Prescription medicines

A lot of the meds are made by well known world-wide manufacturers, but not all. Make sure the meds are not expired or close to expiration when you buy them. You can usually research the meds, and the companies who make them online. I really don't think you will have a problem here as long as the meds you need are available. PM me a list of them if you want and I'll see what's available and what they cost the next time I'm in town or at Robinson's.

 

Prescriptions

I think that you could easily go to two different drug stores with you prescriptions. I do not believe anything is recorded and that you can use the same prescription over and over again. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

No John you are absolutely right , done it many times , In fact these days I don't even need a prescription.

 

Again I agree with the post above , I use Generics Pharmacy all the time & have received the same helpful service.

 

My experience has been that I can get almost anything, except controlled drugs, without a prescription at Mercury, Watsons, and Rose pharmacies. The Generic store will sometimes require prescription for antibiotics, I think it depends on the pharmacist. I don't know about the other pharmacies. When obtaining meds for my filipino senior citizen, using the senior discount, there is definitely a 30 pill limit on controlled drugs and he was needing more, so his doc upped the strength of his med from .5 mg tab to a 1 mg tab and we cut them and now he has plenty each month. (Not all meds can be cut) The pharmacy confiscates the prescription for this med since it is controlled, so we must fill it completely. I know with the senior program they can and do keep track of their monthly usage. Not sure if a foreigner if they keep track, but I doubt it. You could probably get two prescriptions from 2 different docs and use different pharmacies so that you wouldn't have to worry about running out each month.

 

Is there a compounding pharmacy in Dumaguete?

 

I Really do not think So, Recently I had a Friend in ICU here at Silliman that needed a particular Drug that could only be Got from Manila,
I feel sure that if there had been a Compound Pharmacy Silliman could have had the Drug made up

 

Agree with all of the above. Depends...as a practising Doc both in the UK and in the ME I have been both alarmed, bemused and delighted by prescribing practices here in the Phils. I guess this depends on the nature/type of chronic condition you are managing - there's a heap of discrepancy depending on the condition and the doc you are consulting. Mostly, I have been super impressed. Though some docs seem to not see the long nose as they are seeing the poverty stricken Filipino day to day who can't afford. So they tend to go for the older, cheaper and sometimes less effective compounds of meds. I guess you need to be in Manila to get the cutting edge in prescribing - though as mentioned I have been delighted with virtually all Docs here doing their level best with all the chips stacked against them.

I had one in my speciality that went ballistic at me for suggesting a more modern compound as it was not affordable to the patients family. Even though I knew it would be more effective. I had to eat humble pie on that one, but then allowed myself a quiet chuckle as he was overheard bragging that he had had success as a Doc from the UK had suggested it 6 months ago. And wasn't it a success di ba. I have my spies everywhere.

My thought would be do your research both in the Phils and home thoroughly as others have suggested, where there is a will there is often a way. Have a chat with your Specialist/GP at home. Ask him, if he were forced to write a less costly script that was just as effective, what drug would it be? I'll bet you are getting the brand at home when the generic (once or if the patent has run out) is just effective. Are there lifestyle changes you know you should get around to making that you haven't yet that would make the condition easier to manage? And so on. Having a chronic condition shouldn't be a barrier to you living in the Phils. Good luck.

C

 

There are some meds that are getting more and more controlled, such that many pharmacies won't give them out without a presription AND they write on the prescription that it has been filled. I find there is a push to stop people from easily buying antibiotics so that is one type of med that is becoming controlled.

That said, I went to Generics Pharmacy to get some antibiotics without a prescription (yes I am bad) and the one in charge said they cannot. I walked 3 blocks to another Generics Pharmacy, asked for the same antibiotic, and got it in seconds without a prescription. Your experience will vary.

To the topic opener, it will help in getting specific answers if you are specific in the medication you are taking. Why so shy?