T3 from Crete via International Personal Shopper

[Hiphypo]

Well, the "personal shopper" bit was my dear daughter, just back from Crete with - wait for it - 22 boxes of T3. What a star!

Now I will have a buffer against any future shortages.

A huge Thank You to Marz for flagging it up in the first place, hours before my daughter was leaving for Crete. Think I should be taking a holiday there myself just so I can thank Marz in person - could probably justify it on the cost saving alone.

I wish everyone else the best of luck in their quest to source supplies.

[Moggie]

She's lovely Marz isn't she - and great that you are now sorted.

Moggie x

[kimbo]

Thats great that you have a good backup there is such a shortage of it, when my Gp gives me my 1st script for it i cant get it typical looks like i will have to send my son on holiday lol xx

[Framboise]

Glad your daughter got the T3 for you. I used to buy a year's supply of hydrocortisone OTC in Greece every year. I believe that the Greek pharmaceutical industry makes its own generics and sells them (many like T3 and hc, OTC) at a fraction of the cost of the same items here, so that they don't have to buy the most used drugs from outside. I discussed the possible savings to the NHS with my GP but she just shrugged her shoulders and said she didn't know how the NHS funded drugs. Meanwhile the pharmacist I go to in Greece used to laugh and ask why I couldn't just buy it here as it was 'only hydrocortisone'!

[Totoro]

Great news, must remove a lot of worries

[Hiphypo in reply to Totoro]

Yes - now I have a buffer stock should it ever happen again.

[Zephyrbear]

I have a brother who lives over there who is doing the same for me...

[Hiphypo in reply to Zephyrbear]

Sounds like we need to set up a villa holiday!

[hymermad]

Do you mind me asking how much a box/ packet of T3 costs in Crete? Looks like we T3 'ers all need a holiday there! I believe Turkey do them cheap too, But not sure.

[Hiphypo in reply to hymermad]

Under 2 euros a pack of 30 x 25 mcg.

[ThyroidHell]

What is this T3 and can't you get it in here?

[Hiphypo in reply to ThyroidHell]

T3 is Liothyronine, T4 is Levothyroxine. T3 has run out in the UK at the moment

[sheila747]

Thanks for telling us that. We have a holiday booked there next month so will get some.

[Hiphypo in reply to sheila747]

They come in packs of 30 x 25 mcg, under 2 euros. My daughter went to the pharmacy closest to her and asked - they said they hardly ever got asked for it, had 2 boxes - how many did she want? she said '20 would do', 'ok, will have them for tomorrow' - and they did! Good luck - Marz did warn that some shops were limiting folk to one box a visit - only because the Greek govt has not been paying them for NHS drugs.

[Kezzerb]

Well done pity the NHS can't be bothered to source it as quick.

Perhaps we all should have a regular shopping trip there well worth a holiday in the sun both beneficial to our health.

Update on T3 on TPA hopefully all will be up and running soon. Even if they are doing what they say sufferers that depend on T3 should not have been put in the position of worrying or have to write letters every where.

tpauk.com/news/8510-t3-now-...

[Hiphypo]

Hi mjflint, It was not me who got Hydrocortisone, but someone else, nothing to do with me. I asked my daughter to try to buy some T3 - Liothronine - because supplies have dried up here in the UK, and I am on T3 only and close to running out. Sorry have no idea how to get it in Spain, but if you ask your relations to enquire maybe they can help you - good luck.

[Framboise]

Hi, I was replying to Hiphypo whose daughter bought T3 over the counter for her in Greece, and saying that I used to buy hydrocortisone (for my adrenals) there also as an over the counter med. Here both are prescription only and the pharmacist I go to in Greece got used to seeing me and asked why I had to go there to buy it because, as far as she was concerned it was 'only hydrocortisone', whereas my GP thought it a dangerous drug (and also considered T3 dangerous) and that patients shouldn't be allowed to buy such things and aren't competent to know how to take them! It was this difference in attitudes that I was commenting on.

I've found that prescription-only drugs here are often available to buy in other countries. I agree with Hiphypo that you could ask your relatives to enquire in a pharmacy if they sell Liothyronine which they may call Cynomel. I think that a high-street pharmacy there would be reputable, however they would need to check the packet to see what strength it is, it's normally in 20mcg or 25mcg tablets. If they live near Andorra then I believe it's for sale there. I would stress though that I had a private prescription for hydrocortisone at the time, but the cost had become very high here, and I bought it in Greece because it was so very much cheaper and just as good.

Good luck!