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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get formula on prescription?

127 replies

Insanityismymiddlename · 04/10/2013 15:12

I can't work out if IABU or if my Doctor is so would like opinions.

My DD was diagnosed by HV as having lactose overload and suggested trying Lactose Free formula which I bought and tried and it worked miracles, as it worked HV told me to try and get it on prescription.

Saw DR today who agreed its lactose overload considering the symptoms cleared as soon as milk was changed, and to be fair he did prescribe the milk but did make a big show of it asking why I can't just buy it.

The thing is Lactose free milk is considered to be medicinal and not needed unless a problem with lactose and I can only buy it in pharmacies at a stupidly inflammed price compared to other 'normal' formulas and seeing DD is entitled to free prescriptions then I don't see why the doctor had an issue prescribing it.

I was breastfeeding and didn't plan to use formula at all so having to go from free breastmilk to spending £20 a week on formula (would have only been £10 on normal formula if I had stopped breastfeeding for no other reason) and its a lot out of my weekly budget.

So AIBU asking for it on prescription?

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:07

It's £5.99 for 450g at Boots

HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:07

GPs are under huge pressure to cut prescription budgets.

SoonToBeSix · 04/10/2013 16:09

Which is half the size of a regular tin of formula. Op yanbu.

HappyMummyOfOne · 04/10/2013 16:11

I can see why the doctor wasnt happy tbh. Anything that can be bought over the counter should be, its a huge drain on resources otherwise. I'd rather money was spent on other things than buying baby milk that a parent can pop and buy themselves.

cardamomginger · 04/10/2013 16:13

YANBU. If you need a specialist milk for health reasons then YANBU. And lots of prescriptions are written for things that are available OTC, so the fact that you can access it without a prescription is irrelevant.

Like JoanMax DD (age 3) is CMP allergic and has been on Neocate which is £35 for a 400g tin.

Unfortunately I think different PCTs (or whatever it is they are called these days) have different guidelines and criteria for prescribing formula, and I think it can also vary from practice to practice even within the same PCT. If things do go pear-shaped, maybe ask for a referral to a specialist paediatrician - a letter from him/her confirming that your DC requires this formula (obviously I'm making an assumption that they will concur the the HV), may carry a bit more weight.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/10/2013 16:16

It's not just cost either. It's getting hold of something. With prescriptions you can get them to re order and ensure that it's always available. Without one you just have to hope you can get it. And what happens if you can't?

HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:17

SMA Gold £9.60 for 900g
SMA Lactose Free £11.98 for 900g

So you're using the NHS to pay for the whole cost of the formula because he milk your baby needs is £2.38 more per large tub. YABVU.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/10/2013 16:19

The op said it was a small pharmacy and didn't have much stock. She may not have a boots locally

LaurieFairyCake · 04/10/2013 16:19

I don't understand why food would be on prescription at all even if it was more expensive Confused

Children's food costs £150 a month anyway - surely having a baby means you know you have to pay to feed it Grin

HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:22

Sorry. The small tub is 430g so it's £11.98 for 860g. Add 55p for 900g so it's £2.93 more than ordinary formula for 900g.

FlapJackOLantern · 04/10/2013 16:24

I'm exactly the same as Dawndonna - lactose intolerant bf baby. Onto soya formula at 3 weeks. It was 28 years ago and the formula was on prescription.

Mind you, for 8 years the soya products cost me a fortune once he was off formula !!

BrokenSunglasses · 04/10/2013 16:26

Unless you are really on the breadline, you should pay for it yourself.

It's feeding your child, prescriptions shouldn't be paying to feed children, that's what parents are for.

PragmaticWench · 04/10/2013 16:27

Laurie my daughter's specialist formula costs around £300 per month. This is seriously more than normal formula. It is also better for her than my breast milk as that made her really ill, so I had no choice after nine months but to use the formula.

valiumredhead · 04/10/2013 16:28

I have a hard enough time getting life saving epi pens for my ds, every year I have to threaten to take my son's care plan from the allergy clinic down to the surgery before they'll agree. He's needed them since he was 2 and he's 12 nowHmm

meddie · 04/10/2013 16:31

Its not a choice though Brokensunglasses. its a medical need, she has no choice in choosing what formula or shopping around for deals etc. The baby has to have lactose free or he will get ill. Its a medical need, why shouldnt she be allowed a prescription for it. It will also ensure the pharmacy has it in stock.

LittleMissWise · 04/10/2013 16:32

I agree with havant and if there is no Boots nearby, they do do home delivery. I think if you can afford it you should pay for it. The NHS is really, really stretched.

I felt really guilty the other day when I found out my new Migraine tablets are £16:67 for 6.

Original poster
Insanityismymiddlename · 04/10/2013 16:32

Lauriefairycake how did you work out 150 a month to feed a child?
Obviously I know children need feeding and I was for free breastfeeding now been told to go on this particular formula which is expensive and hard to get hold of; a prescription makes it easier as well as cheaper.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:33

They are under insane pressure ATM to cut costs amongst other things. Every GP I know over 40 is trying to get out.

MakeHayIsAWhaleNow · 04/10/2013 16:35

But if you are bf you don't have to pay to feed it, at least for 6 months (or more if you have one like ds....). We never had this problem (although dc3 is cooking so we may yet) but if we had, it wouldn't be paying £2.93 more, it'd be paying £12-odd more - much more than we have spare in our budget. It's a different situation to one that you'd be in if you were ff anyway.

OP, it's a personal decision. If you can easily afford it then buy it yourself (assuming you can get hold of it ok), if it would make things tight (by the sounds of it this is the case) then you are well within your rights to get it on prescription and not feel guilty at all.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 04/10/2013 16:35

YANBU your baby is entitled to this on prescription she should get it. My nephew had milk on prescription too as a baby (he was early think it had loads of extra calories or something but could be wrong) and his doctor pointed out it would be insane to buy the stuff at huge cost when DN is a person living in the UK and entitled to this milk free on prescription.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/10/2013 16:37

When dd was on her pepti milk the cheapest I found it was twenty eight pounds but you only got it that cheap of you bought two together and that was an online supplier I knew nothing about and had no idea it was what it said it was or what delivery was like. I couldn't just go and buy it believe me I'd have loved to have been able to go and get regular formula.

HappyMummyOfOne · 04/10/2013 16:37

The pharmacy will order in without a prescription and it is a choice. The OP chose to become a parent and now wants the baby feeding out of nhs funds because the formula is £2 more than normal.

What happens when the baby is on solids as its likely to cost more than formula only then to feed the child.

You cant shop for deals on new baby formula anyway as its illegal to promote first milk.

Our gp will prescribe very little that is available over the counter and has a notice up to that effect or did when we last visited. Some parents refuse to pay for anything including calpol etc.

NewBlueShoesToo · 04/10/2013 16:38

Good luck, I gave up. You can buy SMA lactose free from Boots website and it's cheaper than in my local chemist. I buy in bulk to save delivery cost too.

LittleMissWise · 04/10/2013 16:38

Go online to Chemist Direct, put a few tins in your basket so it goes over £40 and they deliver it, usually in 2 days, for free.

How hard is that?

I wasn't bargaining in becoming disabled, having to give up work and needing 13 prescriptions a month, but I did and I pay for them! (I do buy a pre-payment certificate)

HavantGuard · 04/10/2013 16:38

If it were a huge cost, that's what the NHS is for. For a little more than formula cost, that's not what it's for. Unless you're suggesting everyone who tries to BF and can't be subsidised too because they didn't choose to pay for formula.

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