Hayfever eyedrops & other meds - is north the cheapest

Seve OB

I find that prices seem to be cheaper up north, eye drops are about half the price up north and tablets way way cheaper

As I'm heading up that way this week am looking at Boots but is there anywhere other than boots people would recommend?

need to get stuff for my 10 year old daughter who suffers terribly with hayfever

https://www.boots.com/opticrom-hayfever-eye-drops-10ml-10173518 £5.70 but second half price at the moment. can be about €12 here

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058351619/hayfever-eyedrops-other-meds-is-north-the-cheapest

In general I find semichem very cheap but there are a few other chains like Gordons that can be quite good.

sundodger5

Anti-Histimine tablets are £1.50 in Asda.

cnocbui

If Beconase nasal spray is appropriate, you can buy the generic form in the Uk - Beclametasone - for a fith the cost of Beconase here, not to mention in more useful 200 dose size packaging.

Atlantic Dawn

Iboprofin and paracetamol are about 40p for 16packs in the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury's or Asda. You can are limited to buying a pack of each per transaction.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137036#Comment_122137036

actually have to get calpol and nurofen for the kids. Probably half price up there also

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137056#Comment_122137056

One thing to watch out for is the basic tablet version are cheapest, buying the capsule version can be double or triple that price.

Seve OB

thanks but will be liquids not tabs

Is there is difference in the bottles?

Have gotten some he wrong ones on more than one occasion 🤣

thebiglad

If they have a store near where you are headed check out Savers - https://www.savers.co.uk/ can see products and prices online -if nothing else you can use to compare with the prices of a mainstream store such as Boots.

Wherever you go, it will be cheaper than down here though…

gipi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137036#Comment_122137036

If you're near a Poundland (there's one in Buttercrane in Newry), they sell 3 packs of 16 Ibuprofen or 16 Paracetamol tablets for £1 - you can mix and match, and you can't buy more than £1 worth (3 packets).

I found last time I was there that the supermarket packets had gone up a bit - especially ibuprofen, which was nearer 50p a packet (still a bargain compared to here).

intro

Gaviscon is considerable cheaper. There's also a version in a pink bottle that is not available down here. It has a larger concentration one of the active ingredients.

zell12

Savers aspirin 16 is 29p, cheapest painkillers. Also check out B&M, Poundland, Superdrug, and the big supermarkets

Water John

Would anyone know if Chemist Warehouse down here is now competitive on stuff like that? My monthly prescription, was €60+, CW charge €27.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138837#Comment_122138837

I think the CW prices are comparable with say Inish Pharmacy (online ROI chemist) when it comes to OTC stuff.

Not competitive with NI prices but cheaper than other ROI chemists.

beachhead

Chemist Warehouse would not be cheaper.

For the likes of paracetemol,ibruprofen,hayfever treatments,Rennies,cough mixtures the supermarkets own brands in the North are a lot cheaper than the Republic.Semi-chem is always worth a look.Occasionally products are on special offer-timing has to be right when visiting - for all shops.Comparing Boots Ireland and Boots UK it's 50/50 in a lot of cases.Neurofen Plus is def cheaper in Boots UK and can be closer to the Irish prices in Northern independent pharmacies-and smaller packs.

mandy2012

Have a look in Home Bargains, they do cheap hayfever tablets, wipes and sprays. Also if buying in Boots NI they have deals where you need to use a boots card so ask for one in store if you don't already have one.

Cameraman

Chemist Warehouse Cetrine anti-histamine tablets about 1/2 the price of most other chemists. Same active ingredient as most of the branded ones.

Was in Australia (the home of Chemist Warehouse) and checked out the prices there in CW. Box of 100 paracetamol or 100 ibuprofen about AU$7 or about €5.

mfceiling

Home bargains.

Generic hayfever tablets 59p a packet.

Paracetamol around 40p a packet.

Shower gel, deodorant etc all more than half the price you'll pay in the south.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122140098#Comment_122140098

does an irish boots card work in uk or do you need a different one?

mandy2012

No Irish boots card does not work. But when I was up there I just asked for physical card in shop and used it straight away and got any offers.

If you are doing a bit of shopping, Sainsburys is the same you can ask for physical card and use to get offers in store. They say you should register it on app but didn't work for me but I still use the physical card. Asda you can sign up with them online a get app and use online card.

reubenreuben

Amazon selling Clarityn substitute for £10.50 inc delivery for 6 months worth.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210628#Comment_122210628

Have you succeded in placing an order and checking out? I am under the impression that the local market is heavily protected by the government and that they successfully closed down all legitimate avenues for obtaining pharmaceuticals from other countries, except for physically going there and bringing them back.

