Balally Pharmacy

Balally Pharmacy Independent family run pharmacy located in Sandyford Dublin 16. Tom McKenna is the Pharmacist owner since 2014.

We have a wonderful highly qualified team instore. I have over 30 years experience and I’m a dad of four. Vaccine Information: email vaccines@balallypharmacy.ie

09/04/2026

Detox products flaunted on social media are a gimmick. There I said it.
Your liver and kidneys are perfectly capable of doing the job of "detoxing" you. That's their job. If they're not functioning correctly then you need a hospital and some specialist medical teams.

As a pharmacist, most "detox" teas available in Ireland are just blends of:
• Liquorice
• Dandelion
• lemon
• Green tea extract
• Milk thistle
⚠️Some contain turmeric & black pepper extract

These may cause
• Water loss
• Or at worst interference with medication absorption
On their own these ingredients are mild but add in prescription medication, daily use or higher concentrations and these ingredients can

👉Raise blood pressure
👉Affect potassium levels
👉Reduce how well your meds work

What is riskier are detox supplements designed for weight loss. An unregulated market.
They contain SENNA, a stimulant laxative. So diarrhoea but your medication passes through you too quickly. Medicines like contraceptives and HRT will be affected.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL binds medication so the drug has a harder job of getting into your bloodstream to work.

🍃 Natural does not always mean safe
Your liver and kidneys already detox your body every single day safely. You don't need these products but if you do choose to use them please be aware of what you're buying.

Most people don't realise, that's why I made this checklist on potential drug interactions. Just comment DETOX and I'l send it to you.
Were you aware of the side effects of detox teas?
Share this with a friend who may not be in the know or save for future reference

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist

General advice only. Always consult your own pharmacist in relation to your medication.

08/04/2026

GLP-1s are powerful prescription only weight loss medications with side effects💊

💚In this edition of ‘The Wellness Prescription’, my weekly series on prevention is better than cure, I want to explain some of the pitfalls when it comes to GLP-1s.

You’re probably aware of brands like Ozempic & Mounjaro. There are many available.
They are very effective at preventing or limiting many serious conditions like heart disease, strokes and joint conditions amongst many other health conditions. However benefits must always outweigh the risks.

As a pharmacist I see patients eager to lose the weight after every diet failed before,not using the pen as intended 😱

That’s when some nasty side effects start for many. Nausea. Headaches. Constipation. Hair loss. Muscle loss. Sagging skin. Amongst others. These are the ones I see daily.

Thankfully prevention is very possible 🙏.
•Get expert advice on how to inject safely and a consultation on the best way to effectively use your GLP-1 from your pharmacist.
•Know what to eat to maintain good health.
•Use this time to change your eating, hydration and exercise habits to maximise your results and minimise side effects. This will stand to you when you finish the medication.
•muscle strengthening is non negotiable. It helps your metabolism burn more but also prevents your muscles wasting 💪

👉The number one issue I see with patients on a GLP-1 is believing they are chasing total appetite suppression 😱. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s dangerous both mentally and physically.

👉My advice is use the lowest dose possible just to quieten the food noise. Eat well, exercise more and change your habits. Slow and steady wins the race 🐌

💬 I have a free GLP-1 guide for anyone starting out or who needs a reminder. Just comment GLP and I’ll send it over.

Share this with a friend who may need some expert help right now or save this for future reference!

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist.

⚠️General advice only. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist

07/04/2026

Do you think HRT doesn’t work for you? Tried it and it didn’t ease your symptoms? Or your skin reacted badly to the adhesive on HRT patches so you figured that was it?

As a pharmacist I come across this every day in my pharmacy. Many women are under the impression that HRT is one doctor’s appointment. One prescription.

👉Let me be very clear. The reality is the majority of women go through many different versions of HRT products! You are not “weird” needing to trial different doses and products. HRT is a menu of options. Not a set meal. Starting doses will also be the lowest available.

👉In fact as perimenopause and menopause progress, the dose will be changed quite a few times. This is because your own natural hormones are declining over time. HRT is just supplementing what you’re losing.

Your skin can change too. The product you may have started with without a reaction can become more sensitive as time goes on. So you may have liked a patch for a year. Then it may require a switch to a gel or spray.

Just know HRT therapy is a process. You will get to know and understand your body better too. What helps. What doesn’t.

A good relationship with your doctor and pharmacist can make this process so much better 🙏. Talk to me. We can figure this out together.

💬 If you would like a free list of commonly prescribed types of HRT just comment HRT and I’ll ping it to your DMs.

Tell me I’m curious after this morning’s chat. Have you tried more than one type of HRT or dose? Let’s normalise these changes for women just starting out.

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist

⚠️General advice only. Always discuss with your pharmacist and prescribing doctor .

