Getting the controceptive pill
 

My husband and I moved over 3 weeks ago and have been so busy sorting things out that I almost completely forgot about my ever depleting supply of contraceptive pills.

How do you get them over here? I was taking Microgynon 30 in the UK, I found a website a while ago with what the equivalent US brand was, but I must have forgotten to bookmark it because I can't find it now.

I have 1.5 mths to figure it out, or there might be the pitter patter of tiny footsteps in the future... which tbh wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but are quite looking forward to enjoying being in Austin for a while before that happens! :D

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

You need to go to a doctor (or planned parenthood clinic and wait for hours with teeny boppers and women down on their luck) to get a new prescription. You can't just get them over-the-counter. You may be able to order them from out of the US that way though. Here's a couple of sites I found http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/bcp-h...gynon30ed.html
http://legalmedsdirect.com/buy-MICROGYNON_30-online

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Aha! Found the page with the conversions:
http://www.clissmann.com/pil/ocs_intl.htm
(just in case anyone else finds this thread later and needs it)
Hmmm, it doesn't appear that Canada has an equivalent brand, that's annoying.

The other problem is we haven't sorted out medical insurance yet. We're both freelance and don't have credit scores yet which makes things more complicated. My husband is going to look into joining some union or something for small businesses / artists... but I'm not sure how long that will take. I'll try ringing some doctors and asking how much it would cost without insurance. I guess there's a chance we could have some in time, and there's always the clinic if worst comes to worst. Thanks for the info! :)

Edit: Oh wow you found some of my brand!! Ouch, those prices, I miss the NHS. Still probably going to be cheaper than docs, I might give it a go thanks! :))

Re: Getting the contraceptive pill
 

Until you mentioned you didn't have insurance, I was about to relate my wife's tale of woe when trying to get a specific brand on her doctor's advice and the insurance saying "nah, we don't want to pay for that one, these other ones are kind of the same though". Umm no.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

In the UK I was on Cerazette for years and loved it, I brought a couple of months over with me but when that ran out I went to my family doctor who prescribed me what she thought was the US equivalent (lybrel).

It cost me about $70 a month until I decided to google cerazette and now order it online from New Zealand in 3 month batches works out about $20 a month :)

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

The suggestion of Planned Parenthood is a good one. You should be able to make an appointment and that's a good way to get your prescription until you're more settled.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Planned Parenthood is good -- they'll charge you what you can afford (including free) and the service and quality of medicine is just as good as your ridiculously priced local practitioner. The only off thing might be the neocon Xtian nutters protesting outside -- avoid an appointment on abortion day.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Can't really help but for anyone looking at this before leaving the UK.

If you go to the family planning clinic before leaving the UK (not your doctor) and tell them that you are leaving the country/travelling, they will give you a 12 month supply:)

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Oh smeg really?! Drat, wish I'd known that before! Hope this thread can help someone else down the road.

Just checked and there seems to be a planned parenthood clinic pretty close to me. Might head in there and then get my prescription online to save some $$$s! Would never have thought of online ordering, this forum is so awesome! Thanks guys! :thumbsup:

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

I have never ordered pharmaceuticals online myself and I just want to say to obviously only order from reputable places as drugs are a commonly counterfeited item. Check for holograms, batch numbers, expiry dates etc.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Depends on the state...some places it's walks in only.

Some places make it a lot easier than others...up in Maine, unless they've changed it, they made it next to impossible as there were only offices in a few of the big cities, only open for a few hours during the day on a couple days of the week.

But down in MA, it's much more convenient.

Still, see a doctor, get a prescription for 12 months and then go to chemist every month for a months supply, bit of a hassle, but with insurance, it's $10 a month for us.

To the OP, what kind of art? If your not in one of a few states such as MA, you could always blag being a game dev and join the IGDA, $50 a year and then get insurance through them, still not cheap, but you'd be in a group plan so wouldn't have to worry about pre-existing or having a break in cover, which would be your biggest hassle.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

I don't know what they're like for contraception, but PP charged me nearly $350 for an STD test. They made me sit around waiting for a nurse for 2 hours (the clinic wasn't particularly full of patients) and it wasn't even as comprehensive as those I've had before under the NHS and at a GP in the US. I felt ripped off.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

Her indoors has used them ever since she was a penniless art student. Said they didn't charge her at all when she was broke.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

My PCP's office is a health center that does sliding scale fees according to income, might be worth checking if you have one nearby.

Re: Getting the controceptive pill
 

It's illegal for online websites to dispense prescription meds without a doctor's prescription...this means a face to face consultation not one that's been issued by an internet doctor. This includes meds from overseas websites. Websites selling such are being closed down all the time.

There is also a huge black market for prescription meds...some are stolen...some are fakes and do not work or worse could be harmful. The website also accepts drugs back for refunds...that in itself is a huge red flag.

Please get a doctor's prescription and get them from a reputable pharmacy ie CVS, Wallgreens etc.

This is from the FDA's website:

7. Some Websites offer to prescribe medication based only on a questionnaire. Is this a safe practice? Is it legal?

Unlike the traditional relationship between a patient and the patient's health care professional, some online practitioners issue prescriptions in the absence of a physical examination or direct medical supervision. According to the American Medical Association, a health care professional who offers a prescription for a patient the practitioner has never seen before and based solely on an online questionnaire generally has not met the appropriate medical standard of care. As a result, patients may receive a drug that is inappropriate for them to use and may sacrifice the opportunity for a correct diagnosis or the identification of an underlying medical condition for which use of the prescription drug may be dangerous.

It is a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to dispense prescription drugs without a valid prescription. FDA will work with the states to determine the validity of online prescriptions and to bring enforcement actions under state law, federal law, or both, as appropriate. In addition, several state boards of medicine have ruled that such practice is medical misconduct and have fined and suspended the licenses of health care practitioners who have prescribed drugs in this manner.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesFo.../ucm202675.htm