Drug store embarrassment

Yes, i was always self conscious when buy one, but sort of like it when it was a cute / pretty lady or girl working the register. I always tried to wait until no one was in line before me to get it over with as quickly as possible.

I guess that you guys would see the drugstore experience much more embarrassing than us girls because we have historically bought this type of stuff for the family. That being said, I have some observations about drugstore clerks these days.

If you go during the day, the clerk is likely to be a retired, or at least middle aged woman who probably knows what that stuff is for.

If you go in the late afternoon or evening, the clerk is likely a young girl working part time after school and likely doesn't know or care about that kind of thing.

Clerks at the "big box" type stores usually do not know or care what you buy as much as the local drugstore clerk who might know you. Remembering your face if not your name.

I'm pretty much equally embarrassed buying enema/suppository stuff as my supply of Mirilax/Metamucil. For some reason the latter really feels like a "moral failing" or something because the quantities make it evident that it's an ongoing thing, and I sometimes mentally replay my mom saying "if you just ate right" (yes, Mom, because I never thought to try that first... 🙄 )

Maybe having to do that has helped, because I remember being embarrassed the first time I considered trying enemas. I cobbled together a test setup from an old juice bottle and flexible hose, then ordered my first real setup online. Last time I got one it was a Walmart bag and, since there was a pack of Kirks and tube of lube in the cart, and I wound up with an older cashier, I'm pretty sure she must have had an idea. No hassle, though, and I was able to tell myself that is was somewhat legitimate.

We have self service checkout at several stores in our area, making checkout more private for laxatives, fleets etc if so desired. Personally, I’m not sure the checkers give it a second thought once the product scans. However, when I see them in line, I wish them the best in my thoughts.

I was standing in line recently at the local CVS when the pharmacist walked by with a lady in tow. A minute or two later she walked back by with a Fleet enema in her hand and a very red face. I loved it!

When I worked for the big "box" store (now, extinct, like I said before), in the pharmacy, I knew my customers. I knew a bunch of them by name. I learned about the things we sold, like enema's (although I really wasn't sure what they were for at the time, I was worried I would get caught looking and reading the boxes) and suppositories and Monistat (while it was still a prescription item) and pretty much any other thing that came out. I remember the pharmacist walking around showing everyone (in the pharmacy only) this giant vaginal suppository. I don't think I ever really found out what that was for, but it was HUGE! I remember I wondered who was getting it and then I ended up getting that particular woman in my line (never did find out what it was, exactly). I was only in my 20's and I worked the daytime shift. Most of the people were 40 and under in the pharmacy, both day and night, counting the pharmacists. Yeah, I wondered a lot of the time about things that people got a lot of that pertained to medical things.

I also worked for a very small pharmacy in a medical building. We had all kinds of interesting things in there too, like external catheters (those brought up one of my most embarrassing moments EVER)! I used to order DME and fit people for braces and compression stockings. I used to rent out breast pumps and show the nursing mothers how to use them (again, that sometimes was rather awkward!). Again, I wondered a lot about things and I had a chance to look things over better there as I was the one that did all of the ordering for things out on the shelves. It was so much fun working there!

As for the most embarrassing moment with the external catheters, oh man. There was an older dentist that worked in the building. He came down and was going to have some sort of a procedure done and he wanted the external catheters. I told him where they were, but he needed more help. I went over to help him. We had several sizes of them and they were on a lower shelf and he had trouble bending down. We had from x-small to x-large. I had to ask this man, this dentist, what size he needed. This was someone I saw often in our building. I really didn't want to know the size of his "junk"! I was soooo embarrassed having to ask him what size he needed! I must have been red in the face and I know I was ready to crawl into a hole and hide until he was gone. At this time, I was still a virgin and not very experienced with the ways of the world, so to speak. I was also rather shy, so that it made it all even worse!!

How about hernia trusses, Breaze. Do you remember seeing them in the pharmacy? Ever sell any of them to someone?

@JTMac pretty sure I did. I used to order nearly everything that anyone needed. I didn’t have to fit those though, at least that I recollect. I also fitted pregnant women with a really great product that was called a NatalCradle. It basically was a pair of granny-panties that had a Velcro strap that lifted the baby up off of the bladder and eased back pain for pregnant mommies. I would have women walk in bent over, in pain. Once I had them fitted and they tried it on, they wouldn’t take it off! They changed the name of them just before I left that store and moved down to the San Diego area (from L.A. area). Sometimes I really miss that store, but the owner has changed it so much since I worked there. It didn’t look like there was hardly any DME left.

