Canadian ISO antibiotics in NY.

August 29, 2009 7:18 AM

Where can my Canadian boyfriend go in New York to get antibiotics?

We went to Guatemala. He came back with something nasty living in his stomach. He doesn't go back to Canada for several more days. Where can he go in New York to get a prescription for antibiotics? He has a Canadian health card, and I have health insurance through school. Any suggestions for clinics, etc. welcome.

posted by rebekah to health & fitness (11 comments total)

As a Canadian that had to once go to emergency for an ear infection in Providence during a work trip, I had to spend the next 8 months with my supposedly "global", work-paid insurance company explaining and documenting that the bill from the hospital emergency was correct, real, non-fraudulent, etc.

Eventually they paid it out. I would not recomend emergency.

Do you have a doctor you normally go to? Go together, explain the situation and then get the prescription in your name.
posted by jkaczor at 7:53 AM on August 29

Note:

1) "New York" implies, but does not state, New York City. If this is not true, anyone suggesting NYC answers is probably not helping. I'm assuming you're not in far upstate New York, because the correct answer would be "Canada."

2) "New York City" is pretty damn big, I'd try to narrow it to at least the borough or surrounding urban area. If you're well out on Long Island, an answer in Newark is probably not going to be helpful.

I'm not trying to snark, I'm trying to help you get a useful answer -- esp. if you are a typical city dwelling New Yorker without easy access to a car.
posted by eriko at 8:53 AM on August 29

Duane Reade, a chain of drugstores, has a clinic here well-reviewed on Yelp and very reasonably priced compared to the emergency room. One of the Yelp reviews mentions antibiotic prescriptions. Official site.
posted by mdonley at 8:54 AM on August 29

We're in Manhattan, but willing to travel to Brooklyn/the Bronx/Queens if necessary. The Duane Reade walk-in clinic sounds promising. If nothing else turns up soon, we'll head there. Thanks!
posted by rebekah at 9:27 AM on August 29

Have his doctor call-in a scrip to a nearby pharmacy.
posted by Zambrano at 9:31 AM on August 29

Ok I don't know where he should go but he absolutely needs to see a doctor. You can't just randomly go to a pharmacy to get some "antibiotics". He needs to get a diagnosis from a doctor and get a specific antibiotic to treat the problem he has. Some random drug could quite probably make his problem worse.
posted by sully75 at 10:26 AM on August 29 [2 favorites]

There's a Beth Israel walk in clinic on W. 23rd and 7th... it can sometimes be a LONG wait, but it's pretty good, and they'll write him a scrip.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:41 AM on August 29

Before I was able to get her on my insurance my GF got a bad sinus infection. We ended up trying Duane Reade. They have a price list based on whats wrong with you (expect to pay about 100$ for the visit). Took them 15 min to confirm that yes she had a sinus infection and to write a script for antibiotics which we filled there in the pharmacy.
posted by Captain_Science at 11:19 AM on August 29

If he has it, a quick call to the travel insurance guys should sort that out.

(And if he didn't - some advice from a frequent Canadian travelling ex-pat: Always have travel insurance - especially if you are flying anywhere where the plane might, even if just for emergency reasons, land in the US. The emergency might be you having a heart attack or something..and your Canadian coverage won't help.)
posted by TravellingDen at 1:14 PM on August 29

Thanks, all. We ended up going to the Duane Reade clinic and seeing a doctor there. $200 and two hours later, he has Cipro and plans to obtain better travel insurance for the future.
posted by rebekah at 1:44 PM on August 29

For the benefit of people who might come upon this thread at a later date: I visited the Duane Reade clinic (which isn't actually run by Duane Reade) at 50th and Broadway, saw a doctor, paid my fee, and then was billed for it again. They kept sending me bills for a few months despite certified letters containing proof that I'd paid. I haven't seen anything on my credit report, but I wouldn't put it past them.
posted by $5 at 9:28 AM on September 3