Medication Refills in Spain Availability

[royandsharont]

My understanding marchie, from having travelled for more than 2 months, is that in England at least your entitled to request and receive up to 3 months medication for the purpose of going away on holiday. A Dr gives the prescription but they are not the ones to make the rules only facilitate you getting the correct and safe medication. It may be that certain medications cannot be safely given in quantities for up to 3 months so they could rightly refuse on that basis. If there is no medical reason to refuse I don’t see how they could when it is within the rules. They cannot give longer within the rules but I believe some do. I used to request & get 3 months twice a year for us both without a problem for the past 8 years

 

[Burgo]

Omeprazole 20mg; Ramipril 10mg;

These two definitely as I take them - though you can buy omeprazole without a prescription (receta). Aspirin, yes, of course, as well.

 

[deleted79651]

These two definitely as I take them - though you can buy omeprazole without a prescription (receta). Aspirin, yes, of course, as well.

Thank you very much for that confirmation. Just the Ivabradine [which has been in short supply recently, and every prescription in 2021 has had a different brand of this tablet] and the Ezetemibe to track down now!

Steve

 

[Lenny HB]

I've found you can order your 8 week prescription after 6 weeks without getting it refused, do that each time and you soon build up a stock.

 

[carolyn]

Our CCG only allows monthly prescribing to try to reduce waste but you can reorder your medication every 20 days so I make sure I don’t let any of the local pharmacies do it for me . When we were going away for long spells I’d just reorder every 3 weeks automatically and soon built up a good stock and then ordered 2 months worth with a note re holiday in the “any other instructions” box about a month before we went. This gave plenty of time for errors to be corrected. It saves any hassles.

Bear in mind there are a few drugs that need monitoring and there are sometimes medical reasons why your GP might not want to give you endless quantities, they do have a responsibility for what they are prescribing.

I do agree that a lot of drugs can be bought cheaply in France and Spain but not all. Stuff that’s been around for years like statins, ramipril, betablockers, thyroxine, yes but a lot of people are on immune modulating drugs for rheumatoid and even severe asthma. They’re not cheap. The OP is very wise to check it out.

Legally you are only entitled to 90 days worth on the NHS and should then get a private prescription for more which was another way of doing it when people used to overwinter in Spain on stable medication. Lots of GPs were more flexible, it depended a bit on your prescribing authority and how tightly controlled it was. This idea that you were somehow deregistered after 90 days or kicked off the NHS lists is nonsense.

It will be easy to have enough for 90 days though….

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[15isto2]

That strength is prescription only I think. I've got some which I've been prescribed for a torn tendon in my shoulder after a fall. They're definitely stronger than what you can buy otc! Be careful though as they are considered addictive.

I’m the UK co-coadmol 8/500 can be sold by a pharmacist. Higher strengths are prescription only.

 

[denisejoe]

I’m the UK co-coadmol 8/500 can be sold by a pharmacist. Higher strengths are prescription only.

That's the strength I bought from the pharmacy before the GP prescribed the 30/500 which is what I said I thought is prescription only in the UK.

 

[Edenside]

Omeprazole definitely from chemist around 2.2euros for 28 tablets. Bought some recently did show my UK prescription & asked if available over the counter but she said no if I didn’t have a prescription so maybe another brexit change.

 

[Bessy765]

One of the problems is medicine prescribed for U use is not cleared for use in other countries. Although the same medicine can be prescribed elsewhere it is only licensed for the particular country that issued it.

 

[Puddleduck]

Bear in mind there are a few drugs that need monitoring and there are sometimes medical reasons why your GP might not want to give you endless quantities, they do have a responsibility for what they are prescribing.

I take warfarin and am on home monitoring which is brilliant for me. In Scotland I had to finance my own testing machine and sharps disposal boxes but the GP prescribes the test strips and lancets. The test strips are expensive (and the ones I get from the pharmacy have a short shelf life which is annoying - but are the same strips used by my GP so no additional cost unless I don't use them all before they are out of date). Self testing means no staff time taken up in testing and others who need the appointment can get it (I just phone in the results and say it is within range or not - if not I get a phone call back with dose adjustment). It also means I am not tied to being home for testing.

My brother-in-law (England) has all his home testing, including the machine, paid for via his NHS Board.

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[In a Pickle]

Thank you very much for that confirmation. Just the Ivabradine [which has been in short supply recently, and every prescription in 2021 has had a different brand of this tablet] and the Ezetemibe to track down now!

Steve

I’ll go to the Farmacia tomorrow and ask, I’ll let you know what they say!

 

[gus-lopez]

This idea that you were somehow deregistered after 90 days or kicked off the NHS lists is nonsense.

No the requirement was that YOU notified them to be removed. The same as you are spposed to notify the soc.sec if in hospital over 4 weeks so they can reduce your state pension. Before Brexit it actually stated 90 days but now does not.
Over 6 months out , even cumulatively,you are meant to be removed. Here ; from a FOI request


Anyone who lives outside this country for more than six months is no
longer automatically entitled to free NHS hospital treatment. If the
person is away on, for example, a one-off extended holiday, then they will
continue to be fully entitled to free hospital treatment as soon as they
return to live permanently in the UK.


