the cost of inhalers for asthma

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surfjabroni
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the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby surfjabroni » Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:25 pm

Hi, I am autonomo and at the farmacia I was charged the whopping fee of 30centimos for each inhaler. I laughed when she said the price, she then verified it by phone. What price have you been paying?
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El Cercardo
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby El Cercardo » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:33 am

I dont use them myself but a while back one of my friuends in the UK asked me to buy him some. Can't recall the exact price but was as cheap as chips compared to what he was paying. He asked me to bring him suitcase full back the next time :D

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surfjabroni
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby surfjabroni » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:01 am

the retail price on the container said 2.55€ but surely you can't get them over the counter without prescription?
a bad day in the water beats a good day in the office.... nos vemos en la cresta.. xx andy

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El Cercardo
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby El Cercardo » Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:32 pm

We had no problem with getting them from the local Farmacia...just told them what I wanted and they obliged - no prescription. In fact, it's just made me wonder what drugs you do need a prescription for in Spain? I or my OH have managed to get all sorts over the counter :shock:

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby Andy1 » Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:29 pm

The only medicine so far we have had problems getting without a prescription is atropina, they are also tightening up on antibiotics now and seems to be luck whether we can get them or not without a prescription.

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costagirl
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby costagirl » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:54 pm

I bring ventolin inhalers back to ireland for my brother in law. 4 euro per pack. it costs approx 10 euro in ireland and have to have a prescription also.

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karandjon
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby karandjon » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:41 pm

i pay €1.20 for an inhaler. I only need the equivalent to the UK "blue" one. (here it is green with white casing).
However, has anyone else noticed how much less effective they are than the blue ones?
I now get someone to post me one from England, as and when i need one.
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby crazyred » Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:48 am

You can get the blue "Ventolin" inhalers here. I don't understand why they are giving you a different coloured one as they usually have different ingredients. Maybe try another Farmacia or ask your doctor to do a prescription specifically for Ventolin.

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby karandjon » Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:06 pm

thanks crazy red. Will give that a go!

Cheers,

Karen x
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby alisonb » Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:39 pm

My hubby has asthma, and last time we took a prescription for Ventolin to a farmacia, they tried to give us a green one, even though it's usually blue. They pointed to the packaging, where it showed the prescribed dose, but we decided to try a different place. They immediately gave us the correct blue one.

I know you could get them without prescription a couple of years ago, and they are remarkably cheap. I would take the old one to show them, just in case
AlisonB

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby spanish_lad » Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:56 pm

how are you all getting them so cheap without a prescription ???

i know of two farmacias i can still buy them without a prescription in alhaurin. the "real" ones are expensive, the branded blue ones, but the "generic" ones are 3.60€ each. where are you getting them for 1.20€? and i´ll take twenty please !
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby karandjon » Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:40 pm

spanish_lad-I got my green ones in Motril for €1.20 each.

I have taken the advice of crazy red and took my blue UK one in with me (diff pharmacy-diff area)....and they immediately produced a blue one for me to buy over the counter. I cant remember the exact price, as i bought a few things, but remember it being around the €4 something, mark.

Thanks for the advice crazy red.

Karen x
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baggies1968
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby baggies1968 » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:04 pm

Hi
Am new to this forum.
Am hoping to move to andalucia this year.
What happens regarding painkillers inhalers & blood pressure tablets. I am a pensioner & wonder if any of these are free.
Thanks
Msureen

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gerryh
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby gerryh » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:48 pm

Nothing is free.
If you are a pensioner and registered with a doctor in the Spanish health service then you pay 10% of the prescription costs.
There is a max of not more than, depending on your income, of €20 a month.
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Gerry
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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby Pamela1 » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:51 pm

I too have bought medicines over the counter many times over the years in Spain without a prescription," including antibiotics " Some items i have found to be very very expensive while others have been much cheaper than the Uk, i guess it depends on what you need. Letibalm is something i often buy for my grandsons,to me it's like describing another version of Vaseline and comes in a tiny white pot, the same size and brand for children is 6 euros and around 2 euros more than the adult one..Children's item's seem to come at a premium even down to the cost of a dummy. :lol:

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby El Cid » Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:56 pm

Some drugs are much cheaper here as the are “generics”. These are drugs whose patents have run out and can now be copied and made very much cheaper. The date that the patents run out can vary by county which is why some drugs can be cheaper than the UK.

A good example is the Statin, Atorvastatin, which was vey expensive in the UK but the equivalent drug, Cardyl,was much cheaper in Spain. Other generics of that drug are even cheaper now.

Yes, there are now restrictions on OTC antibiotics, but from my experience, if the pharmacist knows you and your other medication, it is still possible to get them. Pharmacists in Spain are very well qualified and often will make specific recommendations for a drug that you might need.

Sid

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby littleeak » Sun Feb 03, 2019 9:57 pm

You can buy ventolin inhalers without a prescription at the farmacia for under 3€.

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby Gasman » Mon Feb 04, 2019 5:00 pm

Hi Baggies - welcome to the forum - as a UK pensioner, you should be able to sign onto the spanish health service using your S1 from Dept Works and Pensions, Newcastle, after you have completed the formalities for becoming resident ... see other posts about this elsewhere on the forum. Once in the health service as a pensioner, you get any prescription drugs at a discounted rate, and frequently find you only pay under a euro for your treatments. Long-term prescriptions like for blood pressure problems, asthma inhalers, painkillers for arthritis etc will be issued by the family doctor at your local Centro Salud (health centre), but will need renewing from time to time by returning to the doctor for a repeat (probably 6-monthly) prescription. Anything else at the Farmacia (chemist shop) you pay the same as anyone else for over the counter stuff.
Of course all this to some extent is dependent on what happens with Brexit, but we are not really expecting any changes to the rules for pensioners living in Spain.

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby El Cid » Mon Feb 04, 2019 5:49 pm

Gasman wrote: Of course all this to some extent is dependent on what happens with Brexit, but we are not really expecting any changes to the rules for pensioners living in Spain.
Fair comment for those of us already living and registered in Spain.

What happens with a no deal Brexit could affect those planning to move after the break. The government, so far, has only said that the S1 procedure "may" continue subject to unilateral agreements.

Sid

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Re: the cost of inhalers for asthma

Postby spanish_lad » Mon Mar 04, 2019 1:41 pm

karandjon wrote:spanish_lad-I got my green ones in Motril for €1.20 each.

I have taken the advice of crazy red and took my blue UK one in with me (diff pharmacy-diff area)....and they immediately produced a blue one for me to buy over the counter. I cant remember the exact price, as i bought a few things, but remember it being around the €4 something, mark.

Thanks for the advice crazy red.

Karen x
My dad uses the "salbutamol" generic ventolin inhalors, and they are €2.56 at the moment. They are free to buy in any amount without prescription from any pharmacy.

He did get given a small green / white one when he got his state prescription, but he didnt like it. He used it, and it worked, because it was only a few cents to buy..
baggies1968 wrote:Hi, ...
i am a pensioner, i wonder if any are free...
Msureen
As gerry said, they are not free.. well.. they might as well be - my dad got 6 or 7 things that costs 20 euros or so before, for €1,65 ... so the cost is minimal. Pain killers - paracetamol 1g (so only 1 at a time) are €2 a box - theres 40 (??) in a box.
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