I am new here and have been on Levo 300mcg for the last 21 years, since the age of 22 after the birth of my son. I am keen to try NDT after a friend of mine found she felt better on this rather than the Levo. My Dr is happ to give it a go but said he cannot prescribe it as it is not in the BNF?
How do those who take NDT get it prescribed by your GP and could you tell which health authority you are under too please, as my GP has asked me to find out those this information from those who are on prescribed NDT.
Many thanks in advance
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sammi3
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Doctors can prescribe almost anything except those things on the "black list". I had a response from the people who maintain the black list saying a doctor could prescribe whisky! But they would be in deep doodoo when someone noticed and questioned it - probably at payment time.
There are MANY medicines not in BNF. There are MANY medicines prescribed for purposes not as listed in BNF (that is, various off-label uses).
Your GP may be unsure, have his hands tied by local guidelines, etc. but on kegal grounds, he would be OK if he can justify it if ever asked to.
Rod
Many of us make our own arrangements and self medicate having wasted energy on the battle you are about to fight.
As your GP is willing to give it a go -he/she just need to understand that they can prescribe it but it has to be on a named patient basis. This means that your GP is responsible if anything goes wrong. many GP's for this reason are not very happy to prescribe on that basis. Some GP practices also have a policy of not prescribing on a named patient basis so it can get complicated.
I would take the literature that thyroid UK have on NDTs and prescribing and ask for a trial. If your GP is concerned about how to and what, your GP might prefer it if they receive the advice from a private practitioner. this can be very reassuring for them. I ended up going down the private route -paying for it and then after a couple of years negotiating with GP practices in my area for a GP who would prescribe it on a named patient basis. I think they felt very safe to take me on as I had been on it for a long time without a problem and much improvement....
My GP will not prescribe it as it is not licenced so I have to self medicate and buy mine from abroad. It"s amazing if you can get a GP to give to you even on a named patient basis.
So thinking ahead here, as it seems many of you self medicate due to GP's not wanting to prescribe NDT. How and where do you source NDT from and how what is the regime if I have to go down the road of self medicating?
Your GP can prescribe something not in the BNF if all other medicines in it have proved to be ineffective. In practice, nearly all NHS doctors will not go that far, and use the BNF as their excuse for wanting to help you but having their hands tied.
My GP refused to prescribe NDT even when I had found a pharmacist who would process it and I was willing to pay for it. He said that he would only prescribe levothyroxine or Erfa. He did not inform me that Erfa was NDT but just said he would not recommend it, I wonder why? It was only through the good auspices of Rod, a great contributor to this site that I learnt that Erfa was NDT. Thanks a million for that Rod and I will be making sure that my GP gives it a go for he is aware that there are problems with levothyroxine and it will be reformulated in July.
I hope this helps you, you will be very glad you joined this site.
My Endocrinologist in W Yorks wouldn't even discuss NDT & told me my Levothyroxine Sodium has made my TSH & T4 optimum levels - but I don't feel well at all! Back to feeling lots of the symptoms I had pre-Levothyroxine Sodium 6yrs ago! Like I felt 11 years ago when GPs just told me I was postnatally depressed& had 'borderline' Hypo bloods& refused treatment...!
If a GP could prescribe me NDT to give it a go, then I'd love to try anything that'd make me feel human again!
What do you mean when you say your Dr knows that 'there are problems with levothyroxine & it is due to be reformulated in July' ?
A GP can prescribe desiccated thyroid but will often refuse to do so for several reasons including, possibly, ignorance, cost, peer-pressure and local prescribing restrictions.
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