Aspirin now a prescription drug ?

[lostoday]

Boots says the same thing if asked for any drug they don't stock.

[rixalex]

As a fairly frequent sufferer of headaches and migraines, the only thing that has ever worked for me is Aspro Clear. Paracetamol does absolutely nothing for me. Aspro ceased being sold in the UK a few years ago. It is however still available in Australia and New Zealand. Sold OTC in all pharmacies. I have it sent from there now.

[i claudius]

About a year or so ago this happened to me , "new rules must get prescription" a week later all was back to normal

[Sheryl]

In general aspirin does nto require a prescrioption in Thailand. However for some bizarre reason there is one brand that does: B-Apirin 81. Although not made by Bayer (Bayer aspirin in Thailand comes only in 500 mg) this is probably what the store thought OP meant.

81 mg brands available without prescription are:

Asatab (enteric coated)

Aspent M (enteric coated)

Aspilets (lchewable so not coated)

[lostoday]

Buy it every month with no prescription everywhere.

[phil2]

The new rule is that "a pharmacist must be present before you can buy certain drugs" besides Sara and some others. It's the same at Watsons, Boots, and the ones inside Big C.

[h90]

Aspirin can be dangerous with dengue fever, so it might make sense.

But I wouldn't worry too much prescription or not, legal or illegal, that all has not much meaning in Thailand.

I doubt that the pharmacy that sells all the bodybuilder anabolics and 10 different viagra clones won't sell you the aspirin.

Distorted information.

Aspirin can be risky in any situation where there is the potential for blood loss. When I needed a biopsy they wouldn't do it until I had stopped the aspirin for a week.

When you need a biopsy they know what you take. But when you get flu like sickness and you eat lots of Aspirin and it is dengue fever and not the flu you may kill yourself.

Else the effect is not dramatic, if you eat 2 Aspirin and cut your finger you'll hardly see a difference in how long it needs the body to seal it off.

[KittenKong]

Every year I buy 4 bottles of 90 tablets of 81mg Aspirin in the UK. In supermarkets there these are only sold from behind the counter (strips of 10 tablets are available off the shelf, but you should be stopped at the cash desk if you try to buy several at a time) and the pharmacist always asks me why I want 4 bottles. I explain that I live in Thailand and cant find the same product for a reasonable price here, and they are quite happy with that.

[KittenKong]

Aspirin can be dangerous with dengue fever, so it might make sense.

But I wouldn't worry too much prescription or not, legal or illegal, that all has not much meaning in Thailand.

I doubt that the pharmacy that sells all the bodybuilder anabolics and 10 different viagra clones won't sell you the aspirin.

Distorted information.

Aspirin can be risky in any situation where there is the potential for blood loss. When I needed a biopsy they wouldn't do it until I had stopped the aspirin for a week.

When you need a biopsy they know what you take. But when you get flu like sickness and you eat lots of Aspirin and it is dengue fever and not the flu you may kill yourself.

Else the effect is not dramatic, if you eat 2 Aspirin and cut your finger you'll hardly see a difference in how long it needs the body to seal it off.

Since taking daily 81mg aspirin I've noticed that tiny shaving cuts do take significantly longer to stop bleeding. I suspect that a large cut (like a biopsy) could result in a much longer bleeding time, though I prefer not to test it.

When I had nasal polyps removed in the EU I was specifically asked if I was taking any anticoagulants (aspirin, Warfarin) and was told to stop them one week before surgery. My doctors both here and in the EU also told me to always inform medical staff about taking aspirin if there was any possibility of blood loss for whatever reason. They were quite emphatic about that.

What happens if I'm unconscious, I dont know. Bleed to death I suppose.

[sandyf]

Aspirin can be dangerous with dengue fever, so it might make sense.

But I wouldn't worry too much prescription or not, legal or illegal, that all has not much meaning in Thailand.

I doubt that the pharmacy that sells all the bodybuilder anabolics and 10 different viagra clones won't sell you the aspirin.

Distorted information.

Aspirin can be risky in any situation where there is the potential for blood loss. When I needed a biopsy they wouldn't do it until I had stopped the aspirin for a week.

