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 [email protected]

19/06/2026

“His wife asked me because he was too embarrassed to.”

✨ Our highlight Q&A of this week (on stories every Thursday night) a woman messaged me asking about erectile dysfunction medication for her husband. This week is also Men’s Health Week. This topic is considered “embarrassing” and so not discussed as openly as it should be.

Partners asking this question is a lot more common than you might think.

👉Many men find it difficult to talk about erectile dysfunction, even with their partner, doctor or pharmacist. Thankfully we have very effective medicines available to enjoy and continue intimacy on your terms. This doesn’t just affect the man but their partner and relationship too 💚

But here’s what many people don’t realise.

Erectile dysfunction isn’t always “just erectile dysfunction.”

It can sometimes be linked to:

✔ Diabetes
✔ High blood pressure
✔ High cholesterol
✔ Smoking
✔ Stress and anxiety
✔ Side effects of medicines
✔ Heart disease

In some men, erectile dysfunction can even be an early warning sign that something else needs attention. It’s not just “getting old” as I hear every week in the pharmacy.

👉That’s why pharmacists don’t just hand over treatment and send you on your way.
We ask questions. We look at the bigger picture.

Sometimes we recommend a GP review before treatment is supplied.

If you’re the partner who has been gently encouraging someone to seek help, this is your reminder that these conversations really matter🙏

To the men reading this. You’re definitely not the first person to ask, and you certainly won’t be the last.

❤️ Share this with someone who needs the reminder that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Life is for living to the full. You’re just one chat in a private consultation room away from accessing these medications or the care you need. You’ve nothing to lose.

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️.
⚠️Educational content. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice. .

16/06/2026

Recent shortages of HRT are affecting women globally. As a pharmacist this is very concerning as once a woman is established on a combination that works, stocks quickly go out of the national supply chain.

Vagin@l oestrogen is frequently prescribed to prevent atrophy and dryness “down below”. (I would prefer to use the correct terms but I get banned when I do 🤬)

The benefits of this treatment are very clear and well researched as being safe for most women until her last breath. Even those who have had breast cancer as it stays localised to the vagin@

It helps helps prevent dryness, itchiness, disappearing and thinning of skin down below, reduces painful s€x and frequent UTIs.

Ovest!n cream and Bl!ssel gel are both ESTRIOL products. Neither is as potent as ESTRADIOL like the pessary tablets but are excellent substitutes.

The advantage is they can both be used internally and externally and come with a reusable applicator. Messy and can stain underwear but effective.

Ovest!n is the more potent of the two but if you have a peanut allergy this can cause intense irritation 🐱

Bl!ssel gel has a lovely texture and very well tolerated. Suitable for peanut allergy sufferers. It is not as potent as Ovest!n.

Some women can also choose v@ginal rings that release estradiol and other prescription products that act like hormones. In addition v@ginal moisturisers without medication may be used in addition.

Have you been impacted by these shortages and what combination worked for you?

This situation is far from ideal but there are ways around it in the short term. Please speak with your pharmacist. See what stocks and suggestions they may offer you. We only want what’s best for you. But unfortunately if it’s not in the national supply chain our hands are tied.

If you’re interested in the different types of v@ginal oestrogen then comment INFO and I’ll send you my free guide.

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

⚠️education only. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Summer temperatures are rising and the longest day of the year is fast approaching ☀️But before we all collectively pret...
15/06/2026

Summer temperatures are rising and the longest day of the year is fast approaching ☀️

But before we all collectively pretend we’re in the Mediterranean and invincible, here are a few summer reminders from your friendly pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

Because hot weather, hayfever, medications, dehydration, perimenopause, UTIs and “I’m grand” syndrome can be a messy combination 😅

A few things worth remembering:

☀️ Hayfever meds are not one size fits all
☀️ Perimenopause symptoms can feel worse in heat
☀️ Some medicines can make dizziness, dehydration or sweating more noticeable
☀️ UTIs absolutely love summer
☀️ Not every symptom should be brushed off as “just the heat”

Please stop ignoring symptoms ❤️

You are brilliant at looking after everyone else.

