A years supply of drugs - How?

[djs]

Following a very sucessful cancer treatment Helen is on daily tamoxifen. Talking to the docs it's not looking straightforward to get more than three months supply at a time which will prove difficult on the Atlantic circuit we plan to start next summer. Having drugs posted out should be ok within the EU but I suspect the caribbean and USA will be a different story.

How have others managed this? what has worked for you?

Helen will have another three years of taking these when we set off so delaying the trip till the course is run is not a good option - I'm under strict instructions that we leave before the next significant birthday and that's next year! And whilst stopping taking them is not likely to really have significant health implications its not something we want to gamble with.

Thanks in advance
Dave

 

[nimbusgb]

You can get stuff quite easily over a pharmacy counter in Greece. I got a couple of courses of broad spectrum antibiotics for the medicine kit just by asking. About €7 per course iirc. Might be worth a try.

 

[deuc02]

Stick buy tamoxifen into google

 

[GrahamM376]

Stick buy tamoxifen into google

Big problem with counterfeit drugs on line, wouldn't risk any unknown source.

 

[LadyInBed]

My normal issue is one script every two months. I let the doc know that I might be away for six or seven months and he will sign a repeat script a month allowing me to build up a stock before leaving.
I assume your surgery allows you to do repeat scripts online.
If your chemist does a collect and deliver service, as mine does, and you don't have to pay for them, then it is easy.

 

[RobbieW]

I'm on Omeprazole permanently and not quite old enough for that to be free. Its cheap enough to buy it with a private prescription, my GP recently agreed to give me an NHS prescription for 6 months and a private prescription for 6 months - its worth talking to them.

 

[Happydaze]

My wifes drugs for her many illnesses are limited to a few months ahead and when she starts a new one its always a little difficult to get the up front amounts but i found that at one meeting with her consultant i just asked if she thought the Canadian or far east suppliers of drugs were safe to use? She sat down and wrote a script out for an extra 6 months and said she did not want to have to sort a worse problem out next time!

 

[akyaka]

My normal issue is one script every two months. I let the doc know that I might be away for six or seven months and he will sign a repeat script a month allowing me to build up a stock before leaving.
I assume your surgery allows you to do repeat scripts online.
If your chemist does a collect and deliver service, as mine does, and you don't have to pay for them, then it is easy.

+1

 

[TQA]

I bought through Planet Drugs for some years until I discovered I could get what I needed [ heart meds ] at the same price or even a little less over the counter in the Caribbean.

Planet Drugs will require a copy of your prescription and will supply 3 months at a time. They are a very reputable Canadian Co. I bought with confidence and deliveries were not a problem with a little foresight. Delivery takes 2 to 4 weeks to the Carib.

They supply tamoxifen for $43 per 100.

 

[ribrage]

I'm on Omeprazole permanently and not quite old enough for that to be free. Its cheap enough to buy it with a private prescription, my GP recently agreed to give me an NHS prescription for 6 months and a private prescription for 6 months - its worth talking to them.

+1 Im on the same stuff , i get my prescriptions posted in the Uk and then collect when I go there or when people visit get them brought across, my doctor is happy to post the prescriptions as well to family for collection , never had a problem with getting anything i need, but i always get prescriptions in uk and pay rather than mail order - to many counterfeiters .

 

[KellysEye]

> Keep a copy of the prescription because using that we had no problem getting the same drugs abroad in the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal.

I meant to add that in some places we just needed to show the box.

 

[Carmel2]

You can get stuff quite easily over a pharmacy counter in Greece. I got a couple of courses of broad spectrum antibiotics for the medicine kit just by asking. About €7 per course iirc. Might be worth a try.

Do you know if its the same in Italy? IE over the counter?

 

[chrisb]

Tamoxifen is the generic product . GP prescribing is quite closely monitored these days. Gp's are restricted on the quantities that they prescribe under NHS . You should be able to receive a private prescription from your GP for the quantity outstanding above 3m.
Tamoxifen may not be available in Island pharmacies . It is not a regime to mess about with ie it needs to be taken daily so you need adequate quantities to cover you expected time away. Worth checking to make sure it remains in code for the period and any special storage conditions.
Counterfeiting is a possible problem but unlikely with the UK obtained product.
If you have friends/family flying out they might be able to bring replacements out for you .
The proprietary name for tamoxifen is nolvadex but is more expensive.
good luck with your circuit

 

[lille_bee]

I think your best option is to have a chat with your UK GP, and ask him/her for a private prescription for a year's supply, which shouldn't cost more than £40 (assuming Helen is on the 20mg-strength). Tamoxifen is cheap enough nowadays, it isn't really a target for counterfeiters any more (neither is omeprazole, BTW).
Also, Tamoxifen isn't the sort of drug you'd take unless you have to, it's not likely to be abused/misused, so I would imagine it could well be bought in Italy without a problem.
Incidentally, a Private prescription written by an EU-registered doctor is valid in the whole of the EU, provided the pharmacist can understand it, so if you're going to italy, you could try getting your GP to write the instructions in both english and italian; maybe bring him/her a crib-sheet?
Just don't try bringing a prescription written in Welsh, even in Wales they seem to struggle with those...!!!!

 

[theguerns]

I have been taking heart drugs for the past 22 years and at first had the same problem. Then we got to France and I was taken ill so had to go to hospital. When I got out was told to see a local Dr and on doing so my problem was solved. Itoldhim we may be at sea for longer than a year. He made out a prescription for 14 months of the drugs I need with a covering letter for the chemist. No problem and I had my drugs. He also said that if I was visiting the french carabean Islands he would giveme a forward dated prescription and they would honour it as its French terrotary. Hope this helps.

 

[djs]

Thank you all for sharing your experience and knowledge. It seems it may not be as big an issue as we feared. First stop will be another conversation with the GP about getting repeat scripts written to build up a supply.

Helen has found it very odd taking a drug every day when she is to all intents and purposes completely healthy. The only way to remember to take them is to set an alrm to go off every day. She uses a music track - Morecambe & Wise, Bring me Sunshine

Good sailing all
Dave