While embarrassed when I was young, I now enjoy it! See my post: https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=forum;ox=display;msg=1021322

Big stores and self checkouts save a lot of possible embarrassment when buying enemas and lube

I have a friend who is too embarrassed to buy a bag in a drugstore that doesn’t have self checkouts. Does anyone have any ideas for helping her to move past this point or should I just go and buy it with her?

@Dan2 said

I have a friend who is too embarrassed to buy a bag in a drugstore that doesn’t have self checkouts. Does anyone have any ideas for helping her to move past this point or should I just go and buy it with her?

Dan, I would go with her to the drug store, pick out the bag, then take her hand in hand to the checkout. I would be the one paying so I would be the one purchasing said bag. I doubt any eyebrows would be raised, but if there were, they would be directed at me. Just my two cents worth.

Fn

Seems to me there is more likely to be someone looking (meaning really looking) at the self checkouts because customers are more likely to pull one than the clerks are.

My latest addition to what I posted on 2019.07.29,

...In my 50's, however, I developed a love of asking for an enema bag...

Yesterday I was out of town and went to a pharmacy. After about five minutes looking around the laxatives in hopes that an employee would ask me if they could help me find something, no one did, so I went to the "consultation" window and patiently waited. When the pharmacist, a woman in her 30s, arrived, I asked her where the enema bags could be found, adding that mine, which was a decade or two old, had started leaking, and that I needed a new one because someday I'd be constipated again and I wanted to replace it so it would be there when I needed it. Very matter-of-factly she simply said that she didn't think they carried them. I asked her whether she had any idea of where I could buy one, and she suggested a couple of local pharmacies that I might try, but added that first I should go to the front counter because the staff there are the ones who stock the shelves. The check-out was staffed by a young woman, maybe only 20, and I told her that the pharmacist sent me to her to ask whether they had enema bags in stock. I was a bit surprised, based on experience, that she knew exactly what I was asking for. I was expecting her to look it up, but she went to the laxative section, couldn't find one, and offered to check in the stock room, so I said sure. She returned saying that there weren't any. I acted frustrated and said that maybe I could find one on Amazon, and repeated my story about my bag wearing out and that someday I'd be constipated again and would need an enema bag on hand. She simply quickly returned to the register.

So, I didn't get any entertaining reactions that time. Oh well!

I see my last reply in 2012 here. Since then I found I'm not alone in my enjoyment of enema bag purchase embarrassment. It's an interesting pleasure, when you think about it, and has to tie into feeling your interest in enemas is something that others would find weird. In any event, it leads to acquiring more enema bags than one can ever use in a lifetime.

Here in Brazil, since we dont have an enema culture ( yeah, we are too machos to admit we like that......LOL), I never saw enema bags at drugstores. We have suppos and laxatives, but no enema bags. And to add this post......no analogic (mercury) thermomethers either.....I discover they were banned.

But all the times I went to buy suppos, the atendant lady was very nice to me.

Za

I In any event, it leads to acquiring more enema bags than one can ever use in a lifetime.

Whenever I give old clothes and whatnot to charity I add in an enema bag if I have one around, as they'll take "personal hygienic items" if unused and still packaged, so I don't have that problem!

I see my last reply in 2012 here. Since then I found I'm not alone in my enjoyment of enema bag purchase embarrassment. It's an interesting pleasure, when you think about it, and has to tie into feeling your interest in enemas is something that others would find weird. In any event, it leads to acquiring more enema bags than one can ever use in a lifetime.

Being embarrassed about buying enema bags is fun, but why would you accumulate such a large number of unused bags? Was this an addiction or compulsion? I love enema bags too, especially latex, but I don't have a huge collection and all are well-used.

Eric

Being embarrassed about buying enema bags is fun, but why would you accumulate such a large number of unused bags? Was this an addiction or compulsion? I love enema bags too, especially latex, but I don't have a huge collection and all are well-used.

Eric

An addictive compulsion - just had to go into store and buy. I have no other additions, and my enema bag buying/embarrassment allows me to understand other people's additions..