You deserve the same energy back.

I’ve made a 🆓 Pharmacist’s Summer Health Red Flags Checklist with symptoms women commonly dismiss, dehydration clues, UTI red flags, heart symptoms in women and signs it might be worth checking in with a healthcare professional.

👇 Comment SUMMER and I’ll send it to you

Which one of these reminders did YOU need to see today the most? Let me know in the comments.

Save this for the next heatwave ☀️and send it to the woman in your life who always says “I’m grand” 😏

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

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

12/06/2026

✨Tyvense is a medication regularly prescribed for patients diagnosed with ADHD amongst others.
It is this week’s highlight question of the week from Thursday night’s Q&A.

Medication for neurodivergent patients is very individualised and requires tweaking with different combinations to find what’s best for you.

Did you know you can speak with your pharmacist for personalised advice on the timing and options available on what might help?

👉If you would like to join in on my Ask Tom Q&A, I answer a variety of health and medicines questions on stories every Thursday night. Be sure to follow so you don’t miss out.

💚If you know someone struggling with their prescription medication share this so they know they have options and advice is available.

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️.
⚠️General advice only. Always ask your own doctor and pharmacist. .

11/06/2026

🚨 Thinking of taking berberine? Please watch this first.
You may have heard berberine being called “nature’s Ozempic” or the “natural alternative” for blood sugar support and weight loss.

There is some evidence it may help support blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity in certain people.

👉Just because something is “natural” does not mean it’s risk free.

⚠️Berberine can interact with some medicines and may increase side effects or affect how well your medicines work.

This is especially important if you take medicines for:
💊 Blood sugar/diabetes
💊 Blood pressure
💊 Cholesterol
💊 Blood thinning medicines
💊 Some immune or transplant medicines

I’m not saying berberine is “bad.” I’m saying please treat supplements with the same respect as medicines and double check them first🙏

👉Supplements are not regulated like prescription medication. Different strengths in different batches. Quality control can differ. Filler ingredients added. It can be the Wild West out there.

👇 I’ve created a FREE pharmacist checklist of frequently used medicines to double check before taking berberine. This list is not exhaustive so please always check with your pharmacist first 🙏

Comment BERBERINE and I’ll send it to you.

📌 Save this for later and share with someone who loves supplements or has been curious about berberine.

And if you like practical, evidence based health & medicines advice without the nonsense, give me a follow 💚

Now tell me honestly. Have you ever assumed a supplement was automatically safe because it was “natural”?

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

⚠️Educational content only. Always consult your own doctor or pharmacist .

❤️ When we think of heart symptoms, most of us picture someone dramatically clutching their chest in pain. But in women ...
10/06/2026

❤️ When we think of heart symptoms, most of us picture someone dramatically clutching their chest in pain. But in women it’s not always that obvious.

As part of my weekly ‘The Wellness Prescription’ series where prevention is better than cure, it’s important to recognise heart attack symptoms developing as early as possible.

A recent review published in the European Heart Journal highlighted that women are more likely to experience atypical heart attack symptoms, meaning symptoms that don’t always look like the classic crushing chest pain we expect.

Instead, symptoms may sometimes be mistaken for:
⚠️ stress
⚠️ anxiety
⚠️ indigestion/reflux
⚠️ exhaustion
⚠️ menopause symptoms

Women may experience symptoms like unusual fatigue, breathlessness, nausea, dizziness, jaw, teeth,neck, shoulder or upper back pain, cold sweats or tight chest pressure (not always severe pain).

🩷Comment HEART and I’ll send you my pharmacist symptom checklist for heart attacks in women.
Please feel free to save this far and wide.

👉Men are more likely to experience the “classic” symptoms we expect, such as central chest pain or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. But men can also experience less typical symptoms too.

❤️Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in Ireland, so recognising symptoms matters. Heart attacks affect men and women equally.

🚨 Most symptoms are not a heart attack. But if symptoms are sudden, severe, unusual for you or just don’t feel right, don’t ignore them. PLEASE call for an ambulance immediately.