Whilst the Department is aware that many UK nationals living overseas
still consider themselves to be UK residents, sometimes even maintaining
accommodation here, someone who regularly and routinely spends the
majority of each year settled in a residence outside the UK cannot
legitimately be considered as being ordinarily resident here.





UK state pensioners resident in another European Economic Area (EEA)
member state that have registered an S1 document in that member state have
the right to return to England for all treatment, including planned
treatment, and do not need to obtain any kind of authorisation from their
country of residence.



**If you re-read the last line of the first paragraph;

""
then they will
continue to be fully entitled to free hospital treatment as soon as they return to live permanently in the UK.


that would mean that the person/s had no entitlement to healthcare whilst out of the UK & so the EHIC/GHIC wold also be voided.

 

[deleted79651]

I’ll go to the Farmacia tomorrow and ask, I’ll let you know what they say!

Thanks again, you are a wee gem! I'll get the beers in if we should bump into each other! Don't listen to Mrsambulancekidd about me being a Stalker, I was just trying to see if it was a Funster parked opposite us at Loch Doon, without making it too obvious ... And I failed!

Steve

 

[royandsharont]

I’m a bit puzzled by how some have to reorder their prescriptions in these circumstance. We get ours monthly direct from our GP surgery so don’t actually see a paper prescription. We do it online now via an App & pre pandemic when it was time to be away I would order one months supply that was needed for our current needs, then the next day order our second months supply and finally on the next day order our third months supply. Once dispensed I would go to the surgery to collect all of it. Did the same for Sharon’s too. Went away will all that was needed and reorder when we got home & back into a normal 28 day routine

 

[carolyn]

I’m a bit puzzled by how some have to reorder their prescriptions in these circumstance. We get ours monthly direct from our GP surgery so don’t actually see a paper prescription. We do it online now via an App & pre pandemic when it was time to be away I would order one months supply that was needed for our current needs, then the next day order our second months supply and finally on the next day order our third months supply. Once dispensed I would go to the surgery to collect all of it. Did the same for Sharon’s too. Went away will all that was needed and reorder when we got home & back into a normal 28 day routine

Some are set up so that you cannot reorder for a certain number of days, in the case of my surgery it seems to be 20 days at the moment. Yours obviously just haven’t set a number of days. I never see a prescription either. I reorder via the NHS app on my iPhone, strangely at the weekend it was playing up, definitely an iOS problem as I logged into SystmOnline at the surgery and ordered it all no problem and Nick ordered his fine on his android.

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[deleted79651]

I’m a bit puzzled by how some have to reorder their prescriptions in these circumstance. We get ours monthly direct from our GP surgery so don’t actually see a paper prescription. We do it online now via an App & pre pandemic when it was time to be away I would order one months supply that was needed for our current needs, then the next day order our second months supply and finally on the next day order our third months supply. Once dispensed I would go to the surgery to collect all of it. Did the same for Sharon’s too. Went away will all that was needed and reorder when we got home & back into a normal 28 day routine

We order prescriptions online and the normal provision is 8 weeks supply. The prescription that forms part of the audit trail shows every date of medication issue for the previous 3 prescriptions, so it would be relatively easy to spot over ordering by looking at the current prescription and its two preceding issues.

The Rules are very clear [at least in Scotland] and I await a response from the GP on whether the issue of a 3rd month's supply is possible as an exception, even if I have to pay for it. I don't want to break the law [the offence would fall under the provisions of the Theft Act], and if it's a refusal, then I go to the possibilities of paying for a letter or prescription confirming the need for medication on a permanent basis, so that I can legally buy the tablets in Spain. The cost is irrelevant, it's being able to obtain the tablets without problems that is paramount.

I also have a good relationship with my GP, and would hate to ruin it by trying, and failing, to play the system.

Steve

 

[hja]

Can’t order more than one month at a time with our CCG. Has to be done electronically via surgery web site. Last time I tried to order early, the system wouldn’t let me. In fact the repeat prescription, which I get from the chemist when I pick up meds, has a date on it for when order next due. Haven’t contacted surgery about it, because I don’t need more than one month at present.

 

[royandsharont]

Thanks, that has helped me understand now. I suspect we may be lucky at our practice, we’re all open & have been throughout the pandemic, but I visit many surgeries in Hull with my voluntary work where I see many are like fortresses keeping their patients out.

 

[carolyn]

Thanks, that has helped me understand now. I suspect we may be lucky at our practice, we’re all open & have been throughout the pandemic, but I visit many surgeries in Hull with my voluntary work where I see many are like fortresses keeping their patients out.

Don’t worry, it gets even more confusing if you accidentally let your local pharmacist start reordering your medication for you to “help” . When I was still a GP some of them were the worst culprits for reordering as required medication every single time without checking with the patient as it was easier which led to stockpiling. The incentive being that it was quicker and they got a fee per item dispensed. Note I said some not all before any of the good Pharmacists take umbrage.

