There go the pharmacies

[b33jay]

@toryroo

I think you may be getting muddled, ibuprofen comes in 200mg, and can be bought anywhere in UK. Paracetamol comes in 500mg and can also be bought anywhere (and indeed I do the rounds buying up my 2 packets everywhere to stock up when I’m there,). I imagine they are now offering the awful 1000mg tablets as they are here but maybe only over the counter as you say.

Indeed I was. Like you I buy whenever shopping to keep a stock for my wife. I never take either. What confused me was the need for pharmacist approval. On revisiting I see that it refers to multi packs of 32 x500 mg paracetamol which exceeds the 2 x 16 limit for over the counter purchases. My local Aldi restricts paracetamol and ibuprofen to two 2 x 16 packets of either but not both which other Aldi and Lidl shops will allow.

[hairbear]

Asda pharmacies (any pharmacy really, but Asda are cheapest I think) will sell you larger boxes of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol without issue. The pharmacist does ask you what they are for and if you’ve used them before and may remind you of dosing, but they won’t refuse if you answer appropriately.

[Rachman]

@JaneJones

I’d have to go to the UK!

Consider it as a free trip!

[geoffrey_Croshaw]

Does anyone take the pneumonia vaccine. My OH had it very badly this year and doesn’t want it again. I know in the UK it’s recommended for anyone over 65

[Jane_Williamson]

Yes, I have had it as I am asthmatic.

[JaneJones]

@geoffrey_Croshaw

pneumonia vaccine

Pneumococcal vaccine, not just pneumonia but also helps with sepsis and meningitis.

I have it every 10 years.

[Jane_Williamson]

Me too.

[Shiba]

Three years ago my BIL who in the past has had Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and got through it via the new back then, stem cell implants, had the pneumonia jab on the insistance of his doctor in the UK and she also said to have the flu jab at the same time which he did! Next day he passed out at the wheel of his 40 tonner on a scottish motorway but luckily did not hit anything, only a barrier and light damage. It was found to have been caused by having both jabs the same morning which inturn made his heart change to irregular beats. He was taken off driving for over a year, fitted with a pacemaker and has been cleared for driving again now for over 18 months without a single problem. The doctor apparently should never have ordered both jabs on the same morning!

[John_Scully]

I had both jabs at the same time last year with no effect. I’d say you BIL’s arrhythmia (which I also have, so my MT’s aware of it) could have kicked off at any stage.

[b33jay]

@hairbear

Asda pharmacies (any pharmacy really, but Asda are cheapest I think) will sell you larger boxes of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol without issue. The pharmacist does ask you what they are for and if you’ve used them before and may remind you of dosing, but they won’t refuse if you answer appropriately.

Thank you for that info. It was a Tesco pharmacy shop where I saw the bulk packs. From my visits I think all the major UK supermarkets are selling these products at the same price to compete with Aldi/Lidl.

[geoffrey_Croshaw]

Thanks for that useful information which will help us with our doctor as he speaks very little English. Having read up on it on the NHS site it seems the vaccine gives a 60% to 70% protection against bacterial pneumonia not the viral which is what my OH had. The NHS is still suggesting it can be taken with the flu jab but we will make sure we avoid that. No point in taking unnecessary risks!