Apotek that buys medication

calitobali

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Jul 10, 2008
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Back when I was having medical problems at the end of the year, the doctors in Bali prescribed some very expensive medication (rp 300,000 + per dose to be taken 3 times per day) that in the end was completely useless. The Singapore doctors ordered me to stop taking it and questioned the medical knowledge of the doctor who had prescribed such a thing for my condition. That is beside the point though.

I still have 5 doses of the stuff though, it is an injection but it comes as a powder in a small glass bottle and then needs to be mixed with water. I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of an apotek or just any place that buys unused medication from people. Everything is still sealed and inside of the box. I would hate to just throw away 1.5 million worth of medication, but I can't take it, and don't know anyone else who would have any use for it, I'd like to at least get some money for it if I could.

Any suggestions?
 

mimpimanis

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Nov 4, 2003
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I can't help with your problem Cali but had a similar experience with SOS a few years back when they prescribed something for Martin They didnt have it and I went in a taxi to all the apotiks we could find between Kuta and Nusa Dua and couldnt find it. Got home and called SOS to say we couldnt get hold of any and they called around and got some for me. Taxi back to SOS and back to Nusa Dua read the instructions - which said it should NOT be mixed with any other medications in a nebuliser, which is what SOS had told me to do. So to be sure I called SOS again to ask what to do - and was told my a different doctor it couldnt be mixed and I should NOT give it to Martin! an expensive medicine and a fortune in taxis :evil:
 

calitobali

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Jul 10, 2008
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Yea it is quite frustrating, especially since they told me that it was the only medication that I could use because it was the strongest blah blah blah.

I should also note that I can't return it back to the Apotek that I bought it from since they have a 1 day return policy. The name of the medication is called Meropenem, although the one I have 5 left of the generic version called Merosan.
 

JohnnyCool

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Jan 10, 2009
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Sanur
...the doctors in Bali prescribed some very expensive medication (rp 300,000 + per dose to be taken 3 times per day) that in the end was completely useless. The Singapore doctors ordered me to stop taking it and questioned the medical knowledge of the doctor who had prescribed such a thing for my condition. That is beside the point though.
I think that is precisely the point. It were me, I'd be chasing down the "doctor" who prescribed it in the first place. Sell it back to the "doctor".
I should also note that I can't return it back to the Apotek that I bought it from since they have a 1 day return policy.
It's not the Apotek's fault (unless the one you purchased from has business connections with the "doctor").

Even if that was the case, proving things, dealing with lawyers, courts, and whatever else, is simply not worth the loss of 1.5 million rupiah. Unless you're a stickler for so-called "justice" and have a lot of time, money, energy on your hands.

I have a small but annoying rattle emanating from somewhere under my car. I thought it might be due to a lost bolt between the engine pipe and the muffler. Took it to a bengkel (car repair place) with a car-wash service as well (and a hoist). My thinking was I'd just go for a car-wash and when the car was up on the hoist, have a look for myself.

Did that and found a leaking oil seal instead. (No missing bolts to be seen.) It was too late in the day for the "mechanics" to deal with, straightaway. Took the car back after the weekend and the leaking oil seal was "fixed". The next morning, I had a look under the car only to find a large pool of oil on the garage floor.

Returned to the bengkel, put the car back on the hoist, convinced the "mechanics" the oil leak was still there (worse than before), and they "fixed" it again.

Imagine my surprise when I went back and was presented with a new bill for the extra oil they had to use after repairing their original screw-up? It wasn't the money but the principle involved. They botched the original repair so why should I have to pay for their mistakes?

The main "mechanic" understood immediately (to his credit) and the bill was waived.

If this story was an allegory for what happens in a "human body repair" scenario, in Bali, the actual outcome could have been a tragedy. You're lucky to be still alive.

BTW...The rattle underneath my car is still there!

The five expensive doses of the injectible antibiotic you still have are next to useless. You could try flogging them on eBay, but I'm sure you'd agree that would be pointless.

A medically-orientated NGO might be able to use them, although I doubt it.

Throw them away and forget about it.
Or, go to an Indonesian court and tell the judge you "doctor" stole bananas from you.

