I would like to know if you are able to buy drugs over the counter, that you already have been prescribed by your doctor back in the UK.
Here in Turkey we can do that.
I need inhalers and steroids and my partner has to take drugs for a previous heart condition.
Or do you need to visit the doctor to obtain a prescription each time you need more medication.

yes most medication is available over the counter,

I thought they had stopped this and it was prescription only now ?

the chemists protested earlier in the year over changes made to over the counter medication, such as anti biotics and specialist medications ( how many ) which you can only have by prescriptions from a doctor. but exactly which ones i cant say.

meandmine wrote:

I thought they had stopped this and it was prescription only now ?

I too was under the impression that medication was now only available on prescription but I may well be wrong

I think the dispensing of medication will change according to where you are in Bulgaria but I'm sure the laws are much the same as in the uk where they apply EU law

Yes its prescription only for that sort of thing as my partner is on heart tablets.
we lost a presciption for his stomach tablets so we know a chemist that will let us have them, but she tells us only if her boss is not there and we did have to have the front of the old box.

Just to add to this, I'm not sure if many people know that in some towns they have an internet medical ordering shop. This is where you go and order what you want, they place the order on line and it is delivered the same day and has to be collected the same day as they are not allowed to hold medication over night. We were using this method before they made babies inoculations free earlier this year and over the counter the inoculations would of cost 80lev, but online ordering cost 55lev.. I'll try and find out if there is a standard name for the type of shop, but if your on repeat medication it may well be worth the saving to find out if there is one in your nearest town/village.

wev only needed anti biotics &
blood pressure tablets but always been able to buy them without a prescription.

Many thanks for the replies so far.
And thank you Seven lets hope this will benefit others in BG. It will be interesting to see if most areas have this option for re ordering. You are all so kind.

Some interesting news here Novinite not good I'm afraid

Bulgarian Medication Prices to Go Up over Illegal Export

The prices of some medications sold over the counter in Bulgaria can go up significantly over their illegal re-export, the Association of Pharmacy Owners alarms Tuesday.

According to unofficial data, the illegal export of medications has anywhere between 8% and 10% share of the entire medication market in Bulgaria. The export is from Bulgarian pharmacies mainly to Poland, Germany and the UK because medication prices in Bulgaria are lower than those in the EU.

The Association's Chair, Nikolay Kostov, says the only way to stop the illegal export is to raise prices to the European levels.

Kostov explains the scam as clear and easy with a certain pharmacy purchasing 20 000 packs from the distributor and then re-exporting them directly to other distributors in the EU.

Although in our location there seem to be more chemists than any other shop we use the same one every time. We are now known on first name terms and we only take in the old packets. They fall over backwards to help as well. If we have a cough/ cold etc they will give out anti-neurotics as well. But only if it has turned bronchial.

Well thats a shocker. Most medication here in Turkey is quite reasonably priced. I have to have a steroid inhaler and that is the most expensive item i have to buy, and bought one last week and, they have lowered the price, it used to be 97 lira and now is 89 lira.
Does anyone on the forum use this inhaler?
It would be interesting to know to compare the prices.
I suppose we could cross over the border into Turkey every now and then to get medication if need be. But we will have to check on this as I would prefer not to.
Do you pay the same price if you have a prescription or is it a bit less?

Things are probably changing. I can buy 'Ventolin' inhalers over the counter in Kotel, but if I try this in Sofia, I'm always asked for a prescription.