Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.
You may need help if:
Getting the right support can be crucial to maintaining control in the future. Only relying on family, friends or carers for this often is not enough.
Ask our Pharmacist about what longer term support is available in your area. Self-help or mutual aid groups (groups such as AA or SMART Recovery groups) are accessible in most areas.
Erection problems (impotence) are very common, particularly in men over 40. It's usually nothing to worry about, but you should see a GP if it keeps happening.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection. Causes of erection problems can be stress, tiredness, anxiety or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about.
If it happens more often, it may be caused by physical or emotional problems.
Medicine such as sildenafil is often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It is also available from our pharmacy. You no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil. You can have a private consultation with our pharmacist to make sure it's safe for you to take it.
Make life easier for yourself and let us order your prescription on your behalf. Simply let us know what repeat medicines you need, a few days before they run out and we will arrange to collect it from your Doctor's surgery.
It is important that you take the right dose of your prescribed medicines at the right time each day to get the most from your medicines to control your condition(s) as much as possible. This can sometimes be difficult if you take more than one medicine. One way in which this can be made easier is for your medicines to be supplied in a Monitored Dosage System, which provides you with a separate compartment for each dosage time of the day.
A monitored dosage system (MDS) is a medication storage device designed to simplify the administration of solid oral dose medication, especially for those on multiple medications. It aims to address the issues of difficulty accessing medication due to sight impairment or other disability and/or forgetfulness.
MDS devices are usually a variation on the design of a box or a blister pack, divided into days of the week with several compartments per day to allow for the different timing of doses such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
Our Pharmacist can help identify which patients this type of system would be suitable for.
MDS may be suitable for patients in the following circumstances:
Ask a member of our pharmacy team about whether this service would benefit you or whether there is another course of action, which may be of more help.
We offer ordering, collection and delivery of acute and repeat NHS/Private medicines.
When you are prescribed a new medicine by your doctor our pharmacists can offer support and advice to ensure you take the new medication as prescribed without suffering any unwanted side effects or explain any further questions you may have. We usually do this by keeping in contact with you during the first 4 weeks of your new medicine being prescribed.
The service is only available for people living in England, and only for those who have been prescribed a new medicine for the conditions listed:
The NMS can help:
We keep records of all your prescriptions dispensed by us as well as records of other services we provide to you. This helps us check for possible problems, such as reactions between medicines and will help us deal with any queries you may have. Our computer allows us to keep these records. We are registered with The Information Commissioners Office and comply with the Data Protection Act and the NHS code of practice on confidentiality. If you want to discuss the records we keep, please ask to speak to a member of staff or the pharmacist.
How can I delay my period?
There's no guaranteed way to delay your period, but it may be possible if you take the combined contraceptive pill. If you take a combined contraceptive pill, you can delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back.
How you do this will depend on which pill you take. Examples are:
Taking your contraceptive pills in the ways described above will not affect how they work as contraceptives. If you're not sure which pill you're on or which pills in the packet to miss out, speak to our pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP.
Avoid taking more than 2 packs without a break, unless your GP says you can.
There's a risk you could experience side effects, such as:
Progestogen-only contraceptive pill
If you're taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill, you cannot delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back. You may be able to switch to the combined contraceptive pill or take another medication to delay your period. If you're not sure which type of pill you're taking, speak to our pharmacist.
If you do not take a contraceptive pill
See your GP for advice if you want to delay your period and you're not taking the combined contraceptive pill.
After consultation our pharmacists are able to prescribe medication called norethisterone to delay your period, you will be advised you when to take norethisterone and for how long. You'll usually be prescribed 3 norethisterone tablets a day, starting 3 to 4 days before you expect your period to begin. Your period should arrive 2 to 3 days after you stop taking the medication. Please note, Norethisterone does not act as a contraceptive when used in this way, so you could still get pregnant. You'll need to use another type of contraceptive, such as a condom. Norethisterone may not be suitable if you have a history of blood clots.
How well it works in delaying periods also varies between women. Some women taking norethisterone have reported side effects, such as:
Switching to, or starting, the combined contraceptive pill
If you currently use another type of contraception, switching to the combined contraceptive pill will allow you to delay your period. You may also be able to start taking the combined pill if you do not already use contraception. You may need to start taking this pill several weeks before the time when you want to delay your period, and it's not suitable for everyone. If you're switching to or starting the combined contraceptive pill, you might need to use additional contraception during the first few days of taking it.
Ask our pharmacist for more information and advice.
We stock a popular range of vitamins and supplements aimed at nutrition, and women's and men's health.
We are here to help you make good choices. If you are struggling losing weight, please ask the pharmacist to help you beat the bulge.
The term obese describes a person who is very overweight. There are two ways of checking your weight status. Firstly, Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. A BMI of > 25 means you are over-weight.
Another measure of excess fat is your waist circumference. Generally, men with a waist circumference of 94cm or more and women with a waist circumference of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity related health problems. These include
Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer and stroke. If you are worried about diabetes we can give you a diabetic test.
Obesity can also affect your quality of life and lead to psychological problems such as depression and low self-esteem. Please let us help you before your weight gets out of control.
Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.
You may need help if:
Getting the right support can be crucial to maintaining control in the future. Only relying on family, friends or carers for this often is not enough.
Ask our Pharmacist about what longer term support is available in your area. Self-help or mutual aid groups (groups such as AA or SMART Recovery groups) are accessible in most areas.
Erection problems (impotence) are very common, particularly in men over 40. It's usually nothing to worry about, but you should see a GP if it keeps happening.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection. Causes of erection problems can be stress, tiredness, anxiety or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about.
If it happens more often, it may be caused by physical or emotional problems.
Medicine such as sildenafil is often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It is also available from our pharmacy. You no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil. You can have a private consultation with our pharmacist to make sure it's safe for you to take it.
Make life easier for yourself and let us order your prescription on your behalf. Simply let us know what repeat medicines you need, a few days before they run out and we will arrange to collect it from your Doctor's surgery.
It is important that you take the right dose of your prescribed medicines at the right time each day to get the most from your medicines to control your condition(s) as much as possible. This can sometimes be difficult if you take more than one medicine. One way in which this can be made easier is for your medicines to be supplied in a Monitored Dosage System, which provides you with a separate compartment for each dosage time of the day.
A monitored dosage system (MDS) is a medication storage device designed to simplify the administration of solid oral dose medication, especially for those on multiple medications. It aims to address the issues of difficulty accessing medication due to sight impairment or other disability and/or forgetfulness.
MDS devices are usually a variation on the design of a box or a blister pack, divided into days of the week with several compartments per day to allow for the different timing of doses such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
Our Pharmacist can help identify which patients this type of system would be suitable for.
MDS may be suitable for patients in the following circumstances:
Ask a member of our pharmacy team about whether this service would benefit you or whether there is another course of action, which may be of more help.
We offer ordering, collection and delivery of acute and repeat NHS/Private medicines.
When you are prescribed a new medicine by your doctor our pharmacists can offer support and advice to ensure you take the new medication as prescribed without suffering any unwanted side effects or explain any further questions you may have. We usually do this by keeping in contact with you during the first 4 weeks of your new medicine being prescribed.
The service is only available for people living in England, and only for those who have been prescribed a new medicine for the conditions listed:
The NMS can help:
We keep records of all your prescriptions dispensed by us as well as records of other services we provide to you. This helps us check for possible problems, such as reactions between medicines and will help us deal with any queries you may have. Our computer allows us to keep these records. We are registered with The Information Commissioners Office and comply with the Data Protection Act and the NHS code of practice on confidentiality. If you want to discuss the records we keep, please ask to speak to a member of staff or the pharmacist.
How can I delay my period?
There's no guaranteed way to delay your period, but it may be possible if you take the combined contraceptive pill. If you take a combined contraceptive pill, you can delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back.
How you do this will depend on which pill you take. Examples are:
Taking your contraceptive pills in the ways described above will not affect how they work as contraceptives. If you're not sure which pill you're on or which pills in the packet to miss out, speak to our pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP.
Avoid taking more than 2 packs without a break, unless your GP says you can.
There's a risk you could experience side effects, such as:
Progestogen-only contraceptive pill
If you're taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill, you cannot delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back. You may be able to switch to the combined contraceptive pill or take another medication to delay your period. If you're not sure which type of pill you're taking, speak to our pharmacist.
If you do not take a contraceptive pill
See your GP for advice if you want to delay your period and you're not taking the combined contraceptive pill.
After consultation our pharmacists are able to prescribe medication called norethisterone to delay your period, you will be advised you when to take norethisterone and for how long. You'll usually be prescribed 3 norethisterone tablets a day, starting 3 to 4 days before you expect your period to begin. Your period should arrive 2 to 3 days after you stop taking the medication. Please note, Norethisterone does not act as a contraceptive when used in this way, so you could still get pregnant. You'll need to use another type of contraceptive, such as a condom. Norethisterone may not be suitable if you have a history of blood clots.
How well it works in delaying periods also varies between women. Some women taking norethisterone have reported side effects, such as:
Switching to, or starting, the combined contraceptive pill
If you currently use another type of contraception, switching to the combined contraceptive pill will allow you to delay your period. You may also be able to start taking the combined pill if you do not already use contraception. You may need to start taking this pill several weeks before the time when you want to delay your period, and it's not suitable for everyone. If you're switching to or starting the combined contraceptive pill, you might need to use additional contraception during the first few days of taking it.
Ask our pharmacist for more information and advice.
We stock a popular range of vitamins and supplements aimed at nutrition, and women's and men's health.
We are here to help you make good choices. If you are struggling losing weight, please ask the pharmacist to help you beat the bulge.
The term obese describes a person who is very overweight. There are two ways of checking your weight status. Firstly, Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. A BMI of > 25 means you are over-weight.
Another measure of excess fat is your waist circumference. Generally, men with a waist circumference of 94cm or more and women with a waist circumference of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity related health problems. These include
Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer and stroke. If you are worried about diabetes we can give you a diabetic test.
Obesity can also affect your quality of life and lead to psychological problems such as depression and low self-esteem. Please let us help you before your weight gets out of control.