Pharmacist just refused to sell me medised for my 3yr old!

[toomanyshoes]

I am so angry with her! I know the recommendations have changed and medised is no longer suitable for children under 2 but my DD is 3.

She said it was unsuitable for young children and produced a leaflet telling me how to deal with a cold (plenty of fluids, rest etc) FGS I'm not a bloody moron!!
It's not even a new formulation, the bottles on the shelf were the old 'from 3 months' stock.

I told her I knew the recommendations and had checked on the medised site. Had a row with her and stormed out in the end

ooh, this reminds me of when I needed Canesten whilst heavily pregnant - the ASDA pharmacist wouldn't sell me any. I sent dh there after work (only place open) and they quizzed him "was your wife here this morning?" etc. He was pissed off with me for having to lie

but the OP's child was three, that seems to me to be the point. and they REFUSED, bloody stickybeaks.

Hence the reason that I qualified my post by admitting it was more relevant to the discussions that have happened since OP where people (eg cantgetnosleep; and others on other threads) have complained at being refused medised for under 2's.

Agree manner in which it is done is also an issue in many cases, and where it is inapprpriately witheld (e.g for OPs 3yo) is still an issue.

Also it isn't strictly the age of the child that is relevant but their weight. So a light 3 year old might still potentially be taking a large dose of Medised for them. My dd2 who is 7 has SN and still only weighs about 15kg. I have to be careful with Calpol intake due to this - can't use over 6 year old variety etc.

I always lie to chemists, DP needed some HC45 for his chin, they can't sell it for face, so I said it was on his arm, I wanted daktarin gel for my 3week old DS, said doctors told me to get it for him, Wanted co-codamol when pg, (MW had said to get it) told pharmacist it was for DP's toothache, wanted castor oil when pg, dp told pharmacist it was for his granddads constipation etc etc

The pharmacist has to do as they're told because otherwise they can be liable, so I lie, therefore take the responsibility myself.

oldcrock....thats part of thereason it has been withdrawn. babies of the same ages a much more variable in weight than older children - relatively speaking.

Weight is the most important factor in dose. but wrt medised the law is baesd on age.

Can I say that I did not want medised for my son but cough mixture! I have never abused medicines of any sort and consider myself to be extremely responsible in this matter. I would never use medicines wily nily and only when I think are needed. My point was that if they won't sell me cough mixture then maybe they should consider stocking the plain stuff!

Anyway my DS is way over the average height and weight for his age and easily looks 3. My sister is a pharmacist and said that dosage should go by weight and age of child rather than age alone as this is the single biggest risk to overdose (aside from irresponsible people using the stuff for other purposes ).

i really hate our local pharmacist, mind...

I will readily admit that I have occassionally used Medised on my DD mainly for its seditive effects. DD is only 21 months and this thread is the first I knew of the new guidance. I am not sure it will stop me sometimes turning to medised in times of need. DD wakes very early but if I medised her before bed then she sleeps to 7am. I have done this very occassionally when I have been ill and urgently in need of sleep. I have also used Medised on long haul plane flights and when teething has been waking her up regularly.

Go ahead and flame me for this but IMO I am still using medised responsibly when I use it to help me survive some of the most trying moments of motherhood.

Artichokes I can totally understand where you are coming from.

I was disturbed by a post I read yesterday -someones friend admitted to mediseding their child so they wouldn't get disturbed hosting their dinner party! .

That is the type of meds abuse I was referring to btw.

och tbh i can't be arsed getting exercised about even that. is it 'dinner party' that offends? as a one-off i couldn't care less if someone does that, it hardly means they're abusive parents imo.

Slightly Mad...you know, that has always made me wonder, the whole agerelated dosing...in Germany they will usually give you weight guidelines for dosage, which is, imo, a far better and safer way....

I am always surprised that people can even give their Kids medication when they not ill (i.e. using medised for sedating reasons, etc...)...all my 3 boys would never touch any medication unless they are actually feeling truely unwell...they obviously hate the flavour of the medication, and can only bear to take it if they absolutely must...I didn't realise my Kids are so unusual, but they must be, I suppose!

