Can I get repeat prescriptions for my pills in Tenerife?

[norjac]

My GP in the uk will only give me a prescription for one months supply of pills. As I may be on the Island for a while longer, do I have to go to a private doctor such as Karen Whittaker, or can I register with a doctor in the Urgencia opposite the bus station in Los Cristianos. I am quite prepared to pay for the prescriptions. Is it possible to just buy the pills over the counter in the Pharmacy, I am talking blood pressure, thyroid statins etc, nothing heavy. Any help would be much appreciated

[VideoMem]

:nono:I am suprised that your UK GP will only issue 28 days supply, as if requested ,my UK GP will issue a maximum of 2 x 28 days if say going away on holiday as a "one off" in line with what I believed was the NHS guide lines.:nono:

[norjac]

You don't know my GP, she is a pain!!!!!

[Jackalina]

When we were in tenerife in December I forgot to take the tablets I have to take post breast cancer . I went to pharmacy down at arona gran and was able to buy them, mind you they cost 58 euros but I am too scared to miss taking them so cheap at the price I guess.

[melm]

:nono:I am suprised that your UK GP will only issue 28 days supply, as if requested ,my UK GP will issue a maximum of 2 x 28 days if say going away on holiday as a "one off" in line with what I believed was the NHS guide lines.:nono:

we always get two months of prescriptions here in the UK. Used to get one month at a time and asked the Doctor to increase it to two months because it was a nuisance going every month . This was several years ago..........so far so good.

[Pooh]

Most drugs, except antibiotics and similar, are possible to buy without prescription. You would have to pay the real cost, but so you would anyway with a prescription from a private doctor, or any doctor when you're not registered in the system here.
I bought my blood pressure meds for several months directly from the pharmacy after we moved here, before I had time to get to my GP here and get a prescription.

[norjac]

Thank you everyone for your help.

[kathml]

Don't ask tell your doctor you want two months at a time most people ask for two months and then you ask a month early so you have an extra month in hand

[Topacciolo]

At TEHC The European Health Centre in Las Americas we do repeat Prescriptions. The first time you need to get registered and after that we can do your prescription for as long as you need. Remember that Travel insurances generally do not cover repeat prescriptions so it will have to be done as a private consultation. If you have a Travel insurance that cover missing prescriptions of lost of prescribed medicines bring it over. If you are not sure, bring it over and we will check that for you.

[celine]

Thankyou for your post..my husband is diabetic so will need to buy metaformin and statins.. its good to know that there is a system set up like yours..
**Just out of interest... (I bought some beta blockers and my other daily pills showing the pharmacy the box) in february as spares
in Tenerife incase I run out at home
(which does happen quite regularly in our house) as im totally unorginised !
ive never been a pill popper so ive been too scared to try them
Do Spanish pills have exactly the same ingredients in them as british pills?
Im asking this question because you are constantly told in the press not to buy from the internet/abroad ..as the medicine is not the same
If you could advice on this I would be very greatfull as we hope to move over soon and as with all great plans health care is top of the list..

[Tom & Sharon]

Tom gets 3 months supply at a time from our doctor in the UK, so your doctor is obviously being awkward!

My parents came to Tenerife and forgot their meds. If you go to Excellent Medical on Golf del Sur with your UK empty box, they will write you a private prescription for 9€, and they will give you a couple of months supply for that.

http://www.excellentmedical.es/uk/index.php

[slodgedad]

It s awkward in Tenerife to get repeat prescriptions without a doctor's appointment.

My wife, who had a major stroke 2 years ago, is on various medication for the rest of her life, but still only gets 4 weeks at a time.

She has to make an appointment with the doctor every month just to get the prescription.

Waste of the doctor's time and hard for Carol.

[Tom & Sharon]

It s awkward in Tenerife to get repeat prescriptions without a doctor's appointment.

My wife, who had a major stroke 2 years ago, is on various medication for the rest of her life, but still only gets 4 weeks at a time.

She has to make an appointment with the doctor every month just to get the prescription.

Waste of the doctor's time and hard for Carol.

Is that in a "social" doctors though? Someone coming on holiday has to go private, and that seems to be easy. Our eldest son used to be on regular meds, and frequently used to turn up in the University holidays without enough. The first time I took him to Karen Whittaker, and she did question his background and why he needed them (he broke his back in a skiing accident when he was 16) Since Excellent Medical opened I have taken him there. They don't really question anything, just look at the empty box with your name on and write a prescription. 9€ plus the cost of the meds, which are always reasonable, comparable to a UK prescription charge.

