anti-histamine - how do you carry yours?

[autumnmum]

My DS (5) has cold urticaria and has to be given anti-histamine as and when he has an allergic reaction, which is often at this time of the year. As a result I am weighed down with bottles of citirizine in every bag. As nobody seems to make anti-histamines in sachets can I ask hat do the rest of you do? Should I just use it as an excuse to buy bigger handbags?

I'm just feeling a bit fed up because his allergy seems worse at the moment. I am also fed up of having to explain it to people who think I am nuts when I tell them DS is allergic to the cold.

I don't think your nuts, a friend of mine is the same, must admit I didn't believe her at first though

the only thing I can suggest is a medipac bag, I'm getting one to carry my Dd inhaler and spacer in, but it doesn't make it any less bulky I'm afraid I'll link it when I can log in from the website rather than on my phone!

medpac are our favourite too

There are some useful bits here, including small plastic bottles for antihistamine which I measure in 10ml and then take on day trips, put in ballet bag, swim bag etc
www.alwaysreadthelabel.info

I have cut a blister pack of piriton and carry 3/4 in my wallet. If the need arrises, I break one in half and give it to dd with water, its usually crumbed from the break. So tastes not great but she takes it if the swelling strikes.

I had bottles of piriton everywhere just going out of date.

Just a word of warning about using tablets instead of medicine, they don't work as fast so are not normally recommended for those with severe allergic reactions. Tablets are better for preventing allergies (eg hayfever) or for dealing with ongoing allergies but not for allergic reactions.

After a tip from a fellow Mumsnetter I ordered these from ebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110391691222?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Don't know if the link works but the seller is called baffcat and it's an 8ml plastic leakproof tiny bottle. I keep a couple with the epi pens we also have to carry.

Thanks for the helpful replies. I shall be stocking up on tiny bottles and orange bags to put them in. Now all I need is someone to make an allergy bracelet with a snowflake on it and we'll be sorted :)

item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=121049783620&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=49299844568 I have these bottles. My only gripe is that they leak in an aeroplane due to the pressure. They are fine for everyday use though

Just ask at the chemist when you are collecting prescription if they can give you a couple of small medicine bottles to dispense some into.

Just wondered if anyone has asked GlaxoSmithKline recently whether they would consider manufacturing sachets / smaller bottles? I found various petitions when I googled it but mostly pre-dating 2010, can't find anything recent. I have e-mailed them so will report back if I get a response but just wondered if I'm wasting my time.

Sorry, another question - if you ask at the pharmacy for small bottles, will they label those bottles for you? I waste so much Piriton with a bottle at school and two at nursery which then go out of date, often before they've ever been used, but they (understandably) insist on only keeping properly labelled medication.

seagulls I know someone who works for the company and was bending their ear about it recently. They were asking if I thought there would be enough demand. Surely there must be!?

Just found this reply to the petition which probably answers that... Oh well...

yes they will (tho may depend on ur pharmacy) and it will all fit nicely in an allergy pack or small first aid bag to keep everything together x

Maz/ukey, thanks for this. Shouldn't be a problem if they will label the small bottles then.

Update - response from GSK re Piriton in sachets. I've seen others posting the same wording from last year so this must now be the stock response.
"We have been reviewing in detail the possibility to launch Piriton in sachets since 2008, when we received a number of consumer enquiries on this.

Before any changes can be made to a medicinal product’s packaging there are several regulatory and manufacturing requirements that must be met, including assessing the stability of the product in a different packaging format. Unfortunately, our investigations recently concluded that the current formulation is not suitable for packing in a sachet format. In order to be able to put Piriton Syrup in a sachet this would involve changing it from its current formulation, which would be an extremely lengthy process. Unfortunately we are not in a position to do this at this point in time.

However, we recognise that there is an interest for alternative formats, and we are committed to looking at these as part of our ongoing plans for the brand.

I hope that this information is of help to you and thank you for taking the time to contact us."