30 October

A pharmacist reminded me of something important this week. Generally we think that what we buy at the pharmacist is either prescribed by a doctor, or over-the-counter much less powerful drugs, like cough syrups or paracetamol. But S3 (Schedule 3) drugs are behind the counter drugs the pharmacist can prescribe for you without a doctor, if you ask them. Usually much stronger and more effective. Like Kenalog, the drug I got this week for a mouth ulcer caused by some dental work. I grabbed a couple of over the counter options from the shop, and the pharmacist said ‘you don’t want those, they’re hopeless’. And offered me Kenalog, saying ‘this should fix it in a single day’. And it did. Worth asking if there’s a Schedule 3 option for what ails you!