Speaking of eye drops, I needed them today after doing the mowing.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210662#Comment_122210662

They are due for delivery this week. I'll update if successful.

cnocbui

I ordered some tooth brush heads from the Netherlands, but when I added a pack of aspirin, the process bombed and I had to remove them - your country forbids us from selling you any pharmaceuticals - or words to that effect.

I have had the jackbooted thugs here intercept and confiscate a package containing a herbal supplement and send me a condescending letter telling me I was a naughty person.

I hope you have found a way past Ireland's pharmaceutical fire-wall. The Irish government does a great job keeping it's consumers out of the EU common market and paying through the nose for everything; this pharma nonsense, excise on alcohol, VRT for cars, locals only planning restrictions on building houses… And people wonder why our consumer prices are the highest in the EU at 47% above the average.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210662#Comment_122210662

That is incorrect.

You can buy OTC medication from EU pharmacies for delivery to Ireland.

The problem is that prices of branded pharma is not much different.

JVince

You forget to mention that wages are substantially above average.

When you break it down, Ireland is below average for minutes needed to be worked at average after tax average wage for most items.

If the pharmacy has an EU online registration, it can sell OTC medications to you.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122212700#Comment_122212700

It's what happened, and I have tried to buy aspirin and other OTC medications from several pharmacies in the EU and every one of them said nyet, we can't sell to you. Do you think some pharmacy in the Netherlands or UK is going to have the wherewwithall to keep track of what is and isn't OTC in Stalag 17? A blanket nyet is easier.

And you forgot to mention that Irish pharmacies have the highest profit margins in the EU.

The system here is messed up, I believe deliberately. Beconase has the active ingredient Beclametasone. Beconase has paid some insane amount of money to jump through whatever hoops are necessary to get it approved and registered as OTC, but if you want to buy just generic Beclametasone, you can't buy that OTC, you have to pay €60 to go get a prescription from a doctor and then I believe a pharmacy will likely charge a 'dispensing' fee on top of the the cheaper generic price, making it the same or more expensive than branded 'Beconase', let alone adding the doctors fee. It's the same bloody thing this costly registration sytem is unnecessary. If it wasn't safe you wouldn't be able to get it even on prescription - n'est ce pas?

This scam means Irish people can not avail of the cheaper prices of generics to the same extent as consumers in other countries.

Ireland second-highest OECD health spending, poorest outcomes. The share of generic drugs in the market is low in Ireland in both in volume (29% compared with an OECD average of 48%) and in value (16% compared with an OECD average of 24%).

More recently, there has been much concern over the low rates of generic usage in Ireland. In 2009, 34% of multiple-source off-patent pharmaceuticals dispensed under the main State pharmaceutical reimbursement schemes in Ireland were generics, in comparison with 71% in the UK.

As if this weren't enough protectionism of big and little pharma in this corrupt little sodden isle, some years ago the state banned the importation and sale of a wide range of herbal medicines that were widely available world-wide, like St Johns wort: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/herbal-remedies-risk-removal-from-shelves/26727589.html

The bans went ahead and at the end of that article you will note that the IMB predicted people would turn to the internet - I being one of them - but they had that covered as they had people monitoring and seizing incoming packages containing the banned substances - mine being one of them. The EU directive was never intended to ban these substances, but Irish authorities twisted interpretation and implimentaion used it to that effect. Such was the outcry, even from the medical fraternity, that they relented somewhat, years later, and some became available in Ireland again. But they sure made a good go of banning the lot for a number of years. Nice to see that the blow back was more than they ever anticipated.

Seve OB

I bought some eye drops for hay fever last summer in McGovern’s pharmacy Derrylin. Can’t remember the name of them but pretty sure they were only about £2.
Can’t find them online anywhere. Anyone else maybe go there and get them who can advise?

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122212847#Comment_122212847

seems painkillers are a "controlled" pharmacy product, hence they cannot be sold online. Controlled as in maximum one pack.

However on hayfever medication there ware no controls, so these should be available from EU pharmacies.

I don't see it as a scam, but it is messed up. The main reason for having a separate regulatory regime here was that at the time most people on the island were Caucasian Irish as no-one wanted to move here and tens of thousands wanted to emigrate. A Spanish person can react to certain medications differently to and Irish person, likewise a Nigerian person. Hence country specific packaging, licensing and even formulations for every different pharma product here.

