to not want to jump through hoops to get this prescription.

[highho1]

So dc have headlice. I have spent hours wetcombing dd in particular but still some remain.
So I had a doctors appointment this afternoon anyway so asked for some treatment. I have a prepayment certificate. Anyway given a prescription for a discontinued product. The same thing happened several years ago with last outbreak.Trotted back to doctors who told me to return for new prescription. When I got there I was told it wasn't ready and really I should wait 48 hours for queries. After a discussion I was given a new prescription which I was told would have to be collected tomorrow from chemists as quite late by than
Anyway new prescription is for half the size of the old one and in a size which doesn't appear to be available so I now anticipate having to go back to gp's on Monday.
Systen just seems so unfair. Some area can get headlice treatments free otc at pharmacies. Other have to get a prescription and some won't prescribe at all..
Aibu

[Goldmandra]

Just keep thorough combing with conditioner. You have to do it anyway, even with the treatments in case there are any missed so forget the potions and comb the beggars out.

Section the hair carefully and comb right from root to tip really thoroughly. Pull out any eggs you see stuck to the shaft with your finger nails if the comb misses them.

Repeat every two to three days for at least a fortnight. If you do it properly you remove new hatchlings before they have chance to lay eggs and you break the cycle.

It takes time and patience but it's the only really reliable method. You only need one egg to hatch and stick around for a week to start a new infestation and no treatment can get rid of every egg. In fact most of them don't even kill every live louse.

If you put oil on hair, hedrin or olive oil, remove it by putting the shampoo on and rubbing it into the hair before introducing water. It works much better. Otherwise you spend hours trying to get the oil out if the hair is thick.

[oadcb]

Even the nitty Gritty comb is available on prescription.

Some family budgets are so stretched they can't afford extras at time.

Better a parent asks for it on NHS then not treat.

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

A combination of Hedrin or similar - NitRid is one I found, slightly cheaper (to dehydrate them I believe ?)
And olive oil with drops of lavender or something nice smelling (to drown/suffocate them) worked well with my DC
Then plenty of combing with a nit comb

I've heard the more traditional pesticide treatments are not such a good idea - nits can become immune to them/ a bit harsh to use for DC

Good luck to all. They can be defeated!

[highho1]

The prescription was prescribed for me. Not the child as she kindly passed a few onto me by bedsharing. (Before we found them)
System just seems so unfair.
Minor ailments scheme isn some areas yet we don't
Some long term illnesses give you free prescription s. Others don't
Some areas get generic drugs free. Others don't
Some people have to even buy ointments etc for eczema yet others are prescribed.

[highho1]

Nitty gritty comb should be available on prescription but our gp refused to prescribe it when I asked after previous infeststion.

[Applejuice70]

Agree with Custardo.
Straighteners was the only thing that worked for us.

[highho1]

Agree about time factor. 3 dc and trying to run a small business with very little childcare and a dh working long hours here.

[highho1]

The eggs seem to be biggest problem. Maybe will have to try tweezers. Thank you.

[6cats3gingerkittens]

Leave the poor woman alone. My doctor is a complete rude prat as well, couldn't diagnose a wooden leg even if dangled in front of him. And makes stupid errors. I cannot accept that the NHS is a sacred cow. Doctors and nurses are paid decent money. They play on the emotions of the public to sustain this false image of sainthood. Grrrrrr!

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

"The one person per appointment" concept isn't very family friendly though is it Laurel ?

And the "one health issue per appointment" isn't very holistic and may mean that something that's actually more important, or more on-going, or more mental health related, doesn't get mentioned when it really should be ?

[Custardo]

change gp

just change gp now

it might be convenient to you but if your gp is an utter twat

move - why should they get the money it costs to see you if they are twats

change gp

[wideon]

you should take your kids to a&e, they'll sort them out for you no bother

[Laurel1979]

Juggling - probably not, no but try seeing 3-4 people in a ten minute appointment, it doesn't work and is often the reason surgeries run so late.

Anyhow I hope you get it sorted out OP!

[Sirzy]

Juggling if you want to be seen about more than one issue or for more than one person tell them when booking so they can ensure the appointment is long enough

[HappyMummyOfOne]

I am always amazed at people who take up a doctors time to get a prescription for items that can be bought within minutes over the counter.

Our doctors has a sign up saying calpol and a list of other items can be bought from the pharmacy so prescriptions are not needed. Sounds sensibie, leaves appointments then for those who are ill enough to require a doctor rather than not wanting to part with a few pounds. No wonder waiting times can be horrendous at times.

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

Have a sand egg timer on the desk Laurel ?

Say, right, 3 people, 3 mins each. Hear each problem, establish priorities, spend last minute writing a prescription for the problem that needs it.

Sorted !

Seriously, GPs should be more upfront about the 10 mins available where needed, and everyone should be encouraged to be more efficient at getting to the point!

[LucyLasticBand]

i would feel guilty asking for a prescription for calpol and a nitty gritty comb and i am poor as a church mouse.

[LucyLasticBand]

i have had a prescription for the family for scabies but was upfront and simply asked the receptionist. and i must admit i did have to g through hoops. but it was necessary. whereas to me head lice can be got rid of by other means.

[Laurel1979]

Lol juggling!! Maybe you should come and work in our surgery..... We'd be very impressed with someone who could manage that, in a 2 hour surgery you could see 36 patients, instead of the usual 12-13 that we do! Although it might be a problem if you omit to examine the patients, give them time to get dressed/undressed, and write in their notes - which you forgot to factor in when working out your 3 patients per ten minute theory....

Anyway I'm bowing out now to bring DC to football, although with this weather I'd almost rather be indoors on Mumsnet. Good luck with getting the headlice treated OP!

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

Lucy - I don't think anyone need feel guilty for asking if something's available eg on prescription. The system should be robust enough to cope with that.

Either it is available to those who ask or it isn't ... calpol, nitty griitty comb, whatever. Both are important for a family's health and well-being.

[NightFallsFast]

There aren't enough GPs to service the current population and the ones working are rushed off their feet and patient care is suffering because of it.

IMO the NHS shouldn't fund over the counter treatments like head lice treatments, worm treatments, paracetamol, otc laxatives and antihistamines etc unless it's for a long term condition.

If less of GPs' time was taken up with this then they'd have more time to give an excellent service to people who need their expertise.

As for saying 1 problem per patient isn't hollistic, and 1 person per appointment isn't family friendly - appointments are 10 minutes. If there is more to be dealt with than can be done in 10 minutes, the GP has the following options:
-deal with all the issues/people fully and run late, inconveniencing other patients

• rush through all the issues/people and possibly miss something important or make a mistake (like prescribing an out of production head lice medication)
• only deal with what can be dealt with in 10 minutes and ask you to book another appointment for the other things/people.

[DoubleLifeIsALifeOfSorts]

applejuice you mentioned straighteners? How does that work?

[WooWooOwl]

YANBU to think its unfair that you can't get free headlice treatment.

Pay for it like everyone else has to! A long term condition for you doesn't absolve you of the responsibility of having to pay for normal things that just about every parent has to pay for at some point throughout their children's lives.

No wonder our NHS is going down the toilet when they have to waste so much time and money on people that can't sort out basic things unrelated to healthcare themselves.

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

It's not unrelated to healthcare though Woo - it needs to be dealt with for everyone's well-being.

[CuntyBunty]

I do hope you are joking wideon? A&E is for Accidents and Emergencies only, not headlice.

Really, don't take your children to A&E for headlice or any minor ailment whatsoever. Or you won't have an accessible A&E is future years. The NHS's teat will have been sucked dry by people who do things like that.