Social media got me! Never in a million years did I see myself hold it in the esteem I do now.👉In a world swamped with d...
06/04/2026

Social media got me! Never in a million years did I see myself hold it in the esteem I do now.
👉In a world swamped with dangerous and incorrect health and medicine information, I have really found my groove after 34 years as a community pharmacist. Sharing evidence based information has made a huge impact to so many and to me too😊

💚I do the research so you don’t have to.

👉I can honestly see how easy it is for anyone to fall victim to the false information and marketing machines behind various supplements. Sad thing is you’re also paying for the marketing. Not just the supplement.

So if you want to stay up to date with a variety of different health topics during the week, then follow for more 🙌

👉I post actively on my feed and in stories with
Tom’s Tips and Ask Tom on Thursdays.

Have you ever been lured to buy a supplement and later realise it was useless or even dangerous? Let me know!

⚠️I am very strongly anti sponsored ads and affiliate links. Endorsing a product for payment is not unbiased healthcare advice in my personal opinion. As a health professional it is disingenuous. So anything I recommend is what has worked for me, my family or patients have benefited and let me know.

Hope to see you soon

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

04/04/2026

Happy Easter 🐣

I’ll be sad to see the end of mini egg season but onwards and upwards 🤣💪

Enjoy your weekend 🌸☀️🍫

Tom the Pharmacist

⚠️Many mini eggs were harmed during the making of this reel as it took countless retakes. Couldn’t seem to get the shots on the first take for some reason. May they RIP 🙏

03/04/2026

🌱 Turmeric supplement use while taking tamoxifen.
This is our highlight question of the week from this week’s Ask Tom Q&A every Thursday night.

Just because turmeric is natural does not make it harmless. Supplements containing turmeric frequently also contain black pepper extract. The two “natural” supplements increase the potency and potential of side effects in many medications.

👉I have another reel on these interactions which I will link 🔗

Turmeric supplements have many known interactions with prescription medications 💊

👉Tamoxifen is a powerful medication. With life preserving benefits against certain breast cancers and treatment after breast cancer intervention. Heavily researched. Prescribed only by specialists. The highest and most vigorous oversight during manufacturing.

👉Turmeric in a supplement is used for antiinflammatory and antioxidant benefits. No quality control. No regulation. What it says on the package doesn’t mean that’s what you’re consuming 😱. That applies to all supplements.

If you would like a free checklist of other medication interactions with turmeric just comment LIST and I’ll send it over.

💚I cover a wide variety of different health & medication questions throughout the week.
Follow for more evidence based no nonsense updates.

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

⚠️General advice only. Always consult your own doctor or pharmacist for personalised advice.

02/04/2026

Hair loss in women is probably one of the biggest beauty fears I encounter every day as a pharmacist.
• Hair loss is a medical, hormonal, stress or nutritional problem. It needs review by your doctor and some blood tests.
It is often caused by what is WRONG in your body, NOT what's missing.
- These are 5 things that are NOT helping your hair to grow:
1) Supplements containing collagen, zinc, caffeine capsules or MSM ( Methylsulfonylmethane). None have evidence to prove they have an effect on hair growth and very few people are deficient from a normal diet anyway. Expensive urine.
2) Biotin, Iron, Ashwagandha & Saw Palmetto can interfere with blood test results and mask real medical issues. Dangerous to self supplement.
3) Rosemary, castor and pumpkin seed oils : poor scientific evidence and can cause dermatitis of the scalp resulting in increased hair loss.
4) Marine protein powders : still just protein! Protein from real food provides more micronutrients and less unnecessary ingredients
5) Hormone Balancing Supplements: These contain
"natural" herbs and expensive largely unnecessary multivitamins. Natural does not necessarily mean safe as some ingredients can interact with prescription medications
👉Hair loss requires a doctor's intervention to to detect issues not self supplementing or self treating. Address the cause not the symptoms.
• Low iron
• Thyroid issues
• Hormonal Changes : eg postpartum and perimenopause and menopause.
• Restricted Diets: less protein and calories, GLP1 causing appetite suppression, crash diets, eating disorders.
•Stress and chronic illness
• Sleep deprivation
So the solution to reversing hair loss?
1) Doctor review with blood tests to find out a medical cause before masking results.
2) Real food! Increase your protein and fibre. Lots of whole foods. A dietitian is invaluable here.
3) Some good evidence that topical Minoxidil is effective.
4) prescription medications are available

If you want my FREE guide to hair loss just comment HAIR and I'll send it over to you.

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist

⚠️For general advice only.

# glp1

As a pharmacist for 34 years, many women I see with repeat UTIs are being treated with antibiotics but not routinely adv...
01/04/2026

As a pharmacist for 34 years, many women I see with repeat UTIs are being treated with antibiotics but not routinely advised on prevention.

