Why is 81 mg. aspirin treated like a narcotic?

[watcharacters]

I get the thing about TIT but the 81 mg. control is beyond that.

If all aspirin sales required a prescription I'd be able to make some sense out of it, but no, I can buy all the 500 mg. aspirin I can afford. Trainloads and trainloads of it, I gather.

The only thing I can guess is concern of an overdose since it has such limited potency but that hardly makes sense either. A few months ago when I asked for some 81 mg. at a P & F you'd have thought I asked for morphine.

Fortunately, I found a tiny local pharmacy recently that stocks it and is happy to sell a blister pack of 10 for 10 baht. I bought 20 packs.

But is there any logic behind the restriction or is it even a mystery to Thais as well?

[KittenKong]

I imagine that shop was happy to sell them for 1B each. I buy mine in Sainsbury's supermarket in the UK for 0.5B each, and I bring back 400 of them on my yearly shopping trip. If only I could do all my shopping for the whole year in the UK rather than have to pay way over the odds for a very poor choice of things here.

I long ago gave up looking for logic in any Thai rules.

[sandgroper2]

Your bring in more than 30 days supply of medication. One day customs will search you, monkey house for you.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

81 mg aspirin sales restricted? Not that I've seen, surely not at the larger pharmacies in the Rangsit area.

Where'd you get that idea?

Mac

[KittenKong]

Your bring in more than 30 days supply of medication. One day customs will search you, monkey house for you.

For aspirin? Seems unlikely, even in Thailand.

[samuijimmy]

81 mg aspirin sales restricted? Not that I've seen, surely not at the larger pharmacies in the Rangsit area.

Where'd you get that idea?

Mac

Some pharmacies seem to make one sign for buying 81 mg Aspirin, some don't ... from my experience.

[Inn Between]

I've never really understood the 81 mg. dosage. I know why it's prescribed in relation to heart concerns or ailments, but wouldn't the effect of the dosage depend on things like body mass, stomach contents, etc.? And can't we just take approximately 81 mg by doing something like breaking a 500 mg aspirin in half then taking 1/3 of the half pill? That would be ~83 mg and not really difficult to do.

[Oxx]

I've never had any difficulties buying 81 mg aspirin tablets (though a couple of pharmacies have denied having it - though I suspect that was more of "I can't be bothered to deal with farang"). There might, however, be a logic in controlling supply. This format of aspirin is commonly referred to as "paediatric aspirin", and was originally intended for children. However, aspirin in children can cause a serious condition, Reyes syndrome, and aspirin should be avoided for all children under 2, and for children and adolescents who have or are recovering from a viral infection.

[JAS21]

Our local big Pharmacy ... just up the road from Ngam Wong Wang Mall won't sell them anymore.

Family doctor says he can't dispense more than 30 days supply ... but said I'll try and get you a bottle (1000 tabs) from his supplier

[KittenKong]

I've never really understood the 81 mg. dosage. I know why it's prescribed in relation to heart concerns or ailments, but wouldn't the effect of the dosage depend on things like body mass, stomach contents, etc. And can't we just take approximately 81 mg by doing something like breaking a 500 mg asprin in half then taking 1/3 of the half pill? That would be ~83 mg and not really difficult to do.

You can, of course, but it's a bit of a pain as aspirin tablets are generally small and dont have the scoring lines that allow you to do this easily. So it's simpler just to buy the right dosage. My blood pressure pills are sold as 20mg and are quite large and pre-scored to easily allow me to take just the 10mg a day that I need, so that's what I do.

As far as I know the 81mg is based on it being a quarter of a standard 325mg tablet, but I have no idea why 325mg is a standard.

[Pib]

I've never had any problems in buying 81mg aspirin from several Thai pharmacies I use. I buy it by the pill (usually get around 200 for approx a half year's use) as it's cheaper than buying it by the pack. Heck, even the little pharmacy at the Foodland I go to a lot sells little 60 tab bottles for Bt30....the bottles are setting right on the counter for the customer to grab...no need to ask the pharmacist.

[luk AJ]

I need 100mg Carpidrin which is 100% pure aspirin and indeed banned from free sales.

