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Original poster

Medised - what is going on?

67 replies

crybabybunting · 09/05/2008 20:30

I went to buy Medised the other day at Tesco's pharmacy and was told that it is no longer available for children under two.

I went to Boots and told them he was two! (He is 19 months.)They gave me the same line about how it can't be sold to a child under two.

I also use it on my 5 month old whenever she is coughing in the night and can't settle.

The Tesco's woman told me it's because people are using it alongside Calpol and not realising they are both paracetamol. I've never done this and don't plan to start now so surely I'm not doing anything wrong?

Has anybody else found this recently and do you think you will stop using Medised for your under-twos?

OP posts:
Piffle · 09/05/2008 21:11

meant to say tis no big deal to cope with labelling and sale restrictions when sideeffects of administering incorrectly include death fgs

wannaBe · 09/05/2008 21:12

I agree. In fact I find the whole "how dare they tell me I can't use it on my under 2, I will use it on my baby if I want" attitude utterly bizarre. It's clearly been deemed unsafe for under 2's. So if parents of under 2's want to put their babies at risk then go right ahead, but don't blame the government for giving out necessary info.

Original poster
crybabybunting · 09/05/2008 21:15

There is now a product called 'Calpol night' which I think is meant to be similar to Medised. Haven't tried it but the ads make it look as though it has a mild sedative effect. Is this going to be withdrawn too or are we to be trusted to use it safely?

I don't know if it's ludicrous to give your child a mild sedative, if you are doing it for their benefit, to help them sleep and get better. A child who has been up all night will be more poorly than one who managed to get some sleep.

I also use red wine for medicinal purposes and will have to step up my dosage if I can't drug the kids any more

OP posts:
SlightlyMadSweet · 09/05/2008 21:16

Yup calpol night has beenwithdrawn.

claraquitetirednow · 09/05/2008 21:16

Have just dosed up my very cold-y and unhappy 5-month-old with Medised...and then saw this thread

PuppyDogTails · 09/05/2008 21:16

Calpol Night has the same anti-histamine in as Medised so I expect it will be withdrawn too

SlightlyMadSweet · 09/05/2008 21:18

It is the ingrediants which have been withdrawn.

Anything which contains the ingrediants on the list have been withdrawn for uinder 2s.

list of brand names withdrawn. There are about half a dozen products removed completely.

Celery · 09/05/2008 21:19

My point is though, that it's not a mild sedative. Even taken at the correct dosage, it can have a strong effect.

Monkeytrousers · 09/05/2008 21:22

so are all antihistamines going to be withdrawn too?

surely fu*kwit mothers will find a way to poison their kids if not

SlightlyMadSweet · 09/05/2008 21:25

I think all OTC anti-histamines have been removed fo runder 2s.

I am sure there will be some available on prescription where medically necessary.

claraquitetirednow · 09/05/2008 21:25

Sorry, I am a little confused - am I a "f**kwit mother" for giving my baby Medised?

Monkeytrousers · 09/05/2008 21:26

So what if a 25 year old goes in alone and asks for paediatric antihistamene? They will do the same as they have alwasy done, told them the advice and sell them it.

The stats in that report do not justify these measures.

Monkeytrousers · 09/05/2008 21:28

No, I was being ironic Clara. I am just an angry fuckwit mother who has no idea how to care for my child and sedates it whenever I need to go out touting for business or for a fix ..

claraquitetirednow · 09/05/2008 21:32

Monkeytrousers - sorry, lack of sleep due to forementioned coldy baby making me dazed and confused and not very clever....

Original poster
crybabybunting · 09/05/2008 21:34

Clara - despite my light hearted posts I am concerned as I gave my dd medised before I started the thread and have been in twice to check she is ok since I've been reading the press releases etc.

It does seem to me though that the ingredients are only harmful if you give them alongside other medication - the press release does explicitly say that the medicines are not harmful it's the way they are (mis)used that can be harmful.

OP posts:
Monkeytrousers · 09/05/2008 21:34

me on PMT knife-edge Clara. Sorry too!

Piffle · 09/05/2008 21:53

only withdrawn IF they contain certain combinations of drugs.
read the bloody report fgs

Tartanmam · 09/05/2008 22:28

Is Piriton still allowed to be sold to under two's? I heard a rumour it wasn't anymore?

SlightlyMadSweet · 09/05/2008 23:26

Was that aimed at me Piffle?

My interpretation of he report was that the ingrediants had been withdrawn, not just the instances where those ingrediants are in certain combinations.

In fact many of those on the list contain sole ingrediants.

As for Piriton, the active ingrediant is on the list (chlorphenamine), but Piriton is not on list.

Maybe it is because it is not marketed as a cough remedy???

DKMA · 09/05/2008 23:38

Help me understand what this is all about then..............
Are these drugs now totally banned for the use in the under 2's...............or...........have they been withdrawn in the short term pending clearer labeling and dosing instructions?

SlightlyMadSweet · 11/05/2008 07:57

They are banned in under 2's.

The repackaging is to remove the dosage instructions from under 2's.

Until then the products will not be available on the open shelves (i.e. Tesco) and you will only be able to get them from a pharmacist who will tell you that it should not be used for under 2's.

andrea12 · 10/08/2008 19:38

hi i had no idea medised was banned for under two's untill 5 mins ago while i was browsing the net, i have a 10 month old daughter who is teething bad (8 teeth with more popping out every day aarrgghh) i give her 5ml of medised each night if she is in pain with no other medicine and she sleeps fine, i run out of medised last week so went to my local pharmacy with my daughter and they sold me more medised straught away, am i wrong to give her this? im so confussed,

bythepowerofgreyskull · 10/08/2008 19:41

no IMO you are not wrong to give it to her.

iirc they are worried that people don't realise that it contains the same painkiller as calpol and junior paracetamol.

as long as you haven't been doubling up on the dose and giving both then you should be fine

oswald07 · 02/10/2008 19:49

I tried to buy Medised in Tesco's about 6 weeks ago and was refused because of the new legislation. I was very angry as it's the only thing I've found that helps to clear a stuffy nose so that my 9 month old baby can sleep more soundly. So I must admit I went into Boots the next day to buy Medised without my baby, but ready with a fake DOB....but they never mentioned anything about any new legislation!!! I couldn't believe it....I must admit I was pleased that I'd managed to purchase some but confused. Now I don't know if I should be giving my baby Medised or not? Surely 'Boots the Chemist' can't have got it wrong?? I also use a vapouriser in the room when my daughter has a cold, but nothing clears the mucus away like Medised....and I would never dream of giving it to her 'just to shut her up'...I too feel that ALL mothers are being punished for SOME mothers stupidity!

Newmammy · 10/10/2008 08:01

I can't believe that mothers would still give their young baby medised after the warnings. Surely calpol will do if there's even the tiniest risk of something bad happening? I bet the mothers of those poor babies thought it wouldn't happen to them too. I shall go back to calpol, even if it means i'm up and down all night. I'm not prepared to risk my baby for a few hours sleep.