Special Needs: Living In The Philippines
If you are one that has special needs, living in the Philippines becomes a bit more of a challenge. The range of products here is lacking. In my case, its not a massive problem. These are small things but problems none the less.
Special Needs and The Philippines
For me, one of the biggest problems has been detergent. Nothing I find here works perfect for me. Amway’s does the best but it burns me badly behind the knees. The over the counter stuff, on the other hand, has me itching from head to toe and chemical burns here and there. 
I’ve got sores all over my arms and legs where I have been clawing away, mostly in my sleep.
Sleep has been difficult because of the itching. Benadryl helps with the sleep and gives me some relief from the itching as well. Oh, I had to buy the benedryl from the USA. I think it has to be here, but under another name.
In order to take benadryl, I had to stop one of my prescribed medications that helps to relieve muscle cramps. This medication is not my preferred medication. I had to use it instead of what I had taken for many years because its not available in the Philippines.
The Amway detergent is more than 80 miles away and we didn’t get it this month because of a budgeting mistake I made last month. A big one. 
We all do it from time to time.
Living in the province.
Living out in the province, makes it harder to get hard to find things. I can’t even buy a cigar here. Another 80 mile trip. For the most part, I stopped smoking during the first week of this month. I’ve had two cigars since then. And I didn’t enjoy those. So I’ll smoke my last one but not likely to buy any more. Perhaps the cigars I buy in Cebu are not of the same quality I buy from the manufacturer. I don’t know. I think they may be old.
I don’t think these problems are enough to ruin my stay here, but that’s probably up to one’s own outlook. I’m having the time of my life. Right now, that’s on pause as getting hot is out of the question. Its temporary! This post is not meant to be a criticism of the Philippines either. Its meant to be an alert the kind of things you need to prepare your mind for.
Talk to me, have you been able to find Benadryl? Maybe it has another name, surely its here. What problems have you encountered, major or minor. If you’re in a wheel chair tell us about that. What special needs have you found it hard to fill, while living in the Philippines as an expat?
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Hi Rusty,
I see the Mercury Drugs website has four (4) listings for Benadryl on their “Drug Search” page https://www.mercurydrug.com/drugsearch/index.html . Not too sure if any these are of help as I don’t use or need it.
I’m gonna guess they don’t have it in my little city since Jessie asked for it. But they might have it in Cebu City. Thanks!
Rusty,
The working ingredient of Benadryl is diphenhydramine. When you go to a drugstore in the Philippines, just ask for the ingredient. They will find the right medicine for you, probably under another name.
Thanks Jan, Should have thought of that. Figured it would be here. I bought four bottles when I was buying something else.
I suspect I can get that, even out in the Province.
Hey Rusty,
Thank god that you have started writing again. I have been asking around to see if you were o.k. I even emailed Joe Bogo on his site to see if he had heard from you Anyway, im glad to see that your back writing and i hope that everything is good there. The military is taking their time with my medical discharge, but hopefully i will see you in the philippines some time next year. I do still plan on moving there eventually, after i try it out by living there about six months or so.
It’s nice to hear from you again Rusty. You take care and i look forward to reading more of your adventures as you have time to write about them.
I wrote an article on HeyJoe.ph recently as well.
Can’t go any where right now but should have new detergent soon.
Hey Rus, welcome back! We missed you!
Try these following names: They are the other names for Benadryl.
AllerMax, Compoz Gel Caps, Diphenhist Captabs, Dormin, Genahist, Midol PM, Miles Nervine,
They are just some of the trade names for Benadryl. The ones above is not comprehensive. There are 100s of trade names.
Thanks Christine, didn’t know Midol had in it, guess that’s why its PM.
I’ve got lots of it for now. But that info will come in handy in the future.
I am from America originally. I now live in Digos. I have trouble walking because of back problems and badly hurting knee. i use cane to get around and take folding chair and sit down every few minutes. My wife has a problem where her bones are slowly dissolving. On x-rays there is normally black and white. WHere the bones are on hers it is gray with a few holes clear through showing no bone at all. the x-rays showed at the time she had some broken bones and where several had healed in past. SHe can barely walk at all now. I keep asking around for a used wheel chair. People say they have seen places in Davao that sell them but no one ever tells me where they are. i would like to get a used one if possible for my wife to use. The church is two doors away but she can not walk that far. If I had a wheel chair I could push or pull her to church. She has not been able to go for a few months now with her problem. I some one could help us out of this, it would be greatly appreciated. We have no vehicle at all and have to rely on others to get around. If some one could get one cheaply and deliver it I would be glad to pay them for it. I just applied for my permanent residence a few weeks ago. Hope it goes through okay.
I live in Cebu and have never been to Mindanao. I don’t have any info to help you. Hopefully a reader will. Have you been to http//www.liveinthephilippines.com. That webmaster may be able to help you as he lives in Davao. Hopefully someone here will be able to help.
Will try looking into that site. Thanks for the info.
Marvin
@marvin
Wheel chairs are widely available in the Philippines. Go to a medical supply store. Ask around where they are.
Here in Manila the price for a new wheel chair is from 1200 pesos and up.
Often sensitivities to detergents are actually being sensitive to the nasty perfumes in them. Most perfumes are made from very toxic metals. Try an unscented laundry soap. Better yet if you can find it try washing soda (Sodium carbonate) in a real pinch you can use baking soda (Sodium BI-carbonate) but its a lot more work to get clothes clean with it especially if you don’t have a washing machine and hot water.
We made a couple trips to Cebu a few months back and found Arm & Hammer unscented laundry soap at the big mall grocery. Both times they told us they carry washing soda too but were out. If you find some washing soda I would be thrilled if you could ship me a case I’d even pay a reasonable handling fee in addition to cost through Western Union or some such. I am very sensitive to scents and some to soaps too so really do need some. Almost out of the unscented soap now and I often have to make them re-rinse with it. Washing soda I have no problem with.
John H
Rusty,
I used to get skin rashes and stuff and its true that its in the detergent used for washing clothes. My dermatologist said, no detergent, soap flakes (unscented) only. No soap on skin or body wash either! Use something like Cetaphil, its a brand name here in Oz but I have got it in PI at times too. Go to the big pharmacies in the malls. Never had a problem since. Also, dont use hair shampoo and just wash with water. Sounds crazy but it works as the body’s natural oils come back and your hair, whats left of it, looks good and smells ok. It takes about six weeks to get back to natural. Those hair washes are a big con job. Also the hair has stopped running away down my back. LOL!