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[Farma]

I think some of the problem appears to be a lack of stock in pharmacy warehouses.

twice in my last 3 visits to a large dr/pharmacist only warehouse upcountry they had none.

the same for large condoms

[watcharacters]

I've never had any difficulties buying 81 mg aspirin tablets (though a couple of pharmacies have denied having it - though I suspect that was more of "I can't be bothered to deal with farang"). There might, however, be a logic in controlling supply. This format of aspirin is commonly referred to as "paediatric aspirin", and was originally intended for children. However, aspirin in children can cause a serious condition, Reyes syndrome, and aspirin should be avoided for all children under 2, and for children and adolescents who have or are recovering from a viral infection.

Thanks for that Oxx.

You take the prize so far for your answer with a possible cause/reason for the restriction. It's perfect for Thailand but naturally shows TIT at its finest. Because of possible harm to children, we will create a condition for adults who should be taking 81mg. instead of a larger dosage. Yeah that makes sense..

My next step prior to finding a small supplier was to go the pill cutting route but now, I'm glad i won't need to do that.

[Pib]

I need 100mg Carpidrin which is 100% pure aspirin and indeed banned from free sales.

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Who/what organization says it's banned? Got a reference?

[brewsterbudgen]

Try the pharmacies in Central department store. They sell bottles of 81mg aspirin for about 40 baht for 60. There is no limit on how many you can buy. No prescription required.

[Aachen]

81 mg called Aspent-M. Sold 1.000 for about 600 Bt. (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy). You can get also 1000 without the red protection sugar. Absolutely no Problem!

[Aachen]

I need 100mg Carpidrin which is 100% pure aspirin and indeed banned from free sales.

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Who/what organization says it's banned? Got a reference?

Nothing is banned. Just ignorance or unknown. Maybe name is different. Like "Aspent-M" for Aspirin. Good pharmacies have the Red Book handy and can look up everything.

[lopburi3]

The worry is the name (baby aspirin) from long ago - it is now known not to give to babies so there is great fear when people request "baby aspirin" or the low dosage - you need to explain for blood thinning.

The normal Aspirin is 325 in USA so the 81mg is 1/4 size. But much better to take a coated tablet made at 81mg. Extensive testing has shown that is all that is required to make a significant reduction in blockage - taking more risks internal bleeding so is normally not advised unless testing indicates.

[ignis]

81 mg called Aspent-M. Sold 1.000 for about 600 Bt. (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy). You can get also 1000 without the red protection sugar. Absolutely no Problem!

WOW (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy) nothing cheap there then...

I buy the Aspent-M 81 mg, cost 325 baht for 1,000 plastic container... [just looked. use by date April 2018]

Absolutely no Problem these days, but about 4 years ago there was a problem for a short time, [maybe 6 months or so] think some places never went back to sell/stock them again.

[watcharacters]

The worry is the name (baby aspirin) from long ago - it is now known not to give to babies so there is great fear when people request "baby aspirin" or the low dosage - you need to explain for blood thinning.

The normal Aspirin is 325 in USA so the 81mg is 1/4 size. But much better to take a coated tablet made at 81mg. Extensive testing has shown that is all that is required to make a significant reduction in blockage - taking more risks internal bleeding so is normally not advised unless testing indicates.

And thanks to you Lop, but as I said as an example, I was seriously denied 81mg. at the P&F where I've bought meds for some time. It's located in a Central Mall in Issan

They clearly understood it was for me and not for a child or baby. "You need a prescription". But we can sell you Warfarin or nearly anything else you want.

[lopburi3]

I suspect they needed a pharmacist to be on duty - as is the case for a number of drugs - and there was none (as is often the case). Same has happened to me here in Bangkok at malls with the foreign chain stores - no can easier to say that wait for pharmacist to return from there 4 hour lunch break.

The best known brand was flooded out curing the Bangkok Flood years ago so that was the reason unavailable for a year or more.

[Dexlowe]

It's Cardiprin, not Carpidrin -- just for the record.

I've been buying it in Thailand for 20 years and not once been told it's restricted. And only a couple of times have I not been able to buy it (supplies run out, nek week mistah).

If I'm allowed to change the subject a tad -- my cardiologist has me on 2 81mg tablets a day, but no other blood thinner like Plavix, which I took for several months after being diagnosed as having had a heart attack (which I never realised I'd had).

