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Remember my vomiting toddler, the out of hours clinic and the advice to give him Ribena instead of breastmilk? Got a reply today to my letter of complaint.

43 replies

mawbroon · 30/06/2007 19:27

And it is a load of bullshit.

here is my original thread

They are totally copping out of it by saying that the advice I was given is all as per the GP Notebook 2007 (an online resource for medical staff).

Re the Ribena thing, they said that the recommendation is to give 5mls orally every 5-10mins by syringe, increasing volume and frequency until 100ml is taken without vomiting. They said that the recommendation is diluting juice with water which could be of any brand, including Ribena and that this is a suitable alternative to breastmilk. But then they go on to say that the self same GP Notebook says that if a patient's illness is mild, there is no need to change the feed. "However it does state that breast feeding may be halted for up to 24 hours. It is accepted that most healthcare professionals would probably not advise to stop breastfeeding but I can confirm that advice you were given was not incorrect"

They also say that they have noted that this is inconsistent with the advice given out on the recorded message on the NHS24 helpline and will be discussing this with them.

What they don't address at all was my point that it is completely inconsistent with advice given by breastfeeding organisations such as LLL.

I want to take this further, and it does give the opportunity to arrange a meeting with someone about it, but I think I would feel out of my depth. Can anyone give me some pointers as to where I should take this now? I think I want to ask then WHY they think Ribena and rehydration salts are better than breastmilk, but feel I would only be met with "but that's what the GP notebook says". I don't give a flyingfeck what it says, I still think that in our particular case, the advice was crap!!!!!#

I have previewed this and all the apostrophes and quotation marks have come out funny. Sorry if it's confusing on the actual post!

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 19:28

Oh the apostrophes are fine. Phew....

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moondog · 30/06/2007 19:29

Have you contacted LLL or ABM or Unicef Baby Friendly folk??

What a load of shit.

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 19:29

I talked to my LLL leader moondog, but haven't had a chance to speak with her about this yet as letter only came this morning.

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 19:31

I don't understand why they think "a suitable alternative to breastmilk" is required tbh....

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 20:47

bump

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moondog · 30/06/2007 20:50

Will e interesting to see what Tiktok and Mears say.

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ELF1981 · 30/06/2007 20:51

What a crap reply MB!!

Did you want to point out that it clearly says on the carton of Ribenna not to be given to those under 36 months?

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 21:00

I did point that out in my original letter Elf and their reply was as in my OP. I only checked the diluting variety, not the cartons, and it definitely says not to give to children under 3yrs.

My letter had a list of bullet points of my concerns, including the fact that ds had had unlimited access to the breast since birth and denying him this would cause emotional stress for both of us. They didn't address this either, nor did they answer my concern that stopping suddenly would leave me engorged and at risk of mastitis (ok I know I could pump, but it's not the same as I am pretty rubbish at it). And they didn't address my concern that he would be denied the antibodies in my milk.

I just feel they are trying to fob me off

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morocco · 30/06/2007 21:10

you might like to refer them to a few pages from their own notebook thenwww.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=1926234119&linkID=16181&cook=yes

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morocco · 30/06/2007 21:12
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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 21:18

fab morocco. I never even thought to try to look up the GP Notebook as I (wrongly) assumed that access wasn't freely available. Seems like they have been selectively quoting to defend the advice rather than say "actually mawbroon, you might be a tiny bit right"

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morocco · 30/06/2007 21:21

love to read next letter you write,

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Homebird8 · 30/06/2007 21:24

mawbroon, I do hope you are cross about the advice and not that you felt compelled to follow it! Instinct, when it comes to breastfeeding, is far better than any GP notebook. LLL (and others) are experts so stick with them.

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 21:27

I don't want to post it on here, but the LLL leader said that my first letter was excellent and that I should teach classes in how to write complaint letters.

I love a good complaint letter, me. But I am a big scaredy cat when it comes to complaining face to face.

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mawbroon · 30/06/2007 21:29

oh yes homebird. Very cross indeed.

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tiktok · 01/07/2007 12:31

maw, write again, pointing out the way they have ignored some of the points you raised and of course quoting the GP notebook.

send copies of the correspondence to the chief exec of the PCT and whoever has responsibility for bf in your PCT.

Good work so far

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lulumama · 01/07/2007 12:33

since when was ribena medicinal !?!?!?!?!?

hopefully, you kicking up a right royal stink will stop them giving out crapola advice !

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Panyanpickle77 · 01/07/2007 12:44

I'd like to say I am surprised at the response you received, but I am not. I had a similar incident when DS was around the same age. He's had a sickness bug that would not shake off, so I took him to the GP and advised that the only thing he managed to keep down was breast milk, and I was a little worried. He handed me a prescription for..........................wait for it.................................................................................................. ...........powdered baby formula. To say I was annoyed was an understatement, but just proves that re-education on all levels is needed. I don't know if this link is of use but I'll add it anyway....www.breastfeedingmanifesto.org.uk/need_help.php

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mawbroon · 01/07/2007 13:57

Have been mulling over this in my head this morning and am storing up all your great suggestions for when I finally put pen to paper. I will not let it rest, even though I have a thousand other things on my plate at the moment....

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mawbroon · 01/07/2007 22:00

Can anyone tell me what hyperosmolar and hypernatraemic mean please? I am struggling a bit here....

The GP notebook says "Note that artificial juices, if used in these circumstances, are hyperosmolar and may result in hypernatraemic dehydration."

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Brushetta · 01/07/2007 22:08

Crazy advice IMO.

I was with dd in hospital earlier this year when she had a serious bug and one of the nurses said that I'd better not bf her as milk was 'too heavy' for her.
This IMO was rubbish, bearing in mind she had only kept my breast milk down , nothing else and was scared, tired, weak and ill.
I bf her and she came out 3 days later.

Hope they change the advice.

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tiktok · 01/07/2007 23:24

mawbroon, I am not a doctor or a scientist, but by those words I deduce they mean that some juices dehydrate (by drawing fluid - by osmosis - from where it should be in the body, resulting in excessive sodium concentration and dehydration) . This is obviously dangerous for a baby.

I don't know if Ribena would be classified as an artificial juice,

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tiktok · 01/07/2007 23:25

Brishetta, it's not too late to write to complain about that dangerous advice to you.

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Highlander · 02/07/2007 10:57

ooh, bizarre mawbroon. I was given exactly the same advice from a trainee GP at my practice. I didn't formally complain, but when I saw my preferred GP I mentioned it to him and asked that he 'have a word'.

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mawbroon · 02/07/2007 11:13

Thanks tiktok. That was my line of thinking too and the way it is worded does seem like a warning type of thing.

I have the sinking feeling that none of my complaining will change a damned thing, but if I don't complain then it DEFINITELY won't.

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