Posting prescirption medication

[Daisy-May]

Hi, I am hoping someone might be able to shed some light for me.  I currently have my mum staying with me here in France and she required a prescription whilst she was out here.  As it was on a repeat prescription my dad got the medication for her and posted it out in a jiffy bag.  It has not arrived 2 weeks on and we are now starting to be a little concerned that there is a problem at customs.  Does anyone know if you are allowed to send medication - it would have been complete in the boxes they came in and no more than 1 months supply.  Do customs scan parcels?  If there is a problem will we find out or will that parcel just be filed into a box that no one will ever see again>?

I would be grateful if anyone could help as I have no idea and my mum is a little concerned.

Thanks, Daisy

[Sunday Driver]

First things first.

If your Mum needs the medication now, I suggest you take her to your nearest hospital and go to the urgences desk.  Explain the situation and they should be able to issue a french prescription which will tide her over until her return home.  If necessary, you could organise things so Dad could have a copy of the original prescription faxed over.  She'll have to pay the prescription charge, but she can claim a partial reimbursement when she gets home.

Unless she was on medicinal cannabis, I can't see any problem with customs, but I could be wrong.  The parcel might have just got lost/delayed in the post.  Contact your post office to see if they left a "tried to deliver but you were out" card which has somehow got lost.

Not nagging, but this is a reminder for anyone visiting over here - make sure you've got enough pills to last your stay.[;-)]

[Daisy-May]

Thanks for your help - I hope you're right.  It's not urgent - more of an annoyance if she goes without it for long.  She was unable to come over with enough pills as the doctor is only allowed to issue 1 month at a time, it is on repeat but will only be issued when there is only one week left.  So she knew she was going to be away during this time and as the medication is fairly routine (and made by a french company) she didn't think it would be a problem.  Fingers crossed it's taking a small diversion - has been known, we have letters arrive via Frankfurt.  I just wondered if anyone knew anything about french customs.

Cheers, Daisy

[Sunday Driver]

Daisy

Glad it's not turning out to be a medical emergency!

I must say, her doctor is being a bit mean - when I said goodbye to my English doctor, he gave me a prescription for two months supply to keep me going until I found a French doctor. It also used up the remainder of my pre-paid prescription, so not a bad deal!

[Eslier]

UK doctors can give a prescription for two months supply (or two precriptions at the same time for one month if they wany to be difficult). You just have to tell them you will be away on an extended holiday and not take "no" for an answer.  Hopefully next time your mum can get the doctor to give her more for her trip.

[Benjamin]

Daisy

Not all medication that requires a prescription in UK  neccessarily requires a precription here. It may be worth asking your local chemist.

Some time ago when I was in France as a visitor I ran short of some pills. Although they were on prescription both in UK and here I explained the situation to a very understanding chemist and I was supplied with them but " this time only ". Maybe worth an ask.

Benjamin

[Ron Avery]

Spot on Benjamin, approaching the chemist is the answer, most chemists will supply in advance of a prescription particularly if they know you or you have a sample of the medicine that you want,. you may have to pay a lot the real price fort in lieu of a prescription from a French Doctor,, or maybe the relatives who live in France could see their Doctor in France for a prescription.

[Patf]

I've heard that french customs are suspicious of packets of medication.

I think there was a discussion on here a few months ago about writing "drugs "

on the packet. Some companies who send tablets by post use vacuum packs

so they don't rattle. I had a strange experience when my daughter sent

me some sweets that rattled and they had been opened and checked. Pat.

[Daisy-May]

Hi,

Thanks for all your responses, the parcel still has not arrived.  It's always difficult to know whether a letter is just lost or taking a different route.  I would hope that if there was a problem they might consider contacting the recipient or the return address - maybe thats wishful thinking.  We're giving it until wednesday then we're off to see the chemist in our village to see if they can help.

cheers, Daisy

[Russethouse]

Last year I had a test in the UK, came to France on holiday, then discovered I should be taking UK prescribed medication, my husband DHL'd the tablets, no problem......he checked first and I think they may have baulked had there been something amiss.............I would start chasing, something is wrong.

[Daisy-May]

Does anyone know where to start chasing a lost parcel, is it Royal Mail or La Poste?????  Anyone have any useful ideas I would be grateful as the parcel still has not come.  Even our post lady thinks it's a bit late now, but does she know who to enquire to - NO.

Daisy

[Daisy-May]

Just to let you know my parcel arrived yesterday, 2 days short from 3 weeks after posting.  As far as I can tell it hasn't been round the houses or opened by the customs.  Oh well, these things happen.  By the way Royal Mail will not chase a late delivery until 20 working days after it was posted.