Any doctors or pharmacists around? I wonder if you can answer my medicine question....

[TheLifeOfRiley]

DS is 5yrs old and on the autistic spectrum and has trouble with constipation and withholding. We saw a paediatrician at the hospital and he prescribed Movicol Paediatric Plain sachets (and sodium picosulfate).

Anyway that was a couple of months ago and the last two repeat prescriptions I have picked up from the GP have been for Marcogol half strength sachets. The first time I didn't notice and the pharmacist refused to dispense it as he said it is not usually recommended for under 12s and asked if I had seen GP before it was changed which I hadn't. He called the surgery and told them he wouldn't dispense it. I ended up having prescription rewritten as movicol paediatric plain.

This month went to pick it up and it was Marcogol again. Receptionist looked it up in book and told me it said not for under 12s, then asked me to wait while she checked with doc who said it was fine so I went to get it.

I'm now worried though that it's wrong!

Movicol paediatric plain and marcogol half strength. The same? Or different? Both suitable for DS?

Do you mean Macrogol? here suggests similar ingredients suggests one sachet of Movicol paediatric plain has half the contents of one sachet of Macrogol half strength, but worth asking your GP if you're concerned (as I'm not a medic, and you shouldn't get medical advice from the net ;) ).

Yes have spelt it wrong tis Macrogol.

SO if that link is right then one sachet of Macrogol half strength is twice the amount of one sachet of movicol paediatric? Which would explain the two extremely messy clean ups I have just had in the space of an hour!

I have queeried this twice now at the docs and they are insisting it's fine but they changed it last time back to movicol for him. I just feel a bit about them changing it and have had two people tell me he shouldn't be having it yet doc insists fine!

[exasperated] [tired]

you will problem find that the half strentgh is cheaper than the peadiatric stuff, kick up a stink and speak to practice manager.

The link is for Macrogol not Macrogol half?

Movicol/Macrogol half is not recommended for children
but only because the manufacturers also make a specific product called Movicol paediatric and therefore they would.

Next time you're at the GPs ask them (the GP) to prescribe Movicol Paediatric Plain.

I would write a really quick note to keep on your DS's file requesting this and making it clear you've had problems collecting the prescription previously.

Movicol paediatric and half strength are exactly the same. The reason your pharmacist won't dispense it is because the half strength aren't licensed for under 12s. No harm to your child but not worth a law suit to the pharmacist who's hands are tied by law if anything went wrong.

As moragbellingham says, just request the paediatric version to be prescribed and a note made on your DS's notes.