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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nickengland on September 10, 2005, at 9:49:51
Hi Ed!
I picked up my repeat presciption today from the pharmacy for Topamax, I asked the doctor if I could change from the sprinkle capsules to tablets as basically their more convenient for me.
Anyway, I thought all Topamax came prepared in small plastic bottles? When I first had 25mg tablets it came in a bottle, and when I had the sprinkle capsules they were in a bottle....Today when I opened up the bag.... its in a box and the tablets are in the usual blister strips you get along with other medications..
But thats not the only weird thing, the actual box, although it says "Topamax"....all the language on the packet is in Spanish!!???....noramally we get our medication boxs written in English I thought. Do they sometimes import medication from abroad like this???....i'm looking at this box as im getting paranoid thinking this stuff is fake!...its called "Topiramato?!"...sounds like a spanish tomato or something lol
Have you ever come across this before?
Lastly, I thought because of having had Topamax packaged in a plastic bottle, that might be done for a specific reason?....or does it not matter vs that of the blister pack strips?
Thanks Ed if you're able to answer this ~ I've got alittle worried for a minute where the source of my medication is coming from :-O LOL
I'm thinking of phoning the pharmacy, my old prescription (all written in english) says is produced in Buckinghamshire ~ but this stuff is from Madrid?
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by ed_uk on September 10, 2005, at 10:15:03
In reply to Ed - Have you come aross this in the pharmacy?, posted by Nickengland on September 10, 2005, at 9:49:51
Hi Nick,
>Have you come aross this in the pharmacy?
Yes, it's called a parallel import. In the UK, it is legal to import drugs produced within the EU - medicines which have been produced according to the specifications of the European pharmacopoeia.
Does it say Topamax comprimidos on the packet?
>Anyway, I thought all Topamax came prepared in small plastic bottles?
Nope ;-)
>Do they sometimes import medication from abroad like this???
Yes, it's very common. Parallel imports are less expensive. They are sometimes produced in the UK, sometimes elsewhere in Europe. Despite the fact that your medication was made in Buckinghamshire, shipped to Spain then brought back to the UK, it's still less expensive than UK Topamax. This is because Spanish medication is less expensive that Uk medication. We use a lot of Spanish brands: Aremis, Besitran etc. Greek and Italian medication is also cheaper. We use a lot of Greek venlafaxine.
>this stuff is fake
It's not. It's produced to the same quality control standards as UK Topamax......... but it's cheaper.
>Have you ever come across this before?
I've seen Topamax from lots of countries! Is it the one in the long blue box?
>Lastly, I thought because of having had Topamax packaged in a plastic bottle, that might be done for a specific reason?....or does it not matter vs that of the blister pack strips?
Most UK medication comes in blister packs. Most US medication comes in bottles. It varies according to the country. You'll never get US medication from a UK pharmacy though. Parallel imports must come from the EU.
>But thats not the only weird thing, the actual box, although it says "Topamax"....all the language on the packet is in Spanish!!???....
The brand name is Topamax in most countries. It's weird, even in Greece, where they use a different alphabet, brands names are still in the Roman ('English') alphabet.
Kind regards
~Ed
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on September 10, 2005, at 11:35:42
In reply to Re: Ed - Have you come aross this in the pharmacy? » Nickengland, posted by ed_uk on September 10, 2005, at 10:15:03
Blister packs, huh? That's really interesting. In the US very few things come in blister packs--usually just starter packs. And birth control pills, I guess. It seems like a good idea though. Easier to count, perhaps fresher?
I love to learn random bits of info about other countries! There actually was a "Jeopardy!" (game show) question the other day about the "English" word for pharmacy. Because of Babble (and the UK TV show "Coupling") I knew the answer! Woo-hoo!
Now I really must do my school work. I have started to read threads that don't even have anything to do with me and share with you random details of my life. :)
Best,
EE
Posted by ed_uk on September 10, 2005, at 14:10:30
In reply to Re: Ed - Have you come aross this in the pharmacy?, posted by Emily Elizabeth on September 10, 2005, at 11:35:42
Hi E,
>Blister packs, huh?
Yes, almost all drugs come in blister packs here, including most psych drugs.
>Easier to count, perhaps fresher?
I like it because you can identify the med even when it's not in its original container, you just read the name off the back of the strip. It's definately easier to count and the medication is protected from the environment - it takes a long time to expire.
In most parts of Europe, all medications come in blister packs.
~ed
Posted by Nickengland on September 10, 2005, at 14:50:23
In reply to Re: Ed - Have you come aross this in the pharmacy? » Nickengland, posted by ed_uk on September 10, 2005, at 10:15:03
Hi Ed,
Thanks for your response :-)
I called the pharmacy eariler, he basically said the same as what you've said! lol
>Does it say Topamax comprimidos on the packet?
Si ;-)
>We use a lot of Greek...
He mentioned about Greek medications lol
>Is it the one in the long blue box?
Yellow, white and blue.
Thanks Ed, for a moment earlier I just got bit freaked out looking at this Toiramato stuff lol
Muchas gracias amigo ;-)
Nick
Posted by Tom Twilight on September 10, 2005, at 16:29:01
In reply to Re: Ed - Have you come aross this in the pharmacy? » ed_uk, posted by Nickengland on September 10, 2005, at 14:50:23
a
This is the end of the thread.
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