Is there any way of obtaining Erfa thyroid when your local GP won't prescribe it?

[BigBadger]

I have been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I would like to take Erfa thyroid to treat this, as a natural product supplying both T4 and T3. I can obtain it locally, but my medical practice won't prescribe, even though an endocrinologist at my local hospital is happy to monitor its use, as is my acupuncturist - who is a qualified doctor, but not a prescribing GP. Do I have any choices other than to change GP or to import the product myself from abroad? Is there any way of obtain Erfa Thyroid without prescription?

[LouiseRoberts]

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Louise

[BigBadger in reply to LouiseRoberts]

So are you saying it's illegal to obtain this medication without prescription?

[Clarebear in reply to BigBadger]

I think it is legal to import a small amount of the product for personal use, but it is against TUK's guidelines to post details of how to obtain UK non prescription medicines without a prescription.

[Clarebear]

If your endo is happy to monitor you, won't he/she give you a prescription? Sorry just wondering

[BigBadger]

No, he won't. And in fact that is part of the GP practice's problem with the cost. They aren't prepared to monitor Erfa's use themselves and baulk at the cost of paying for bi-monthly consultations at the hospital. I can't see why the monitoring would be any more difficult than monitoring the livothyroxine I'm currently on. They're happy to pay for the necessary blood tests to monitor that - surely there would be little difference with Erfa?

[Studette40]

While I take ERFA my levels don't show properly. I have been like this for years though and it is not unusual. But finding a doctor or endo to take that into consideration is nigh impossible. I have moved to Scotland and am having a very difficult time getting them to prescribe ERFA even though I have been on it for over 20 years in Canada and in England. I would advise you go to another doctor that will prescribe it. You need to look for doctors that believe in the old treatments and not the new doctors who haven't even learned about these medications.

[BigBadger]

Thank you Studette40. That's rather what I thought, though I'm reluctant to leave my current GP, who is generally very supportive. It seems to be the rest of the group practice who are less helpful.

[Clarebear]

My endo originally prescribed Armour for me on a private prescription, but luckily my GP took over prescribing on the NHS, when he saw my improvement. I think the monitoring is pretty much the same as on thyroxine, my GP has always done this, even when the endo was prescribing) and I have TSH, fT3 and fT4 measured. I think I am lucky to have fT3, but fortunately the endo asked my GP to monitor this and so far they have done it every time (maybe partly because my TSH is suppressed at <0.02). I really hope you get this sorted out. xxx

[BigBadger]

I didn't realise there was such a thing as a private prescription. I'll go back to the Endo and see if he is prepared to do it. Thanks for this.