Citalopram in Thailand - how to get it?

[Lemsta69]

@Sherylhi Sheryl I'll be retiring to Thailand in a month or two and so I'd like to ask you what you know about getting a prescription for Citalopram.

 

I read some earlier posts of yours and they said that it's approved but nobody has a license to import and that escitalopram at lower dosage is a viable alternative for some.

 

why's the current state of play do you know?

 

also can a normal doctor prescribe these drugs or do I have to see a psychiatrist?

 

I'll initially be heading to Pattaya so would be looking at BPH for this if required. or I can fly to anywhere in Thailand if there's a "go to" hospital.

 

thanks in advance

 

ps. love your work, you're a legend ????

[Sheryl]

Citalopram is still nto available in Thailand.

 

Escitalopram can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription (true of most medications in Thailand).

 

I would suggest you make the switch in consultation with your doctor before traveling here so as to already be stabilized on it

 

 

 

 

[Lemsta69]

Just now, Sheryl said:

Citalopram is still nto available in Thailand.

 

Escitalopram can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription (true of most medications in Thailand).

 

I would suggest you make the switch in consultation with your doctor before traveling here so as to already be stabilized on it

 

 

 

 

thanks for the prompt response Sheryl, that's good to know. also thanks for the suggestion about migrating to escitalopram before I leave.

[Lemsta69]

On 11/2/2021 at 3:28 PM, Sheryl said:

Citalopram is still nto available in Thailand.

 

Escitalopram can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription (true of most medications in Thailand).

 

I would suggest you make the switch in consultation with your doctor before traveling here so as to already be stabilized on it

 

 

 

 

hi Sheryl, I followed your suggestion and went to see my GP about replacing Citalopram with Escitalopram before I leave. he agreed and wrote me a script for Lexapro 20mg. I vaguely recall that in another post you mentioned that the normal dosage is half that of Citalopram so I'm taking a half tablet every day and it's going very well. in fact the Lexapro is much "smoother" than the Cipramil.

 

Thanks again for your assistance.

[cyril sneer]

On 11/30/2021 at 2:56 AM, Lemsta69 said:

hi Sheryl, I followed your suggestion and went to see my GP about replacing Citalopram with Escitalopram before I leave. he agreed and wrote me a script for Lexapro 20mg. I vaguely recall that in another post you mentioned that the normal dosage is half that of Citalopram so I'm taking a half tablet every day and it's going very well. in fact the Lexapro is much "smoother" than the Cipramil.

 

Thanks again for your assistance.

795 baht for 28 tablets on here (for when you run out)

https://medtide.com/product/escitalopram-esidep-10-mg-lexapro-alternative/

[Lemsta69]

11 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

795 baht for 28 tablets on here (for when you run out)

https://medtide.com/product/escitalopram-esidep-10-mg-lexapro-alternative/

thanks mate I'll check 'em out when I get over and get myself settled in with an actual address and all ????

[Lemsta69]

On 12/1/2021 at 5:59 AM, cyril sneer said:

795 baht for 28 tablets on here (for when you run out)

https://medtide.com/product/escitalopram-esidep-10-mg-lexapro-alternative/

g'day Cyril I just received my first batch of the generic Lexapro you recommended. saved me a bundle thanks mate. I can't believe how exxy the actual brand is here and I'm not short of a bob. they're wanting 1,650 baht for a 28 pack of 10 mg! that's a far cry from what I was paying back in Oz (yeah yeah I know, we're not in Kansas anymore) ????

[R Grace]

Thanks everyone for the above info! I've been in Thailand for 3 months now and have had some challenges with getting Escitalopram so I thought I'd add some more details about my experience in case others encounter like issues (and, if you're taking Citalopram, my guess is that your anxiety will be soothed by having MORE rather than less info available to you!).

 

First, I wish I would've read Sheryl's response closer before coming here as I would have seen that she said only Escitalopram is available in Thailand, NOT Citalopram (and I also would've seen that I should've made the switch to monitor the effects of a changeover BEFORE I came here!). As it is, I went to TONS of pharmacies only to learn that not only did they not have Citalopram but many didn't have Escitalopram either - or, they only knew it by the name Lexapro* and/or, MANY told me I had to have a prescription for it. Note however that you do NOT need a prescription at ALL pharmacies (as Sheryl outlines above). In my personal experience thus far, I have found the following:

 

- Bangkok: cyril sneer's link above should work fine if you're going to be near Bangkok (as Lemsta69 has attested to above) and, though far more than Citalopram in the US, is an EXCELLENT price for Thailand. However, if you're not going to be in or near Bangkok while in Thailand, you may have issues as they don't take foreign credit cards (they wouldn't accept mine when I tried to use it on their website anyway - like many places in Thailand!) so you'll need to be close enough to go into Medtide's office to pick it up and pay in cash, unless you have some other form of Thai approved credit/debit card(s).

 

- Ao Nang: DeCare Pharmacy was able to order me a 30 day supply of 10 mg of Escitalopram for 1,300 baht and they knew it by the name Escitalopram. Not only is that on the pricey side but after 2 weeks, it still hadn't come in before I had to leave so if you need pills ASAP, this may not be your best bet. (I was told Suwankna Pharmacy was really good too so they may be cheaper/faster; I just didn't get a chance to check them out before I left). I also didn't ask about Lexapro so that may have been on the table and I just didn't know it.

 

- Chiang Rai: 1) Pharma Choice had Lexapro 10 mg in stock for 1,400 THB for 28 days. 2) The pharmacy across the street from Milkland (I don't recall the name) had the same for 1,260 THB. 3) Pattarapong Clinic ([email protected]) offers Lexapro for 1,600 THB for 28 pills and it was in stock. Pattarapong Ponpisit, M.D. may push for you to go that route as he believes Lexapro works better than Escitalopram but if you don't want to spend that much, request that they order Escitalopram (I don't think they keep it in stock) as it's only 700 THB for a 30-pill-box. Unfortunately, like Ao Nang, the order I placed took more than a week to come in and didn't arrive before I left Chiang Rai. 

 

- Chiang Mai: 1) CM Mediclinic (https://www.cmmediclinic.com/contacts.html) had the best deal I've yet found for Escitalopram at only 600 THB for a 30 day supply and you can get however many boxes you feel you need so I stocked up with them since they also let me pay with a credit card! Note that you do need to schedule an appointment with them first as they're not currently allowing walk-ins (or weren't when I went in June anyway) but they're extremely responsive to emails and very flexible on timing so they're great to work with. 2) A pharmacy on Chiang Moi Road in 'downtown' Chiang Mai (I seem to have misplaced their contact info but it should be the one nearest to Kasem Store): It's a tad pricier at 700 baht for a 28-day supply of Escitalopram but they also placed no limit on how many boxes I could get so I stocked up with them too given the problems I encountered in Ao Nang and Chiang Rai! NOTE: They referred to the Escitalopram as "Lexapro" but what I got was actually Escitalopram (and thus cheaper). They also required that I pay in cash (no credit card). 

[R Grace]

I found the Chiangmoi pharmacy info for anyone who needs it:

 

CHANGMOI PHARMACY     ช้างม่อยเภสัช
Opposit Bangkok Bank        ตรงข้ามธนาคารกรุงเทพ สาขาศรีนครพิงค์
์Near VAROROS Market       ใกล้ตลาดวโรรส (กาดหลวง)
T.053-232222
Office hour   09.00 - 16.30  Close on Sunday