 

[Warmleys]

We're trying to sort out a roughly 75-80 days trip to Spain but are running into problems in getting more than 8 weeks supply of medication. The GP surgery has promised to come back to me next week with an answer on whether the Doctor is prepared to issue an additional 4 weeks prescription, but this may prove difficult, not least because a couple of my tablets were out of stock on my last prescription and it took 3 or 4 days for them to be supplied. We don't have relatives who can get a prescription whilst we are away [and the changed Customs/Export regs post Brexit might well cause problems anyway].

I am quite happy to pay in Spain for my prescription [just part of the holiday cost], the problem is being able to get the medication. I had my heart attack in Spain, so I can probably find the hospital paperwork and Spanish prescription from 2020 and I can produce my customer copy of my latest Scottish prescription to prove my bona fides. I'd be interested to know if any Funster has needed to obtain medication recently. I'm not looking for Spanish Health System 'subsidised' prices, because I'm not a Spanish resident. It's purely a question of whether I can buy the medication over the counter.

The medication involved is: Ivabradine 5mg; Omeprazole 20mg; Ramipril 10mg; Ezetrol [Ezetemibe] 10mg; and, lastly soluble Aspirin 75mg [which I know that I can buy over the counter!]

As usual, TIA for any advice on the way to solve the problem!

Steve

Hi Steve. Last year we found that Scotland and Wales wouldn't fill even post dated scrips. This year we are in Ireland so I had to get my GP to fill 12 weeks in advance. He was very hesitant as I have 2 controlled meds but eventually let me have them. It would be a nightmare going to Europe , not knowing they won't fill them. Last year I ran out of venlafaxine about a week before I could come home (we rent our house when we travel ) and I had really horrible withdrawal. I had never experienced this before. Definitely get meds in full before you go
Rob and odette

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[deleted79651]

Update: Our GP Surgery phoned a couple of minutes ago to say that, not only was an extra 28 days medication supply OK, the Practice Pharmacist had sent the prescription across to the Pharmacy! That's service for you!

I didn't dare mention that we hadn't been able to arrange the trip yet, because of the uncertainty over the extra medication,and because of Saturday's letter telling me I had been selected for Jury Service!

Just need to juggle the subsequent prescription to fit around the travel dates, safe in the knowledge that I also have the back up of being able to buy most of my medication in Spain

This is a good start to the week!

Steve

 

[In a Pickle]

Update: Our GP Surgery phoned a couple of minutes ago to say that, not only was an extra 28 days medication supply OK, the Practice Pharmacist had sent the prescription across to the Pharmacy! That's service for you!

I didn't dare mention that we hadn't been able to arrange the trip yet, because of the uncertainty over the extra medication,and because of Saturday's letter telling me I had been selected for Jury Service!

Just need to juggle the subsequent prescription to fit around the travel dates, safe in the knowledge that I also have the back up of being able to buy most of my medication in Spain

This is a good start to the week!

Steve

That is good news.

I have been to our local Farmacia this morning and they said they were able to supply the following over the counter without prescription;

CORLENTOR (equivalent of IVABRADINE) 5mg. Price 28.85 euros for 56 tablets.

RAMIPRIL 10mg. Price 9.68 euros for 28 tablets.

EZETROL 10mg. Price 30.85 euros for 28 tablets.

I asked her if these would be readily available over the counter anywhere in Spain, her response was that technically you do need a prescription for them at all pharmacies however at the discretion of the pharmacy they were able to sell them over the counter!

Hope this helps and I accept your offer of a beer if you are ever in the Mazarron area!

Andrea

 

[deleted79651]

That is good news.

I have been to our local Farmacia this morning and they said they were able to supply the following over the counter without prescription;

CORLENTOR (equivalent of IVABRADINE) 5mg. Price 28.85 euros for 56 tablets.

RAMIPRIL 10mg. Price 9.68 euros for 28 tablets.

EZETROL 10mg. Price 30.85 euros for 28 tablets.

I asked her if these would be readily available over the counter anywhere in Spain, her response was that technically you do need a prescription for them at all pharmacies however at the discretion of the pharmacy they were able to sell them over the counter!

Hope this helps and I accept your offer of a beer if you are ever in the Mazarron area!

Andrea

Hi Andrea,

Thank you [once again!] for making the enquiries and for updating the medications availability. The information on the practicalities and costs is incredibly helpful. The week is starting well, even the sun is shining in Scotland! I'll take my Spanish Hospital Medical Report showing the caus of the problems, the initial Spanish prescription [post hospital discharge], and the latest Scottish prescriptions so that i can prove to any sceptical Pharmacist that it is a bona fide request, and then trust to the Pharmacists discretion!

It's a local Bank Holiday across the water in Falkirk today, so the Court [which has helpfully [?] transferred all of its Caseload to Fife's COVID compliant remote Jury facility ...] is closed! Fingers crossed that when I speak to them tomorrow, they decide to drop me from the pool of jurors [but that would 3 in a row for good news outcomes, so probably pushing my luck!]

We don't have a route or itinerary planned yet, so the beer could well be on!

Cheers

Steve & Elaine