Not-quite emergency health care in NY?

May 21, 2007 11:00 AM

Where do I get a prescription for antibiotics in NY?

I'm vacationing in NY, and staying in the West Village. I've come down with a UTI, and my student health plan is providing no answers. Are there any clinics nearby that provide this sort of service?

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

Do you have a regular GP or PCP in your home state? When I came down with a UTI while vacationing in Maui, I was able to call my doctor's office in MA, describe my symptoms, and give them the number of a local pharmacy. They called in the prescription and I was able to pick it up later that day.
posted by fuzzbean at 11:25 AM on May 21, 2007

If you're under 21, I'd say check out the hott program at callen lorde. It's in chelsea and offers free healthcare to people up to 21.
posted by milarepa at 11:26 AM on May 21, 2007

I suggest you call a random GOP practice from the Yellow Pages and a sk their advice. This must occur a lot, and I know that one can register as a visiting patient at a doctors in the UK.
posted by dash_slot- at 12:03 PM on May 21, 2007

GOP?!!?

I suspect that faith based or political doctors are not what you are after. Try an ordinary GP.
posted by dash_slot- at 12:04 PM on May 21, 2007

Scroll down to the health and medical facilities section on this page and there's a listing of walk-in clinics. I could swear I remember one on 7th Ave. around Christopher, but maybe I'm thinking of the one on 23rd St. that they list here.
posted by MsMolly at 12:16 PM on May 21, 2007

Further down that page also gives Planned Parenthood locations, which might be cheaper.

You could also try calling your doctor at home and seeing if they'll fax a prescription to a New York pharmacy for you.
posted by MsMolly at 12:18 PM on May 21, 2007

Keep in mind that not all antibiotics work for every infection, so you should get a full test and checkup with a doctor before you start taking any antibiotic medication. Don't take antibiotics that you don't know will work.
posted by sian at 12:22 PM on May 21, 2007

Are you in a hotel? At their front desk they can probably refer you to an urgent care clinic. You can also browse the yellow pages for an urgent care clinic, which is where I would go if I were in your shoes.
posted by tastybrains at 12:52 PM on May 21, 2007

You can get some medicine over the counter to ease your discomfort until you get in touch with a doctor for antibiotics. Beware that the OTC stuff usually just numbs your urinary tract, and doesn't actually treat the infection. Also, most of these drugs will turn your urine bright orange, don't be alarmed.
posted by copperbleu at 2:31 PM on May 21, 2007

Meanwhile, cranberry juice and vitamin C will help some. Not a substitute for medical care, but good self-care. And tou need to drink LOTS of fluids anyway.
posted by theora55 at 3:27 PM on May 21, 2007

If you have a regular ob-gyn it is also worth it to try and call their office and see if a nurse will phone you in a prescription to one of the nationwide pharmacies. There's a Walgreens in Union Square that I've been to a couple times for that exact reason with prescriptions phoned in from my old doctor in another state.
posted by ch1x0r at 5:26 PM on May 21, 2007

Are you in a hotel? At their front desk they can probably refer you to an urgent care clinic. You can also

they usually don't, for liability reasons
posted by matteo at 3:09 AM on May 22, 2007