[jenifa]

Hi all - I've just had my first HK doctor experience and I'm confused, so hopefully someone can help me out...

I've been on some medication for 18 months (prescribed by my GP back in the UK). The pills are nearly finished so I registered with a local doctor to get some more.

Turned out the GP's pharmacy didn't stock them, so he has written me a letter so I can see a specialist who can then recommend a different type of medicine which the GP's pharmacy *does* stock.

He also gave me a prescription (of sorts) to take to Watsons to see if they stock my pills, to tide me over until I see the specialist.

Turns out Watsons do stock the pills, though they're very expensive.

So now I'm wondering, should I just keep buying them at watsons, or is it (financially) worth the hassle of going to a specialist so he can recommend a different medicine that I can get at the doctors rather than watsons. Are GP issued pills much cheaper than Watson's issued drugs?

(I'm assuming our insurance won't cover anything as it's pre-exisiting)

Any advice would be greatly received - I will never moan about the NHS again...

Thanks

Jen

[PDLM]

You might also consider going to one of the non-chain pharmacies like Fanda in World-wide House (Central) or any of the other local places. In my limited experience I have found a huge variation in pricing between Mannings/Watsons pharmacies and the others (in both directions - sometimes one is half the price of the other)

[rani]

PDLM, is correct.

the smaller pharmacies usually have the best prices

[PDLM]

But not always - for example, Mannings will sell you an 84*400mg generic ibuprofen for $84, but Fanda wants $150 for exactly the same item!

[jenifa]

Thanks all - I will definitely shop around next time.