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

[Applejuice70]

Double life
GHD straighteners wiped it all out in one session.
Washed ,dried then part the hair into very small sections,and straighten.Take care to keep the straightened hair away from the hair that has not been straightened yet,i saw it on the bbc news about 18 months ago.

[feathermucker]

Take them to a and e?! Are you actually serious? It is NOT a medical emergency!

Damned annoying maybe, but not a medical emergency in any way, shape or form!

It's annoying, it's frustrating etc, but I would no way wait until Monday. If you can't afford it, then try some of the other methods suggested, which are cheaper.

I really hope the a and e post is a joke!

[JugglingBackwardsAndForwards]

I'd say that A&E post definitely wasn't serious feather
I hope not anyway!

[highho1]

My appointment was for a prescription review so asking for something available on prescription was not a crime. I was probably only in there for 5 minutes.
I didn't come in mob handed with all 3 dc.
Still received prescription and quite frankly I am not sure why I bothered with an additional trip to doctors and to chemist for 2 teeny tiny bottles. Not enough to treat 1 person effectively twice let alone 5.
Will still have to buy some more. So this free at point of delivery nhs will have costed us as a family £70 to £80 this week. Bad timing with both pre payments expiring at the same time and both needing to change meds.

[highho1]

Along with wet combing which I do anyway

[highho1]

Although it could be worse . My cousin lives in Ireland. They are normal hard working people and have recently had to soend 1000 euro on cancer treatment.
Puts it into perspective.

[catonlap]

Unfortunately recently discontinued products still show up on the drug formulary so until it gets updated GPs have no idea it is no longer available at the pharmacy. A pain for you but unless the GP goes round the local pharmacies looking through their shelves, can never be sure what is in stock. The original prescription might still have been available at some pharmacies if they had stock left on the shelf.

There are often manufacturing delays too which make certain products temporarily unavailable for the pharmacy to re-order stock. Again the GP doesn't usually know until they prescribe the item and the pharmacist feeds back that they can't supply. (occasionally there is a major delay and an email will be sent out to alert local GPs but they don't do this every time there is a short few days glitch).

In our area the pharmacies are usually quite good and phone through to surgery to say they can't supply xxxx so that an alternative option which is in stock can then be sent by fax direct to the pharmacy.

[judgejudithjudy]

you seriously took your kids to the gp for headlice & upset you didnt get a comb on prescription?! (headbag) just buy it over the counter - no wonder the nhs is stretched to the limit with people like you ffs!

[Goldmandra]

Will still have to buy some more.

Don't!

If you comb thoroughly with conditioner regularly enough you will clear them anyway. It's tedious, granted, but worth it to save that amount of money.

DD1 has long, ridiculously thick, curly hair and, because I slacked off with the checking, had lots of the little blighters at one point. It wasn't fun combing them out but we did it without any potions and it worked perfectly.

Honestly it is not worth spending that sort of money on something you don't need.

[highho1]

If the idea of getting headlice treatment on the nhs is so abhorrent. Than why is the nitty gritty an approved appliance and the lotions5 approved too?

[highho1]

Well supposed to be approved. I had to buy mine.

[highho1]

I agree wet combing gets the active ones. But it's the eggs that are a pain.

[highho1]

The tning is though. I don't think it was recently discontinues as the same thing happened 2 years ago.

[ouryve]

Custardo - not everyone has the option of being able to change GP. Ours, on average, aren't great (and there's one or two I refuse to visit, any more, even if it means waiting for an appointment) but we have no choice, at all, other than a walk in centre that it would take me 2 buses and cost a small fortune to get to.

[Goldmandra]

I agree wet combing gets the active ones. But it's the eggs that are a pain.

As long as you get the new ones out within a week of hatching they can't lay eggs so you still clear the infestation. If you comb and condition thoroughly twice within that time you will get them. Yes it's a pain but it only takes time and the cost of a decent nit comb.

[SoonToBeSix]

Highho I don't think yabu in asking for a prescription . But for the third time listerine really is the best thing for headlice and it's very cheap.

[confuddledDOTcom]

Nitty Gritty will send combs for free to GPs so don't feel guilty about asking!

Vinegar will get rid of eggs. Comb it through like you do conditioner/ treatment.

[highho1]

Lots of great tips. Thank you.

[StripyPenguin]

We've wet combed every day for a week and have nearly got rid of them all, it's the best way. One of the DCs has a friend who has them a lot, it's a lone parent family and said LP has nobody to do her hair for her so I reckon they are constantly reinfecting each other. If I knew her better I'd offer to do it for her :(

[TheRealAmandaClarke]

YANBU.

[CouthyMow]

Me and all of my DC's have long term health conditions. I'm also on IS and technically get free scrips. Doesn't mean I would waste the GP' time getting a prescription for nit lotion, something you can pick up in most supermarkets off the shelf these days.

My PCT doesn't prescribe it anyway, it's on the blacklist now, along with DS1's excema cream, DS3's allergy-free food, my antihistamines, and my IBS medication.

My friend has to pay for her DD's test strips for blood sugars (she's diabetic).

Just accept it as part of having DC's, and keep the money to one side. I do, and I'm bloody brassic!

[CouthyMow]

The only reason I'm paying is because you need to retreat a week after first treatment, wet combing in between, and I used my 'cupboard store' a week ago.

And then next week I will have to restock the medicine cupboard with a new lot.

It's not cheap. But it's no different to buying a bottle of Calpol or children's Nurofen OTC. Who would go to their GP for that?

Not that Calpol would be prescribed in our PCT...

DS3 is on a severely restricted diet, life threatening allergies to NINE different allergens. The ONLY food I get for him on prescription is his amino acid based milk replacement. I get his calcium tablets on prescription, his Jext pens (though having to swap to EpiPen Jr due to a supply issue through a manufacturing fault), and his daily antihistamine syrup. Everything else medicinal and special dietary food I have to pay for.

[SomethingkindaOod]

My GP always asks if I need any infant paracetamol if I take one of the DC's to see him... (Just to put another slant on the Calpol thing)
OP YANBU, whatever the presumed rights and wrongs of getting treatment on the NHS it's your GP that's cocked up by prescribing a discontinued treatment and then not issuing a new px there and then. It was their mistake not yours and it should have been sorted.
I personally wouldn't bother with prescribed treatment having tried one (can't remember which, white bottle with green writing), that seemed to be less effective than wet combing on it's own, plus the fact that 2 of us have long hair so we would use bottles of the stuff!
I'm going to try Listerine next time

[wombat31]

straighteners....no lice can survive 200 degree heat! i am convinced that is why i never get them even though i work in a school where there is often an outbreak!