4 ms·
But not in (at least much of) the UK apparently. I was on vacation in England and Scotland a year ago and many in our group came down with an annoying cold. E
by soylentcola 3y ago
But not in (at least much of) the UK apparently. I was on vacation in England and Scotland a year ago and many in our group came down with an annoying cold.
Every chemist had piles of phenylephrine tablets but no pseudoephedrine (or even phenylephrine nasal spray, which works quite well). I did not have a fun time explaining to my sniffly girlfriend why these were all trash and there was no point in buying them - she just wanted some relief and couldn't understand how I would somehow know better than all the different drugs on the shelves. It made me feel like some nutty conspiracy theorist, insisting that the medicine was all phony.
Thankfully it didn't derail the trip, and in the end I found some other nasal spray that sort-of worked.
- maccard 3y agoPharmacies in the UK absolutely do stock pseudoephedrine. It's usually behind the counter and you have to ask for it. "Sinutab, or own brand, without pain relief" is what you're looking for, for anyone reading.
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- stephen_g 3y agoI’ve bought pseudoephedrine tablets at Boots on a trip but I think I did have to ask at the counter.
- jcadam 3y agoI've found plain 'ol saline nasal spray works well enough... and, a hot toddy helps clear the sinuses.
- dfawcus 3y agoIt is generally available behind the counter in chemists all over the UK. One simply has to ask, and there are no ID requirements. There is a limit to how many they will supply, but I'm not sure what it is. Generally available now in two forms, with and without paracetamol. It used to be available off the shelf, but that changed about 15-20 years ago, for the same illicit drug production issues.
- petercooper 3y agoThe UK's pharmaceutical culture is poor. If "NICE" doesn't think something is the right way to treat a condition, forget it. Even people with diagnosed conditions can struggle to acquire medication. Also, beware of daring to mention the name of a medication, because that's a sign of "drug seeking"! (Luckily I've not been on the receiving end of this, but know folks who have.)