Pharmacist Wife Diaries

Good evening Pharmily 🫂💊

He said, “Anytime I eat corn, my eyes start itching. But when I take ampicillin, it subsides.”

Me: “Let me get this clear. Your eyes start itching or getting irritated whenever you eat corn?”

“Yes.”

“And so you take ampicillin and the reaction goes away?”

“Yes.”

“How did you even come about taking ampicillin? Were you prescribed it, or did you just try it yourself and feel it was what worked?”

He said he started taking it himself because he thought it might be bacterial. And according to him, it works for him.

Now listen sir… 👇🏽

Ampicillin is an antibiotic. It is not an anti-allergy medication, and it shouldn't be self-medicated just because you noticed that a symptom improved after taking it.

So I said, “What you're experiencing might be an allergic reaction. Since this happens whenever you eat corn, why don't you stop eating corn?”

He looked at me like I just landed him a killer prescription and he rejected it.😆

“Aah! I should stop eating corn?” 🙆🏽‍♀️

Me: “Yes.”

“Aah nooo, I can't stop eating corn!” 🤔

At this point I said, “Okay, what exactly do you want me to say to you now?

Go ahead and keep eating corn and continue taking ampicillin?”

He said, “Not typically.” 😄

Well sir… you won't hear that from me. 🫠

Because apparently, the corn must stay AND the ampicillin must go. 📌

Sometimes pharmacy is not just about dispensing medicines. You also have to negotiate with people and their love for food.

Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real Life. Real Pharmacy. Real Stories.

“Shey Panadol na pain reliever?” 🙆🏽‍♀️

That was the question I got after I handed a customer Panadol for body pain.

He came into the pharmacy and asked for something for body pain. I asked if he had ulcer and he said no.

I initially gave him a pain reliever containing ibuprofen + paracetamol, but the price was too much for him.

So I gave him a more affordable option — Panadol (paracetamol).

He looked at me and said:

“Madam, na body pain I ask ooo.”

I said, “Yes, this one can also help with body pain.”

Then he turned to his brother and asked:

“Shey Panadol na pain reliever bayi?” 😃

I just smiled as I handed him the medicine.

But honestly, I wasn't even offended. I was more surprised because this happens quite often.

Sometimes when a customer asks for an affordable pain reliever and you recommend paracetamol or Panadol, they start doubting you.

I think many people have simply grown up with the idea that Panadol = headache medicine.

But Panadol is not only for headaches. Paracetamol is a pain reliever and fever reducer. It can be used for different types of mild to moderate pain, including body aches, depending on the cause of the pain and the person’s situation.

So yes…

Panadol no be headache medicine alone ooo.

Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real Life. Real Pharmacy. Real Stories.

But other pharmacies sell it as OTC.🤦🏽‍♀️

A customer came into the pharmacy asking for Misoprostol.

We asked for a doctor’s prescription.

He didn’t have one.

“Okay, we can’t sell it to you without the appropriate documentation.”

Then he said, “I’m a nurse.”

Okay…

“Do you have your professional ID?”

He wasn’t with it.

So we explained again that we couldn’t dispense it without the required documentation.

Then came the classic:

“But other pharmacies sell it as OTC.”
🙆🏽‍♀️

Sir, even if other pharmacies choose to dispense it that way, that doesn't mean we have to.

As a pharmacy, we have a responsibility to follow the appropriate dispensing requirements and make sure medicines are supplied safely.

And if you're a healthcare professional, you should understand why proper documentation matters.

We are not other pharmacies📌

Sometimes the hardest part of working in a pharmacy isn't knowing the medicine…

It's standing your ground when someone is trying to convince you to bend the rules📍

Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real life. Real pharmacy. Real stories.

The gist is hot, but the lessons are hotter🔥

“Oga, go and do your thing.” 🤦🏽‍♀️

Someone was bitten by a human today.

He had just finished taking antibiotics last week for another infection, so naturally, I was asking questions about the bite and what happened.

Then he called someone else.

The person told him, “It’s tetanus you need. You don’t need antibiotics.”