To OP, I think it is shocking that they would NOT sell you the medised for your 3 year old...but you did mention that you also had a 5m old in tow, maybe that really was the reason for the refusal...not that that is a good enough reason....

You've put your point honestly artichokes so I'm assuming you don't mind an equally honest response.
I used to use drugs for myself to "survive the most trying moments.." of life. But I'd be gutted if my kids chose to do the same. I give drugs to my kids to preserve life (congential heart disease) and when they're in pain. I just can't see myself drugging them for any other reason.

I don't mind you being honest Lenny but in all truthfullness I am not worried that DD might develop some idea that drugs are the answer to problems. First of all I only use it for specific sleep problems, not to knock her out whenever I feel a little stressed. DD is not a brilliant sleeper and when the cumulative effects of sleep deprivation get to us all I think medised is the lesser of two evils.

She is 21 months and has no understanding that occassionally her sleep is dependent on a mild seditive. This is not a weekly occurance but I beleive it is sometimes in her interests and the interests of the whole family.

my best pharmacy experience was last summer............

went into Boots clutching prescription for Volterol 75mg. Handed it over whilst holding swab to my gob

Me: I'd like some Ibuprofen 400mg as well please

Boots operative: Hmm, I'm not happy abut you buying Ibuprofen and a Volterol prescription. You musn't take them together

Me: I know, the Ibuprofen is for 2 days time when I stop the Volterol

Boots: But there's enough Volterol for 7 days

Me: I don't really want to be taking Volterol for 7 days

Boots: Then come back in 2 days

Me: I have 2 toddlers, my hubby has them in the car just now, it's easier for me to stock up now.

Boots: Why do you need it? Have you had dental work.

Me(totally pissed off and SORE at this point)

I've had a bone graft in the front of my mouth - LOOK!

Boots: Okay!

I swear to God she went pale. Just doing her job and all that but her reaction was vaguely amusing. Just as well I didn't confess about the wee sniff of Medazolam I was reeling under

But i think i'm right in saying your dd is below the recommended age for medised which in fact puts her at risk and it's therefore not in her interest at all. But, you're clearly happy with your choices Good luck

Lenny - as I explained earlier today is the first time I realised the recommended age has changed. Up until now it has been recommended from 3 months and so I have been within the guidelines.

As far as I understand from this thread the revised guidance is based on (a) the effect of the seditive on children with febrile illnesses and (b) the risk of paracetamol overdose when mixed with other drugs. I think DD is therefore pretty safe given that I would never sedate her if she had a fever (as I would want to be aware if her condition deteriorated) and I never give her other drugs.

Oh, yes, because all people are assumed to be too stupid to read and follow directions, so they have to be nannied and policed like pre-schoolers.

I lie all the time to them, VS. Like I said, it's like being back at school and giving face to Teacher or Mama so they just shut up and let you go.

cantgetnoleep - most cough medicines fall under the same law, wether it is tyxilix, benylin, boots own or medised. What I tried to say was that they were right for refusing to sell. But you are justified in being pissed off that they didn't stock the glycerol syrup.

RubyRijoca - they decided if they removed practical everything off teh shelf at such short notice the over 2s would suffer. The compromise was to allow the drugs companies until Oct to relabel. Until they are relabelled they are only available from behind the pharmacists counter. When they have been relabelled I think they will be available on the open shelf again (for those that were available on open shelf).

In pahramcies they often are.

You could get some of teh withdrawn products in Tesco etc, which you can't at the moment. Also bigger bottles were only available behind the counter.

It does depend on the drug and the size bottle.

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1495075.ece

Interesting article. I just googled Tyxillix and this is what came up.

What is interesting is that the new law states under 2's yet these products contain additives not suitable for under 3's. Confusing or what?

I was definately asleep when the law came out as had same prob at asda 2 days ago when they said they cant sell it for under 6 year olds??? I have used it on my two year old from about 6 months old when he has had really bad colds that are keeping him awake due to congestion and coughing, luckily my normal chemist knows I have older kids so got it from them and only ever give him half dose before bed anyway. What I want to know is how on earth my kids are still alive. As everything these days that has been ok to be used in the past is now so "bad" for them for that mattter how am I still here when what my mother did when we were young for us would probably get her lynched by the do gooder brigade these days.