I had heard legends of Thailand pharmacies before we moved here. I read that you could get any drug you wanted over the counter, some drugs that in America a doctor had to prescribe. And they spoke English.
We were at the market the other day and I looked down and Conner’s eye was red. I thought it was probably “pink eye” and I was wondering where the doctor was when I remembered the legends. So I cautiously approached the nearest pharmacist. She looked into Conner’s pink eye asked her colleague to come over and they both agreed, conjunctivitis (pink eye), and handed me a bottle of eye drops.
Did I want an antibiotic also?
No thanks, I will try this first.
It cost me $1. I practically skipped home, I had found my honey hole.
A few days later Jarrett got bit by an ant. It was one of the mean ones and his entire hand and arm swelled up to twice its usual size. I had another chance, could I go there and get him some medicine and maybe even without Jarrett there in person? I cruised up to the pharmacy, the same nice lady who was there before was there again. I told her of Jarrett’s bite from the motherless ant and his swollen arm and asked for some Benadryl. They don’t have Benadryl in Thailand, she laughed when I asked. She went to the back room and brought me some Benadryl, apparently Benadryl makes cough syrup for Thailand, not antihistamines. So she went to the back and got me 2 prescriptions wrote on the box and sent me home, Jarrett’s arm was down to size by the end of the day.
On and on I could go of all that I have bought from our Thai pharmacy, I have not even spent $10 and I have a cabinet full of medicine. We ended up having to go back and get Conner the antibiotics for his eye, it was a stubborn pink eye, it cost me another $1 and I decided to get 2 bottles just for an emergency if we ever have an infection and are not near the doctor.
The ibuprofen here is hospital grade-800miilgrams in 1 pill. That is 2 double strength ibuprofens in one, it knocks a headache out in 20 minutes.
It is so stress free to not have to bother with doctor’s appointments and expensive medical bills, just go ask our kind Thai pharmacist.
Until the day I got the idea that the cure to my sleeplessness was Tylenol PM. I have never tried it before, I have always been pregnant or breastfeeding in my adult years, so I avoided sleepy drugs. Plus since I was always pregnant or breastfeeding I had no need for sleepy drugs, I was sleepy enough. So I headed up to talk to our pharmacist, we are friends now.
How is Conner’s eye?
Great-thank you. I am having trouble sleeping, can I please get some Tylenol PM?
She looked at me confused. Was I getting lost in translation? Let me try again. I acted out my sleeplessness, pretending to sleep and telling her “no can”. Nope, she got me the first time. Her look of confusion was based on the fact that I was having trouble sleeping. She is thinking, silly American you just lay your head down on the pillow and close your eyes.
Ok, so I am silly but seriously, can I get some Tylenol PM?
Don’t have.
Well, do you have any natural remedies for sleeping?
Lady, you have to go make an appointment with the doctor.
It’s true, there is no tylenol PM here. But while you’re on the topic of Thai pharmacies, you have to pick up a few bottles of “Fa Talai Jone.” It’s green capsules and if you take 6 when you feel a sore throat coming on, you don’t get sick. You know sometimes you have a sore throat first thing in the morning, but then it goes away during the day? But you know within a day or two you’re going to get sick. Fa Talai Jone totally knocks it out. It’s an herb, I guess.
thanks so much for the tip about the herb-I will totally get some! xoxo
So funny baby, you already told me the story and I’m still laughing.
thanks honey-love you
Melatonin is a natural vitamin for sleep aid. Works like a charm. See if they have any off that!
great idea Tricia-thanks I will check! xoxo
I had been taking Tylenol PM forever! So much so that I was up to 4 a night! I finally realized that I probably was damaging my liver and switched to Melatonin about three months ago. WORKS LIKE A CHARM! Better than Tylenol PM for sure! I take 5mgs.
great! you are the 3rd person to tell me about Melatonin, I will definately have to get some-thanks for the great advice! xoxo
Hahaha, I would have loved to see that go down, especially you acting it out!! What a cool pharmacy, sorry they could not help with your not sleeping;) Love you and hope you get some sleep!!
I have some great acting skills so you would have been impressed-hehe-I have lived in Thailand for 3 months now and can only say hello and thank you-its how i survive:) haha, not really, i am really bad at it, but it does gets us by, even the boys act out things-hehe its so cute! love you
That is a funny story and I’m with Amanda….I would’ve loved to see you acting out the “I can’t sleep” part! When you get settled maybe I can mail you some PM meds ’cause if I don’t take them, I don’t sleep EVER! I sympathize with you on that one! It’s crazy and nice that you can get those meds so cheap….just like Mexico! Lots of love!
I know, I was so surprised by her confused look that I was sure she did not understand me, I mean she really thought i was crazy b/c I could not sleep! and thanks about the pm meds, my mama is on the case and sending me some:) love you
That story is to funny! Maybe you only get 3 tries and after that you have to see a doctor!!
I know! I wondered the same thing-hehe.
That is too funny. Hope conner and jarrett are better
thanks peggy, they are, she cured them right up:)
Tylenol PM is just Tylenol with Benadryl. Can you try some antihistamines (or the cough syrup!)?
thanks Annie, i will look into that, great idea:)
Funny.
Good story.
thanks Elizabeth-it was so funny when I was there that day!
This just made me literally laugh out loud! Thanks
I hope your sleepless nights are getting a little better xoxo, Eileen
glad I could make you laugh:) I still giggle at it too