👉not just tips and tricks. I mean addressing the importance of ostrogen in preventing recurrent UTIs. Especially as women get older from menopause onwards.

In my weekly prevention is better than cure series
'The Wellness Prescription' I share evidence based ways to avoid seeing me frequently!

🛑We are overusing antibiotics for something we can often prevent from happening.
In older women the risk of a UTI can become fatal from sepsis very rapidly. Causing confusion and considerable pain.

This is thankfully avoidable, well researched and recommended by trusted health organisations.

👉Fortunately longterm vaginal ostrogen can be used safely in most women to help UTIs and increase comfort. There is no birthday end date! It's always risk v benefit based. Specifically for you.

👉f you would like my pharmacist's UTI
checklist with some red flags, when to seek help and tips and tricks, just comment UTI. I think you'll find it useful.

🙏Share this with a friend who may not be aware of the importance of vaginal ostrogen. Not just for prevention of discomfort and itchiness. But for preventative health care.

As always, I'm a firm believer in prevention being better than cure. I see the downside daily in my pharmacy.

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist

⚠️For general advice only. Always ask your own doctor or pharmacist for advice specifically for you.

31/03/2026

If you think your HRT patch isn't helping, try these top 4 pro tips first before considering your options.

The HRT patches consistently give the most steady and reliable dose of medication throughout the day.

But technique is key to success.
1. Your skin is the vital component of success. You want to eliminate any barrier for the medication to make its way to your bloodstream to work. The cleaner your skin the better. Avoid moisturising shower gels on the area where the patch will go. Dry thoroughly. Even a quick blast from the hairdryer.
2. Lotions and potions are the enemy! Just in the area where you will position the patch. They create a barrier for the drug to work as researched and deemed effective. This includes fake tan
Sec
Controversial I know. But fake tan stays within the upper skin layers for days. You can still fake tan.
Just not in the area of the patch.
3. The tricky part. Avoiding touching the sticky side of the patch. This is crucial. Make sure your fingers are very clean with soapy water. Fingerprints are the enemy. If your patch has a natural split down the centre, like estradot, bend the patch in half so the cover naturally opens. Then use your nail or a tweezers on the corner of the cover to remove.
Stick this side down firmly. Fold back the other protected side and repeat.

4. The drug is contained within the adhesive on the patch. The better you can stick the patch, the more of the drug available to absorb. My pro tips are : a) warm the patch between your palms before removing the protective cover. b) warm and dry your skin with a hairdryer briefly. C) once you apply your patch, make sure you squeeze out all the air so the whole patch is in contact with your skin. Then a quick blast from the hairdryer again and/or place your palm over the patch to increase the heat and press the patch down further

Comment PATCH and I'II send you over my free guide to your DMs.

👉What are your top tips for applying HRT patches?
Let me know as every day we learn from each other.

Hope this helps? Save for reference !

Tom the Pharmacist.

⚠️General advice only. Please discuss with your own doctor or pharmacist.

Covid booster time again! This is a short duration booster programme by the HSE for 6 weeks. We commence vaccination Wed...
31/03/2026

Covid booster time again! This is a short duration booster programme by the HSE for 6 weeks.

We commence vaccination Wednesday 15/04/2026 at 2pm until stocks last. Expected completion date is 30/05/2026.

Who is eligible?

🌸Those 80 years and older.

🌸Pregnant women.

🌸Immunocompromised over age 12.

Walk in service Tuesday to Saturdays

Free parking outside the door with disabled parking.

Many of you may be packing the suitcases for a well deserved holiday. Ever wonder what OTC medications a pharmacist migh...
30/03/2026

Many of you may be packing the suitcases for a well deserved holiday. Ever wonder what OTC medications a pharmacist might pack ?

Yes you can buy all of these products worldwide. But when you need something NOW, hunting down a pharmacy is not a top priority.

My pro tip is that for your basic medications, holidays are not the ideal time to try something new! If you’ve found an antihistamine that works for you at home, stick with that one. For children in particular, even liquid paracetamol can taste very different in foreign countries. Enough that the child won’t take it! ( Been there done that 😱).

I have put together my preferred pharmacy OTC medication shopping list for you. Comment LIST and I’ll ping it over to you.

Remember to order your prescription medication in plenty of time before your trip! Now that’s a much bigger problem to solve when you’re away 😜

What’s your go to medication to bring on holiday that you can’t live without? Let me know!

Save this for your next trip so you don’t end up with google translate and a game of charades in the local pharmacy 🤣

Hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️
⚠️These are my personal preferences only. Not all medication is suitable for all so always consult your own pharmacist before you purchase.

Address

Sandyford Shopping Centre, Blackthorn Drive Sandyford D16V2P 5
Dublin
D16V2P5

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 7pm
Thursday 8:30am - 7pm
Friday 8:30am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+35312954084

Website

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