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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:
MiaowTheCat · 04/10/2013 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZippityDoodahday · 04/10/2013 18:21

Soy milk is not suitable for male infants though because of the high concentration of estrogens in the milk.

iliketea · 04/10/2013 18:21

I don't know if YABU or not. How did the HV diagnose your baby? I know in my area, GPs are not allowed to prescribe formula unless a child has been diagnosed by the hospital paediatric team. So it may be that actually your baby needs to be actually diagnosed by a paediatric consulant or paediatric dietician, rather than the health visitor (did the HV do any specific tests / investigations, or was the diagnosis based on symptoms only?).

It's exactly the same as someone who is gluten-intolerant being prescribed special food - they need a diagnosis from a specialist first.

Panzee · 04/10/2013 18:22

OP I don't think you are being unreasonable.

However I am slightly Hmming at the assumption of many posters that if you bank on breastfeeding and it doesn't work out, you should get formula for free. That would be the vast majority of FFers, I would wager.

ZippityDoodahday · 04/10/2013 18:23

candy so those who can't pay but choose to ff as a lifestyle choice are exempt from any judgment? Double standards me thinks

Spaulding · 04/10/2013 18:30

YANBU. My DS was prem and needed SMA Prem on prescription until he was 1 year. I had expressed while he was in SCBU for 7 weeks and attempted to breastfeed but it wasn't happening. Once we moved onto the formula, he came on leaps and bounds with his weight. You have to do what is best for your child, and if the formula your baby needs is being prescribed to you then so be it. I'm not sure why your GP was a bit funny about it.

Retropear · 04/10/2013 18:32

Well Candy I think those that are obese or suffer from self inflicted illnesses due to overeating,smoking or drinking should pay for their prescriptions.That would save vastly more than a few tins of formula for a poorly baby.

Babies cost £££££. Many mothers are struggling on maternity pay,shelling out for nappies etc.

Most people could afford to pay for their dc's prescriptions so let's not stop at babies if we want to save the NHS a few quid.Lets make free prescriptions for children a thing of the past for all.Hmm

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 04/10/2013 18:33

DS has a dairy allergy and we get milk on prescription. It's £30 a tub otherwise.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 04/10/2013 18:35

candy so those who can't pay but choose to ff as a lifestyle choice are exempt from any judgment? Double standards me thinks

Sorry but what does FF have to do with this?

candycoatedwaterdrops · 04/10/2013 18:36

Retro I never said children shouldn't have free prescriptions Confused, just that OTC meds should not routinely be prescribed if the patient/parent can afford it.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/10/2013 18:37

I can't believe the resentment of prescription formula on here. Babies are miserable and ill on the wrong bloody milk it's awful to watch and there's nothing you can do about it unless someone lets you have the milk. We could afford to feed our baby we couldn't however afford to but £28 tubs of milk and watching dd suffer was horrendous.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 04/10/2013 18:38

Well Candy I think those that are obese or suffer from self inflicted illnesses due to overeating,smoking or drinking should pay for their prescriptions.

Um you do realise that many adults already pay for their prescriptions and rightly so.

specialsubject · 04/10/2013 18:40

GP is a funding gatekeeper and needs to be sure he is spending funds appropriately. Sounds like he is, no problem. Some things are much cheaper over the counter than on prescription.

correct checks, correct decision.

'I hate doctors anyway' -grow up, whoever you are.

Funloving · 04/10/2013 18:48

I'm a GP, and in our area we have been categorically banned from prescribing lactose free milk... Primary lactose intolerance is vanishingly rare, and secondary lactose intolerance (e.g. after an infection is fairly short lived), hence the paeds say there is no place for it, along with colief and various other things. It is frustrating though, as anecdotally a lot of these things do make a lot of difference to babies, so it makes for difficult conversations. We GPs are in a difficult position, and actually don't have the power to prescribe anything!

Dawndonnaagain · 04/10/2013 18:51

Well Candy I think those that are obese or suffer from self inflicted illnesses due to overeating,smoking or drinking should pay for their prescriptions
So, you don't believe in taking a look at why or how these things have occured. How delightfully narrow minded of you.

onetwothreefourfive · 04/10/2013 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 04/10/2013 20:05

Exactly how much we would pay onetwothreefourfive.

Possibly more as DS had four tins a week at one time (as they are smaller tins). This works out at £120 a week. He has a milk allergy, eczema and reflux. All of which he has prescribed medication for from the hospital. I fail to see how his formula milk is different from this.

RufinaTheStressed · 04/10/2013 20:05

Funloving. You say primary lactose intolerance is "vanishingly rare". Is that in babies or in adults too? My tolerance to lactose is limited to one montelukast pill each night, as it isn't available in lactose free. I have astonishing diarrhoea after even the smallest amount of lactose. Is this not primary lactose intolerance?
Sorry to thread jack, interested.

Retropear · 04/10/2013 20:12

Then there are nappies and wipes on top all while on maternity pay.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 04/10/2013 20:16

I want to apologise to the OP, I didn't mean to belittle what her little girl is going through. It sounds awful and of course, she should receive correct milk. My comment was generally on paying for OTC medications if (and only *if) you can afford it and not relying on the NHS where not 100% necessary. I was trying to explain that it's not medication in the same way as ABs for a throat infection, not that I was not validating the baby's illness but it came across badly.

Flowers so, I'm sorry. I think YABabitU but I really don't mean it to come across that your DD's symptoms are not as valid as any other illness/condition/allergy.

Queenofknickers · 04/10/2013 20:25

YANBU - your dd is a member of society and being under 16 is entitled to prescriptions of what she medically needs. The NHS would take it OFF prescription if they considered it shouldn't be NHS funded. Thanks

SimplyRedHead · 04/10/2013 20:28

My son's formula is £48 per tub - that's around £250 per month. I'm on unpaid maternity leave.

I don't feel one drop of guilt about getting it on prescription!

Funloving · 04/10/2013 20:37

Rufina- rare in babies, in Caucasians it becomes more common after age 5, a bit younger in other races.

The thing is, there are lots of milks that are available on prescription.... Neocate and nutramigen are supposed to be prescribed only for cows milk protein intolerance, but seem to get prescribed/advised for other things as well including lactose intolerance. The NHS is really strapped, we should be prescribing evidenced based treatments, lactose free milk is not evidenced based. And things aren't unprescribable because they might not work... Look at cough syrups, tonics, oral salbutamol to name but a few.... But that is why we have formularies that we are supposed to adhere to!

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 04/10/2013 20:41

Shock simply

Too right you shouldn't feel guilty. I'm sure you'd be thrilled to be able to go to any shop or garage and buy any formula and not live with the worry of having it tampered with or taken away.

The nhs made dd sick I don't feel guilty either that I took something back on trying to keep my dd healthy. I paid for her milk as soon as she was able to drink alternatives at just over a yr. I didn't take it for longer than she needed it.

Twattyzombiebollocks · 04/10/2013 21:12

I was initially going to say yanbu as ds was on this stuff 9 years ago, and it was 12.99 for a 500g tin then, double the price for half the amount, and we did agree with our gp that we would buy 1 tin every 2 weeks as that would be the same cost as normal formula, and he prescribed the other 3 tins every 2 weeks.
obviously now pretty much the same price as standard formula (and a hell of a lot easier to get hold of than it used to be) so unless you expect the nhs to prescribe formula for anyone who hasn't been successful with breastfeeding, then I'm afraid yabu.
If it was neocate or nutramigen then that would be a different matter, but thankfully you don't need those.