Other European Countries / Uproar on thyroid treatments

[ThyroidHell]

As I am a finnish in England I also follow the Finnish sites for thyroid. There is an uproar at the moment and thyroid treatments are strongly in the news there.

Armour is on special licence, only handful of doctors are allowed to give it to the patients. There is a hot line from Apteekki ( chemist ) for drug licensing headquaters just in case if someone walks in with Armour prescription . One doctor who was sympathetic was forbidden to treat thyroid patients at all. People travel hundreds of miles for specialists appointments and pay hundreds of euros for privat Endos , all the blood tests you have to pay yourself and of course the medication ( normal thyroxine ) cost too.

Patients there have to pay for all even for hospital stays in a general hospitals.They get back some from national health insurance but its pittance. Just bloody awful.

Finland always boasts that their health service is one of the best in the world but looking at other european countries I would say it got lot to be desired! They might be good at research and discovering but at the patient level is total rubbish.

[Moggie]

And we moan about our NHS. I don't think it matters which country you are from, thyroid treatment is awful in most of them. I would really like someone to explain why? Its not as though its an illness that cant be treated, it just seems as though the medical profession don't want to treat it or give patients anything other than a bog standard drug that is proven not to work for some.

Do you still have treatment in your own county or are you now receiving treatment here and if so what is the biggest difference that you have found.

Moggie x

[ThyroidHell in reply to Moggie]

I have lived in Uk for 33 years so all my treatments has been done here and I can't fault anything. I have had other operations and ( spine, hernia, tonsils ) and all have been 1st class.

Biggest difference is the cost. You can have standard blood tests free from GP but all the hell breaks loose in your purse if you want to explore specialists which thyroid patients do when they can't have help they need from general health care.

They also have only 2 different thyroid medication and 2 strenghts. If I remember corretc its 50mcg and 100 mcg, People there cut their tablets etc or use baby medication.

Now of course everyone is using all sorts of 'natural remedies' ordering some damn never heard of root powders from Peru etc. I saw someone telling in the finnish page gulping down iodine liquid again from the health store because 'highly knowlegable' sales assistant believes that all thyroid problems can be cured with iodine and no thyroxin is never needed.

I actually think that there is going to be a revolution and riots in thyroid sector soon because people are so fed up.

[Moggie]

Unfortunately, as you will know, people are often to ill to fight and just give up so it could be more of a peaceful protest than a riot.lol. but if there is one I'll be there holding my placard for the cause.

Moggie x

[roslin]

Hi

I am Swedish and it is the exact same situation in Sweden. You have to pay for treatment and drugs, full price until a certain threshold and all regulations are much stricter when it comes to prescribing and unlicensed drugs. I am lucky in a way to live here as I have more choice even if I have to pay for it! What annoys me now is the post code lottery that goes on now where some people are prescribed NDT but most are not.

Roslinxx

[marram in reply to roslin]

Did you know that Novo Nordisk - I think that is a Swedish organisation - gave Professor Tony Weetman an award for his services to Endocrinology? This is the man who says that if your TSH is 'normal' and you still say you are ill, you are a hypochodriac:

thyroid.about.com/od/newsco...

It is clear that Sweden has a way to go in helping hypothyroid patients, but there is a worldwide movement, like a wave, and I am sure that at some stage if we do not give up, the medical profession will eventually realise they are being duped by Big Pharma and their paid supporters.

[ThyroidHell in reply to marram]

Marram thats unbelievable !!!!!! I KNOW there is going to be a worldwide movement and it has already began. The thyroid argument is in finnish tv and newspapers. I was moved watching the two woment making their case in Scottish Parliament ...so it is on its way I recon :o)

[ThyroidHell in reply to roslin]

Hei ja Roslin , thanks for the reply. Scandinavia is famously costly regarding medicine, medical care, hospital stays ..and beer ;o). May I take this opportunity and say how enjoyable visit me and my daughter had in Stockholm in February. I can only imagine in the summer how lovely it is with all the islands. Loved the old town and vintage clothes shops !

[shelleyjayt in reply to roslin]

I just moved to Sweden. Do you know who the best thyroid doctor is? Just had my first visit and the endo told me that "he will try but there is not much her can do" for me. Also I want to find a doctor willing to prescribe Natural dessicated thyroid. I'd like to try it. I have been on synthetics for 12 years - they do not work for me.

[catchthebreeze in reply to shelleyjayt]

I also moved to Sweden 5 mo ago and I, too, badly need some natural approach for my underactive thyroid. I've been taking levotyroxine for 6 years now and I see my original symptoms coming back as in the drug just mask the symptoms really. I know that Amour itself is not a cure but it would be a good solution while I'm searching for a doc who is actually interested in and have time to dig deeper and see what's really causing my hypothyroidism as I believe it is, again, a symptom of something else...So if you hear about some good doctor, please let me know