AIBU to be annoyed???

[Ilovejonahhill]

AIBU??

My DS 6 months has just been diagnosed with a milk allergy, I BF but avoid milk in my diet. As I have started weaning I have requested a tin of special formula via my GP (to add to cereal, cooking etc).

He asked me the name, then how to spell it, then said 'oh be careful with that it's £30 a tub'. I did point out to him if I didn't BF he would be requiring a tub every 3 days so am in fact saving them money!!

Should I be annoyed? Just to add I am in health profession & would never tell patients 'this has cost x amount etc'.

He's a baby, he has an allergy, he needs it!

It's bugging me so would like others views on it

Your reaction is OTT.

Nope not special either if cost is going to be mentioned, should that not be to all? Yet I've never heard cost mentioned?

& especially to those that continually abuse the system we have??

Is your son OK with soya? To be honest the dairy free formula tastes absolutely disgusting and I would be surprised if a breastfed fed baby will take it, even on cereal. I was in the exact same position as you but my daughter was fine with soya milk so we just used that instead. Soya milk often has added calcium and you can buy enriched soya formula in supermarkets. We made sure other parts of her diet were rich in calcium ie. baked beans, dried fruit, sardines on toast etc. If he can't have soya there are alternative like coconut and oat you could try.
The dairy free formula costs a lot and I don't think it's unreasonable to be made aware of that so you don't waste it or use it unnecessarily.

If you're continuing to breastfeed, why can't you just express some to cook with? How much milk do you need to use in cooking for a child who's allergic to milk?

if cost is going to be mentioned, should that not be to all?

I don't think you're following. Not all preseciptions are equal, no one rule covers all. This is not a medicine. This is not something many people get on prescription. This is also something that people may not realise is much more expensive than the versions in shops.

There are many reasons the cost of your formula should be mentioned when it might not be appropriate to tell, say, 90 year old Mrs X the cost of her heart pills.

Surely this is completely bloody obvious? I dread to think what part of the nhs you work in that this should need explaining to you!

On certain things, generally costly things, it does seem to be standard practice to inform of cost of drugs.

For instance my dm is on one of the more expensive treatments for her condition and is often told this, but she's tried the other treatments and they did not work. Every time she gets a new consultant they insist on dredging through the notes again.

I can't tolerate certain types of iron tablets and am often informed they are costly when Im prescribed them, or asked to try a newer cheaper formulation first.

The gps screen came up with a cost warning for some antibiotics for dd this week, however gp ended up complaining that it wasn't a proper warning as the cheaper drug wasn't an equivalent one nor was the original drug expensive.

I've been being told how much my treatment has cost for years. I was, also, told at my last pain clinic appointment I'm going to have to start self funding more of my own treatment. I'm already paying for some.

If you really do work for the NHS you must know how cash strapped it is. I honestly don't understand why you've got your knickers in a twist over this.

Which milk is it?

Nutramigen is around £15 a can and Neocate is around £40 a can.

These are 400g cans by the way. If you thought they stink when they're cold heated is a whole different ball game. Nutramigen isn't supposed to be heated anyway as it destroys some of the nucleotides in the powder.

Fwiw my youngest had a legit medical reason to be drinking his way through TWENTY cans a month of the stuff at one point. Getting that from the GP was fun I can tell you

If you're only using one can a week/month would it not be easier to buy the stuff to save yourself the hassle. Pharmacies can order it in for you

At 6 months pretty much all his calories should be from your breastmilk anyway. Food is really only for tasting until they are around a year old.

Can't you express? My 9 month old has multiple allergies, including dairy. I've cut it out of my diet and express for things like porridge, cereal etc

Aren't we all different?? I don't agree, if it's needed it's needed, just my opinion

I can't express, I've tried many times. It's neocate formula.

I doubt formula for CMPA would ever stop being prescribed, what would happen if mum didn't want to or couldn't BF?? But equally couldn't afford the £30 a tin formula?
No idea - but my local NHS trust has just stopped ALL prescriptions for anti-allergy baby food - also all common painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol..!

You can also use Oatley milk. Doesn't have to be formula.

Yes I realise that his main source of nutrition should be breast milk, but they want me to add this to food for extra calories/calcium etc, he's on the small side. As this thread has made me aware he may not take it anyway, which is fine as then we won't be costing the NHS anything

Someone I know gets a certain type of branded moisturiser free on the NHS (rrp £7.00), she also orders it for her 3 grown up daughters. She has a lot of money, they all work and it makes me so angry.
Not that you are doing this OP but doctors can't tell who really need things and who is just ordering for for the sake of it. If telling people the price stops some from over ordering then I'd say they should tell everyone the price!

I doubt formula for CMPA would ever stop being prescribed, what would happen if mum didn't want to or couldn't BF?? But equally couldn't afford the £30 a tin formula?

It's not prescribed in most places, and people just get on with it.

It's not medicine; it's food. I expect they'll cut you off eventually, just like they have with gluten-free foods for our coeliac son. I'd be grateful that for now, you're getting away with a warning...

I think that people who don't get prescribed it just use breastmilk, oat milk or any other form of dairy free milk.

Will you stop with all the winking, op. There's nothing like a after a completely inane comment to make you look slightly less intelligent than you might like to imagine yourself.

Baby allergic to milk, can't/don't wish to breast feed, low income/can't afford the formula??? How do you suggest people just get on with it???

Why should cost be mentioned for one thing & not others?

I think the cost should be mentioned for everything.

Baby allergic to milk, can't/don't wish to breast feed, low income/can't afford the formula??? How do you suggest people just get on with it?

You are obtuse. It is not prescribed in other places. So they do in fact have to get on with it.
What do you think they do then?