💬 Would you have recognised these symptoms? Let me know in the comments.

Share this with your friend group, mum, sister or relative so we can help spread the word and save lives 💕.

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️.
⚠️General advice only. Please speak with your doctor or pharmacist for personalised advice. .

09/06/2026

“Why does my brain suddenly feel broken?” 💭

If you’ve suddenly found yourself feeling scattered, overwhelmed, forgetful or emotionally reactive in your 40s. You are absolutely not alone.

As a pharmacist, I’m noticing more and more women in perimenopause asking questions like:

🌀 “Why can’t I focus anymore?”
🌀 “Why am I suddenly so overwhelmed?”
🌀 “Why does everything feel harder than it used to?”

And for some women, this leads to an important question.
Could it be more than just perimenopause?

Fluctuating and declining oestrogen levels can affect dopamine, attention, memory and emotional regulation. For some women, this may make underlying ADHD symptoms more noticeable or worsen struggles that have always quietly been there. Women are particularly good at masking these symptoms but when the oestrogen shield slips, this becomes more challenging.

👉This does NOT mean every woman in perimenopause has ADHD.

But if this feels familiar, especially if these struggles feel lifelong, it may be worth a conversation with your GP or specialist ❤️

So why are there so many women being diagnosed with ADHD during perimenopause? Same reason we suddenly found more stars after we invented telescopes 🔭

I’ve created a FREE GP conversation checklist with reflective questions & trusted resources to help you feel more prepared.
Comment CHECKLIST and I’ll send it to you 👇

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️
⚠️General advice only. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalised advice.

08/06/2026

Supporting your local pharmacy is free!
Every review. Every time you tell a friend. Every time you share our content. Word of mouth allows us to thrive and serve you better.

To the amazing people who ask how can they support me. THIS is how 🙌

We see every single one and honestly it makes our day 🥰

As independent pharmacies are becoming outnumbered and swallowed by chains, this kind of support makes all the difference 🙏

We are a small family owned pharmacy and my team grew up around here or live locally. Including with me 🤣. My wife and kids all play a part. When we deliver your medication locally, it will always be one of us. Someone you can trust.

Balally Pharmacy is getting a glow up this summer. Not to look like every other pharmacy.
But to maintain our unique difference.

More consultation areas. More face to face free advice. More Common Conditions Service appointment times (for prescribing for 8 conditions). More vaccination times.

We want to bring you more clinical services. Evidence based advice not just online but face to face for all.

Watch this space!

Thank you so much for all your support 🥰

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️

05/06/2026

✨Collagen and joint pain is this week’s highlight question Ask Tom Q&A on stories this week. .

👉Collagen has no strong evidence based research to back it up. The research often quoted is paid for by the manufacturers. Our own bodies make all the collagen we need if we nourish it with protein and vitamin C through food.

🦅For me it is preying on women going through perimenopause and menopause. Hope in a bottle.

👉The reality is that during hormonal fluctuations, all aspects of a woman’s body are affected. It is not just a reproductive change.

👉So joint linings, muscles, brain, heart, bones, your gut and mucous membranes are all affected in addition to reproductive organs and processes.

👉 middle section abdominal weight can also increase during this transition. We know that increased weight may lead to additional joint strain. HRT, exercise and exercise are all proven to help.

👉HRT is not a one time only consultation with your doctor. It’s individualised care based on your symptoms. Especially during the wildly fluctuating hormonal events of perimenopause. So if joint pains are an issue for you, ask your doctor for help. It may involve tweaking your HRT. It may involve other medication. But it more than likely won’t be over the counter or in a supplement. Remember HRT is free in Ireland.

I have other reels on collagen and HRT if you want to see more with lots of free guides.

If you have been tempted to try collagen to ease joint pain during perimenopause ,let me know in the comments. I’ll try to answer any questions I can.

Follow for more pharmacist’s advice and be sure to send this to anyone tempted to try collagen!

I hope this helps?

Tom the Pharmacist 🧑‍⚕️.
⚠️Advice only. Always consult your own doctor or pharmacist.

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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