Pharmacies, Drugs and Contraception
For minor complaints it's enough to go to the local farmakio . Greek pharmacists are highly trained and dispense a number of medicines which elsewhere could only be prescribed by a doctor. In the larger towns and resorts there'll usually be one who speaks good English. Pharmacies are usually closed evenings and Saturday mornings, but all should have a monthly schedule (in both English and Greek) on their door showing the complete roster of night and weekend duty pharmacists in town. Greeks are famously hypochondriac, so pharmacies are veritable Aladdin's caves of arcane drugs and sundry formulas - just about everything available in North America and northern Europe is here, and then some. Homeopathic and herbal remedies are quite widely available, too, and the largest towns have dedicated homeopathic pharmacies, identified by the characteristic green cross. There is a large homeopathic centre in Athens at Nikosthenous 8, Platia Plastira, Pangrati tel 010/70 98 199; the Centre of Homeopathic Medicine is at Perikleous 1, Maroussi tel 010/80 52 671. If you regularly use any form of prescription drug , you should bring along a copy of the prescription, together with the generic name of the drug; this will help should you need to replace it, and also avoids possible problems with customs officials. In this regard, it's worth being aware that codeine is banned in Greece. If you import any you might find yourself in serious trouble, so check labels carefully; it's the core ingredient of Panadeine, Veganin, Solpadeine, Codis and Empirin-Codeine, to name just a few common compounds. Hayfever sufferers should be prepared for the early Greek pollen season, at its height from April to June. If you are taken by surprise, you'll be able to get tablets and creams at a pharmacy, but it's cheaper to come prepared. Commercial antihistamines like Triludan are difficult to find in smaller towns, and local brands can be overpriced. Contraceptive pills are more readily available every year, but don't count on getting these - or spermicidal jelly/foam - outside of a few large island towns, over-the-counter at the larger farmakia ; Greek women tend not to use any sort of birth control systematically, and have an average of four abortions during their adult life. Condoms , however, are inexpensive and ubiquitous - just ask for profylaktika (the slangy terms plastika or slightly vulgar kapotes are even better understood) at any pharmacy or corner periptero (kiosk). Women's hygienic supplies are sold in pharmacies or in supermarkets near the toilet paper and diapers. Napkins ("Always" brand) are ubiquitous; tampons can be trickier to find in remoter spots, especially on the smaller islands.
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