# permanent medication??



## RHODES4712 (Jan 29, 2012)

my missus gets on prescription in the uk 4x bottles of a substance called lactulose. it does for her the same as beans and spicy food does for me if you know what i mean?? stools and not the ones you sit on. anyway i digress,,, she will most likely need this stuff the rest of her life. she gets a prescription every 4 weeks. now in the uk it is £5.99 per bottle to buy over the counter but as she gets it on prescription it costs just shy of £8 for all 4 bottles. can anyone advise what she will be able to do to keep on with this stuff in cyprus without it costing a fortune every month?
any advice greatly appreciated.
darren


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

RHODES4712 said:


> my missus gets on prescription in the uk 4x bottles of a substance called lactulose. it does for her the same as beans and spicy food does for me if you know what i mean?? stools and not the ones you sit on. anyway i digress,,, she will most likely need this stuff the rest of her life. she gets a prescription every 4 weeks. now in the uk it is £5.99 per bottle to buy over the counter but as she gets it on prescription it costs just shy of £8 for all 4 bottles. can anyone advise what she will be able to do to keep on with this stuff in cyprus without it costing a fortune every month?
> any advice greatly appreciated.
> darren


Good morning,

There is NO national health service in Cyprus.

You don't say of you are receiving state pension or not.

If you are not- Obtain a S1 (formally E106) from your tax office prior to leaving UK. Depending on you NI contributions this can give you up to 2.5 years free healthcare in Cyprus.

If you are prior to leaving the UK obtain an S1 (formally E121) from:

International Pension Centre
Tyneview Park
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
United Kingdom

You will be entitled to free healthcare (although not all medications are available free) from a state hospital or state doctor. Some medications are not available from the state, and need to be either purchased over the counter at a pharmacy or by a private prescription (all psychiatric drugs and schedule 2 & 3 drugs need a private prescription)

If you have a partner who is below retirement age they may be entitled to free healthcare under your card. 

Make sure you have a copy of all your medical records from your UK GP. (Once you leave UK and are resident in Cyprus your GP medical records are centrally stored in UK for only 10 years) 

Ask your UK general practitioner for a supply of your usual medications prior to moving over and ensure that you have the prescription to back up the medications you are on.
Until you get your relevant healthcare card you may need to seek a repeat prescription. 


Kind regards


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Mycroft said:


> Good morning,
> 
> There is NO national health service in Cyprus.


I don't understand why you say this.

The state hospitals and GP service are the frontline of the national health service here. As I understand it, it is a contribution based service just like the UK but eligibility ceases when family earnings are over €30,000.

If you have eligibility form the UK this is the national health service you can use.

If you feel I am wrong could you please explain the existence of the state run hospitals.

Pete


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

RHODES4712 said:


> my missus gets on prescription in the uk 4x bottles of a substance called lactulose. it does for her the same as beans and spicy food does for me if you know what i mean?? stools and not the ones you sit on. anyway i digress,,, she will most likely need this stuff the rest of her life. she gets a prescription every 4 weeks. now in the uk it is £5.99 per bottle to buy over the counter but as she gets it on prescription it costs just shy of £8 for all 4 bottles. can anyone advise what she will be able to do to keep on with this stuff in cyprus without it costing a fortune every month?
> any advice greatly appreciated.
> darren


My old neighbour takes something very similar, I'll have a look at the bottle next time I'm down.

Figs and oranges are available, is that an alternative as a semi substitute??


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

PeteandSylv said:


> I don't understand why you say this.
> 
> The state hospitals and GP service are the frontline of the national health service here. As I understand it, it is a contribution based service just like the UK but eligibility ceases when family earnings are over €30,000.
> 
> ...


Hi,

A national health service would have a primary and secondary care service, ( from the cradle to the grave to quote) with an integrated system that is the same throughout the island. There are parts of the island that do not have a GP service, with no access to a state doctor unless you travel to a hospital, and visit an outpatient or an accident and emergency department.

There has been a move to have an integrated national health service in Cyprus for years but this has been put back for lack of money. I do agree that there is a state hospital system, and this works well, but once you are into the countryside the lack of a primary care system is more apparent.


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## RHODES4712 (Jan 29, 2012)

yes geraldine on most people figs and oranges would do the trick and even prune juice should also be an alternative but she has tried everything and for the last 20 years she has been to the gp and everytime the best advice they gave her was to take laxatives but when she's been taking 10 laxatives every 3 days it was getting rediculous so she went to see the pharmacist and it was him that recommended lactulose and it worked a treat.


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

RHODES4712 said:


> yes geraldine on most people figs and oranges would do the trick and even prune juice should also be an alternative but she has tried everything and for the last 20 years she has been to the gp and everytime the best advice they gave her was to take laxatives but when she's been taking 10 laxatives every 3 days it was getting rediculous so she went to see the pharmacist and it was him that recommended lactulose and it worked a treat.


I'm doing the pharmacy run next week, I add it to my list of questions and report back.


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## RHODES4712 (Jan 29, 2012)

thanks geraldine your help is much appreciated and i'll look forward to hearing your findings.


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

RHODES4712 said:


> thanks geraldine your help is much appreciated and i'll look forward to hearing your findings.


Hi Darren, 

Called at the Pharmacy, the brand name for Lactilos (sorry not sure of spelling) over here is named DUPHALAC and is €5 a bottle.

By the way, some tablets I needed, which I got from the General last time and got free as over that delicate age, cost me over €13 today!!!

I need to see the DR over an ear infection that isn't clearing up despite a course of self administed antibiotic, so will get another perscription from him at the same time.
I did call today but at 12.30 they weren't seeing any more patients....come back tomorrow.


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