Mallory

I raised two children in the US and never brought any meds back from the UK. Anything you need is right here. I don't buy from drug stores - they are expensive. Best prices are at Wal-Mart and then Target. Most products such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen (paracetamol), allergy meds, have a generic. The brand name will probably be at eye level. Look at the packages until you find a generic with same name. Such products include Zantac, Allegra, Advil, Tylenol. The generics are MUCH cheaper, and are the same product. I don't buy cheap Band-Aids (plasters) though - stick with Band-Aid.

Publix (in the South-East) sell loads of UK food. Expensive though. You won't be short of cookie selection - your kids will find new favourites. World Market also sells British stuff. Someone on here remarked that the chocolate in Aldi is good. I went in there to try it, and yes it is excellent. But then I don't eat chocolate on a regular basis, and I'm not fond of Aldi. I did pick up a bottle of Merlot to try though.

Prescriptions, IMO, are also cheaper at Wal-Mart and Target. You can Google for cheaper prices, but I don't bother. If you have a drug card, it doesn't make much difference. Also in WM, they will text you while shopping, when your order is ready.

The only thing I ever bring back from UK is Oxo. The Oxo in Publix are modified (no beef). I put them in my checked luggage.

If your child can't live in the US without certain biscuits, you can order a huge supply on Amazon! Halfway through the box, the child will have found something he/she likes better in the supermarket!

MidAtlantic

I assumed that was the case, until my doctor's office suggested I check elsewhere. I found that Walmart was substantially more expensive. It may depend on the drug and insurance cover, but don't just assume that Walmart is cheaper.

Pulaski

For prescriptions, check Goodrx.com to compare local prices, based on zipcode.

Nutek

Our health insurance tells us where we have to get our prescriptions (Express Scripts) and penalizes people who go elsewhere.

petitefrancaise

It's not really about what is cheaper/better though. Certainly at first, familiarity and comfort when everything has changed is more important. More so when they are sick. My youngest seemed to pick up every bug going when she first arrived here and giving her some of my emergency supplies of calpol made her smile.

Don't go overboard but certainly lemsip and calpol have equivalents but they are different tastes. I'd also bring strepsils (sugar free) because I think the US ones are hideous. Don't bother with tablets, they are all pretty similar. Piriton, yes ( good for toddlers on long flights and for teething)

WEBlue

Yes, the husband & I still swear we feel better faster when we drink Lemsip as opposed to Theraflu or whatever-it-is here....

May be the same ingredients (or similar) but Lemsip is worth the trouble to bring over from home...to us.

Nutek

Nothing beats the Elder Lemon.

Pulaski

Don't bring anything with codeine in it - codeine is not an OTC drug in the US and carrying it into the US is illegal. At best it will be confiscated.

Hiro11

If you need a lot of something, allergy pills for example, Costco has very good prices. Their huge bottle of generic Zyrtec is a deal.

Pulaski

Some of the bulk purchases are absurd - you can get a twin pack of bottles of something like 1,000 ibuprofen tablets from BJ's (and presumably Costco and Sam's Mart), and I have no idea what you would do with so many tablets!

We got a pack because they were on offer, and we needed some, but three years later we still have half of them, and they went out of date a year ago.

jellybean_17

Tablets that are Chlorpheniramine maleate are the active ingredient in Piriton. Walmart do an Equate version called ChlorTabs. Also there are lots of others in the allergy section of Walmart so you can find one to suit. I have hayfever and had to get prescription meds in the UK but I can buy these off the shelf here (bonus!) - fexofenadine is the ingredient and comes under a variety of brand names but the ingredient is always listed, so go for the cheapest

petitefrancaise

Piriton is a liquid and suitable for younger children.

jellybean_17

You can get Piriton as tablets or liquid - its just the brand name. Chlorpheniramine maleate is the ingredient so you just need to look for tablets or liquid with that ingredient and check the dosage guide includes children, you can get meltlets too that are great for kids

Bob

I've noticed they're really low dosage though, well the ibuprofen at least. You're bonging 3-4 a time for the equivalent to one pill I'd have gotten from the UK.

Pulaski

All the generic ibuprofen tablets we've ever had in the US are 200mg, same as Boots generic ibuprofen. .... Are there stronger ibuprofen tablets available OTC in the UK? I know there are stronger tablets available on prescription.