Prescription Medicine in Spain

ceejayt

ceejayt

LIFE MEMBER
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Posts
3,330
Likes collected
6,043
Location
Stamford Bridge - Yorkshire
Funster No
37,605
MH
RS Elysian A Class
Exp
Since 2004
Hi

Trying to get our GP to provide prescriptions to cover 8 week holiday practically impossible even if we can get to actually talk to them.

How easy is it to buy medicines over the counter in Spain and or France?

What do others do?

Thanks
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
ceejayt said:
Pleased for you but we are not so lucky.
Click to expand...
Maybe a question to their reception if you can’t actually speak to a doctor. If they are cutting costs then if you were at home you would get those meds anyway.


Edit……..The patient access I use says my scrip has been approved. Not collected it yet so assume it is for the full amounts. I did specifically ask to cover till mid March.
 
Upvote 0
One option is to get a friend to collect your repeat prescription and send them to you ,
My son does this for me and partner ,easy if you are able to plan forward to stay on a campsite, postage usually takes around 8 days from experience.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
In Spain, they have tightened up with selling medicines over the counter. My recent experience was where I had a bad cough/chest infection. In the past I was able to buy a very good cough medicine, which when I tried to buy recently only to told, only on prescription as it contains antibiotics.
 
Upvote 0
Local Spanish pharmacies here happy to dispense (UK prescription) meds upon receipt of the copy prescription that we receive in the bag when collecting meds in the UK

I save my copy scripts for use in Spain - my atorvastatin doesn't need the script - my indapamide does (sometimes) !!

(UK doctor would previously prescribe 3 / 6 months at a time - when I asked recently I was advised that because I am over 65 they only prescribe on a monthly basis - perhaps they are hoping I die before needing next months meds ?? )
 
Upvote 0
We just put on our repeat order that we are away for 2 or 3 months and ask them to cover us. Never had a problem. Michael did run out of a few of his medications a couple of years ago so showed the local pharmacy his prescription who sold them to him, grand total of €7 for 3 items.
 
Upvote 0
Mixed results for me… Sept this year I had to pay to see a doctor who then wrote a Prescription for what I needed. €40 for consultation, €8 for the meds.

Next time, rolled in with the empty boxes, handed over €10…

We are going to another pharmacy today for some more… 🤞
 
Upvote 0
The issue is getting to speak to anyone at the Dr's, its a blinking shambles, automated message telling you to use the Dr IQ app but that doesnt allow you to request what you need so around in circles you go. Very very frustrating, whoever put this in needs sacking

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 1
ceejayt said:
Trying to get our GP to provide prescriptions to cover 8 week holiday practically impossible even if we can get to actually talk to them.
Click to expand...
I always do my prescription online via one of the apps and in the note box ask for extra as we going to be away.
 
Upvote 0
ceejayt said:
Pleased for you but we are not so lucky.
Click to expand...
Me too.
Annoying thing is that my wife gets enough though but I can’t. Only one month at a time.
Same doctors.

Call me cynical but the only difference is that I pay for my medication and the wife does not. 😳😳
 
Upvote 0
Always worth trying your luck in Spain…. very variable practice. We tend to buy every now & then for the ‘long-trip stockpile’ given problems obtaining more than a few weeks in UK.
 
Upvote 0
I guess it is the postcode lottery of the health service - we are just outside York with a local surgery that is part of a group of around 5 surgeries.

I kid you not, almost every week we receive emails/Facebook notifications saying " please do n to call or try to make an appointment - we are currently not providing any appointments due to volume of work"

That is NOT a health service

On top of that, we have to deal with dismissive receptionists who think they can triage you and clearly attended the school of rudeness.

To top that off they also post in Facebook to tell us how well they are doing, how many appointments they have doe plus they send emails with health tips every week.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
We use Pharmacy2U and there is a box for “are you ordering before usual time”? Then answer “going on holiday”. I ordered mine early and answered Xmas shut down and no problems.
 
Upvote 0
We just pop into the GP surgery and ask at reception, or the pharmacy counter.. never been a problem
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
No use to you now probably but what I do is always order my tablets up to a week earlier than the same week last month, usually nothing is said but sometimes they put me back a day or two but I have got to the point now where I have always got a month's supply in front so when we go away I ask for a month early as going on holiday but In actual fact it means I have two months supply. ;)
 
Upvote 1
We have to email for our repeat prescriptions so I just put we are going on holiday and ask for 2 months. More often than not though they don't read it properly and I end up having to pop in and ask them to do another month as they've only done one month!
 
Upvote 0
chaser said:
No use to you now probably but what I do is always order my tablets up to a week earlier than the same week last month, usually nothing is said but sometimes they put me back a day or two but I have got to the point now where I have always got a month's supply in front so when we go away I ask for a month early as going on holiday but In actual fact it means I have two months supply. ;)
Click to expand...
If everyone does the same when they change anyones medication they will throw away at least a month's worth possibly two. What a good way to increase waste!
 
Upvote 0
Carpmart said:
Mixed results for me… Sept this year I had to pay to see a doctor who then wrote a Prescription for what I needed. €40 for consultation, €8 for the meds.

Next time, rolled in with the empty boxes, handed over €10…

We are going to another pharmacy today for some more… 🤞
Click to expand...

Successful haul at a pharmacy in Los Alcazares (Mar Menor) this morning… three months supply of my Levothyroxine secured, €14…
 
Upvote 0
I have never had an issue getting meds for our motorhome trips. up to 4 months worth and all ordered on line to my surgery.
I'm surprised to read members have to ask for a GP appointment to order meds for a trip. My understanding is a G.P. does not have to be involved if requesting up to 3 months but does require his/her approval if more are requested.
As for not getting a G.P. appointment, its the same across the whole country.
 
Upvote 0
The Wino said:
If everyone does the same when they change anyones medication they will throw away at least a month's worth possibly two. What a good way to increase waste!
Click to expand...
I am now 76 I have had the same tablets since I was 56 so no reason to think they might change anytime soon.
 
Upvote 0
chaser said:
I am now 76 I have had the same tablets since I was 56 so no reason to think they might change anytime soon.
Click to expand...
But that's you're situation if everyone else does the same are they all going to be on the same meds and the same dosage. Also sooner or later we all expire the same thing everyone's stockpile gets wasted.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
ceejayt said:
I guess it is the postcode lottery of the health service - we are just outside York with a local surgery that is part of a group of around 5 surgeries.

I kid you not, almost every week we receive emails/Facebook notifications saying " please do n to call or try to make an appointment - we are currently not providing any appointments due to volume of work"

That is NOT a health service

On top of that, we have to deal with dismissive receptionists who think they can triage you and clearly attended the school of rudeness.

To top that off they also post in Facebook to tell us how well they are doing, how many appointments they have doe plus they send emails with health tips every week.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
Click to expand...
And they wonder why folks go to A & E!
 
Upvote 0
chaser said:
No use to you now probably but what I do is always order my tablets up to a week earlier than the same week last month, usually nothing is said but sometimes they put me back a day or two but I have got to the point now where I have always got a month's supply in front so when we go away I ask for a month early as going on holiday but In actual fact it means I have two months supply. ;)
Click to expand...
We cant do that. The date at which they allow you to request is set at 4 weeks since last time!
 
Upvote 0
I am on a fairly expensive controlled drug. It's virtually impossible to get an extra week let alone a month as the computer flashes up a warning. I have a months spare from when I was in hospital. They wanted me to have morphine instead so managed to save those weeks. My son picks up my medication whilst on holiday.
 
Upvote 0

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top