Im a pharmacist, Ask me (almost) anything?

is it that obvious?

well...thats an interesting topic. some aspects I would change. regarding studying pharmacy, it depends on your options. If i could go back in time, I would actually modify certain aspects in high school which ended up haing negative conseqeunces later on during GSCE exams and A levels. If you could go for medicine vs pharmacy, then go medicine. dentistry only if your after money but in terms of health it isnt a bad degree, as long as your not in community (aim for hospital!!). this is from a community locum. but the thing with pharmacy degree is that it can prepare you to go into other fields later in life, both healthcare related and non-healthcare (rory byrne was an industrial chemist for 3 years and ended up designing michael schumachers title winning f1 cars and the 1984 toleman which ayrton senna made his debut in - sadly this pathway isnt open anymore (or if it is, its bloody hard))

Would you be interested in the physician associate postgrad course.
Which is good for pharmacists who want more of a clinical role?

@quasa
Did you get an interview for East Anglia or nah?

offered a conditional place for foundation me but they wanted me to redo a levels whilst at uni so i declined (in hindsight I should have gone for it)

I would've been calling you doc...

that is a surprisingly not so clear-cut answer believe it or not. prettymuch all moisturisers work via the same way (trap in moisture) and have similar efficacies (ie similar rates of success). what sets a lot of them apart however is the composition, which in turn leads to interpatient variability (ie dif users will have dif experiences and if a pharmacist says go for 1 particular brand, chances are 1 of 2 things: they have tried it and it works for them; or the pharmacy has a deal with a supplier and wants to flog some.

this sadly means trial and error im afraid but here is a list of commonly used moisturisers: aqueous cream (avoid if you suffer contact dermatitis to aspriin,m deep heat, voltarol, ibuprofen as it has salicylic acid), aveeno (literally porridge in moisturising form but it is surprisingly effective against chickenpox in children), cetraben, dermol cream (lotion is a liquid which can be added to bath), diprobase, doublebase, e45, epaderm, zerocream, zeroderm (list goes on but those are common ones off the top of my head).

with moisturisers, it is essential that you apply them to wet skin to attain maximum benefit as (like I previously mentioned), the work by trapping water. Ideally apply it to wet skin up to 4 times a day (yes 4 times a day is ideal amount but due to factors like having work clothes / timing, it can't be done by a lot of people). with moisturisers, also be aware of certain aspects, namely it can leave your clothes greasy (particularly if ointments used) and can increase risk of zits / acne as it traps sweat as well (you can also feel warmer due to sweat being trapped. but overall moisturisers are a great way of treating eczema and shouldnt be overlooked.

only try topical corticosteroids for eczema whan multiple types of moisturisers dont work (even then, go for a weak one). try a few different moisturisers ideally before trying topical corticosteroids (hydrocortisone 1% is the only one over the counter).

topical means that it can be applied to skin or to body surface (eg inside mouth) and only acts on that particular area. systemic means it enters you body and acts on it as a whole in layman speak.

people call me doc in my day job and outside it lol I correct them but they usually say they call me doctor as a sign of respect even though I am not 1

Can I pass 2nd year pharmacy summer exams if i revise a month before?

Any OSCE tips?

Is protopic a steriod?

I've tried aveeno eperderm and cetraben

Cetraben works best for me

I aspire to be a pharmacist in the near future, and although it is a controversial topic, I truly believe that a cure for cancer will never be found, but that there will come a day when every single cancer - no matter how severe - is treatable. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this topic.


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Why does full cream milk cause me to break out with acne? Chemically-wise.

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Are there any alternatives to Diazepam which would actually work? I'm a bit sceptical about homeopathy.

Thanks

protopic isnt a steroid. the active ingredient, tacrolimus, it is technically classified as a calcineurin inhibitor (calcineurin is a key part of cell growth and is why it can be used systemically for cancer, organ transplants, or topically for bad eczema and psoriasis).

hi preet. it depends on what your using diazepam for to be honest (it has multiple uses and based on the use, I could comment on alternatives).

I apply it on my face twice eg. . Every Monday / Tuesday a week. Is my eczema bad?

What's your opinion on Dietitian? I'm planning on becoming one