I had never been to Berlin, so I reserved a room at the Premier Inn, kind of near the Alexander Platz for 3 nights, and arranged for a day-long walking tour of the city.
On my last night in Berlin I woke up about 3am with a raging headache I was able to get a few short naps until about 6, and finally put some clothes on and went down to the front desk The hotel has a very nice self-service snack bar in the lobby, but no aspirin or any other kind of pain reliever. I inquired at the desk and was advised that aspirin can be purchased only at a licensed pharmacist. The closest pharmacy was about 1/2 mile away, and didn't open until 8am.
So I went back to my room, took a long very hot shower, and at 7:45 headed for the pharmacy. The pharmacist asked me why I wanted aspirin, and when I told her it was due to a head ache she asked me 5 or 6 other question, I did finally get the aspirin, bur was floored at the cost, 8 euros for 20 tablets. The last time I bought aspirin in the US, I paid $2 for a bottle of 100 tablets.
So here's the lesson here: If you think you might need aspirin or any other pain reliever, Take it with you. This is my 12th trip to Europe and have never encountered this problem before.
Posted by
Belgium
49 posts
Conclusion: a very good pharmacist with the right knowledge of medicines.
Aspirin is also anti-inflammatory and blood thinning. Aspirin is more suitable for pain with inflammation, but can cause stomach upset and bleeding, especially if used daily or interacts with other medications.
Paracetamol is the first choice in Europe, because it is the safest option with fewer side effects.
So the additional questions are normal as she wants to prevent your situation from getting worse rather than better.
Medicine prices can vary significantly from country to country or region, partly due to local legislation and market forces.
Posted by
64 posts
Bringing a few pain relievers with you is a good idea anyway, since you always need them at the most inconvenient of times - like your 3 am.
That being said, I generally second the previous posters points - and in particular note that even in a much smaller city than Berlin, prices can vary significantly for non-prescription medication like this. I can imagine anything in the single or lower double digits - pharmacies are free to set the price on these…
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8876 posts
I pack pretty light, but in my bathroom bag, I always have some Ibuprofen, a few Benadryl, and some Mucinex DM. Those three cover most of my common ailments that pop up, until I can get to a pharmacy. The Ibuprofen was likely purchased in Europe, as I find the blister pack they give you better for packing...so I restock when there.
Taking a small stash of a favorite OTC you might use frequently, has another side. Different rules on OTCs mean some just may not be available, is differently compounded, or requires a prescription.
The Mucinex DM and Benadryl you get in the US is different in composition than what you can get there, and the US version of Mucinex DM is banned as an OTC, partly due to the DM ingredient, but also because it is a mix of medicines. Pseudoephedrine can be difficult to get, or not available, Zantac, Pepto Bismol, Naproxen (Aleve), melatonin, all are not available or by prescription.
I don't mention this to encourage you to carry a whole pharmacy with you "in case", but if you have a specific med that works for you, and other similar ones do not, you might look into it. For any OTC, there are similar ones available in Europe, the Pharmacy is a great resource for minor ailments, but like my case with the Mucinex DM, if my recurring chest congestion starts to act up, it knocks it back out, other things don't.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7993 posts
Lesson learned. We always take any OTC medications with us, so we don’t need to go find any while overseas if needed.
Posted by
Somewhere out there
175 posts
Pretty well known process……but they can give you a wider selection of drugs. It’s not a problem per say other than I’m sure the headache was miserable.
Posted by
Freedonia
17889 posts
Paracetamol is the same as acetominophin (Tylenol).
In Germany it's expensive. I just saw a box of 16 in Scotland for $1.10.
I always bring some naproxem sodium (Alleve) with me because if it available by prescription only in Europe and neither Ibuprofen nor Paracetamol does much for me.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
2266 posts
Paracetamol is the first choice in Europe, and you can get that in places like Rossman (which is like a chain drugstore in the USA) without a pharmacist. It's not expensive, but you're not going to find bottles of 100.