# Having medication sent to Spain



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

I use some medication which the NHS in its wisdom has decided to withdraw for reasons of high cost, so the only alternative is for me to buy it myself.

I am moving to Spain in a couple of weeks and have been investigating the position and am horrified to find that you are not allowed to import medication into Spain. Apparently the medical profession can import stuff but the item in question is no longer prescribed in Spain and though one chemist at first said they could get it, they have since advised they are unable to.

It's a bit of a long shot but does anyone have any idea what I can do?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

infomaniac said:


> I use some medication which the NHS in its wisdom has decided to withdraw for reasons of high cost, so the only alternative is for me to buy it myself.
> 
> I am moving to Spain in a couple of weeks and have been investigating the position and am horrified to find that you are not allowed to import medication into Spain. Apparently the medical profession can import stuff but the item in question is no longer prescribed in Spain and though one chemist at first said they could get it, they have since advised they are unable to.
> 
> It's a bit of a long shot but does anyone have any idea what I can do?


If the NHS has withdrawn the medicine what does it expect people who have been taking it to do? I would ask your doctor what the alternative medicine is. There must be a solution.

On the other hand, are you resident in Spain? If so, you shouldn't be using the services of the NHS. You should have medical insurance in place or get in touch with the DWP. The medical services here are very good and certainly on a par with the UK or are better.


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

The alternative is the cheap drug the NHS say is needed. It works for some people but not others which explains my predicament.

I'm not resident in Spain yet. Moving in 2 weeks and have just been informed I can't get what I need in Spain.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

There must be an alternative. If it works for some and not for others how do you know it’s not going to work for you?

One of my drugs was not available here, so there was an alternative. Usually, in my experience as a nurse, drugs are usually withdrawn because the main company no longe holds rights and cheaper generic versions become available which clearly a responsible NHS would recommend using. The other reason for withdrawing is that very few people are using them and the costs are very high. I’m not condoning the action I’m relaying the information. If this is a “life” sustaining drug then there will be alternatives


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Without going into great detail, there are two drugs involved which may be likened to a can of beans. "A" is the can and is supposed to be converted by the body into "B" i.e the beans which is what the body actually needs. In some people, this does not happen and they have to supplement with "B" and some people bypass the "can" altogether and so straight for the beans! I take a bit of both. It is being phased out by the NHS because the company given the licence by the NHS has them over a barrel and is selling it to them at a wildly inflated price.


----------



## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

infomaniac said:


> I use some medication which the NHS in its wisdom has decided to withdraw for reasons of high cost, so the only alternative is for me to buy it myself.
> 
> I am moving to Spain in a couple of weeks and have been investigating the position and am horrified to find that you are not allowed to import medication into Spain. Apparently the medical profession can import stuff but the item in question is no longer prescribed in Spain and though one chemist at first said they could get it, they have since advised they are unable to.
> 
> It's a bit of a long shot but does anyone have any idea what I can do?


I had my two hypertension drugs sent from UK by post. For some reason, the sender sent them separately. One lot arrived, the other didn't. 

I researched the postal rules of Royal Mail and Correos and neither prohibited sending prescription drugs by mail, although the clinic in UK said they were not allowed to post medications.

A second mailing of the two medications arrived OK.


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Thanks Chris. I am going to give it a try and see what happens!


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

infomaniac said:


> Thanks Chris. I am going to give it a try and see what happens!


Are you under a consultant for the condition that this drug relates to. Consultants are usually more knowledgeable than generic GPS on conditions they have an interest in. He may well know of an alternative as presumably he will have to change prescriptions for new patients?


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

Do you mean am I under a consultant in Spain? If so, no as I don't move for a couple of weeks yet.

There is an alternative to what I take but doctors are reluctant to prescribe that as well. The only solution that I and many, many other people with the same condition can find is to source their own medication and manage the condition themselves. Not ideal but it's what we are stuck with :-(


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

infomaniac said:


> Do you mean am I under a consultant in Spain? If so, no as I don't move for a couple of weeks yet.
> 
> There is an alternative to what I take but doctors are reluctant to prescribe that as well. The only solution that I and many, many other people with the same condition can find is to source their own medication and manage the condition themselves. Not ideal but it's what we are stuck with :-(


No a consultant in the UK.


