Getting medication in Spain
 

Hello, I'm considering a move to Spain and just wondering how easy it is to get necessary medicines.

As I understand things, if you are of working age but not working then you need some sort of private health insurance for the first year, after that you can join the pay in system at 60 euros a month.

Is that 60 euros for each person?

I have a growing list of medication that I need to take due to pre-existing conditions and I think most private health insurance excludes pre-existing conditions. I did see somewhere about cover you can get that you pay each month and it reduces the cost of private medical treatment but covers existing conditions. I seem to have lost the names of such companies, any advice or help would be much appreciated.

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to get the following from pharmacies without a prescription and if so what the possible costs might be? Sorry to ask so many questions but can't find any answers on the web.

B12 Injections
Levothyroxine sodium 50mcg
Levothyroxine sodium 25mcg
Furosemide 20mg
Adcal-D3 chewable tablets 1500mg/400I.U.
Elleste Solo 1mg
Utrogestan 100mg

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

I have found it very easy to get medications in Spain, however it may not be so easy in remoter regions? Where do you intend to re-locate to?

Please see attached link to a Farmacia where staff speak excellent English. If you contact them they will be able to confirm which of those medicines (or alternatives) are available and at what cost>

Farmacia ADSUARÂ AGUILARÂ G. (ROJALES)

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Furosemida 40mg costs €2.16 for 30 tablets here in the Canary Isles.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

thyroxine you can buy over the counter, dont know cost as I have on prescription and is very cheap:thumbup:

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Levothyroxine is available over the counter in various strengths, my wife takes it. Running short of her UK sourced ones she went to the local pharmacy and was given a pack of 100 tablets for 2.30€

In the UK a paid prescription would be 28 tablets for £8+. However thyroid problems mean that in the UK you get your medication for free. But as you can see most stuff is quite cheap. Unlike the UK, pharmacists in Spain can prescribe drugs which are gp/hospital only prescription in the UK, so a lot of stuff is available - take your old packaging with you so they can understand what you need, sometimes drug names differ slightly.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Thank you for your replies, very useful information.

We are thinking of going to the Murcia region, but will need to find work in order to make living there work.

Does anyone know of any health insurance companies that do not exclude existing conditions? Had a recent diagnosis of osteoporosis of spine and hips, to go with my underactive thyroid, vitamin B12 deficiency and vitamin D deficiency. Just wondering what else is going to stop functioning properly and I'm only 50!

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

If you are working you will both be covered by the state/regional system. The one that is working will be covered automatically and the spouse will have to go to the capital city of the region and fill in a couple of forms, this appears to require renewal every year. If you work for 1 month you will be covered for that month + the next 2 or 3 months. I reached pension age although I don't yet get a pension and we have found that we are covered too as fiscal residents.One thing I should add is that to get residency etc you must either get employment, be self employed, have an income, own your property, have at least 8000 euros in a spanish bank (for a couple) and there are probably a few more options that I don't know about.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

I haven't yet found a village without a farmacia. I'm sure it exists, but I haven't seen it.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

BUPA were more than happy to include cover for my pre-existing medical conditions ............ at an eye watering premium.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Finding work will be very difficult because the situation is still dire.

Rosemary

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

I have been doing some research and realise that things won't be easy, especially on the work front so we're not going to rush into anything.

We won't be severing all ties to the UK until we know we can make a go of it.

On the medication front, we have booked a holiday to the canaries and obviously I will be taking my medication with me, so whilst I'm there I will ask at the local pharmacy. I presume it is the same in the canaries as it is in mainland spain.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Does anyone know if Adenuric/ Febuxostat ( gout control tablets) are available over the counter in Spain?

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

It really depends on the Pharmacia whether they will give you the drugs. Some drugs will clearly be prescription only, but in many cases, if the pharmacist is happy that you have a reason for having them, he will sell them over the counter.

Pharmacists in Spain and many other parts of the EU are better qualified than those in the UK and have much more discretion as to what they can supply without a prescription.

If you can produce a UK prescription, or even the old packet with your name on it, you will probably find them very helpful.

Re: Getting medication in Spain
 

Gout medication is available over the counter for a couple of euro. This is given to dogs (1 tablet a day) not for gout but for the ongoing treatment of Leishmaniasis- a disease spread by flies.