Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kshellru]

I have a stress fracture and other vertebrae damage in my lower spine. my doctor in canada finally got the pain under control with three meds: gabapentin (which i finally found here), celebrex (which they dont have here) and Tylenol 3s (that contain small amounts of codiene which apparently are impossible to get prescribed here!!! i have been to a normal doc and then to a hospital and am told i have to travel to a big hospital where they actually prescribe codiene, and it seems impossible!!).

I called my doctor in canada, who prescribed three more months, got a friend to buy the meds from the pharmacy, figured out fedexing them, and then called customs to make sure. they said they couldnt do it. i should talk to city hall. got my boyfriend (korean) to talk to them about how to get this shit across the border, and am told i CANT!!! so now i'm buggered.....

I have serious pain, and even though the dose of the narcotic in Tylenol threes is really low, it helps me, without it, I am not sure i can stay in Korea. which is silly, very very silly. leave my work, my home, etc. all for a low dose of codiene!!! ridiculous.

i am goign on a visa run to osaka, dont know if i can get the meds there???
advice???
how to get codiene in SK???
if its available in Japan???
Doctors who will prescribe it in SK???
Doctors who will prescribe it in Japan????
Advice on how to actually get this legally across the borders??? I mean, its legal. i have doctor info. i have the prescription reciept. i have the medical printout from the pharmacist in canada?? why o why???
i'm so frustrated and sad. and hurting. please help.

[Grimalkin]

I really sympathise. I can't help with your meds but I need to say this just in case. Don't be tempted to take more tylenol that you've been prescribed because of the pain. A lot of people overdose and die every year because they took too much paracetamol, the active ingredient in tylenol (often just trying to self medicate for flu).

And while I'm not sure, i think celebrex was either taken of the market or very restricted because of it's association with sudden deaths. Google will tell you more.

[Kimchieluver]

I have the solution.

I was in a similar position when I first got here. You can have the Pharmacy in Canada/US mail them to a pharmacy here. You have to find a pharmacist here that speaks good English or a doctor that can.
Rleax, you will get your meds on about Friday if you do all the leg work tomorrow. It will cost you a pretty penny having them courriered so get enough to last you for a while.

[Big Mac]

Why don't you try going to a chiropractor? I also have back pain and find that a good chiropractor can help a lot.

I found a really good chiropractor in Itaewon in the International Clinic Building. He's Korean, but was born and educated in the United States. He speaks English better than I do.

Here is his website: http://www.backtohealthcenter.topchiro.com/

His secretary also speaks English, so there will be no problem with communication.

[chiaa]

No offensive to your boyfriend but are you sure he asked the correct questions/ the proper way? One thing I have noticed about younger koreans (male and female) that they really do not know how to deal with these kinds of things. It has been done their whole life by someone else.

There is no reason why you cannot import meds that are not illegal in this country. If they are illegal, say like Viagra is, then you cannot import them.

When you arrive on an airplane, you are in theory suppose to have a copy of your perscription and/or a doctor's letter. Have your friend get the meds and have the doc give her a set of the papers to mail along with it AND have your doctor fax over copies to you as well. Mail it DHL or Fedex so they can help you if there are any customs problems. I would not use your country's postal service as you will have to deal with the Korean post office here.

I am pretty sure about this but that codine perscription problem sounds like a load of shit to me. The last time my kid was in the hospital we had to go across the street the the pharmacy to get his meds. The hospital did not even have it. This would be the same pharmacy I would go to after visiting a regular old doctor's office.

While his bedside manner and prices are a bit to be desired, I like the international clinic doctor. In fact, his prices are on par with Korean doctors when you think about how many trips you would have to make to get the same amout of meds (none of that three day crap with him). Perhaps you should pay him a visit and he can get in contact with your home doctor.

[Kimchieluver]

Trust me.... do the pahrmacy thing... I tried all the above and they were realy hesitant about Tylenol 3s ... so much so... I discovered the best way was to do the pharmacy to pharmacy thing... customs won't be an issue.

[SwimminThruAsia]

I know I'll get some heat for saying this, but if I were you, I'd change my visa run to Thailand or the Phillipines, buy a bunch in a pharmacy, and just walk through with them yourself. I've been through customs in Korea about 5 times with things I probably shouldn't have. I just put pills in a tylenol bottle.
I was even searched once, and they didn't even look inside the bottle.

Easy Peesy.