I use to be a pharmacist back in the 70s and 80s. At that time all the pharmacies had enema bags but try and find one in a store now. Almost impossible need to purchase online. Takes all the fun out of watching everyone with the red faced when coming to the counter with the enema bag box. I could almost tell what they were purchasing before getting to the counter. They would hang around the counter area but not in line. They would wait until no one was in line before coming to the counter. I always had an internal chuckle.

@knsh100 Have to laugh - sounds like you got my number! Yup, red faced and hanging around waiting till no one was at the checkout... One time, as I approached the counter I stumbled and the box opened and out literally sprung the enema tubing...

For me, those thoughts of an upcoming, stimulating enema session overcame my embarrassment of purchasing the required equipment. Back in my career days when I was traveling frequently, there were times that I didn't pack a bag. I'd find the nearest drugstore and make a beeline for the laxative aisle, pick up the familiar gray box of the Fleet BagEnema, and head for the cashier. I always fantasized about a female customer or cashier asking me if I would like some help but it never happened. There were several times though that I perceived getting the "I know what you're gonna do" look when we made eye contact.

I was in a thrift store, on one occasion, and came across a vintage enema bag in great shape. All of the parts were present, and it was like new. It was in a locked case that held other "antique" types of items. I had to request help to open the case so I could get a closer look. An older lady came to help me and ulocked the case. I had to ask her to let me look at the item.

She removed it and seemed rather curious as I'm sure I blushed. She commented that she hadn't noticed this before. I told her it had caught my eye, and reminded me of days in my childhood. She said that she also remembered the enema bag hanging in their bathroom.

I told her I would buy it, and she queried what I could possibly use it for. Being quick with my explanation, I told her I had been looking for a great "white elephant" gift for a friend turning 60. She laughed with me and said it would probably be a great reminder for someone older like us.

Oh what fun it is!

Although I doubt I would have the chutzpah to pull it off as a high school or college student when I was working in my father’s drug stores, I can conjure up some interesting conversations with some of you people asking about enema equipment. Mr. Customer, will someone be administering the enema to you or will it be self-administered? For what reason do you need an enema? What kind of an enema will it be? How large a volume will you be taking? What kind of a nozzle will you be using? I really think that I would have a lot of fun with some of you. Of course, if my father would have caught me, I would have been in deep doo-doo.

Although I doubt I would have the chutzpah to pull it off as a high school or college student when I was working in my father’s drug stores, I can conjure up some interesting conversations with some of you people asking about enema equipment. Mr. Customer, will someone be administering the enema to you or will it be self-administered? For what reason do you need an enema? What kind of an enema will it be? How large a volume will you be taking? What kind of a nozzle will you be using? I really think that I would have a lot of fun with some of you. Of course, if my father would have caught me, I would have been in deep doo-doo.

@ddell2 Wish you'd of asked me those questions, and I'd of answered. 😉 😄

Of course, if my father would have caught me, I would have been in deep doo-doo.

Likewise for the state board of pharmacy, though I guess you could say because you weren't explaining how to do it it was OK. They might buy that.

Sorry guys you should not be humiliated buying medical supplies or products ,it's usefull they sell it, they don't care who buys it , as a former carer I have bought everything from oral anti psychotic liquid concentrate to suppositories ,walkers wheelchairs diapers vibrators ,of course now that i am disabled wheelchairs commode diapers are more likely for me.

Likewise for the state board of pharmacy, though I guess you could say because you weren't explaining how to do it it was OK. They might buy that.

The State Board of Pharmacy doesn't govern apothecary items. The Board governs and controls pharmaceuticals. Big difference!

The State Board of Pharmacy doesn't govern apothecary items. The Board governs and controls pharmaceuticals. Big difference!

I picked them as the most likely to find out about it, but the fact remains that if the relevant state medical authorities find out that someone in the course of their job is giving medical advice and does not have a proper license they can get upset. Which is likely one of the big reasons you noted your father would have been very upset. I know because I sometimes get asked medical related questions, and not having a medical license there is a sort of peculiar method to "not give medical advice" but still link people up with things that might answer their question if possible.

Buying a hernia truss was my first experience in a big box store.It was when the stores still stock it .I had it to wear before surgery .But the looks that I received when I was checking it out was very embarrassing.But to this day I still enjoy being strapped into one of these trusses,that now I buy on Amazon..