8)
 

toucan

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Feb 24, 2008
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Have to say Calitobali, would you buy second hand medication from an Apotik? I think you might just have to write this one down to experience and just consider yourself lucky you ended up ok in the long run. Not much consolation to you at the moment I know, but second hand pharmaceuticals can be a dodgy trade, maybe best just to ditch them, in a thoughtful way of course.
 

calitobali

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I know it may be a bit of a dodgt practice that would never be acceptable in a western country, but this is exactly the type of thing that I would expect COULD be done here. As for second hand medicine, I guess you could call it that, but everything is sealed up tightly just as when I bought it, no real difference than it sitting in the Apotek all of this time, so I wouldn't feel bad about someone else taking it.
 

JohnnyCool

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Jan 10, 2009
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Sanur
calitobali

Are you serious?
I know it may be a bit of a dodgy practice that would never be acceptable in a western country, but this is exactly the type of thing that I would expect COULD be done here. As for second hand medicine, I guess you could call it that, but everything is sealed up tightly just as when I bought it, no real difference than it sitting in the Apotek all of this time, so I wouldn't feel bad about someone else taking it.
If you believe it's a "dodgy practice", why would you want to be a part of it?

A money amount less than a couple of hundred dollars seems more important to you than anything resembling "morality", "conscience", "responsibility". Whatever your medical (mis)adventure was, you've lost billions of brownie points as far as I'm concerned.

It's possible that my earlier post exceeded your current available attention span.

Do yourself a big favour and re-read toucan's...
Have to say Calitobali, would you buy second hand medication from an Apotik? I think you might just have to write this one down to experience and just consider yourself lucky you ended up ok in the long run. Not much consolation to you at the moment I know, but second hand pharmaceuticals can be a dodgy trade, maybe best just to ditch them, in a thoughtful way of course.
"You ended up ok in the long run." That's good, if true.

Next time you need medicines in Bali, I hope for your sake you don't get some second-hand antibiotics that have been in and out of Apotek refrigerators and that they're not fake.

Ever heard of "shrink-wrapping"?

:evil:
 

calitobali

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Jul 10, 2008
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When buying medication from an Indonesian pharmacy, I already assume that there is possibly something that may not be up to "standard" as I would compare it to my home country. Whether that may be in the ingredients, storage or overall quality of the medication, I take it into mind.

As for this particular medication, it does not require refrigeration and has been kept in just as good of a condition as it would have been kept in if it were stored at an apotek. Sure it is an amount under a couple of hundred dollars, but it is still amount that I want to consider options for before just throwing away. Even if I can't get any of my money back for it, I would even consider just donating it back to a place that could actually use it instead of just throwing it in the trash.

I might even take your advice and go back to BIMC and see what the doctor has to say, if not for the fact that I will figure out what to do with the leftover medication, but for what he has to say for himself after I spent around $800 on treatment and medications from him that was blatantly wrong.

The apotek that I bought the medication from takes back unused medication within 24 hours of purchase, for whatever reason there might be for a need for return. This is the large apotek (and the only apotek, keyword being apotek, not hospital, that carries this medication), the one near Sanglah. Before deciding to actually go ahead and try this expensive and useless (for my condition) medication, I tried a different oral antibiotic, which they were happy to return my money for 7 of the 10 pills that they gave me because I had a receipt and it was less than 24 hours. Is this also unacceptable practice? If it is, then I guess burn me at the sake, but if it isn't, I can guarantee I kept just as good of care of these 5 doses of medication as they would have. I'm not here to solve the corruption and other problems in Indonesia, nor am I here to complain about them. I accept the place for what it is and as a foreigner know I cant change things as it isn't my place to do so and try to roll with the punches accordingly. My local friends don't seem to know of a specific place that might be willing to buy it, but none of them seem to think it is outrageous to try, and they have seen the packaging that the medicine is in, still in perfect condition.

At the end of the day, money or no money, I just want a solution that doesn't involve me throwing $150 worth of something perfectly usable into the trash can.
 

bolli

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Nov 28, 2005
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JohnnyCool said:
calitobali

Are you serious?
I know it may be a bit of a dodgy practice that would never be acceptable in a western country, but this is exactly the type of thing that I would expect COULD be done here. As for second hand medicine, I guess you could call it that, but everything is sealed up tightly just as when I bought it, no real difference than it sitting in the Apotek all of this time, so I wouldn't feel bad about someone else taking it.
If you believe it's a "dodgy practice", why would you want to be a part of it?

