery (I did not want to take the dihydrocodeine I'd been given due to side effects but still wanted reasonably effective pain control, especially at night) and found it pretty useful. Wasnt sold anything, but came away with some good regimens to try.

Don't ask them to diagnose

sillyvixen

ThemeOne wrote: »

We're also encouraged to "take any unused medication back to the pharmacist, who can dispose of them safely".

Good idea, I thought, better than flushing them down the loo or, more likely for me, keeping them in a cupboard for the next decade.

There were quite a few, all in their labelled packages, so off I went. They were received wordlessly, but with a look from the pharmacist suggesting I'd just caused her some major inconvenience. As I was leaving she just shouted out to me "Any CD?" which I twigged meant controlled drugs, so I just shouted back "No" and walked out.

If she'd known anything about drugs one quick look in the bag could have told her there were no CD, so I felt the implication was I'd somehow hidden some amongst the other stuff in an attempt to get rid of it.

So nil points for all aspects of that service, and I won't bother again.

There is a lot of paperwork and double checking when controlled drugs are returned to the pharmacy. when we lost mum, we had to return meds to the pharmacy - district nurses are not allowed to take controlled drugs from the home following a death unless the home is not secure (e.g. door forced by emergency services). It took ages to return the meds due to there being unused morphine and midazolam amoung the bag of meds.

ThemeOne

CrabbitDutchie wrote: »

So ask about doses of medication, whether 2 drugs can safely be taken together, if there are alternatives to the drug you have been prescribed, side effects of drugs etc.

I would never bother personally, for two reasons: one, when I have asked in the past their knowledge and/or interest appeared to be minimal, and two, I can find out all that online much more easily.

You say don't ask them to diagnose or assist with health problems, but that's exactly what we're being encouraged to do for minor ailments. My contention is, pharmacists in general are not up to this job.

I agree you'd think they'd be a wonderful source of information about drugs, but not in my experience.

kingfisherblue

My son has Down's Syndrome and a number of medical conditions. He has always had regular chest infections. Following an emergency appointment to see an out-of-hours GP, the pharmacist was filling the prescription and asked about my son's other medications. He then suggested that I talk to our GP about a particular medicine which could be helpful (it thins the mucus). The GP agreed that my son could try it. He took the medication for around eight years, until it was no longer needed.

It was also the pharmacist who recommended that a long term antibiotic (low dose, three times a week) could be helpful. Once the consultant finally allowed this - and it took three years! - my son's chest infections reduced greatly. He was actually able to get through the Autumn and Winter months without several stronger doses of antibiotics, and steroids.

As he has grown, my son's medicines have been reduced and he now only needs the long term antibiotic during the colder months, plus his asthma meds (which have also been reduced) and thyroxin. Compared to nine different medicines a day, some of those twice a day, it's a vast improvement.

Smaller chemists tend to be better, rather than branches of large companies such as Boots or Lloyds. Since changing to Well, the chemist linked to our GP has gone downhill and the service is no longer as personal as it once was. I've changed from Well to another chemist to provide my son's repeat meds following a problem with them (for which I received an apology, both from Head Office and the shop manager).

gwen80

ThemeOne wrote: »

We're also encouraged to "take any unused medication back to the pharmacist, who can dispose of them safely".

Good idea, I thought, better than flushing them down the loo or, more likely for me, keeping them in a cupboard for the next decade.

There were quite a few, all in their labelled packages, so off I went. They were received wordlessly, but with a look from the pharmacist suggesting I'd just caused her some major inconvenience. As I was leaving she just shouted out to me "Any CD?" which I twigged meant controlled drugs, so I just shouted back "No" and walked out.

If she'd known anything about drugs one quick look in the bag could have told her there were no CD, so I felt the implication was I'd somehow hidden some amongst the other stuff in an attempt to get rid of it.

So nil points for all aspects of that service, and I won't bother again.

I've taken unused medicines back to the pharmacist too and from his face, you'd have thought I'd brought a bag of d0gsh1t into the pharmacy. I'll do it again though as I don't like the idea of throwing it down the loo.

Katiehound

Three years ago I had a very red swollen leg and asked advice from 2 different independent pharmacies on consecutive days in different parts of the country. Neither could identify the problem and sold me anti histamines. The very next day (when I was a cruise ship) someone, non medical, came up to me and asked if I knew what was the matter- I was wearing shorts- and she correctly dignosed cellulitis. Seems they were absolutely classic symptoms.

Only last week when I was prescribed a strong antibiotic I read the patient information sheet and there I saw contra indications with a drug I already take. Phoned the pharmacist who asked 'Who told you that??' Er.... the patient leaflet!

No, I am not convinced. Maybe I have just been unlucky.
I have had plenty of experience with the nurse practioners at our GP and they have been excellent.