Medication Translations

Discuss issues unique to your country such as your health care system, medications, etc.

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Medication Translations

Postby Kadinga » Sep 08, 2005 5:20 am

I've been thinking about a post like this for a while. Names for things and other terms seem to differ from country to country, and I thought it might help to have a place on the boards to check some of them. I'm only giving "Australian" translations. If I'm wrong on anything PLEASE correct me. Also, please add terms and drug names from your other countries.

A lot of people refer to weight loss.
1 pound = 450g,
so 10 pounds = 4.5kg, 20 pounds = 9kg, or, in reverse, 5kg = 11 pounds, 10kg = 22 pounds.

Metaclopromide is a fairly commonly prescribed drug (seems to be the preferred choice for docs before moving on to the more serious stuff like Zofran) I think it is referred to as Reglan by the US ladies. In Australia, it is either Maxolon or Pramin. (nb: these worked a lot better if I stayed absolutely horizontal for somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes after taking it)

I've noticed some of the new Australians saying that they've been given Stemetil. This is also sold here as Stemezine, but the actual drug name is Prochlorperazine. I don't know what it is called outside Australia.

The other word I thought was important to translate was Ketostix, which are sold in Australian chemists as Keto-diastix, and test for glucose levels as well as the all important keytones. For anyone who's wondering, these are the urine testing sticks that give us undeniable evidence that we are going down the dehydration cycle and need serious attention.

Do any Australians know if Unisom is sold as Unisom here, and if it is sold over the counter? Also, what is the name of the Canadian drug that the rest of us are using the Unisom/B6 combination to imitate?

If anyone esle has anything to add, or if there are any other brand names to translate for other countries, please post!

:)

Amanda
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Postby HelenA » Sep 08, 2005 6:04 am

UK

The first drug I was given was chlorpromazine, which I believe is called Thorazine in the US, however this made me even sicker so didn't work for me at all, I also had stemitil but my dr would not give anything higher than 5mg and said I could only take one a day...so also no good. I then had phenergan also known as Avomine which did the trick.

Just to add to the measures.. In the UK we use stones and lbs. There are 14lb to 1 stone, so 28lb = 2 st etc...
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Postby bibliojo » Sep 08, 2005 10:46 am

What a good idea Amanda! And thank you Helen for posting the conversion for stones to pounds! (I always forget how many pounds there is in a stone!)

In Canada our metoclopramide is called Maxeran. Stemetil is just that - stemitil. Diclectin is the unisom and B6 drug we have here in Canada. Zofran is known as Ondansetron. Dramamine is Gravol.

If I think of any more I'll add them. And I think I might change this to a sticky so that it's always easily accessible to everyone.

Joanna
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Katya - October 2006

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Postby Natalie » Sep 08, 2005 11:12 am

Hi All

There's a great reference section for this on the main HER meds page but also at www.hyperemesis.org.uk under the 'Drug Information' link. Just in case someone reads this and finds their drug not listed.

Love Natalie, x
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Postby Kadinga » Sep 08, 2005 9:16 pm

This is great! I had a feeling that there was a page like the one Natalie had mentioned (and thanks for that link, Natalie), but I thought it might still be good to have this thread on the boards. Joanna, I think making this a sticky is a great idea. Thankyou.

Expanding Australian translastions on what's just been added:
I've looked up Chlorpromazine, and it is sold under that name here too, but also under the name Largactil. These are trade/generic names for the drug class Phenothiazines, and they are sold on prescription and with PBS benefits.

Stemetil/Stemazine and Maxolon/Pramin are also sold on prescription and with PBS.

Zofran is sold here under the same name, on prescription but not PBS unless you have cancer.

Dramamine is a trade name used here for Dimenhydrinate, and is also sold as Travacalm which also has Hysocine and Caffeine added. These are sold over the counter.

Phenergen is a trade name used here for the sedating antihistamine Promethazine, and also sold here under the names Avomine, Isomn-eze and Gold Cross Antihistamine. These are sold OTC.

***********Editting this next bit because I have new information*******

The US Unisom is NOT the same as our Unisom Sleepgels. The best information I have been able to find is that we can substitue Restavit, which is a trade name for Doxylmine. It's available OTC, and may cause some drowsiness, but be prepared for a possible strange reaction from your pharmacist, as it's apparently not a common idea to use this in Australia.

**********End Edit***************

And a direct stones/kg translation would be 1 stone = 6.3 kg.

Amanda
Last edited by Kadinga on Sep 28, 2005 11:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2 HG darlings; Heather, September '03 & Henry, May '06
"To understand and be understood makes our happiness on earth" (German Proverb)
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Postby bibliojo » Sep 08, 2005 10:56 pm

Thanks for posting the link Nat. I knew it was there but didn't have the time this morning to look it up!

And thank you for adding all the extra info Amanda.

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Katya - October 2006

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