Getting prescription drugs

[dk]

I want to assemble a decent boat 1st aid box for long term cruising, but half the drugs (painkillers, Valium etc) I need are prescription only in the UK. Is there some sort of 'customs sealed' way of getting them for use outside the UK?

 

[Guest]

You can approach your local GP for a private prescription. They will normally be happy to do this and can give valuble advice on what to take. Another useful point of call might be st Johns or the red cross.

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster

 

[charles_reed]

You'll find that the only way is to get them on script, either in the UK or in Europe.

Make enquiries at the RYA, they've usually got some tame medics listed who'll give you a list and issue the prescriptions for you.
The one thing you'll not be able to get are Schedule A analgesics (morphine or diamorph).

Spanish pharmacists have wide discretionary powers, but analgesics over there are unbelieveably expensive (aspirin and paracetamol are 28p a tablet).

By the bye, antibiotics are more important than the analgesics.

 

[Guest]

Good job to as far as diamorph etc goes. It is tempting to think that if you sail to remote parts you need to take a pharmacy with you, and you might be right, but after 3 years trainning using these things still fightens the life out of me, even in hospital. They are dangerous. Even a 'simple' antibiotic can kill you if you react badly to it. Caution is good, trainning is also good (ships captain's medic cert). Even a so called 'tame' doctor should check what you want things for and if you understand what it is, risks etc.

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster

 

[ccscott49]

Buy them in Portugal, you can get virtually anything you want, cheaply, as long as you know the name of it! Apart from morph, diamorph. and all without any prescription! the local UK or Dutch or German doc, will give you the gen on how to use the drugs, we are not talking heart surgery here, just enough knowledge to allow treatment of minor ailments. Just as an aside, I always carry my own siringes wherever I am in the world, just in case. I do travel to some wonderfully backward places! If you speak to your own medic, he will probably be able to help you out in UK, as long as he knows you are not some loony!

 

[Guest]

I've just been to see my GP and we plan to sail off in May. He told me to get the list recommended by the RYA and he would give prescriptions for drugs, including pethedine etc, some would have to be private prescriptions. I believe you must carry presctiptions for all drugs on board.

 

[Guest]

I got prescriptions for the RYA list, plus some from 'Sell up and Sail', except for pethedine. Instead I have dihydrocodeine. My yacht has been searched by customs and so it is probably just as well not to have a narcotic drug aboard.

I don't know how to use all my medicines but rely on finding a friendly medic if necessary. Specially if its necessary to use a local anasthetic (xylocaine) before being stitched up!

In some places you get offered money for drugs, antibiotics etc.

 

[snowleopard]

buy in spain!

where almost any drug is available over the counter and often cheaper than nhs prescription price. if you must buy in the uk, either a private prescription or go to a specialist boat drug supplier (see ads in mags)

 

[Guest]

You should carry some information

two that are good: "Where there is no doctor" put out by the Hesperian Foundation, which I find excellent! Also, "Offshore Doctor".

We carried some pretty sophisticated stuff, including injectable morphine at one time. Found other things that work as well as/better than morphine that are not narcotics. Injectable Toradol (careful, though) worked, for me, better than morphine. Vioxx, the arthritis drug, was a surprise in how well it worked.

You must have good information about the drugs you carry. In addition to "Where there is no Doctor", I would snag a copy of the Physician's Desk Reference, or I would print out, and keep in a book, meds information on anything you carry. Some things, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen in the US) is incredibly toxic.

I've got more suggestions at the Cruiser FAQs on the Cruiser Log, www.cruiser.co.za

Fair winds,
Jeanne