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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to complain about Calpol?

50 replies

LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 19/01/2012 18:48

I want my sick child to stay sick and rest!
Is it too much to ask? She needs it!
Past 38.5 last night I gave some Calpol to my almost 2 yo. She became bonkers and ran all over the place for 2 h and finally went to bed 2 hours later than usual. It is not the 1st time and it did happen again after her nap today.

Most of the recovery is resting and sleeping especially in a small child.

DH calls it children's cocaine, may he is right. Can I have something which will hep the fever and the pain without sending them in another dimension? please!

PS; nurofen is no better except it is not bright pink, but has to be taken on a full stomach . Why on hearth does calpol need to be fluorescent anyway? Confused

OP posts:
NewYearEverything · 19/01/2012 18:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dairymoo · 19/01/2012 18:50

Have you tried the sugar-free one?

leftmymistletoeatthedoor · 19/01/2012 18:50

You can buy own brand stuff?

Tbh neither of my kids have reacted like this and they don't usually need much of an excuse to be hyper!

dairymoo · 19/01/2012 18:50

Mine never go bonkers either....

Kellamity · 19/01/2012 18:51

Calpol sends DD2 to sleep, no idea why! Medised on the other hand sends her crazy!

As NewYear suggests why not try another brand.

NinjaChipmunk · 19/01/2012 18:53

if it is not the first time it has happened why did you not mention it to the pharmacist and see if they could recommend something else she won't react too? Seems like an odd reaction to me, maybe a pharmacist would be able to work out what bit affects her so much?

Original poster
LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 19/01/2012 18:55

All sugar free, docs won't prescribe anything else, panadol, calpol and own brand with paracetamol in it (all look exactly the same just the price changes Hmm)

OP posts:
muddywindydales · 19/01/2012 18:57

Both DS1 & DD get a rash around their mouths if they have calpol.
The only one DD can have is Boots own brand/nurofen strawberry.( We've tried them all Grin)

I would just try another brand TBH.

NinjaChipmunk · 19/01/2012 18:59

a pharmacist would be much more knowledgeable than a GP about what is in each one and reactions that can be caused (sil and bil are both pharmacists), might be worth a try?

minceorotherwise · 19/01/2012 18:59

Neurofen has to be taken on a full stomach ?

Original poster
LeMousquetaireAnonyme · 19/01/2012 19:01

I have some suppository of nevralgyn but not supposed to use them if the temp if below 40 C for more than an hour after them use of both Nurofen (derivative) and Calpol (and derivatives).
I have to go as I decided to let her be for tonight, and cuddle her better unless she spikes above 39c and a bit.
Gahhh

OP posts:
Almostfifty · 19/01/2012 19:53

The whole point of paracetamol is that it takes the temperature down and gets rid of the pain.

So, if they've no temperature and no pain, kids feel better, which means they could well run around.

Ibuprofen is not meant to be taken on an empty stomach, as one of the adverse effects is stomach ulcers.

elliejjtiny · 19/01/2012 19:59

One of dh's cousins had that reaction with calpol. I would have a chat with the pharmacist and ask if there is something else that can be tried.

Mydelilah · 19/01/2012 20:04

I bought some calpol in Boots last week that is colourant-free totally by mistake as I didn't notice it wasn't the usual box (the stuff inside the bottle is chalky white instead of lurid pink) maybe that would work?

amatuermummy · 19/01/2012 20:33

We had the same problem with DD, but now buy colour and sugar free Calpol and she no longer goes hyper!

Sirzy · 19/01/2012 20:35

Just be pleased she hasn't had steroids. DS literally bounces off the walls after them... not good when he is also on oxygen!

Have you tried medinol?

maddening · 19/01/2012 20:40

yabu - calpol has been my hero these last couple of days - fever at 40* gunky eye, obviously feeling v poorly - plus teething 2 molars and discovered a possible 3rd molar today - just hoping he's ok for his 1st birthday party on Saturday! But calpol has helped him sleep and fend off whatever virus he has picked up

maddening · 19/01/2012 20:42

ps understand if dc has a funny reaction - apparently I used to halucinate on benelyn when I was little - doesn't work anymore tho!

MissBetsyTrotwood · 19/01/2012 21:00

We had the generic stuff, Medinol I think, from Pharmacy First and it didn't have this effect on our DC.

It's not necessarily the sugar that can make them hyperactive; I think Calpol contains a preservative called Sodium benzoate. My friend's DS had a bonkers reaction to Calpol and ran around the garden for an hour (I'm not exaggerating.) Her GP told her about the preservative.

As it goes, my GP also advised me to replace open bottles of paracetamol/ibuprofen after 2/3 months. According to him, even if they are stored properly they can go off to the extent that they're not as effective as a fresh bottle.

TruthSweet · 19/01/2012 21:53

Ibuprofen can do nasty things to stomachs - DD2 had unexplained swellings/joint pain (later diagnosed as Arthritis) and was prescribed ibuprofen. In less than 4w of always giving with food/straight after food and only 2 lots of 5mls a day she had gastritis.

For the duration of her arthritis she had to have Omeprazole or Lansoprazole at near adult doses (she was on 20mg omeprazole and when I have had it I have been on 30mg). Luckily she is in remission from it now and doesn't need to take either NSAIDS or proton pump inhibitors but still has nausea at times months down the line.

leftmymistletoeatthedoor · 19/01/2012 22:13

Sirzy - interesting re the stroids. When ds had prednisalone he didn't go hyper at all and I was totally expecting him too because he usually is anyways but he did eat like a horse.

NoHunIntended · 19/01/2012 22:17

You might be interested to read this article: www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/behind_the_label/346400/behind_the_label_calpol.html

LyssaM · 19/01/2012 23:03

Calpol turned ds into the child from hell. That is no exaggeration. He went from a placid, calm toddler (wish he still was as calm) to a raging, tantrumming horror with a scream like a siren.

I don't know if this is right, and you perhaps can check with dr, but I used to give ds a glass of milk, milkshake or some yogurt drink to line the stomach. As ds specialises in running really, really high temperatures, when he was tiny I would have to make the call that the dr had taken his temperature at 40 degrees borderline hospital admission, he needed his temperature to come down, he was already stripped, I would just coax some milk in and in with the nurofen (or generic equivalent). Ds only really started being sick when he started reception, before that he vomited about once a year, so he survived it, but I don't know if it is recommended.

And it didn't matter what colour the calpol was, it was still loopy juice, but he has now grown out of it thank goodness.

marblerye · 19/01/2012 23:10

If she is reacting to one of the additives then you need to shop around to find a different one, a pharmacist will be able to help. It won't be long until she is capable of swallowing a 1/4 tablet. Its pink because paracetamol suspensions go brown over time and the pink masks it.

Boomerwang · 20/01/2012 06:04

Bloody hell you don't need to ask a pharmacist... all these posts are way better than reading the leaflet!

I'm using omeprazole so now I know why the doc tells me not to use ibuprofen any more.

Is Medinol the same as Calpol? For some reason my boss wouldn't have Calpol in the house (respite home) yet was happy with Medinol but I suspected they were pretty much the same thing.

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