Medical Facilities - Steroids

[Dunvectrin']

Hello...and apologies if I am posting in the wrong thread              (apparently I have history). 

 

My wife and I are travelling from Southampton to NYC in November. She suffers from asthma which is well controlled by inhalers. 

 

Very rarely she might need steroids. 

 

Is the medical centre able to prescribe these? 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Host Hattie]

I have split your question into a new thread as it's a specific question. 

 

[TheOldBear]

1 hour ago, Dunvectrin' said:

Hello...and apologies if I am posting in the wrong thread              (apparently I have history). 

 

My wife and I are travelling from Southampton to NYC in November. She suffers from asthma which is well controlled by inhalers. 

 

Very rarely she might need steroids. 

 

Is the medical centre able to prescribe these? 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Back in 2019 the med center was able to prescribe and issue a steroid 'dose pack' when I had an unpleasant sinus infection. This was on my third visit, with escalating treatments.

 

[TowandaUK]

Would your GP give you an “in case” prescription?  

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Dunvectrin' said:

Hello...and apologies if I am posting in the wrong thread              (apparently I have history). 

 

My wife and I are travelling from Southampton to NYC in November. She suffers from asthma which is well controlled by inhalers. 

 

Very rarely she might need steroids. 

 

Is the medical centre able to prescribe these? 

 

Thanks in advance.

I was going to answer this by saying if the medical centre doesn't have the required medication, they can ask their Port Agent to facilitate the request from a pharmacy at the next  port if the port is of a size to have a good pharmacy

but then I noticed the itinerary and unfortunately, there aren't any pharmacies mid Atlantic unless a stop at The Azores is on the itinerary!☹️

 

Edit

No one can say for certain what the medical centre stocks but I would be surprised if some steroids weren't available. What I do know is I was pleasantly surprised at the reasonable cost of a medical centre visit in July and the excellent price of the medication.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Victoria2

[Pushpit]

If it's Prednisolone then I would expect it to be available.

 

This is absolutely the conversation to have with a clinician about this, it would not be regarded as a waste of time, and may well lead to a good conversation about triggers and options, and perhaps a prescription based on full access to your medical records. I see you are not UK based, but if you were in England it may be your GP practice has access to a relatively new development known as a Community Pharmacist, who would be very well placed to help.

 

Naturally acces to good sea air should make life easier so have a great trip!

[Dunvectrin']

2 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

Would your GP give you an “in case” prescription?  

That is her plan. However , if not ( we are based in Germany and they do things differently here) we were wondering about the level of care available. 🙂

 

[Craigrlewis]

I would take it with you as a “just in case”.

I was quarantined due to Covid last year on QE and ran out out of my steroid asthma spray 24 hours before being taken from the ship to a hotel for 7 more days quarantine.

T-24 Medical centre promised to get some then at T-1hour to get off the ship that turned into their port agent would source it then later that day the port agent said they knew nothing about this and that I was  to call my travel insurer and get them to source it….

 

Luckily a local pharmacy accepted screen shots from the NHS App and prescribed it to me and delivered it to the hotel

Wouldn’t rely on the ships pharmacy having it

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Another vote for taking it with you if you can. I’m in the US, but my provider is happy to send us off with a just-in-case course of antibiotics and a few prednisone (asthma here, too) since on a TA I cannot access regular care. I’ve never had to use them, but theyare stowed in my fridge for the next trip. 
 

(I just wish I could get to France soon since the asthma inhalers I’ve picked up there seem to work so much better than what I get here!)

[Dunvectrin']

Thank you all for your kind replies. 

All good advice. We will try our Doctor first. 

[D&N]

18 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

(I just wish I could get to France soon since the asthma inhalers I’ve picked up there seem to work so much better than what I get here!)

Have you tried online?

 

Many French online pharmacies do mail order and some will send abroad.

I've no idea what import restrictions the US might have of course!

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

That’s a good idea. Unfortunately, shipping costs for even a small thing into or out of France are prohibitive. That’s why our son and his family get cash for birthdays or wait until we carry gifts over. I don’t like it, but it’s unavoidable when a package under a pound costs $40 to send.