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Original poster

The French do it, the Germans do it... so why don't the English?

47 replies

emkana · 29/09/2004 19:31

Administering medicine by suppository, that is. I'm German and I was talking to a friend today who is French - she said she went around 10(!) pharmacies to find Calpol suppositories - whereas in France you can pick them up in the supermarket!
I import them from Germany as well, because both my children absolutely refuse to take Calpol by spoon, no matter what I try - and a suppository you can give while they are sleeping without them really noticing it!
Another friend was telling me how her barely two-year-old had her mouth forced open in hospital to put Calpol in, while being told to "be good", then they kept her mouth shut to keep it in!
How horrible is that? She was traumatised for ages!
I really don't get it! Enlighten me!

OP posts:

pollyanna · 29/09/2004 19:34

I got some paracetomol suppositories on prescription from my doctor for both my dds who refused to take calpol even by syringe. The doctor prescribed them no problem.

I have a friend who has a french mother and she remembers having suppositories when she was 12!! (I think the english might be too squeamish for that!)

discoinferno · 29/09/2004 19:36

I use paralink suppositories. Excellent for bringing down a temp. I'm in Ireland though.

JanH · 29/09/2004 19:45

Hmm - personally, however disgusting something tastes I'd rather take it by mouth than have it shoved up my arse (esp by someone else while I was asleep!!!!!! )

Original poster

emkana · 29/09/2004 19:55

Yes but a one-year-old doesn't think that way! Believe me, I tried everything - they weren't having it! So surely it's much gentler and kinder to them that way?
And obviously you can stop once they are understanding enough/or are open to bribery!

OP posts:

lou33 · 29/09/2004 19:59

I am phobic about that part of my body, so I agree with janh

JanH · 29/09/2004 20:00

I guess it's a cultural thing, emkana! If I had had them from childhood I probably wouldn't think twice.

I wonder which method has the best absorption rate though? Suppositories seem to be going the wrong way!

carla · 29/09/2004 20:08

LOL JanH! I do remember dd2 being about nearly 2 and shivering - dd1's answer was to cover her in blankets and so was mine ... for five minutes. Called docs and was politely asked to come in minutes .. at that point I had no idea that a shaky baby could be shaky 'cos she had a high temperature, not a low one I thought she was cold. Anyhow, dare I mention {{{Calpol}}} but she's never taken it, so had to have something shoved up her errrm bum. God, did I just mention that word again .

Flossam · 29/09/2004 20:09

It is actually a more effective way of giving a lot of medications! Not quite a simple as popping a paracetamol but good for you!!

carla · 29/09/2004 20:10

And, amazingly, she got better in minutes. Still don't understand how that can happen with stuff up their bum

lou33 · 29/09/2004 20:13

My consultant wants me to have steroids that way, but I tried to do it and just ended up in floods of tears, so I have them orally now when I need them. Cried for 2 days after a colonoscopy.

JJ · 29/09/2004 20:17

I love suppositories, esp when my son is vomiting. I don't actually get why it's so weird to some people. I guess to me it's just another way to get my son the medicine he needs. He's never been bothered by it and it works faster than the meds by mouth.

JanH, but it's not you -- it's your child. It's fine if you don't want one, but what are you going to do for your child? Hold his mouth shut until he swallows only to have him vomit it out? Make him go to the ER to get it IV?

I'm glad you've never been in that situation. Trust me that an suppository is better than an IV. And get over it. Shoved up your arse while you're asleep, ffs. I'd hate someone to try and breastfeed me now, but I'm still all for it for the littlies.

Flossam · 29/09/2004 20:21

You still absorb from you rectum. Hence if you need to go and don't you end up consitpated. All the water in there gets sucked out and it gets hard and therefore harder to pass. Gets to work straight away from up there has to reach your stomach the other way and be absorbed via your upper digestive system.

PotPourri · 29/09/2004 20:40

Do people still use thermometers in that way? I remember that was the norm for kids when I was small - in case they bit or spat out etc from the mouth. Guess the same thing applies about squeamishness...

Flossam · 29/09/2004 20:47

Again one of the most reliable ways of getting temperature. The second best way of getting an accurate body temperature where I work!

prettycandles · 29/09/2004 20:53

Yeah, the English are squeamish! A couple of weeks ago 21m dd had to have antibiotics but after a day and a half she absolutely refused to take them. Apparetnly this particular antibiotic is vile, even in the infant formulation. When I went back to the hospital for her checkup and asked to be represcribed the antibiotics in suppository form I was looked at as if I was loony. 'Why do you want that?' This is in England, BTW. I got the feeling that they thought there was something dubious about me because I want to shove things up my daughter's bottom.

Anyway, dd didn't finish the antibiotics and was fine.

Apparently painkillers absorb really well from the rectum, but antibiotics less so. After ds was born, and also after I had surgery 'down there', I had painkillers by supository and it was marvellous - the relief kicked in so much faster, and I didn't need to worry about breastmilk.

TracyK · 29/09/2004 20:54

can we get suppositries in gb then? or over the internet? i want to have some in my first aid box!

JanH · 29/09/2004 20:55

Go on then, Flossam - what is the best way?

lou33 · 29/09/2004 21:06

I thought it was the ear, because it is near the wotsit that controls body temp?

meysey · 29/09/2004 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

prufrock · 29/09/2004 21:48

We gave dd calpol suppositories when she was so ill with a cold that she threw up everything she ate/drank - especially medicine. We had to phone the local Boots and ask them to order them - they were there the next morning. Can't remeber them being any more expensive than normal calpol

Issymum · 29/09/2004 21:52

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request

webmum · 29/09/2004 21:57

The Italians do it too and I don't like it either, and I must disagree with the mnyth that children don't even realise, mine did and she didn't like one bit, maybe as babies, but after a while they refuse, as for taking the temp, I find havign to keep a bbay still on their tummy for 5 minutes quite hard work! I've always given dd medicines by syringe and found it no particular hassle xcept a few times, and I'm sure on those occasions she would hae refused suppositories too.

rosies · 30/09/2004 09:40

i would imagine these things are not so readily available here due to us having maybe stricter child protection laws. putting things in babies bottoms could be seen as abuse. i dont suppose many of you remember the cleveland stories of children being taken into care... gawd probably 20 years ago... the main arguement by social workers was that on testing kids bottom reflex, they could tell if a child was used to having things put there. ... it did eventually get thrown out, i believe, but i daresay thats why in england, OTC child suppositories are not available.

i also think they stopped rectum thermometors due to damage being caused quite easily.

i do agree that calpol is sickly and messy, particularly when its being thrown up! but you can get soluable ibuprofen now.

chances are, if baby has a high temp and is vomiting, they are likely to be squitty too.

pupuce · 30/09/2004 10:10

I had suppositories when I was a child... no big deal ! It is much faster I believe at disolving itself too! so faster relief...
My aunt who is 70 has always taken some medication (for migraine actually) that way....

It is a British thing not to want this this way.... and I think an adult view of something should not be carried onto a child... it's a bit like I hate this and that vegetable so I won't make my child eat it !

coppertop · 30/09/2004 10:15

Agree with JanH entirely. Sorry but my backside is strictly a one-way system.

I suppose if I'd been brought up with that method of administering medicines then I'd probably think differently but it's just not for me.

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