[bonitatime]

It s awkward in Tenerife to get repeat prescriptions without a doctor's appointment.

My wife, who had a major stroke 2 years ago, is on various medication for the rest of her life, but still only gets 4 weeks at a time.

She has to make an appointment with the doctor every month just to get the prescription.

Waste of the doctor's time and hard for Carol.

Are there the sort if medication which needs to be specially registered with those as I can get a repeat prescription for 3 months

[Topacciolo]

Thankyou for your post..my husband is diabetic so will need to buy metaformin and statins.. its good to know that there is a system set up like yours..
**Just out of interest... (I bought some beta blockers and my other daily pills showing the pharmacy the box) in february as spares
in Tenerife incase I run out at home
(which does happen quite regularly in our house) as im totally unorginised !
ive never been a pill popper so ive been too scared to try them
Do Spanish pills have exactly the same ingredients in them as british pills?
Im asking this question because you are constantly told in the press not to buy from the internet/abroad ..as the medicine is not the same
If you could advice on this I would be very greatfull as we hope to move over soon and as with all great plans health care is top of the list..

It depends. The Doctor usually when presented with a UK or any European pill checks the composition and than checks what the Spanish market have as an equivalent. If the exact same medicine is not available in Spain because nothing exist with the exact same composition it will let you know and prescribe the closest thing to the one that you normally take. Obviously it depends on your condition but i would say 90 to 95% of the medicine are exactly the same.
When they say "do not buy medication on the internet or abroad" it´s because we are not all doctors and than if the composition of the pills is not exactly the same only a doctor checking you medical condition and you medical history is qualified to prescribe you one instead that will not be exactly the same but it will have the same results and no unwanted side effects. I hope it helps.

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It s awkward in Tenerife to get repeat prescriptions without a doctor's appointment.

My wife, who had a major stroke 2 years ago, is on various medication for the rest of her life, but still only gets 4 weeks at a time.

She has to make an appointment with the doctor every month just to get the prescription.

Waste of the doctor's time and hard for Carol.



In our Clinic once you are registered and the Doctor knows your medical History you can get repeat prescription without appointment usually within 10/15min. It´s a question of knowing the medical history and be able to prescribe those medications safely. If you have a previous UK prescription that clearly state what is you condition and what are you regularly take in UK it´s even faster to get it done the first time.

[mike in chayofa]

...............In our Clinic once you are registered and the Doctor knows your medical History you can get repeat prescription without appointment.

This depends on the doctor/clinic ... some do and some do not.

I have to see the doctor for repeat prescriptions. This seems to be an absolute waste of my time and more importantly the time of the doctor who could probably utilize his time to better effect

[celine]

Thankyou very much for your post.. Your imformation realy puts my mind at rest.
kindest regards celine

[delderek]

Its now becoming the norm in the UK to order repeat prescriptions online. And collect from pharmacy in a couple of days. It will probably happen in Tenerife one day.

[slodgedad]

Its now becoming the norm in the UK to order repeat prescriptions online. And collect from pharmacy in a couple of days. It will probably happen in Tenerife one day.
Hope so, Del. Because as Mike says it's a waste of a doctor's (social doctor BTW) time.

Appointments have to be made just to get an indefinado prescription, monthly.

Maybe that's why it takes a week to get an appointment.

We have been to the surgery and seen the doctor have break after break because the 10 minute allotted time is used in 3 or 4 minutes.

[bonitatime]

A repeat appointment is only allowed 5 mins

[Topacciolo]

This depends on the doctor/clinic ... some do and some do not.

I have to see the doctor for repeat prescriptions. This seems to be an absolute waste of my time and more importantly the time of the doctor who could probably utilize his time to better effect

I Agree that to do a full consultation for a repeat prescription every time is a bit of a waste but you always have to consider the individual cases. It always depend on the kind of medication that the person would like a prescription for.

If a doctor just prescribe you something because you say so without checking your history and without do at list the first consultation the first time you walk in the clinic as a new patient it´s very irresponsible without mentioning illegal and mostly dangerous.
In many cases we forget that 99.9% of people will go and ask for something that is needed and that is correct but there will always be a 0.01% that will give the doctor the wrong information (in good or bad faith) and as a consequence of that the doctor prescribes the wrong medication or an unnecessary medication if something happen the only person responsible is the doctor that prescribed that medication.

We have some regular patients here that our Doctor is being treating for the past 3/4 years and because they undergoing a regular treatment the doctor will do a prescription right away without a consultation. This is ok even tough every 3 or 4 month (Depending on individual cases...) it will do a quick check up to make sure that the treatment is correct or if it needs any adjustment.