[i claudius]

I buy 81mg Asprin all the time in Farcino Pattaya , always have ,as many as you like no problem , also many other chemists ,never any problem .

[i claudius]

Your bring in more than 30 days supply of medication. One day customs will search you, monkey house for you.

Keep this quiet but i have brought in 6 months supply for donkeys years with my prescription , never any problem ,the worst that would happen is they would be confiscated , dont make up scare stories .

[KittenKong]

81 mg called Aspent-M. Sold 1.000 for about 600 Bt. (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy). You can get also 1000 without the red protection sugar. Absolutely no Problem!

WOW (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy) nothing cheap there then...

I buy the Aspent-M 81 mg, cost 325 baht for 1,000 plastic container... [just looked. use by date April 2018]

Sounds good, but where do you buy those at that price?

[ignis]

81 mg called Aspent-M. Sold 1.000 for about 600 Bt. (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy). You can get also 1000 without the red protection sugar. Absolutely no Problem!

WOW (i.e. Super Cheaps Pharmacy) nothing cheap there then...

I buy the Aspent-M 81 mg, cost 325 baht for 1,000 plastic container... [just looked. use by date April 2018]

Sounds good, but where do you buy those at that price?

Wholesale Pharmacy well north of BKK, used mostly by Drs and Hospitals. biggest pain is there is No parking anywhere near, and you have to wait till your name is called = 1½ - 2 hours. + only open from 9:30 - 5 Mon - Fri

Seeing Pickups and hospital Vans stop and pick up loads of Boxes, even cars will stop and loads of boxes are loaded, appear pre-ordered. did ask them about 3 years ago if I could phone my order, they said NO, only Dr, Clinics and Hospitals can have that service. my oder is very small between 4 -5,000 baht every 6 - 8 months.. I could hand in the order and go back later but is over 1 hours drive each way from where I live so pointless.

[luk AJ]

It's Cardiprin, not Carpidrin -- just for the record.

I've been buying it in Thailand for 20 years and not once been told it's restricted. And only a couple of times have I not been able to buy it (supplies run out, nek week mistah).

If I'm allowed to change the subject a tad -- my cardiologist has me on 2 81mg tablets a day, but no other blood thinner like Plavix, which I took for several months after being diagnosed as having had a heart attack (which I never realised I'd had).

Yes sorry for the typing error, but got to any pharmacy in Central or similar, they will all tell you "cannot sell"

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[Pib]

It's Cardiprin, not Carpidrin -- just for the record.

I've been buying it in Thailand for 20 years and not once been told it's restricted. And only a couple of times have I not been able to buy it (supplies run out, nek week mistah).

If I'm allowed to change the subject a tad -- my cardiologist has me on 2 81mg tablets a day, but no other blood thinner like Plavix, which I took for several months after being diagnosed as having had a heart attack (which I never realised I'd had).

Yes sorry for the typing error, but got to any pharmacy in Central or similar, they will all tell you "cannot sell"

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I expect it's really just a case of that particular pharmacy "just don't carry/just don't sell" that particular "brand name" due to low demand, cheaper brands/generics, etc.

[Inn Between]

I've never really understood the 81 mg. dosage. I know why it's prescribed in relation to heart concerns or ailments, but wouldn't the effect of the dosage depend on things like body mass, stomach contents, etc. And can't we just take approximately 81 mg by doing something like breaking a 500 mg asprin in half then taking 1/3 of the half pill? That would be ~83 mg and not really difficult to do.

You can, of course, but it's a bit of a pain as aspirin tablets are generally small and dont have the scoring lines that allow you to do this easily. So it's simpler just to buy the right dosage. My blood pressure pills are sold as 20mg and are quite large and pre-scored to easily allow me to take just the 10mg a day that I need, so that's what I do.

As far as I know the 81mg is based on it being a quarter of a standard 325mg tablet, but I have no idea why 325mg is a standard.

Even easier to do by just quartering a 325 mg, but I see by other posts that the coating to help prevent stomach irritation, along with the obvious convenience are reasons to buy the real thing.

As for prices, I expected to see the name Fascico Pharmacy in Pattaya come up. Seems there are always good comments about the pricing there.