Just landed in Dublin. Where can I buy Ibuprofen (Advil) on a Sunday afternoon?

September 26, 2010 9:53 AM

American traveller just landed in Dublin. Airline seat caused back pain. Traveller needs ibuprofen or Advil. How do we find this? It's Sunday afternoon. All we can find is panadol. Is there a way to get ibuprofen over the counter? Or even get it delivered? Our location is near = Inchicore Rd near the Kilmainham Gaol.
posted by valannc to travel & transportation around Dublin, Ireland (17 answers total)

Any large supermarket will have Ibuprofen.
posted by fire&wings at 9:55 AM on September 26, 2010

If Aleve is any good to you as an alternative NSAID, I find it extremely handy to know that it is only sold in Ireland as Feminax Ultra (for cramps) - 250 straight, glorious mg of naproxen, readily available in any chemist.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:02 AM on September 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Sorry - I meant to start out saying that you will most commonly find Ibuprofen under the brand name Nurofen. You can get it over the counter at any chemist or supermarket but not a corner shop, I don't think.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:07 AM on September 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

I would imagine the largest "supermarket" style place near where you are is Dunnes near Temple Bar. It is on Great George's Street just south (a block or two) of Dame Street. I just Googled Dunnes, and it gave me a location a bit further down (63-67 Upper Stephen St) as well as the one I am remembering on Great George's Street. You could probably find something on O'Connell Street near the quays (the river), too. Good luck!
posted by Slothrop at 10:13 AM on September 26, 2010

Look for Anadin ibuprofen.
posted by codswallop at 10:47 AM on September 26, 2010

Thanks so much for all these rapid responses!! Ask Mefi is an amazing resource. Will report back.
posted by valannc at 10:50 AM on September 26, 2010

I found ibuprofen at Boots when I was in London. Dunno about Sunday hours, though.
posted by jquinby at 10:53 AM on September 26, 2010

...a search of that area shows one at 12 Grafton St 2, with hours showing Sun: 11:00 - 18:30.
posted by jquinby at 10:56 AM on September 26, 2010

Dowlings Pharmacy, they have everything! and about 15 minutes from where you are here is the address ... City Centre, 6 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, Co. Dublin, Ireland ... not sure if they are open on Sundays but here is their phone number 01 678 5612
posted by justalkin at 11:06 AM on September 26, 2010

Paracetamol (generic, varying strengths) is also an option. (In the U.S., that is acetaminophen, aka Tylenol.)
posted by vickyverky at 12:22 PM on September 26, 2010

I hope you found it--you will only be able to get a few and you will be (are) surprised/shocked at the price. Buying aspirin and ibuprofen was one of the times I really appreciated America,s competitive retail and big box culture.
posted by rmhsinc at 12:26 PM on September 26, 2010

rmhsinc: I hope you found it--you will only be able to get a few and you will be (are) surprised/shocked at the price. Buying aspirin and ibuprofen was one of the times I really appreciated America,s competitive retail and big box culture

It's true, the Nurofen I bought for post-surgical pain relief was very dear at €6.64 a box. On the other hand, the bill for the doctor's visit, the ambulance transfer, the ER visit, the emergency surgery, the five days in hospital and the ten days of ace narcotics was €340.

On balance, I do not think Wal*Mart is a vital ingredient in affordable healthcare.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:50 PM on September 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

Ha! You can get some better drugs over the counter there, try Solpadeine Migraine it has ibuprofen & codeine! However, it does taste awful and the taste alone may be enough to get rid of the pain. Chance are you'll find it any larger corner shop.
posted by zaphod at 1:03 PM on September 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Oddly, given that Darlingbri and I have been on the wrong end of this one so many times over the past five years, that she forgot to mention this, but:

Ibuprofen is NOT available in Ireland except from pharmacists. At all.

(Nor is Sudafed.)

The health service arranges for usually one pharmacist in each area to be open until 10pm or so: try calling one of these. When you've found a pharmacist that's open you're grand - just ask for some at the counter and they'll give it you.

Paracetomol and aspirin are the ones you can buy at any corner store.
posted by genghis at 1:04 PM on September 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

genghis--we live part of the year in Kenmare and I am able to buy 12 or 20 (?) ibuprofen over the counter. Very very expensive--I pay the same price for the 12 or 20 as I do for 300 in the US--as I take then regularly for a damaged nerve I now pack them each trip.
posted by rmhsinc at 4:36 PM on September 26, 2010

The American traveler is feeling much better. He took a taxi to a pharmacy and got his ibuprofen. Indeed it was expensive, and the taxi was very expensive. But worth it to get pain relief when you have to go to work.

Thanks to all for your responses!
posted by valannc at 8:02 PM on September 28, 2010

Also... we will be assembling a travel med kit to keep inside our travel bags. This whole dilemma would have been avoided had we packed a packet of cheap American ibuprofen tablets.
posted by valannc at 8:06 PM on September 28, 2010