Oscardon

My OH and daughter are both astmatic we are moving to BC, does anyone know if you can buy inhalers (subutomol) over the counter or does it need to be through the doctor?

I have spoke to my GP who wants to charge £50 for medical records should I do this or just register with a doctor when we get out there. and yes I know there is a shortage of doctors in Canada so useful coments please people.

Thanks.

dbd33

Dunno about BC but they're OTC in the US. Perhaps bring a load back while over the border for some other reason.

jericho

You cannot buy asthma meds without a prescription.
Ventolin/Salbutamol isnt particularly expensive- with my health insurance, i only pay 15% of the cost which works out to about $11 from memory.
I also have seretide, which is quite is expensive though. Even with insurance, it costs me around $30 per inhaler.


My advice is to ask your GP in the UK to provide you say 6 months of inhalers before you come over. That way, it gives you time to find a doctor, work out what insurance coverage you have etc.

chanceUK

can you access your records using the freedom of information act? (£10 maximum charge). £50 is ridiculous.

iaink

The good news is that many people report that their asthma gets a lot better once in Canada.


The bad news is without insurance the costs add up, and as a pre existing condition some insurers may baulk at coverage for them. And of course many people dont have insurance to cover meds in the first place.

The doctor shortage in no way applies to all of Canada.

JB0591

We got two set of records (mine and OH) for free so they are taking the ****.

Yes there is a sortage of doctors (to register with) but they do have walk-in centres, which might take a few hours to be seen, but you will be seen. We used one the other day and we could check the wait time on a website. We waited 1.5 hours from walking in.

JB

Oscardon

Thanks guys

We thought about stocking up but due to government cut backs they are only perscribing one inhaler at at time! Just makes us realise why were are leaving blighty.

The freedome of infomation act is a good thought though, might try that.

Casey

rich07

Medical records are different from standard data held, and under the Act, they can charge up to £50.00 per person. It is recommended that you take your medical records with you in any case.

iaink

You are leaving because you get heavily state subsidised prescription medication? That makes no sense! We should be so lucky here

They probably stopped giving out more than one at a time because of all the people stocking up before they leave the country

Flossie and Jim

Tell the doc a little bit of a white lie - say you are off "travelling" abroad for three months and will therefore need a three month supply of inhalers - worked for me and tided me over until I could find a doc over here.

I have the purple inhaler (can't remember its UK name) but its called Advair over here and is about $120 bucks per inhaler, although my OH and I have work benefits that mean we now get them for free.

None of the doctors I have seen were remotely interested in seeing my UK medical records at all. I just told them a brief history and took samples of the inhalers I was taking and they fitted me up with the Canadian equivalent. Although if you have a complicated medical history with operations, etc, a copy of the records might be useful. I think as a compromise you can request just the computerised records for a tenner.

Zoe Bell

FYI - the maximum charge for records held on computer is 10ukp , 50ukp for records held on paper. The surgery is not " being ridiculous". they are entitled to charge that amount

britsnake

Before we left we were able to stock up on the drugs we needed (My wife for her blood pressure, me for asthma) by renewing more frequently (one ast a time).

You only needed enough to cover you until the Provincial Health Care kicks.

iaink

Does provincial health care cover you for drugs like inhalers? Didnt think it did (not in Ontario anyway)

saz1983

I was the same, my old doctor wrote me up a 3 month supply which in actual fact lasted me a lot longer. I said I was going abroad for work and there were no further questions. I just took my inhalers into the doctors and she found the equivalents here, you might find that they type of inhaler you have in the UK is not available here. I haven't had my prescription filled yet but I get 90% covered by my work insurance so I guess it won't be too bad. Re the previous post on asthma improving here, I totally agree! Cold weather used to make mine flare up but this winter I have had no problems, must be the clean, dry air!

MarkG

Nor in Saskatchewan.

One thing to consider with asthma is that the houses here, at least the newer ones, are extremely well sealed so any crap that accumulates in the air needs to be vented. We keep our ventilator on 24/7 because of my girlfriend's asthma.