Hi... I saw the posting from '02 about interesting things to buy at the pharmacies in France. Just wondering if anyone has happened upon any other choice items found in the French pharmacies and likely not available in the US. Not interested in Bourjois cosmetics (at Sephora). Thanks!

My friend and I each purchased Mustela baby powder and liked it. She has researched it but it's unavailable outside of France. Maybe because of a particular ingredient?
BTW we got it for heat rash not our bums

Well, this is probably too revealing, but I always buy loads of Duornormil, a sleep aid that is the only thing that has ever let me sleep on transatlantic flights, salmon oil pills - they're homeopathic - Doliprane (aspirin that works about a thousand time better than US aspirin) and Doliprane with codeine (REALLY good for pain), and some cream that has cortisone in it that is unbelievably great for bug bites or anything that gets infected.

You can also buy lovely soaps and shampoos and loads of "slimming agents" at any French pharmacy.

I don't know whether or not it's available in the US, but I always look out for the Sanoflore range (sold in indigo coloured bottles), a wonderful range of products made from organic essential oils. They have great essential oil "roller balls" that you can apply to pulse points to combat stress, tiredness, insomnia etc. Also lovely room sprays and bath oils. Not too expensive either. You can find them in larger pharmacies, or in the chain of "parapharmacies" called Parashop (which sell cosmetics, skincare products, soaps, footcare products, vitamins, supplements etc., but no medicines or drugs)

Just an aside, Doliprane is actually paracetamol rather than aspirin (perhaps that's why it's more effective?). I used to work for the company that makes it...

StCirq: I LOVE Duornormil! Found it last year at a pharmacie, am down to my last 4 pills and plan to restock in September. It's the only sleep aid that doesn't give me a "hungover" feeling the next day. But since I can't pronounce it, I have to bring the bottle with me....

Yes, I love it, too! Just found out there's now a supersize bottle of it, and boughtone in Lyon.

And since I spelled it wrong (it's Duonormil), that sure won't help you pronounce it!

Last time I was in France, I asked my sister if there was anything she wanted me to pick up for her.

"Duonormil!"

Don't laugh now!!. I stock up on q-tips with WOODEN sticks ..they are no longer available in th US and those paper sticks bend just when you don't want them to!

Are you sure the product is called Duonomil? I Googled it and only came up with something called: DONORMYL. There was a brief swuib that says:

Q In Paris, some airline crew members have been purchasing a sleep aid (in small tablet form), something called Donormyl, which is supposedly better than melatonin, Excedrin PM and the like. Do you know anything about it? I would appreciate any light you can shed on the subject.

A Yes, we know of this product. You can purchase it in the U.S. over the counter in a product called Unisom. This OTC product has been heavily advertised on TV in the US The chemical name is "doxylamine succinate." It may be more effective than melatonin in inducing sleep, but it develops rapid tolerance in the body and usually stops working after a few nights. It might be great for your airline pilot friends to take on short layovers in Europe, but it does not produce sustained sleep inducing results.

Well, now I'm not sure of the spelling at all! In a little while I'll run upstairs and check the bottle. But however it's spelled, it works!

I think it is Donormyl (I still have half a bottle at home).

I was curious why it seemed to work so well after I first bought some a couple of years ago. So I asked my good friend, Jeeves, and if memory serves me, I think it contains the same active ingredient as Unisom. But perhaps in a slightly higher dosage?

Because I don't normally use or need any sleeping aids, it may be that Donormyl seems miraculous when it's 3am in Paris and I'm wide awake.

I'm all excited about Duonormil althought I've not heard of it until this post! Thanks.

Does anyone know the cost of migraine medicine called Imitrex? In the U.S. it costs about $14 per 100mg tablet. Requires a prescription. I got it in UK before it was released here but cost is killing me. Will be in France in 2 weeks. Thanks. Jerry

Got my bottle: it reads "Donormyl" Doxylamine 15 mg. Great stuff. I'm off to London and Paris today and will need it!

Doxylamine is an antihistamine, and it's used in sleep remedies because of the sedating side-effect. As stated above, it's in Unisom tabs (not the gel-caps), and it's one of the miracle ingredients that makes NyQuil put you under.

Imitrex works wonders! Here in US insurance covers only 9 pills a month, don't know why. So don't overdo it, Jerry!

Jerry...can't speak to the availability of Imitrex in France, however, my mom had migraines for years and about 2 years ago starting taking MigraHealth, which is an OTC vitamin supplement that was being advertised heavily on AM radio (it seems people who get migraines are deficient in some minerals..forgot which ones.) In any event, after years of debilitating migraines, she has not had ONE in 2 years! She won't leave home without the stuff. Check Walmart..about $15.00 for a one month's supply, so lots cheaper! Oh, and when at the Frenc Pharmacies, I buy boat-loads of Roger and Gallet Lettuce soap. I did find it on-line here, but twice the cost!

Dmkujat, the deficiency is usually B2 and Magnesium

Anyone know if you can purchase Valium, without a prescription, in Paris?

Ha! Havana, I wish