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

No I'm not, and choose not to. I manage my condition myself and it has improved since I have been doing just that


----------



## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

infomaniac said:


> Thanks Chris. I am going to give it a try and see what happens!



Addendum:  I wouldn't just have them sent as they come from the pharmacy. 

I invested in a DVD of "On the Waterfront" so that my friend had a little reward for sending the pills. She kept the disk and used the case for the pills. 

Chuck the boxes, packaging, leaflets et al and put them in something like a DVD case. Depends on how bulky they are. Even so, she was a little concerned that this package rattled, but it made it to me.


----------



## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

infomaniac said:


> Do you mean am I under a consultant in Spain? If so, no as I don't move for a couple of weeks yet.
> 
> There is an alternative to what I take but doctors are reluctant to prescribe that as well. The only solution that I and many, many other people with the same condition can find is to source their own medication and manage the condition themselves. Not ideal but it's what we are stuck with :-(


What reason does your doctor give for being reluctant to prescribe the alternative medication you feel you need. I am puzzled by the dilemma you find yourself in .


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

chrisnation said:


> Addendum:  I wouldn't just have them sent as they come from the pharmacy.
> 
> I invested in a DVD of "On the Waterfront" so that my friend had a little reward for sending the pills. She kept the disk and used the case for the pills.
> 
> Chuck the boxes, packaging, leaflets et al and put them in something like a DVD case. Depends on how bulky they are. Even so, she was a little concerned that this package rattled, but it made it to me.


Ha! Good idea! I've already remarked to my hubby that I feel like I'm trying to score heroin


----------



## infomaniac (May 27, 2013)

emlyn said:


> What reason does your doctor give for being reluctant to prescribe the alternative medication you feel you need. I am puzzled by the dilemma you find yourself in .


It's not just my doctor, it's most of the NHS and without boring you with the details it's recently been in the press where the company who have the licence to produce the drug have increased the price by a squillion per cent or something. It's widely available in some countries but sadly not the UK or Spain.


----------



## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

chrisnation said:


> I had my two hypertension drugs sent from UK by post. For some reason, the sender sent them separately. One lot arrived, the other didn't.
> 
> I researched the postal rules of Royal Mail and Correos and neither prohibited sending prescription drugs by mail, although the clinic in UK said they were not allowed to post medications.
> 
> A second mailing of the two medications arrived OK.


You can get tabs for hypertension and Statins easily over the counter at the Farmacia. If you take the empty boxes in they will renew them. I pay about €3.50 total for a month.

Steve.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

tebo53 said:


> You can get tabs for hypertension and Statins easily over the counter at the Farmacia. If you take the empty boxes in they will renew them. I pay about €3.50 total for a month.
> 
> Steve.


It depends on the type of statins they are - the one I am on costs €28.50 for a 28 day supply at full price.


----------



## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> It depends on the type of statins they are - the one I am on costs €28.50 for a 28 day supply at full price.


Mine are obviously the cheaper version. It's still worth Chrisnation enquiring at his/her local Farmacia. A friend used to have his sent from the UK until he enquired at the Farmacia.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

tebo53 said:


> Mine are obviously the cheaper version. It's still worth Chrisnation enquiring at his/her local Farmacia. A friend used to have his sent from the UK until he enquired at the Farmacia.


Yes, very true. I don't know if mine are available without prscription or not. They were originally prescribed by my private cardiologist as I wanted a type with reduced risk of diabetes (due to family history) and was concerned about possible common side effects like joint pains, and the type he prescribed has minimal risks of either. I've had them prescribed by my medico familiar in the state system subsequently, though, so I only have to pay 10% of the cost. I was a bit apprehensive about asking for them as I feared he might try to put me on a cheaper alternative, especially in the view of the austerity cuts which have affected the Spanish system in recent years, but there was no problem at all.


----------

