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Pharmacy refusal to sell thrush medication

R

Rachel_H

Member
Messages
7
Hi everybody,

My bg is a little awry at the moment and I have thrush. this is a common problem when my bg has been uncontrolled for a few days.

I went to get some canestan to sort it out but the girl on the till refused to sell it to me as I was over 60! ( I’m 62). How long has this been a thing?

I spoke to the pharmacist who relented but for goodness sake! He wanted me to have a review…(so no time soon then). I said that I had my problem now and it needed sorting out now.
This was at Boots
Anybody else experienced this? Any thoughts? Tips (apart from ‘say you’re 58).

TIA
Rachel
 
I bought mine from chemist direct the generic brand so if it flares up its there. No surprised at Boots being like that, cannot understand why Is there such an age, limit do they think that after a certain age you are no longer susceptible to thrush. Had a similar problem with Boots before being diagnosed. I went into the larger store in town and it was packed, I asked a young pharmacist for a cream for a certain part of my anatomy and had written it down to save my embarrassment. She looked at me blank said she couldn't read my writing and asked me to say it, well shout it more like as she couldn't hear either! After had repeated the product she looked at me and replied "no we are out of stock, NEXT"! I couldn't believe it. I was mortified to say the least and it didn't help being a Saturday, packed shop and a load of people behind me - I died of shame!
 
It's supposed to be rare for women to get thrush after 60, so you need to get a dr to check it's thrush!! They obviously haven't spoken to any diabetics or people who get thrush after taking antibiotics, as I do. Don't know when this came in, but found women complaining about it in 2017 on the internet.
 
Just wow - that's all I can say!
 
JohnEGreen said:
You can get it on Amazon.
Click to expand...
Do Amazon deliver thrush?!
Seriously I cannot believe any chemist would put an age limit - pure ignorance. I know that what encourages thrush in diabetics is sugar that has been passed in the urine. Like Covid it knows no boundaries or age differences.
 
My local Boots refused to sell me athlete's foot powder because I am diabetic. The reason they gave was that diabetes can cause foot infections. I said I knew that, that's why I didn't want to wait a month to see my GP.
 

Hi,

The only logical misconception I can guess, is they possibly had thought anyone 60 years or older would be exempt from a prescription charge if it had been reviewed & prescribed by an HCP???

Boots again, back in the days I was self funding my Libras. There was a bit of a Libre drought happening at my usual Asda pharmacy. Where I had registered VAT exemption & they scanned a special code by the till & not the box regarding the price..

Boots? I could see them stacked on a shelf behind the counter on a hunt. When I mentioned being T1 & VAT exempt.
I was assured that they knew not of such an exemption policy..
 
When I tried recently to buy a Libre 2 over the counter at Boots, they said they didn't sell them.
I assume they can supply them on prescription only
 
Aside from the traditional location if my bgs have been running high for a while, I also sometimes get it very mildly under my breasts. (Sorry if that's TMI). I find the cream is very handy for heat induced rashes.

My wild guess is that chemists want people to get checked for diabetes if you present with it, but if you are already diabetic then what is the point? But a request as to whether this is a recurring problem and if so have you seen a doctor seems to be age independent...
 
Not a concersation I'd like to have in a pharmacists!
I'd guess that its possible the pharmacist knows your are diabetic and means either a diabetic review or more embarrassingly a sexual health review given that STD rates are reportedly highest in the over 60s these days!
Either way I know pharmacists are getting encouraged to undertake some screenings done by clinicians.
 
Blimey what a promiscuous lot they must think we are, I shudder to think!
 
Last edited:
Hi,

have a look at this patient info sheet (which is included in every carton of Caneston).
it clearly says that if patients are under 12, or over 60, they should see their doc before using Caneston.
- so your Boots staff member should be applauded for their comprehensive product knowledge.

I’m actually rather impressed!

easier said than done, of course, but getting yout blood glucose under control is the best preventative, but maybe try some pre and pro biotics too. Kefir, live yog, kimchi, sauerkraut, S. boulardii (which out competes the thrush).
 
Brunneria said:
it clearly says that if patients are under 12, or over 60, they should see their doc before using Caneston.
Click to expand...
I have a feeling that whoever wrote that leaflet didn't have thrush while writing it, and didn't consider that it can take weeks before you can see a doc nowadays...
 
I was a pharmacist for 40 years. Canesten used to be prescription only, then became a P med for treatment of athletes foot only. It later moved to a General sales list item as was proved to be safe. However there has always been a limitation on selling it for vaginal thrush in the elderly(classed as over 60) as it could be a sign of undiagnosed diabetes or poorly controlled diabetes. We used to be able to get urgent referrals to see the local GP. Now I'm retired I have to jump through the hoops to get a large tube to treat red sore patches under my large breasts. The assistants on the counter are trained to ask questions , so that if alarm bells ring they get the pharmacist involved. I have found most people do not read the leaflets, indeed 20% of UK population can barely read let alone understand them. Hence we get epileptics screaming about abnormalities in babies, when the leaflets have always advised not to get pregnant while taking them as they were known to cause abnormalities 40 years ago.
 
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