Doctors prescribing cheap alternatives to babies??????

[postage]

15 month old baby who has been suffering from eczema and doctor has given Oilytum to bath him with (one bottle a month 125ml cost to buy £5.40) suddenly decides its too expensive to give him every month prescribes him with
Aqueous cream BP £1.25 over the counter. Reviews are bad onb thisd cream it thins the already thin skin and causes stinging effect. It’s cheap and nasty. But very cheap cheaper then oilytum

What would you do??/ new doctor very young from abroad

[hc4361]

I would buy the Oilytum.

[smart1]

Having worked in Pharmacy for over 25yrs, I can tell you that Aqueous Cream is exactly the same as E45 cream, which is certainly not cheap. Having got that out of the way, it is in no way sinilar to Oilatum.

[postage]

Yes we will buy it but to be honest I am little pissed off the doc was so rude
And he did,nt need to be the child suffers fromn itchyness badly and yes I know doctors are on a budget but surely some one needs to stop and think prevention is better then cure.
surely

[postage]

smart it is cheap you can buy in asda for £1.25 boots for £1.99 sop which pharmacy aer you talking about

[dzug2]

You'll find doctors very keen to prescribe cheaper alternatives - it comes out of their budget so they have a vested interest in doing so.

[starone]

The baby should come first, whatever the cost. I think this is entirely wrong, although I don't know what you can do about it, except complain bitterly.

[ladyalex]

I think I'd buy the Oilatum , but I'd try another GP too, if I could.
In the great scheme of GP budgets, I don't think £5.40 a month is a big deal....but what do I know....

[postage]

drug2 your right - even we got all these doctors from abroad who have opened up in all areas they then hire doctors who are on a budget regardless off what side effects you may get its cheaper its good.
thus the NHS struggles becasue the cheaper one given more side effects but for a baby???? i dont understand we pay our tax's and god know how much national insurance taxs

[woofgang]

actually i find aqueous cream to be good stuff. It shouldn't sting even on broken skin. BUT there does seem to be research that the sodium laureate sulphate in it can thin healthy skin. Why don't you print this off and take it back to the doc?
http://www.talkeczema...uld_make_it_worse.php

[smart1]

I have worked in several hospital pharmacies and for 4 yrs was Senior Technician in a Pharmacy manufacturing unit making (amongst other things of course) Aqueous cream. Yes, it is cheap to buy as it is NOT a brand name such as E45 or Oilatum. I just want to re-iterate that although it doesn't cost a lot, it is an extremely good product for anyone with extremely dry skin conditions - or anyone else. Would it be a better product if it cost a fiver Postage?

[postage]

Woofgang that’s the point I was trying to make it thins healthy skin why would doctor give it to a baby??? Who already has thin skin?

[Everhelpful]

Don't know how GP's manage on £125k per year,minimum.!!

[postage]

smart your missing the point mate we are talking about a 15 month old child and reading the reviews about it -- its not good
recent research study into the use of aqueous cream on healthy skin showed that regular use of aqueous cream can reduce the thickness of healthy skin and increase water loss from the skin. This is thought to be because it contains a detergent called sodium lauryl sulphate rather than just moisturisers. Skin experts now recommend that people with eczema only use aqueous cream as a soap substitute. There are many alternative moisturisers available for use in people with eczema.
When using this cream in the bath or shower take care to avoid slipping, especially when getting in or out because, the cream may make the bath/shower more slippery than usual

[ladyalex]

Postage, your baby deserves the best.
You need a better explanation for a prescription change to a completely different product (as I remember it, I await correction from experts on here) than 'it's cheaper'.
If your GP thinks their budget is more important than issuing the best prescription, change GP .

[rowanwitch]

Aqueous cream is used even on fragile 'steroid skin' in the very elderly and frail but as a washing agent not as a moisturiser. I am surprised that oilatum can be prescribed as it is a standard (albeit a bit pricey) over the counter toiletry range for dry skin rather than a medication.

[smart1]

I understand what you're saying postage - but you were saying Aqueous cream is "cheap and nasty" - it isn't. It's an extremel good oduct at a very affordable price. That is MY point.

[woofgang]

Gp's bless em are only human and can't keep up on all the research which is why it might be worth going back with the research printed out.

[smart1]

RW - Oilatum started off as a POM (prescription only medicine) decades ago, but like many other POM's they have been commercialisedto sell to a wider market. Canestan would be another good example of this.

[hc4361]

I too fail to see why Aquatum should be available on prescription.
If you prefer to use it, buy it.

I would of course feel differently if it were a prescription only superior product for the condition, but it isn't.

[cazzz1975]

I would use the aqueous cream, its a suitable substitute for oilatum, there is also dermol which is another good alternative, prescription only I believe though