I just hate that they usually only give three days worth of prescriptions (asthma excepted). It’s irritating to have to find time to see the Dr. after three days, and if you’re on antibiotics and simply choose to stop taking them, you risk helping create an antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Has anyone heard of any other exceptions to the three day rule, or do you have any idea why it’s in place?
National Health Insurance does cover meds but I’m not sure what all of the regulations are. That’s because everything so far has been so affordable. There doesn’t seem to be much need to worry about health costs making you go broke - like in the States - my personal point of reference.
I’m only familiar with periodic, short-term meds such as antibiotics. Often, the cost is totaled with the doctor’s visit and is so low it’s not worth remembering. For example, I just saw a doctor for 50 NT registration fee, 212 NT doctor’s fee, and 79 medication fee.
Even without insurance, medication and doctor visits are usually quite affordable, again, compared to the States. And you can buy many medications without prescription.
However, I have no experience with allergy meds and don’t know what’s available. Some drugs can be hard to find. For example, ibuprofen is not widely sold here.
In regard to names of medications, they do sometimes use different names, but you can ask the pharmacist to show you his big reference book that lists all the different names of a drug so you can feel confident that you’re getting an equivalent. You can also check on-line.
Amos, you can get Ventolin from most decent sized pharmacies, eg the one on Shida road. I also use Serevent, which I can find ONLY at the Shanghai Pharmacy on HenYang Rd near 228 Peace Park.
Bri
Bri thanks for that, picked up some ventolin last night.
You can look up the chemical name of the drugs you take at home and take your request to any pharmacist. Even if brands aren’t the same, the chemical makeup and therefore the drug, will be exactly the same. Most pharmacists speak a little English and have a pharmaceutical English/Chinese dictionary.
RE: Exceptions to 3 day prescription rule
Buy a plane ticket to Europe, which shows a round trip time of two or three weeks. Then take that along when you visit the doctor. You should be able to get enough medicine for the entire period of your journey.
Then you can cancel the ticket.
Many of my Taiwanese friends do this. I guess you may have to let the doctor stamp your NHI card many times, but that is no problem.
here is a way to avoid the 3 day prescription problem, or least this is what i did.
skip the trips to the neighborhood clinic and head right to taiwan adventist hospital. yeah, the fees are a bit higher, i think i pay 260 with my NHI card.
if you get constant sinus infections here, like me, there is a great, english speaking ENT: Dr. Lee, who told me last time i was there to never ever ever go to the clinics. furthermore, he always shows me an english list of the antibiotics he’s prescribing. AND he gives me 7 days worth. AND he only gives me what i need (no extra “what the hell are these for” pills).
don’t bother with the clinics… they will never give you more than 3 days worth.
In regard to whether particular medicines are indeed available in Taiwan, please see my posting of 07-21-2002 in this thread
depo-provera birth control
http://oriented.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=8&t=000391
regarding how to send an email to the Department of Health with your inquiry.
Peter- If you have allergies in your home country, they will most likely be an issue in Taiwan. You can get Clarityn and Hismanel from the pharmacy, without the need for a doctor’s prescription. Allegra, I am not so sure. Get an air filter to put in your room.
Jen, could you give me the number of Dr.Lee? I’m going to make an appointment with him right away. Some doctor told me that my nose needs an operation, I think I’d better get a second opinion.
hi sylvia,
well, you can’t call him directly since he works at a hospital, but i can give you the number to taiwan adventist hospital to make the appointment:
27718151 ext. 2851
or
27319191
those are the two numbers on my appointment slip. the rest is chinese… sorry!
here is his schedule:
sunday: 2p.m. ~
mondays: no
tuesdays: 9-12 2p.m. ~
wednesdays: no
thursdays: 2p.m ~
fridays: 9a.m.-12 p.m.
saturdays: no
hopefully that’s right. that’s what they told me anyhow.
good luck!
Jen
Well, my allergies are pretty mild, and usually don’t bother me too much. Both times I was in Taiwan, they didn’t bother me at all, so I don’t expect any problems.
Now, what happens if you have a chronic illness? Do you have to see the doctor every 3 days for a prescription, or will they give you a month’s worth or 3 month’s worth like in the U.S.?
Peter
By Peter Schwartz
quote[quote]Well, my allergies are pretty mild, and usually don’t bother me too much.[/quote]That’s great to hear Peter, we thought they must’ve been pretty serious though, especially after your long spell from Oriented. Are you OK?
Peter-
if you have to take medication every day for a chronic illness you don’t have to go back every three days. i take thyroid medicine and i see the doctor once every three months and the hospital gives me a sheet of paper to take back to their pharmacy when i need more. they stamp it, i shell out the 100NT and wait the 1/2-45 minutes until my number comes up. it’s pretty efficient. you’ll have to see a specialist though, not a doctor at one of the neighborhood clinics.
Amos…I’m sorry I became busy here.
Peter
umm a foot cream to be used for the eyes??? WRONG medicine…GEE these recent problems scare me!! ppl can die here! or get blinded by putting cream in their eyes!
Well just yesterday the newspaper annouced that all medicines much be labeled in Chinese, this should be interesting.
Could someone give more specific directions to the pharmacy specializing in American brands that was posted? I’m trying to find it on a map – not sure whether it’s the Lishui Street by Heping East or not? (Shi Da neighborhood).
The cross streets were either Xinyi or Xinsheng and Song Jiang.
Thanks!
This is a repeat.
This is Taiwan, not China.
The quality of locally manufactured drugs/medicines are good.
Most drugs(if popular enough) out of patent, can be ordered, at a fraction of the cost of the original.e.g.Prozac,Ibuprofen, Tamoxifan,birth control tabs etc etc etc) Do not expect amphetamines,morphine etc.( hope you get my drift)
Find an obliging pharmacist(there are so many), with some English ability(most have)
He will have a Drug/Medicine book,2004 version still in use. English index at the back, but Chinese content. Look up and order. Buy in bulk(I buy 10, get 1 free)
or large containers(usually a container of 1000)
As an example, I bought 1000 Ibuprofen(Advil) 400 mg for < nt1500.
Enough for a good many years, or you can share with others.
If you go to a Doctor(they do nothing but get rid of you as quickly as possiible with a combo. of drugs) you often wait forever,you still have to pay at least nt100, and you get a limited amount.
Make an effort, educate yourself. You can read English(duh).
Information about drugs/medicines is easy to obtain on the Internet.
I repeat, this is Taiwan, not China.
Do not bash the medicines here on hearsay or false suspicions, and still have the nerve to tell others your “facts”
[quote=“Malkie”]Jeff, are you sure a prescription is needed? Seems to me drug stores will sell you anything.
Here is an example: I wanted to take Zantac (a beta blocker, available in regular drug stores USA but not in Taiwan). I went to the hospital and they said they could only prescribe it if they did an endoscopy (stick a TV camera down your throat and film your insides). However this drug can be bought in one of the ‘prescription’ drug stores with no fuss.
I have bought all manner of things - Insulin and syringes, antibiotics, …does anyone know if a prescription is really needed, or do I get special treatment because I am a foreigner?[/quote]
Malkie do you still live in Taipei?