He came back with that information and I just said…

“Okay sir. I won’t argue. Go and do your thing.” I cannot over explain myself 🤦🏽‍♀️

But here’s the lesson Pharmily 🫂 👇🏽

Tetanus protection and antibiotics are NOT the same thing📌

For a human bite that breaks the skin, a healthcare professional may need to assess the wound for:
💊 Tetanus vaccination/booster
💊 Risk of bacterial infection and whether antibiotics are needed
💊 Other possible exposures depending on the circumstances

And the fact that someone recently finished antibiotics does not automatically mean they are protected from an infection caused by a new bite.

Sometimes in pharmacy, you explain, educate and advise…

Then the patient says, “But someone told me…”

At that point, you just breathe and say:

Oga, go and do your thing📍

But please, don't let the gist make you forget the lesson. Human bites that break the skin deserve proper medical assessment.

Ps: picture unrelated but my new found love
Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real Life. Real Pharmacy. Real Stories.

Once again your Alagbo vendor dey buy medicine from pharmacy
No go loose guard ooo
Good morning Pharmily 🫂

Good morning Pharmily
What's your weekend routine like?

He came in panicking.

“Madam! That drug you gave me… since I started taking it, my urine colour has changed. It’s looking very yellow!”

I smiled and said, “Oga, calm down. Some medications can change the colour or smell of urine. But yellow urine can also happen when you’re not drinking enough water.”

Then he said: Aah! Fear dey catch me ooo!”

“Oga no worry. Just finish your dosage and make sure you dey drink enough water.”

Another client standing nearby heard our conversation and immediately asked:

“So ma, you mean say antibiotics fit change urine colour?”

I said, “Some medicines can affect urine colour or smell, yes. But every change in urine colour is not automatically from the antibiotic.”

He just looked at me and said:

“No wonder my urine colour dey change since when I turn dey take one antibiotics like this.”

And that conversation reminded me of something:

Not every change you notice while taking a medicine means something is wrong.

But please, don't ignore unusual symptoms either.

If your urine becomes red, brown, very dark, cloudy, or the colour change comes with pain, burning, fever or other worrying symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional instead of assuming it is “just the drug.”

Pharmily, ask questions when something changes after starting a medication.

Sometimes, na small explanation person need to stop fear from catching them.

Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real Pharmacy. Real Life. Real Talk.

She thought it was just her normal menstrual symptoms… until she went for a test.

A woman came to the pharmacy and told me she normally experienced breast tenderness and ni**le discharge around her period.

At first, she didn't think much of it because it usually started around her menstruation and stopped a few days after.

But this had been happening for months.

Then one month, the symptoms came as usual… but this time, they didn't stop.

She became worried, so I advised her to see a doctor and get some hormonal tests done.

She came back with her results and her prolactin level was high.

She asked me, “Could this be why I'm not ovulating?”

And yes, high prolactin can interfere with ovulation and menstrual cycles.

But you know what stood out to me the most?

She was completely unaware that her body could be giving her these signs.

She just thought she was having “menstrual issues.”

And honestly, this conversation reminded me that a lot of women don't really know what their bodies are trying to tell them.

Sometimes it's not just “my period is acting funny.”

Your body may be asking you to pay attention.

Ladies, please speak to a healthcare professional if you notice things like:

💊Periods becoming irregular or suddenly changing
💊 Your period stopping for months when you're not pregnant
💊Difficulty getting pregnant or suspected lack of ovulation
💊 Breast milk/ni**le discharge when you're not breastfeeding or recently pregnant
💊Persistent breast tenderness that is unusual for you
💊New excessive facial/body hair or severe acne
💊Unexplained hair thinning or hair loss alongside menstrual changes
💊Hot flashes or unusual night sweats, especially at a young age
💊Major unexplained weight changes with menstrual changes
💊Very heavy or unusually painful periods, especially when the pattern is new

You may not necessarily need a “hormonal profile” just because you have one of these symptoms. The right tests depend on your symptoms and what your doctor suspects.

Don't just treat the symptom. Sometimes, you need to find out WHY it's happening.

Because sometimes your body is talking, you just don't know the language. 🥺

And that's why I'm going to make my next post about important health checks and tests women should know about.

Pharmily🫂 we really need to start paying more attention to our bodies.

Pharmacist Wife Diaries
Real Pharmacy. Real Life. Real Talk.

Some days I don't post stories, not because I don't have one…some stories are just not worth sharing.

Working in a pharmacy, you hear and see a LOT🫂 But not every experience is a story worth bringing here.

Pharmily, you people will not hear everything o 🤗
Pharmacist Wife Diaries
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