Problems with sex, intimate infections and haemorrhoids are among the health issues that people in Sweden find hardest to discuss at a pharmacy. A new survey from Apotek Hjärtat suggests some customers leave questions unasked even when a pharmacist may be able to help.
One reason appears to be the belief that a problem is unusual or that nobody else has it. Annika Svedberg, chief pharmacist at Apotek Hjärtat, told TV4 that pharmacy staff regularly discuss issues such as haemorrhoids, fungal infections, intimate hygiene and the effects of medicines on people’s sex lives.
Medicines and their effects on sex
One of the difficult subjects identified in the survey concerns the effect of prescription medicines on sex drive and sexual function.
Svedberg told TV4 that antidepressants, some hormone-related medicines and certain blood pressure medicines can affect sexual desire or function.
For antidepressants, Sweden’s national healthcare service 1177 confirms that sexual side effects can occur. These may include reduced sex drive or difficulty reaching orgasm.
However, suspected side effects are not a reason to stop prescribed treatment without medical advice. According to 1177, patients taking antidepressants should follow their doctor’s instructions and should not change the dose or stop treatment on their own. A doctor may decide that the dose should be adjusted or that another medicine is more suitable.
A pharmacy can also be a place to ask questions before contacting a doctor. Apotek Hjärtat says its pharmacists can answer questions about how medicines should be taken, whether different medicines can be combined and how to recognise whether treatment is working as intended.
Thrush and intimate problems can be difficult to discuss
Intimate health is another area where customers may feel uncomfortable asking for help.
Questions about fungal infections, itching, irritation or intimate hygiene may be delayed because the person feels embarrassed. But symptoms that appear similar can have different causes.
Some treatments for vaginal thrush are available without prescription in Sweden. However, self-treatment is not always the right option.
According to 1177, vaginal thrush can often be treated with non-prescription medicines when the symptoms are typical.
1177 advises contacting a healthcare centre, known in Sweden as a vårdcentral, if non-prescription treatment does not help, if a person is unsure whether the symptoms are actually caused by thrush, or if the infection occurs more than twice within six months.
This is important because itching, burning and irritation in the genital area are not unique to fungal infections. Repeatedly treating symptoms as thrush without knowing the cause may therefore delay the correct assessment.
Haemorrhoids are common, but bleeding should be checked
Haemorrhoids and anal itching are also among the problems many people find difficult to talk about.
An earlier survey carried out by Kantar Public for Apotek Hjärtat found that 22 per cent of people surveyed in Sweden had experienced haemorrhoids during the previous five years.
The survey was based on 4,200 interviews with people aged 18 to 79 in Sweden. It was conducted in January 2023, according to information published by ICA Gruppen.
Haemorrhoids can cause bleeding, itching and a burning sensation around the anus, but not every symptom in this area should automatically be assumed to be caused by haemorrhoids.
1177 advises contacting a vårdcentral if blood appears during a bowel movement and the cause is unknown. This also applies to people who have had haemorrhoids before.
Immediate medical attention is recommended when there is heavy bleeding or severe pain.
Anal itching can also have several causes. 1177 lists dry or irritated skin among the common explanations, while haemorrhoids, infections and other conditions can also cause problems in the area.
Pharmacist: “We have heard it all”
Svedberg says the embarrassment is mainly felt by customers, rather than the pharmacy staff answering their questions.
“We have heard it all,” she told TV4.
For experienced pharmacy employees, questions that customers may consider highly personal are part of normal working life.
There is also a legal framework behind pharmacy advice in Sweden.
Under the Swedish Patient Safety Act, pharmacy staff who dispense medicines or provide advice and information about them are included within the definition of healthcare personnel.
The law also contains confidentiality provisions for private healthcare. Healthcare personnel must not improperly disclose information they have received about a person’s health or other private circumstances.
A pharmacy does not replace a doctor or other healthcare provider. Part of a pharmacist’s role may instead be recognising when self-care is appropriate and when symptoms need to be assessed by healthcare professionals.
Embarrassment may make illegal medicine sellers more attractive
Svedberg also warned about another possible consequence of avoiding difficult conversations.
Someone unwilling to ask a pharmacist or doctor about an embarrassing problem may instead search online for a quick solution. That can lead to websites or social media advertisements selling medicines outside Sweden’s legal pharmacy system.
The problem is already on the radar of Swedish authorities.
In February 2026, Läkemedelsverket reported that 35 per cent of people in a Novus survey said they had seen an advertisement for a medicine on social media during the previous 12 months that they suspected was a scam.
Four per cent said they had at some point bought a medicine through a social media advertisement that later turned out to be fraudulent.
The Swedish Medical Products Agency warns that products offered through fraudulent advertisements are not necessarily approved or controlled. Criminal sellers may also misuse the names, logos or images of authorities and other trusted organisations to make advertisements appear legitimate.
A private conversation with a pharmacist can be arranged
People who do not want to discuss an intimate problem at an open pharmacy counter have other options.
Apotek Hjärtat offers free personal medicine consultations with a licensed pharmacist.
The meeting normally lasts around 15 minutes and takes place in a more private setting. Customers can discuss how their medicines should be taken, possible side effects, factors that may affect treatment and other questions.
The service is available at almost all Apotek Hjärtat pharmacies. The chain also says medicine advice can be obtained through other channels, including telephone and chat.
For sensitive health problems, the important distinction is therefore not whether a question feels embarrassing. It is whether the problem can safely be handled through self-care and pharmacy advice, or whether the symptoms require assessment by a healthcare provider.
