Dumaguete Info Search


Prescription medicines

Discussion in 'Expat Section' started by Union Jack, Feb 9, 2013.

  1. Union Jack

    Union Jack DI Forum Adept

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    Hi to all at the forum....preparing the grounds for a possible retirement to Duma in a few years...
    Here is one of a number of dilemma......
    Where do you guys get your prescriptions and buy your medicines?
    Right now, here in the UK a person can get, if affected by a lifelong illness, up to three months supply with a single prescription. This means up to 90 tablets (if 1 a day is the requirement but more if needed) supply for approx. 490 pesos. All prescriptions are free of charge as a person reaches the age of 60.
    The medicine in question is quiet common. It retails (a generic version) at Robinson Mall, without a prescription, at 50.55 pesos EACH tablet, which means 4549 pesos for a three months supply, almost ten times more !!
    It is not possible to legally carry a large quantity of prescription tablets when traveling and they would soon expire anyway. Would buying them online be a safe option (lots of fakes here)? Where and how do one get a prescription in Dumaguete (foreigner citizen) and would that make any difference anyway?
    Any suggestion?
    Cheers, Marco.
     
  2. PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

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    Mercury Drugs is the only pharmacy I have come across that asks for a prescription, and maybe Watson's Pharmacy too; Rose, Union, and many others have not asked for a prescription. Certain non-generic medicines, like Lipitor for example, cost a lot here.
     
  3. shadow

    shadow DI Forum Luminary

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    Many drugs are available at Generics Pharmacy at a fraction of the cost of elsewhere, in my case, one TENTH of the cost of elsewhere (Propranolol).

    THE GENERICS PHARMACY

    Larry
     
  4. Knowdafish

    Knowdafish DI Forum Luminary

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    I had no problem bringing a 3 month prescription with me to the Philippines from the U.S. 2 years ago. Just make sure to bring a copy of your doctors prescription.
     
  5. roadking

    roadking DI Member Veteran Air Force

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    Generics Pharmacy Ditto, No problem & must be the cheapest in the country...
     
  6. Broadside

    Broadside DI Forum Patron

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    @ Union Jack. As already stated, you should have no problem bringing a few months supply of medication into the country provided you have the paperwork to back it up. Remember that when you hand in a prescription to the chemist in UK, they keep the prescription, so remember to take a photocopy of the prescription before you pick up your meds.
     
  7. OP
    OP
    Union Jack

    Union Jack DI Forum Adept

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    Thanks to all for the feedback....
    I am aware of being able to take a certain amount of medications if backed up by paperwork, but the question i was asking, perhaps i did not make it clear enough, was what to do when retiring in Dumaguete, i mean long term, for years at a time, not just a long holiday....the feedbacks about the local pharmacies are much appreciated.
    Is the quality of medications for sale assured, knowing there is a lot of stuff out there being faked?
     
  8. roadking

    roadking DI Member Veteran Air Force

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    Pays yer money & takes yer chance Ime afraid, But on the whole its OK , Been taking medication for over 6 years & no probs yet mate...
     
  9. shadow

    shadow DI Forum Luminary

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    My only experience with this is that the P1.25 I pay for propranolol at Generics Pharmacy has the EXACT result of the tabs that cost P15 and up at other Pharmacies. Their product line is somewhat limited, but what they do have is usually quite a bit cheaper than elsewhere. You can find out on their website if they carry your specific meds.

    Larry
     
  10. Charlie

    Charlie DI Senior Member Restricted Account Veteran Coast Guard

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    One word of caution to maybe check on. I only take one med on a regular basis and in the U.S. it was 1/2 mg. 4 times a day and that was considered a low dose. Much to my surprise here in the Philippines the maximum they allow with a doctors prescription is only one mg. per day, 30 per month. Yikes, so after 3 years here I am still fighting to adjust to 1/2 the dose I was on for 30 years in the States. And the cost here is P51 per one mg. tablet. The small amount alloted here came as a huge unexpected surprise to me.
    You might want to check the laws here. Had I known about this low dosage law I probably would not have even moved here. I asked the pharmacist "what am I to do ? just maybe die ? ". No answer of course, other than just
    "sir, that's the law".
     
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