This seems like a nice compromise.
Sounds good. So, does someone just go up to the “consulting” area at the pharmacy and ask? Is that what semi-over the counter means?
On a side note, we recently learned we could do that with our dog’s insulin. We just need to ask for it at the pharmacy…no Rx needed.
Insulin (Humulin) has been available without prescription for ages.
It sounds like a good idea as long as the women are told about all potential side effects of the pill and are given the right pill (not all BC pills are created equal!). For example, it took me three trials to figure out that the first two drugs prescribed were messing up my body…
IMO, birth control pills should be available both OTC and by a pharmacist. This is the way many other drugs work (for example, Omeprazole) and that way it can be covered by insurance if an individual wants it to be or an individual can simply buy them OTC if they don’t want to go to a pharmacist and don’t mind the price.
Yes, birth control can cause problems- just like any other medicine whether it’s OTC or not. If there are symptoms of anything, a woman can call her doctor- just like she would if she was having problems with anything else.
And, honestly, do most doctors even tell patients about potential side effects of most drugs? I’ve never had one tell me unless the reactions were routinely pretty bad (and those I can count on one hand- and I’ve been on and off a lot of meds). I’ve had a lot of different doctors prescribe birth control and not one has ever told me about potential side effects. Even when I got my implants, they only really told me about what my arm would go through due to the insertion and removal procedure.
Romani, don’t get defensive off the bat. I suspect that your doctors were not following the SOPs because you are young, do not smoke, and do not have other easily identifiable risk factors, but many women do have them. Plus, since you already were on BC, the doctors renewing your prescriptions assumed you already knew about this stuff. The other reason the doctor might not talk too much about side effects because the doctor has the patient’s file on hand with her medical history, including the - drumroll - such mundane thing as her weight! Someone who weighs 125 lb should not be prescribed the dose designed for a 200 lb body… Simple stuff like that. For a woman in her 30s getting on the pill for the first time, a consult would be highly advisable.
“Yes, birth control can cause problems- just like any other medicine whether it’s OTC or not. If there are symptoms of anything, a woman can call her doctor- just like she would if she was having problems with anything else.”
Unlike ibuprofen or other OTC meds, BC is a maintenance drug. It is not a sugar pill for sure. Women taking BC come from all backgrounds and in all shapes and sizes. Risk factors matter. Type of medicine matters.
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Insulin (Humulin) has been available without prescription for ages.
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I guess so. We had no idea. We were given an Rx for our dog 2 years ago, and would ask his vet for renewals when needed. Then come to find out that we didnt’ need the Rx at all. I totally understand why, in hindsight. I just didn’t know
Not all insulins are sold without prescription. Our vet told us right away that no prescription was needed for Humulin, the type of insulin most often prescribed for pers. Syringes are also sold without prescription.
http://insulinnation.com/treatment2/medicine-drugs/insulin-over-counter/
Any method that makes getting birth control easy is an improvement.
I don’t think BCPs are in any way comparable to ibuprofen and cold medicine, and periodic monitoring of a woman’s health while she is on the pill is necessary, not an attempt to morally control women or harassing them from accessing contraception. It would be nice to be able to fill long-term prescriptions for BCPs more easily (annually instead of monthly–the longest prescription term I’ve heard of is 3 months.) But BCPs can really wreak havoc if they are the wrong type for a particular woman, and as you get older, there are definitely concerns with high blood pressure and stroke risk.
The camp opposed to BCPs being sold OTC because they want them to be covered by medical insurance, are exasperating. The objective should be facilitating the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, not waging a Hobby Lobby ideological war.
The general opinion with regards to this with pharmacists is that it will be like exempt C-Vs as OTCs, something which is legal to do but no one ever does. You will need to make an appointment for a pharmacist to prescribe you birth control pills. A full physical will need to be done. You will be charged for the appointment.
Birth control pills are very easy to prescribe. There is no weight base dosing. In fact there is very little weight base dosing outside of pediatrics, certain antibiotics, some blood thinners and chemotherapy. The biggest issue is with women over 35 years old who smoke. They shouldn’t be prescribed the combination tablets. For most picking a birth control tablet is an issue of finding one the patient likes the best. Most physicians just use one or two of the many brands available.
The pharmacist will have to pass a special course before he/she could actually prescribe birth control pills.
“The pharmacist will have to pass a special course before he/she could actually prescribe birth control pills.”
Perfect.