Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thatgirl1985]

Do the pharmacies have equivalents of Imodium or Pepto Bismol?

Thanks!

[pangaea]

I'm not sure what they have here but you can go into a pharmacy and ask for medicine for "salsa," which means diarrhea in Korean. I know this because the kids in my last school had laughing fits when we got to the international food section in their books and it talked about chips and salsa.

There is also a pill you can get at the pharmacy that I think is a Lactobacillus (?) pill. It helps with that problem as well. My doctor prescribed it for me when I was on heavy doses of antibiotics that were not stomach friendly. I'm not sure if they are available over the counter or if you have to get a prescription. It wouldn't hurt to ask. I think most pharmacists here speak at least a little bit of English due to being in the medical field.

Sorry I don't know anything more specific. Hope this helps.

[bluelake]

For diarrhea, pharmacies have Imodium under the generic name of loperamide (로페라마이드). The word for diarrhea is not salsa (you can actually buy it in Korea to go with nachos), but seolsa (the "eo" like the u in sun).

[thatgirl1985]

Thank you! I appreciate the info!

[SMOE NSET]

If you have a CostCo membership, they sell Tums there.

[pangaea]

bluelake wrote:

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

Yep, Pangaea, the same thing happened in my class. The laughing fit was like an epidemic for them. Their reaction when I said that you eat the "salsa" with the chips was, well, pretty chaotic.