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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be annoyed???

148 replies

Ilovejonahhill · 04/08/2017 09:17

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

OP posts:

multivac · 04/08/2017 14:43

OP, your baby's formula isn't 'treatment'; it isn't 'medicine'. It's food. And as such, of course, there is no 'dosage' to follow - you can use it as you please.

Besides has been pointed out multiple times, you are very lucky to live in a postcode where you can still get it on prescription at all.

Given those two facts, I think it's perfectly reasonable for the GP to make you aware of the cost of the stuff. Regardless of whether that makes you feel affronted or not.

Floggingmolly · 04/08/2017 14:45

What exactly do you cook with it? Why is milk substitute such a necessary addition to food for a breastfed baby?

PugOnToast · 04/08/2017 14:52

It is astonished expensive. My kid cost them something like £400 per month. Once the hospital provided the first px the GPS gave me a months supply at a time. I don't think it was out of order of the dr. It is expensive and the NHS is on it's last legs.

PugOnToast · 04/08/2017 14:55

@Witchend
The baby is cows milk protein intolerant. (I think) The policy used to be no milk or soya products for 2 years. It does not go away quickly if ever.

turquoisequeen · 04/08/2017 14:56

To answer your original question yes I do get told how much prescriptions cost. Also the difference between branded and generic.

To add to your other point, even though you really really don't seem to want to hear it, why the hell cant you buy the damn formula yourself over the counter. You've saved yourself so much money already by breastfeeding that one measly tin of formula for cooking with should be easy for you to get yourself. If people choose to formula feed a child with an allergy I do understand having this on prescription. I know one of the formulas costs about £80 per tin. But I don't understand why they can't buy the odd tin themselves. If your child didn't have an allergy you'd still be spending a certain amount on formula so why should you get all of it for free. I don't know how much it costs. I breastfed all five of mine. Including the one with a CMPA. Never bought formula for any of them. Not even for cooking. Just used goats milk. It's got lots of calcium but no cows milk protein in it you see??

VladmirsPoutine · 04/08/2017 14:58

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!!

How entitled. You're doing them a favour by feeding your child? I think I've heard it all now.

PugOnToast · 04/08/2017 14:58

If it is Neocate it is disgusting. Nutrimigem isn't so bad but still dire. I wonder if you will have a problem getting him to take it at 6mths. Ours was given it at 5 wks and they said we were very lucky as 5 mths could be very tricky to introduce.
He was exclusively FF though.

PugOnToast · 04/08/2017 15:06

Why are people being so unpleasant about getting neocate on prescription? Milk proteins made my child bleed from his bowels and poo 20 times a day. I couldn't have afforded the £400 per month for formula. I was very grateful that we got it on px but I would have been very shocked if we didn't.

It wasn't a case of a baby crying a lot or not sleeping well. He pooed blood!

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 15:09

Why are people being so unpleasant about getting neocate on prescription?

Nobody is. People are pissed off at OP's outrageous attitude to getting it.

AvoidingCallenetics · 04/08/2017 15:12

Clearly the nhs are treating it as important as medicine if they are prescribing it. It should be prescribed - that other people have to buy it is awful. There shouldn't be this race to the bottom, where OP is made to feel bad for taking what her baby has been told is necessary by the consultant.

The trouble with telling people what their medicine cost is that it makes them feel guilty for being ill.

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 15:14

Clearly the nhs are treating it as important as medicine

They aren't though, more and more areas are not funding it. Soon it will be removed from the lists and everyone will have to buy it.

SunnyCoco · 04/08/2017 15:52

So blinkered and entitled
What an attitude

BalloonSlayer · 04/08/2017 18:45

All you people telling the OP to buy the stuff herself: can you actually buy it without a prescription.

And all you saying "use rice/oat milk" (including myself earlier), the consultant has TOLD her to use this formula to add extra calories. And presumably also told her to go to her GP to get a prescription for it.

My DS had the rice milk for cooking (was also allergic to soya), oat milk wasn't around at the time. Rice milk has got arsenic in it so it's not recommended now. He has grown up OK on it but still has his allergies. Although at 17 he is nice and tall, he was predicted to be taller than he is, and is very very thin, on the 5th centile and OK as he is 17 but would be underweight if he was 18 according to the NHS I am always trying to fatten him up, the anxiety of having a skinny baby never goes away. He is in Nandos with his mates as we speak, OP, it does get better for them!

Floggingmolly · 04/08/2017 18:50

Well clearly it is available over the counter if so many posters are buying it themselves? Bearing in mind that some people try to get calpol from the gp rather than forking out for it themselves, I wouldn't necessarily assume that it's unavailable over the counter.
It's just formula.

laura1206 · 04/08/2017 19:11

I work for the NHS. The consultant should've prescribed it himself and given a form to be given to the GP recommending its prescribed.

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 19:12

All you people telling the OP to buy the stuff herself: can you actually buy it without a prescription

Of course you can. Did you miss the many posts explaining that most people do not get it prescribed? How do you think they get it then?

isadoradancing123 · 04/08/2017 19:57

Well maybe you or someone should tell alcoholics and addicts how much their treatment is bloody costing

Spuddington · 04/08/2017 20:02

Yes, if you fork out £40 in Boots you can buy Neocate.

abigcupoffuckyou · 04/08/2017 20:03

Well maybe you or someone should tell alcoholics and addicts how much their treatment is bloody costing

Sure why not, if you like? That has nothing at all to do with this though!

d270r0 · 04/08/2017 21:02

I also don't believe this formula is 'needed'. Baby is only 6months old so should be only just starting solids. You don't have to use cereals which is the main thing you need milk for, there are many milk free solids you could start with which would add calories. Also be aware these formulas will only last a short period of time anyway before they go out of date, so it is likely lots of the tin will be wasted if you only use it for cooking. If you want to use it, fine, no problem, but it isn't necessary, if you're breastfeeding and it isn't a medicine, its just an alternative milk. So personally I'd have bought it myself IF I'd thought it was worth it.

BalloonSlayer · 04/08/2017 21:10

abigcup Well as I explained my experience is old, I don't know. Maybe the OP didn't know either.

My DS is 17 and still the only person IRL I know with his set of allergies. On mumsnet there are loads, and they all know better than I do about everything, it seems.

It's terribly hard when you are going through this with a young baby. I remember how desperate and alone I felt, and still do feel now sometimes.

What a shame the OP didn't get much support here .

VladmirsPoutine · 04/08/2017 21:19

What a shame the OP didn't get much support here.

BalloonSlayer It's one thing to seek support here, which is very much the MN ethos, but quite another to think that you're somehow doing the state a favour by looking after your own child. I'm still astonished that the OP thinks BFing her child gives the state a net gain that they should be grateful for.

AvoidingCallenetics · 04/08/2017 23:13

d2, I don't suppose you know better than the child's actual consultant, whether this milk is needed or not

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