As we have finally developed into a modern, education multi cultural society and we are now well off and people want to live here and not many (in historical terms) want to emigrate. The need to protect the Caucasian indigenous population from the very very very small risk of pan-European medical advice/packaging is probably no longer required and its possibly a quango that could be dispensed with (pun intended).

and 100% agree on herbal remedies. Melatonin & St Johns wort available on supermarket shelves in Germany (and probably most other countries). That is certainly ridiculous.

BTW - I disagree on pharmacy margins. That was the case 10-15 years ago. Certainly in not the case these days.

L1011

All medicines can only be bought online (or any other remote method) from pharmacies with Irish registrations, that includes OTC products

Foreign pharmacies can register here but last time I checked, none had.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122212377#Comment_122212377

They arrived today. 1 year supply for £15.50

thesandeman

Do Aldi or Lidl do any hay fever stuff?

I usually just get Cetrine in the chemist for a tenner.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210628#Comment_122210628

These ones?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122230184#Comment_122230184

No, never seen them in ALDI or LIDL.

I've not used myself, but this Donegel chemist does online sales and they have 30 for €2.99

https://healthwisepharmacies.ie/product/cetrine-allergy-10mg-fc-tabs30/

Chemist Warehouse do Cetrine for €4.50 - €4.99 (can't remember which) for 30, if any of them near you:

https://chemistwarehouse.ie/

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122230236#Comment_122230236

None near me I'm afraid. I checked online before but the postage cost cancelled out any savings. I must have another look.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122230200#Comment_122230200

Yes

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122230236#Comment_122230236

I decided to try the Donegal crowd.

I added a pack of 24 paracetamol for €1.49 so total order was €4.48

Got 10% discount as new customer.

Postage is €4.95 so I paid €8.98 in total.

Buying the same locally would cost me a minimum of €14 so I've saved a fiver even with the postage cost.

Ordered at 11pm last night and just got an email saying my package is on the way already.

Thanks for the heads up 👍.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137373#Comment_122137373

Paracetemol is currently 45p in Tesco.

A huge discount compared to here

halfpastneverr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122230184#Comment_122230184

If you have a Pure Pharmacy near you, they do the 30 tablet box of Cetrine for €7. Got some this afternoon. Unfortunately, they didn't have Beconase in stock, so had to shell out €15 for it in the local rip off merchant family run chemist.

NIMAN

Savers in Derry sell 30 days supply of hay-fever tablets for £1.

Not sure what postage would cost but if anyone wanted me to get them 6 months or 12 months supply and post to them, pm me.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243099#Comment_122243099

Only two chemists in my town and they price match on everything.

The Donegal system will work for me for the moment if they don't put up their prices.

zell12

would you not just buy 6 months supply from Amazon for €13?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122243269#Comment_122243269

Because there's only a 50/50 chance of them arriving, and a 50/50 chance of you getting a letter from the HPRA for illegal importation of medicines instead.

zell12

Cheapest I can see in North

Seve OB

got some

Numark Allergy Eye drops up north for £2.35 Best equivalent I can find ROI is about €12

Numark Allergy Relief for Children 5mg/5ml Oral Solution 70ml for £2.49 Again talking €10+ ROI

absolute joke down here…. at least we're stocked up for a while now

reubenreuben

What is the reason that even very common medicines such as ibroprofen, paracetamol and hay fever medicines are so expensive here?

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122245312#Comment_122245312

We are a small market, every product needs to be licencsed (expensive process)

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122245325#Comment_122245325

Yeah, but if a chemist in Donegal can sell hay fever tablets for €2.99, another chain for €7, and Galway chemists at €10 that can't be down to licencing issues. That's just greed knowing they can get away with it.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122210628#Comment_122210628

Would you have a link to those?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122248776#Comment_122248776

And it's the same actual product. A generic at that. Remember when we were all told save money shop for generics :)

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122249639#Comment_122249639

Buying a generic of an OTC requires a prescription, so that exhortation is a nonsense.

This licencing system is an unnecessary rort. We are perfectly happy to let the EU set car safety standards, the UK to provide our air force and navy and overall defence, so we should be just as happy to let far more technically capable countries set the standards for medicines as well. Everything sold in another EU state OTC should be sold her OTC. So generic OTC medicines would become available and cheap as they are sold OTC elsewhere in the EU.