But when you get flu like sickness and you eat lots of Aspirin and it is dengue fever and not the flu you may kill yourself.

That is not true, the risk only arises if you start bleeding. Fortunately when I had dengue there was no bleeding.

[ukrules]

In general aspirin does nto require a prescrioption in Thailand. However for some bizarre reason there is one brand that does: B-Apirin 81. Although not made by Bayer (Bayer aspirin in Thailand comes only in 500 mg) this is probably what the store thought OP meant.

81 mg brands available without prescription are:

Asatab (enteric coated)

Aspent M (enteric coated)

Aspilets (lchewable so not coated)

I was looking for and asked for 500mg Bayer Aspirin, not the much lower dosage version which lots of people take on a daily basis.

I could see it on the shelf behind the counter as it's in a distinctive green and white box. I told her it was for occasional headaches and I only wanted to buy 1 or 2 'strips' of 10 tablets.

Maybe she was an assistant pharmacist instead of the pharmacist in charge, I have no idea really.

[oneday]

It is a possibility that something might be happening. I would suggest stocking up on the Aspent and see what happens.

This is what I'm thinking. When they do this the first companies to comply are the large ones, then it trickles down from there as the distributors, wholesalers and small privately owned pharmacies eventually run out of stock.

The same thing happened with pseudoephedrine in cold medicines a couple of years back. It was the one thing which would make a big difference when you have a cold. It started at the large companies and worked its way down the supply chain over six months or so. Apparently you can't get it now.

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine.

That is why it has been removed from the market not only in Thailand but the majority of Western countries.

Pseudoephedrine is still available on prescription but most doctors are reluctant to prescribe as there are alternatives which are less likely to be abused.

It has not been removed from shelves in the US, but you have to give your name and address so you can only buy so much over so long a period of time. Don't ask me how they would control it across many pharmacies, unless they have a national database.

[oncearugge]

It is a possibility that something might be happening. I would suggest stocking up on the Aspent and see what happens.

This is what I'm thinking. When they do this the first companies to comply are the large ones, then it trickles down from there as the distributors, wholesalers and small privately owned pharmacies eventually run out of stock.

The same thing happened with pseudoephedrine in cold medicines a couple of years back. It was the one thing which would make a big difference when you have a cold. It started at the large companies and worked its way down the supply chain over six months or so. Apparently you can't get it now.

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine.

That is why it has been removed from the market not only in Thailand but the majority of Western countries.

Pseudoephedrine is still available on prescription but most doctors are reluctant to prescribe as there are alternatives which are less likely to be abused.

It has not been removed from shelves in the US, but you have to give your name and address so you can only buy so much over so long a period of time. Don't ask me how they would control it across many pharmacies, unless they have a national database.

Detail of the control of Pseudoephedrine within the US is contained in the link.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm072423.htm

The US has only recently fully appreciated the massive "prescription drug" addiction/abuse problems that exist within US society.

There will be , I expect, further (legal?) effort made to control the problem.

[h90]

Aspirin can be dangerous with dengue fever, so it might make sense.

But I wouldn't worry too much prescription or not, legal or illegal, that all has not much meaning in Thailand.

I doubt that the pharmacy that sells all the bodybuilder anabolics and 10 different viagra clones won't sell you the aspirin.

Distorted information.

Aspirin can be risky in any situation where there is the potential for blood loss. When I needed a biopsy they wouldn't do it until I had stopped the aspirin for a week.

But when you get flu like sickness and you eat lots of Aspirin and it is dengue fever and not the flu you may kill yourself.

That is not true, the risk only arises if you start bleeding. Fortunately when I had dengue there was no bleeding.

Good luck knowing it before you know that you have dengue fever if you'll have some internal bleeding

[al007]

I use a pharmacy wholesaler in KK and it appears you can get anything no prescription, if I get prescribed medication i do not buy at the hospital instead at my pharmacy save a lot and no hassle or prescription

[Jingthing]

Yeah it does seem you can get most anything in Thailand without scrip except for pain drugs that can be abused for fun / addictive, etc.

So it's weird that something as common as aspirin is restricted in any way considering the type of much more serious meds here that never require a scrip!

