To think boots should know the difference between hydrocortisone cream and fucking caneston?

[NeedABumChange]

I have had some kind of horrific allergic reaction where my face has come up in hives/ a rash thing. I have been treating with hydrocortisone cream and my lovely dad offered to get me some more from boots as I have run out.

He came home and produced tube of caneston hydrocortisone! This is what the pharmacist has given him when he asked for hydrocortisone cream. Luckily I saw before I slathered it over my face but how crap. What if someone was foreign, elderly or simply put it on without checking?

Even my dad thought it was the right thing but when you read the box it has two active ingredients instead of one and is an anti-fungal cream. I'm so pissed off

And my face is so itchy again

YANBU, at the very least I would contact the pharmacy and let them know so they don't make the same mistake again.

Are you sure he gave them all the correct information? I'm pretty sure pharmacies can't sell hydrocortisone cream for use on the face.

I'm confused - Canesten HC is hydrocortisone cream. They don't only make cream to treat thrush.

I've had canesten hydrocortisone cream before too.

When I used to work in a pharmacy I wouldn't have sold hydrocortisone cream for the face anyway, it can damage the skin as it's more fragile there.

Caneston one contains 1% Clotrimazole and 1% Hydrocortisone. Normal one contains no clotrimazole. I don't want to put clotrimazole on my face.

My GP has prescribed it for my face but it's cheaper to buy over the counter than in prescription. Have antihistamines too.

Also had much stronger steroid creams prescribed by dermatologists previously. They were used for months at a time on my face so I don't think a week of hydrocortisone will do much more harm to it.

Wouldn't Piriton or similar be better if you've got hives? (am not a doctor).

Incidentally, DH had exactly the same thing happen just before Christmas, also in Boots. Luckily I was with him, and was able to put him straight.

I am taking an antihistamine to not piriton. Any chance you are in W. london flapping?

No - Bucks. It must be endemic!

I had a very severe facial allergic reaction while on holiday recently and the piriton and HC cream I had with me did nothing. The hotel doctor gave me steroid tablets which got rid if it in a couple of days. Presumably they are stringer than the cream, could the gp maybe prescribe those? sympathies, no fun at all.

You can't use hydrocortisone for the face at all I'm surprised your doc prescribed it!. I have very bad eczema and I have to use different creams on my face. It's bad enough to use on your body on a regular basis, but never your face at all.

Canesten do make hydrocortisone, but you won't have been doing much more harm putting anti fungal cream on your face than you would the hydrocortisone.

As your dad thought it was the right think to I reckon it was down to miss-communication, if you had been there describing your symptoms they wouldn't have given it you anyway :/

right thing too*

Doctors can prescribe steroid creams for use on the face as they will monitor how long it is used and any adverse effects (in theory!)
The products sold over the counter are not licensed for use on the face as it can cause thinning of the skin and the pharmacist is breaking the law in selling it to you or your father if it has been explained that is where you are using it.

The pharmacist should know the difference between hydrocortisone and Canesten HC (assuming your father has relayed your message correctly) but are wrong to have sold him either

hermit not to argue but I trust my doctors. I had very bad eczema as a child and was prescribed hydrocortisone and stronger steroid creams by vair fancy consultants. I'm only 23 so this wasn't yonks ago and my GP has prescribed it again for this.

My dad went to the counter and said he wanted some hydrocortisone cream for eczema as that is what I told him to say as I know that you get given the bog standard stuff. They have given him a cream that is recommended for athletes foot and sweat rashes.

It is a completely different treatment and I'm not willing to put it on my face when it could react with the antihistamines or make my reaction worse. The list of things you shouldn't use it for include rashes around the mouth and any inflammatory skin condition.

Definitely not used a whole tube on my face! I already had a tiny bit left in a tube, only been using it for two days. Woke up to my face covered in bumps, itching like mad and weeping skin. It's horrible and my face has swollen up in general too. I also have a bloodshot eye from being caught with a glitter ball chain on NYE so all in all I look like some horrific monster.

So when my dad turned up with the wrong stuff I just wanted to cry and was so very mad at boots that I've written them a very unreasonable email.

I still think it's really bad of the pharmacist, I know they are similar but imagine how many drugs/creams/medicines are similar but not the same. The extra active ingredient could make a huge difference in other cases. I mean some medicines are suitable for pregnant ladies and children whilst some very similar ones are not.

You can use can eaten or even stronger corticosteroids on the face if it's indicated and the symptoms are severe.
I'd call the branch and tell them what happened and ask for a refund. Very rubbish of them.

Sorry x posted. Seen you've already alerted them. Hope you're better soon.
Do you know what's causing it?

Eczema on the face is usually seborrhoeic eczema which is a reaction to Malassezia, which is a yeast. It is treated with combination hydrocortisone and anti-fungal cream.

You asked for treatment for facial ezcema, you got the correct treatment for facial ezcema. The problem is that you told your Father to lie to the pharmacist.

I think you owe them an apology for the unreasonable email

I think you're actually being unfair to Boots here. As a pp. said, they sold your father the correct over the counter medicine that would normally be used. If your vair fancy specialist prescribed you a treatment outside of the normal, and your GP then have you a repeat copy of this prescription it was YOUR fault not to use the prescription and try to do it cheaper over the counter.

YANBU, I can't believe people are defending this really. Your dad asked for HC cream, he got HC plus another drug. That's a really basic mistake to make. HC is a fairly well-known over the counter treatment indicated for various skin conditions, many of which are chronic/recurring so it's not like it's some rare medicine they're never asked for. You have to hope it wasn't the pharmacist but even so if someone's working on the medicines counter they should be a bit better trained.

Of course you can use hydrocortisone on the face. The GP prescribed it for the OP, and has prescribed it for my DS too when he had facial eczema. You can't buy it over the counter for the face because it shouldn't be used without medical advice but that's the same for all prescribed drugs.

You can certainly use canesten HC on your face, it's used for more inflamed skin conditions when fungal infections can be a contributor.

When my children were babies they both had ecxema on their faces and the doctor prescribed hydrocortisone. You had to use a tiny amount for a short period of time, but it can be used.