Here in Queensland, anything with codeine is behind the counter, and you have to play a game of 20 questions before they'll hand them over to you to make sure you need them and that they won't exacerbate any pre-existing health conditions (e.g. high blood pressure).

Well, yesterday, my routine game of 20 questions with the lady behind the counter was reduced to one when I told her that I was stocking up on cold and flu tablets before the absurd, nanny-state changes. I sounded a lot less agitated at the time, though, of course.

G'day there A.J.PHILIPS...

I too was required to go down the twenty questions route, with a young lass in the local Chemist, who was all of about 16 - 18 yoa. I politely enquired if she was a Pharmacist, to which her reply was in the negative.

I understood this pleasant young lass was only doing her job, as she'd no doubt been instructed, but somehow there's something missing in the whole equation. It wouldn't take a great deal of preparation to thoroughly inveigle upon these youngsters, of one's bona fides and legitimate medicinal requisites, I wouldn't think.

I'm rather wary about the medications we're prescribed
by doctors. A while back (decades ago) I became addicted
to mersyndol. It got so bad that I used to pop the tablets
automatically, in order to sleep at night. I finally went
off them completely when I realised what was happening.
It wasn't easy, but I did it. Then, after I had my fall -
I was prescribed endone tablets for pain. Again they
were addictive and again I had to wean myself off them.

I now take panamax - if I need pain killers - but those are
few and far between.

Therefore after these experiences I question -
what's prescribed for me and why. There can be serious side-
efects and addiction involved.

Me too, Foxy. Some doctors are in the pockets of drug companies, others are too lazy or too busy to get to the bottom of problems.

ttbn,

Yeah, I've got the additional problem now of noticing
that our family GP is making quite a few mistakes.
He's not changed the list of meds that I'm on. I only
noticed that he's got an old list for me. I had to correct
things for him, and I've had to do this several times.
It's a bit embarrassing. He's been our family doctor for years,
but he's getting forgetful - I don't want to change yet,
because he does make house visits (a rarity) when the need
arises. Still I'm thinking of finding a replacement for him.

ttbn Quote "Foxy. Some doctors are in the pockets of drug companies, others are too lazy or too busy to get to the bottom of problems."

There have been a multitude of articles regarding the drug companies bribing doctors, I use the word bribe because that is what it is when they pay for holidays, fully paid trips to medical conferences etc.

Big business = big money = corruption.