A money amount less than a couple of hundred dollars seems more important to you than anything resembling "morality", "conscience", "responsibility". Whatever your medical (mis)adventure was, you've lost billions of brownie points as far as I'm concerned.

It's possible that my earlier post exceeded your current available attention span.

Do yourself a big favour and re-read toucan's...
[quote:p87cr269]Have to say Calitobali, would you buy second hand medication from an Apotik? I think you might just have to write this one down to experience and just consider yourself lucky you ended up ok in the long run. Not much consolation to you at the moment I know, but second hand pharmaceuticals can be a dodgy trade, maybe best just to ditch them, in a thoughtful way of course.
"You ended up ok in the long run." That's good, if true.

Next time you need medicines in Bali, I hope for your sake you don't get some second-hand antibiotics that have been in and out of Apotek refrigerators and that they're not fake.

Ever heard of "shrink-wrapping"?

:evil:[/quote:p87cr269]




I agree with every word. Forget about it Cali, dispose of it, I really think the bottom line for you is you just want your money back.
 

mimpimanis

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Nov 4, 2003
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At the end of the day, money or no money, I just want a solution that doesn't involve me throwing $150 worth of something perfectly usable into the trash can.

In UK we are told not to throw medicines away - throwing them in the trash or down the toilet is a no no. We are told to take unused medication to a chemist, any chemist for disposal.

I can't help but wonder if Cali was to do so here in Bali - if that medicine would be disposed of or find it's way on the shleves to be distributed anyway.

you could always donate it to a local hospital or clinic ...

That's a good idea. :)
 

charlie

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Aug 9, 2005
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unhappily in sydney
In UK we are told not to throw medicines away - throwing them in the trash or down the toilet is a no no. We are told to take unused medication to a chemist, any chemist for disposal.

we're told the same thing here in OZ ... i think it's so that they're not thrown in the trash and inadvertantly picked up by kids etc ...
 

calitobali

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mimpimanis said:
I can't help but wonder if Cali was to do so here in Bali - if that medicine would be disposed of or find it's way on the shleves to be distributed anyway.

And if that were the case wouldn't it be better that the medicine come directly from me to the apotek again, as it would be properly stored with me, compared to sitting in a garbage pile for a few days to later be found by someone, who in turn would probably try to make a few bucks himself by selling it to somewhere.

I could always flush the powder and throw the empty vial away, but it just seems like such an expensive waste.
 

charlie

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unhappily in sydney
so DONATE it to a hospital or CLINIC and then it won't be a waste ... and then you can just imagine that they donated it on to some poor person that couldn't afford it!!
 

calitobali

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charlie said:
so DONATE it to a hospital or CLINIC and then it won't be a waste ... and then you can just imagine that they donated it on to some poor person that couldn't afford it!!

Like I said in a previous post, I know that I probably won't get any money back at this point, so I would have no problem donating to somewhere that could use it. Many people here seem to think that it is not a good idea, as it is "secondhand medication".
 

charlie

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unhappily in sydney
sorry i wasn't clear cali (i blame the pregnant brain) ...

i was reading that people were having a problem with paying for secondhand medicine from an Apotek ...

i personally think that if it's sealed, isn't out of expiry, then a hospital or clinic would use it ... you never know, if you take it to a hospital they may use it for a poor patient and not charge them (i know it's a bit unlikely but there is goodness in the world every now and then), but if you take it to an Apotek it would definitely get onsold ...
 

chilli

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Apr 24, 2008
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calitobali said:
mimpimanis said:
I could always flush the powder and throw the empty vial away, but it just seems like such an expensive waste.

Please dont flush it down the toilet so there is more poison in the sea for fish to ingest.
Just donate it to a hospital. They will deal with it.
 

chilli

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Apr 24, 2008
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Mimpi, ive done it again :roll:

I dont know HOW i get your name in the quote !

so sorry.