Is gluten free food only given on prescription to diagnosed coeliacs?

[looseleaf]

Hi
I'm struggling a bit with the extra cost of both our children having to eat gluten and dairy free (eg Genius bread costing £3!) and help to some extent by cooking from scratch etc but it just occurred to me would a GP give us a prescription or is that only if you've had the biopsy?
Dd is so intolerant of wheat after years of pain and diarrhoea and getting nowhere with GPs we saw a private doctor who ran tests and found her severely wheat intolerant . We refused a biopsy as she'd suffered enough and changed diet radically changed her life which was all we wanted to know . DS has been told by NHS team to avoid wheat and dairy too.
Any experience/ advice? I suspect we arent eligible? Many thanks

[looseleaf]

This is all helpful, thanks. We have seen a dietician once. I will also just try and cut back one use of bread but annoyingly DD won't eat porridge ! We make pancakes for breakfast a lot as GF flour goes a long way but getting really bored of them...

[Charmingbaker]

As pps have said prescription food is supposed to only be for people with a confirmed diagnosis of coeliac ( diagnosis can be given on blood tests alone, my DS2 was diagnosed without a biopsy) but I have heard of GPs giving prescriptions to people without a confirmed diagnosis. A family we know used to get them for their son, the mum was quite pushy and persuaded her GP, but he's no longer intolerant so they don't get them now. I think it will be very dependent on your area. Do you see a dietician? A letter from them could help.
Could also be worth taking a list with cost of GF food you buy with the cost of the non-GF equivalent to highlight how expensive it is. I have 2 coeliac DCs and even with their prescriptions I still spend more than I would if they could eat a normal diet.

[Em3978]

I was diagnosed as non-coeliac gluten intolerant, therefore no prescription for me :(

Worth pushing for though, some docs will, some not.

[looseleaf]

Thank you . I might just ask when need to go to GP for something else which might not be for a while! Thanks for answering

[notapizzaeater]

Technically they have to be diagnosed but some doctors have given prescriptions - you can ask but some areas are reducing what you can have and the choice is very limited.