Armour on NHS? Advice please!

[CathyT]

Hi folks,

My endo has written to GP recommending that I switch to Armour for a 3 month trial, although told me that if she (GP) doesn't agree to prescribe it, that it'd need to be a private prescription.

GP looked into the situation (being unlicenced etc) and says she can't prescribe Armour as it's not on the National Formulary and has bounced me back to endo again, saying that the endo would need to prescribe it. She's a new GP and really helpful but is out of her depth in anything non-standard.

My pharmacist has checked his "system" (whatever that means) and says it's a straightforward "special order" import from US that he'd be able to get for me within 5 days, just needs the prescription.

I've been trying to read up on this before speaking with the endo again as I thought that some people do get it on NHS but my mushy brain is just getting confused. (3 days with no T3 is taking its toll!)

I know all the Armour info is on here somewhere but can anyone please explain to me (in simple terms!) what the difficulty is in getting Armour on NHS in UK? I've to speak to endo tomorrow and need to know where I stand. Paying for private prescription isn't an option for me as I'm broke as it is as I can only work part-time due to being so unwell.

Endo wants to try Armour as a last resort. I've previously had Levo only, then T4/T3, then T3 only, then back to T4/T3. Blood tests are pretty much optimised now but still have lots of symptoms. Some kind of NDT is the only thing we've not tried.

[PinkNinja]

She can prescribe it on a named patient basis. It would be worth looking into that and giving her this information.

My dad's GP does this and writes on the prescription "As prescribed by consultant" which kind of lets her off the hook a bit if things don't work out. It will be in your notes anyway that your endo has recommended it, so she shouldn't have anything to worry about.

I hope that helps. If I find any further info I'll let you know

Carolyn x

[PinkNinja]

Here is the link to info on "named patient basis"

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Carolyn x

[CathyT in reply to PinkNinja]

Thanks Carolyn. Is "MIMS" the same thing that GP is referring to as "National Formulary"?

[PinkNinja in reply to CathyT]

I'm not sure. It is certainly a similar publication. I'll see if I can find out more.

[sporty333]

I get mine on the NHS from my GP...no problem at all!

[CathyT in reply to sporty333]

Sporty, did you see an endo at all or was it your GP who instigated prescription in the first place? Had you tried all other options first? ie Levo, T4/t3 combo, T3 only.. ? I'm wondering whether it might only be supplied on NHS as a last resort.

[sporty333 in reply to CathyT]

Yeah I just went to my gp (after I asked him to test my thyroid) and asked what I need to do and what my options were. I knew about T3 and ndt but he said let's start on levo first. After that didn't work I asked for T3. He gave me that to try then I asked for ndt and he gave me that, no problem at all. As someone said on here, he had to give me a letter explaining to the chemist why I was being given it on prescription. Named patient I think they call it.

All seems weird when I read about people's experiences on here and what their gps say to them about getting it. I just had to ask!

Si

[belwom]

Reading Sporty's and other people's experiences and how widely they differ, I am baffled by the lack of consistency in prescribing. There should be NATIONAL guidelines for this. It is chaos at the moment. Is this not something this organisation could lobby for?