[Colabamumbai]

It is a possibility that something might be happening. I would suggest stocking up on the Aspent and see what happens.

This is what I'm thinking. When they do this the first companies to comply are the large ones, then it trickles down from there as the distributors, wholesalers and small privately owned pharmacies eventually run out of stock.

The same thing happened with pseudoephedrine in cold medicines a couple of years back. It was the one thing which would make a big difference when you have a cold. It started at the large companies and worked its way down the supply chain over six months or so. Apparently you can't get it now.

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine.

That is why it has been removed from the market not only in Thailand but the majority of Western countries.

Pseudoephedrine is still available on prescription but most doctors are reluctant to prescribe as there are alternatives which are less likely to be abused.

It started with the small businesses which were constantly robbed for it to make speed. So they stopped selling it.

[timber]

Have had a lot of problems buying aspirin in Thailand they seem to think it is bad,

but in proper pharmacies no problem.

[Sparkles]

The new rule is that "a pharmacist must be present before you can buy certain drugs" besides Sara and some others. It's the same at Watsons, Boots, and the ones inside Big C.

My experince too.As a matter of fact I wanted some Aspirin (Aspent -M 81 mg )last week in a small pharmacy.I had to wait for 2 mins while the Pharmacist came back from a toilet break.

I always buy 3 bottles ,(2 tabs a day) at 35 baht a bottle of 60 tablets, hardly a huge outlay.

In 15 years here I have never had a traditional written prescription for any drug ,just the name writen on a piece of paper by my Dr if she didnt have it in stock.

Sadly Thais use antibiotics like snacks here now thats something they do need to crack down on.

[cnx355]

Same thing happened to me at the big English UK chain store..Pharmacist tell me I need a prescription for 81 mg Aspirin.....

Funny, I told my doctor ( heart specialist ) at the Chiangmai RAM and he never heard of that....

Now I buy he 81 mg aspirin it in the smaller local Thai chain.....

[bangarang]

I get 600mg ibuprofen without prescription at my local pharmacy no problem.

[Jingthing]

May as well say you get iced tea without scrip. The topic is about aspirin.

[KittenKong]

I always buy 3 bottles ,(2 tabs a day) at 35 baht a bottle of 60 tablets, hardly a huge outlay.

Where do you buy these here at that price?

Everywhere I asked in (admittedly a couple of years ago) had only strips of 10 at hugely inflated prices.

[KayCee]

We tried to buy low dose (81 mg) aspirin for my husband a few days ago, as he's long taken this as a normal preventative at his age. Never had a problem before, but 3 different places (including Boots and Watsons) refused to give it to us (even at 81 mg- packet in hand) without a prescription from a doctor. We were astounded, but we hadn't tried here before, since we usually just bring it from the US. We eventually got it at a smaller local pharmacy as well. Interesting to hear it may be a new thing, though i do wonder why as it seems such an innocuous thing.

Edited September 20, 2015 by KayCee

[Jingthing]

Now people will be rushing out to stock up. Red flag time!

[glegolo]

I live in Chaiyaphum, have never come across a comment like that. I am on Tylanol, Alvedon or Aspirin 650 mg no question asked. I bought last week,, No problem...

I think that pharmacist is taking too much of her own med, like you suggested....

Glegolo

[lostoday]

I always buy 3 bottles ,(2 tabs a day) at 35 baht a bottle of 60 tablets, hardly a huge outlay.

Where do you buy these here at that price?

Everywhere I asked in (admittedly a couple of years ago) had only strips of 10 at hugely inflated prices.

Buy the bottle. Sometimes they stop making/shipping for 3 months but they will start up again.

[Jingthing]

I think almost all the reports are about LOW DOSE aspirin which is used daily for heart disease / stroke prevention therapy.

[NickJ]

I have written many scribts for aspirin.In the U.S. Just because you can buy it otc does not mean in wont be presribed. Also paid for on insurance and hmo plans.

[lostoday]

I think almost all the reports are about LOW DOSE aspirin which is used daily for heart disease / stroke prevention therapy.

I think aspirin is aspirin. Cut the big tablets up into quarters.