GP refusing to give prescription

[Brenda23]

Hi everyone,

Hoping someone can give me some advice. My 10 year old DD caught cold sores from one of her friends (not sure which one), and since then gets them monthly, which is really upsetting her.

I spoke to the GP to get medication to help reduce it and she says it’s not licensed for her age. The normal Zovirax stuff hasn’t been working and she’s gets lots around her mouth and nose.

I was reading online that GPs can prescribe ‘off label’ which means they can give prescriptions for medicine where the benefits outweigh any risks.

Does anyone have any experience of getting medicine off label or what I can do? I don’t know if I’ll have the same problem if I go and see a private GP.

Can you ask another doctor at the surgery?

Hi, thanks for responding. There is only one GP at our surgery unfortunately.

Yes I’ve had things off label for ds but it’s down to whether the individual GP will prescribe because it’s their decision making if something goes wrong.

Some GPs won't do this because it's on their back if there's a bad reaction or something goes wrong.

You could use an on line pharmacy to get it for yourself and give it to her

Thanks everyone, I may have to get it for myself as suggested.

Please don't use an on-line pharmacy for unlicensed or pre-licensed products. You have no idea what effect they may have on your DD. Your GP may have a very good reason for not wanting to prescribe them to a child.

I've had an unlicensed product from my GP because we had tried everything else first and it was a last resort.

What is your gp offering as the next treatment?

Is it antivirals they are refusing to prescribe?
You could try Lysine as it's supposed to help with cold sores too

Thanks Mintjulia. The GP is not offering anything else, she says she’ll have to keep using the Zovirax cream until she’s old enough for the medicine ( I think she said age 12).

I was reading the patient information leaflet online and it says that the medicine can be given to children over 2yrs old as it’s the same medicine they use to treat chicken pox. I don’t know why she can’t have it, the doctor decision doesn’t make sense to me. I understand the manufacturer didn’t apply for a license for under 12s but it can’t be that dangerous surely if it can be given to younger children for chicken pox.

Buy it online x

Dementedpixie,

Yes it’s antivirals she is refusing to prescribe. I’ll read up on lysine, thanks

Prescription only medications are prescription only for a reason. The GP is taking responsibility for any adverse reactions by prescribing off label so seems like the decision should be up to them...

Actually, in my experience GPs won't prescribe off label for children - unless a paediatrician has seen and recommended and looked at dosage etc.
This was certainly the case for us. I think you'd need to be referred up to that level.

I'd personally recommend looking at lysine instead & dabbing the sore itself with pure lavender oil. These have worked far better for DH & Dsil than the zovirax & probably safer for a DC too

Does your daughter get the tingle before she gets one, so can acknowledge it's on its way. if I catch them at that stage, I find that just feeds them. I get surgical spirits on a cotton bud and dab it on, it dries it out before if even becomes one. Haven't had one in ages now. But it's when it's at the tingle stage, not when it's weeping and the skin is broken. They are normally brought on with stress, or when run down, so I would start on a some vitamins, may be lacking something.

Could you see a private specialist? You'd obviously have to pay around 150 pounds initially but could be well worth it if she's getting one a month

Cold sore sufferer here.

Are you looking to take the anti-virals once she gets a cold sore or to take all the time as a preventative? If the later I can see why the doctor is reluctant to prescribe.

If they are to be taken when she gets a cold sore, how much effect they have depends on the timings, if taken quickly they can stop a cold sore from developing but once it is here it is not clear how much they help.

Does she get just 1 cold sore at a time?

I take l-lysine tablets (beware they are huge!) which has made a huge difference to the number I get.

I sympathise, some people think cold sore are just ugly but they are painful and if you get a large outbreak (over 5) can make you feel ill. But the gp is very unlikely to prescribe off-license, that would need a consultant.

I thoroughly recommend lysine I used to suffer from horrendous cold sores but since taking it regularly I suffer much less and if I do get one I up the dose and it goes much more quickly than with zovirax

Ds has medicines that are off licence but they are all prescribed and monitored by consultants who are expected in that area.

I wouldn’t expect a GP to prescribe off licence.

Lysine supplement daily. I can't overstate how much this helped me when I was having constant outbreaks and nothing worked in stopping it. I still take it and rarely ever get a cold sore now.

She doesn’t get any tingling beforehand so I don’t know until it shows up. She finds them very painful and is very self conscious that other kids are staring at them.

I’ve gone on netdoctors page and it says lysine shouldn’t be given to children.

It’s getting both of us down 😞

I assume you mean valtrex ?

It's not given routinely for chicken pox, and occasional use in serious acute cases does mean it's OK for young children to use for a chronic condition

It’s aciclovir, I think it’s similar to valtrex.

I had cold sores in childhood. One came and went another one arrived. It was hard and even took time off school due to name calling and feeling horrible with them.
I had blood tests, different creams and all sorts. Never got the tablets till I was 25 and I begged for them. Since then I’ve had a further course and I could count on my hand how many sores I’ve had. I’ve just turned 40. Even been married and didn’t have one. Just a game changer.
Off license usually needs to come from a specialist before they can prescribe. I’d ask for a referral for this or petition your MP regarding this if it’s causing a significant impact on her quality of life.
Hope she gets sorted soon.

@Teenytinyvoice

You could use an on line pharmacy to get it for yourself and give it to her

What an absolutely stupid thing to recommend. If a GP will not prescribe a particular medicine for a child, there’s a very good reason for that!