Prescription antihistamine and doctor

[Raindancer411]

Hi all, AIBU in thinking that the doctor is just trying to save money but in doing so, causing me an issue??

Story is that son's antihistamine bottle has a label with name and dose on it, but it is unreadable. This is the bottle that he has in school in case he accidentally comes into contact with the allergen. The school require the name and dose on the bottle, so off I pop to docs.

The receptionist sends through a message to ask for a repeat prescription for my son to have in school, saying the label is unreadable and school require label to administer.

Call back this afternoon to be told that the doc replied with they no longer do antihistamines on prescription and I can buy it over the counter.

Now I have brought it before, so not adverse to paying... but the school will not give any non labelled meds.

So the reception has again sent a message to doc saying the reason again... I have to call in a few to see what is said this time...

Am I being unreasonable in expecting for an allergy, this is unreasonable of the doctor??

Are you sure that the school need a pharmacy label for a medication which can be bought over the counter? Have you specifically asked that? I can understand not giving out meds with illegible labels, but not refusal for OTC meds with your permission.

I'm finding the same issue, due to ofsted regs she can't administer calpol or ibuprofen without it being prescribed

The school are being unreasonable, I'd aim your irrigation at them.

YANBU

My son's school is the same - they will only administer medicine that has been prescribed.

Your GP needs to re-issue the prescription.

I double checked with the school office and yes, they require it to have a label with dose and name on

I also mainly buy my son's meds OTC (also antihistamine), but specifically get one on prescription to leave at school.

Pop to the pharmacy it was prescribed from, they may be able to reprint if they have the original prescribed bottle and record of it being dispensed.
Just a thought, is it still in date as most medicines have a shortish time to be used once open.

My son's nursery is the same. Really frustrating as it is only a few pounds to buy and would save the NHS money if they would accept it without prescription. As soon as I explained it to my GP they wrote the script, but with a lot of eye rolling!

I have got to call back in a mo to see the reply from doctor again. I feel bad for calling...

Legally I don't think they do need It labelled although I know some say they do. I have the official guidelines somewhere will try to find it.

I have heard of people asking pharmacies to label bottles - if it is just the standard dose he has worth asking.

I think it's so they are safe guarding themselves with having it labelled.

If no luck with docs, I will go and ask the pharmacy and see what they say. However, when that one runs out of date, what will I do then? Guess I will have to try and get hold of the consultant for the next one??

I don't know what your son's allergy is but it would cost the NHS a hell of a lot less if you just gave him a spoonful of generic Piriton every morning.

Posted too soon - 'every morning *that he's likely to come into contact with the allergen'.

Sunny day and likely to be outside? Piriton with breakfast.

JigglyTuff I do this with DS1 when he gets hayfever in the summer term.

I can't do this with DS2 who is allergic to nuts, eggs, dogs and a few other random things as I have no way of knowing when he'll come into contact with them. Not all allergies can be controlled like that.

Top of page 19 "Further advice:
In some cases, written instructions from the parent or on the medication container dispensed by the pharmacist may be considered sufficient, but ultimately this is for the school to decide, having taken into consideration the training requirements as specified in pupils’ individual health care plans."

So school don't need to have it labelled but don't have to agree to it not - although I would ask for an explanation as to why for something as "simple" as antihistamine especially if for a pretty mild allergy.
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/638267/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

I'm an RGN. Patients who bring their own medications into hospital must have legible labels on the bottles, or we cannot dispense them. The school are not being unreasonable, this is the safest way to dispense medication and they will have guidelines to follow. Explain to GP and I'm sure they will issue another script. I doubt the pharmacy would reprint the label, as although you know exactly what's in it, it's playing with fire to issue a label for a bottle of medication which has been opened.

Print your own label?

Name of child. And dose from the packet.

It is insane to have a prescription for over the counter meds (I accept for some families it is necessary otherwise they don't eat etc. As family income is so low. There are always exceptions).

School just need to know whose meds ot is. And what dose to give. In case the packet goes astray.

If it's an OTC antihistamine they are are 99p in Boots

You can administer one every morning before he goes to school so I'm not sure why the school might need to administer one? They aren't habit forming and you can't overdose on them. Nor does more than one increase your protection so I would just go with giving him one every morning come rain or shine.

JigglyTuff

It really depends on the allergy and allergen. Pre-emptive dosing works well with hayfever/seasonal allergies in general, but may well not leave enough antihistamine in his system to manage acute exposure. Additionally he may be prescribed a higher dose/stronger med for acute treatment (what I take for hayfever isn't as strong as what I take for an acute contact exposure to my primary allergen for example).

Unless of course is an epi-pen situation.

Hi all and thanks for the replies, in answer to some, and sorry if I miss some but...

It's a milk allergy, so it is only administered if and when he comes into or swallows any allergen.

The GP has said the same and the receptionist has put me for a call from the Doctor tomorrow to discuss.

As said, I am not adverse to buying it and have done but the school will not administer if it is not a pharmacist label. (I will go and have another word with the office tmw on it)

The receptionist said that we will be just going back and forth, so why she booked a call.

We are unsure how bad a reaction would be as we have kept him well away from any dairy growing up, but at the skin prick test, he has a 12mm lump, which a positive is over 6mm. Last test still came up as 10mm. Some say it corresponds to the severity and others say no.

It maybe that I have to go back to the consultant to train in an epi pen and have those to hand (which I have at times considered). Then it's a case of the school have to ensure they have someone trained.

For now, when he eats at school, I will have to make sure I am close by incase I am needed. Or I will have to tell the school he has to come home if they will not take a written bottle from me... (which they don't like as of it takes him away from his peers and social learning)

I'm not sure why people are querying that you might have a mild allergy that needs occasional Piriton but not daily piriton.

The school is following best practice which is a total pain for the doctor.
I emailed my doctor and explained the situation and they were sympathetic and gave a prescription. It must cost the NHS a lot though so I see the frustration.

Thank you for that Sirzy, I shall take that to the school tmw and see what they say :)

Grasspigeon - Yes, it must cost a lot and why they have done this maybe? It would be easier if it was agreed with all practises to make it easier. I cannot see my doctor backing down unfortunately :( I know plenty of people that have used the boots things to get calpol and things on, and have always brought other things myself... including antihistamine...I would rather pay and keep him safe, but if the school want that, they want it...

Just to put the GP's side of things here. We have recently stopped prescribing things that are available over the counter as well. Yes it's a cost-saving measure. Not just the cost of the drug (often a pittance) but also the time involved in processing the request, signing the prescription etc. I appreciate that for each individual patient it feels petty and unnecessarily officious, but in a practice with 1000s of patients these requests all add up to hours of admin and GP time, which can then not be spent looking after people who actually need to see the dr.

There's another thread running about GP letters to confirm allergies to schools and, again, at an individual level this can be frustrating and appear ridiculous. But when every man and his dog is asking for letters from your GP to prove a food intolerance/that you're okay to have an Indian head massage/fit to do a tap dancing class etc etc this work adds up and detracts from Nhs care. The drs know that £50 is a ludicrous fee - they charge that because they don't want to do the work, not because they think that's the cost of the work involved. We a