I recently saw an endocrinologist privately after being referred by my GP. He wrote back to my GP recommending that he add 10mg liothyronine to my levothyroxine. My GP refuses to prescribe this-at first using health implications as the reason but then said he would write a private prescription if I wanted to pay for it. When I questioned this, he admitted that the cost to the NHS is this reason he can't prescribe it. I can't afford the cost of a private prescription each month. Could anyone private message me somewhere to buy genuine T3 perhaps from overseas or pharmacy directly please? I am sceptical about some websites claiming T3 as a weighloss supplement etc. Thank-you in advance for your help and for reading a long post, Claire
T3-private prescription : I recently saw an... - Thyroid UK
T3-private prescription
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Hi, Claire.
I bought T3 from Greece. 25 mcg/tb, 30 tb, just under 2$. I would trust the weightloss sites. They use genuine T3 and trainers have more experience with T3 than doctors. I am a GP and a patient (self diagnosed a papilary carcinoma with elastography) at the same time. I use Dithyron from Greece - 1 tb has 50 mcg levothyroxine plus 12.5 triiodthyronine. Same price per box - a little over 1 Euro.
Hi Costindinu
Intersting you are a GP - I dont wish ill on anyone but if more GPs had thyroid issues think we would get better responses to our illnesses, although I expect your hands are tied if you work for the NHS. I wish there was a GP in Devon who I could trust as both my son andcI have Hashimotos. I am on NDT and a small amount of T3, but not sure I will get it from NHS for much longer. Would like my son to do the same as he is putting on a lot of weight with levo. He is special needs and hates taking tablets of any sort, so not an easy task!
Was sorry to learn of your cancer diagnosis and hope you are feeling better,
Many thanks
JaneCx
Im not sure why your GP has sent you to a private endo when there are good endocrinologists who will prescribe T3 who work for the NHS.Plus T3 is available on the NHS, personally I think your GP is pulling a fast one!
So long as it's supervised by an endocrinologist (physician) it can be prescribed by a GP.
Bellsmish,
T3 isn't readily available on the NHS. It is a case of being lucky enough to find a forward thinking endo/GP within a health authority that is willing to bear the cost.
Many members have had their T3 presciptions withdrawn by their CCG's. Mine was withdrawn after only 3 months of prescibing by my endo, and after switching to a different health authority, this was also withdrawn very quickly.
We could spend our lives chasing endos within health authorities that permit the prescibing of T3 but for many the stress & energy involved is too much and we become forced to buy abroad and self medicate.
I agree, I have been told in no certain terms that my GP is no longer licensed and even though a Endo initially prescribed T3 over ten years ago, my current Endo will not. Citing the ridiculous suggestion that it is dangerous and no firm evidence to suggest it works but we all know it is down to money.
However, my GP is still prescribing it to me and I will continue to request the prescriptions as long as I can.
My last three results confirm that it does work and I am in the right range.
I was so infuriated and disgusted with my last Endo that I reported her for being unprofessional and uncaring. Needless to say, she doesn't want to see me again or anyone who desires to stay on T3. She does not believe in it and to quote her "The money can be spent elsewhere on more deserving causes" Evidently we are in the minority 
Keep requesting for as long as you can, but there will come a time when it will stop.
Take care all 
It does really depend on your GP and the CCG he/she is working under. I was also prescribed T3 by an Addenbrookes endocrinologist and my GP refused. He said I could go back to the endo and get a private prescription and it would cost me £180 per month. I too get mine off a 'slimming site' now at the cost of around £8 a month.
Hiya what slimming site xx
It was called, if I remember, slim4u.com but changed to tinat3.tk. They provided 100x25mcg t3 as Tiromel. But the last time I looked, the website wasn't there. I'm going to try and buy some in Greece when I'm there: couldn't go back to t4 only now. Good luck!
Theoretically yes - but when I went to my gp for a refill of my slow release T3 which I pay to get from the US, he informed me that he wouldn't be prescribing this again for me on the grounds that the UK doesn't do slow release here. Even though I've had refills over the past few years, having moved here from abroad at that time and using a US pharmacy.
I take slow release T3 from the USA as well. I generally pay him £10 for the faxed prescription and then pay the pharmacy in ghe USA directly. I will attend my next appointment with interest.
Do let us know how it goes. My endo is more positive about T3 than my current GP. And it's the endo who I see every 6 months, so I am going to ask him for the next prescription and see if he responds positively. So far, though, I haven't paid any GP to write me a letter prescribing it for the US pharmacy. I just request it and pick it up. Jane, have you tried T3 that is NOT slow release?
Tried it with T4 in 2000 but extended release T3 on its own works so much better for me.
So did you try the 3 x a day thing, or do it all at one go? Oh - and do you still take some T4? I've read pros and cons about that and decided to include some myself.
I take 82.5 mcg twice a day at 12 hour intervals. 9:00 am and 9:00 pm works for me. As it's timed or extended release I don't have any drops or run out of energy. I don't take T4 because i never managed to convert it. Your body only uses T3 at a cellular level so I don't see the point in taking any T4. I know I have no storage but that's not a problem.
Hhmm. I thought time release meant one every 24 hrs, not every 12! I'm going to check with my US pharmacy on that one.
There's a theory that we need SOME T4 in our system because it does other things than convert to T3 (or, should do other things) I forget exactly what. So you're taking a total of 165 mcg T3 in a 24 hr period? Did I get that right? Thanks for the info, Jane.
Time release isn't quite what it sounds like. Most of them are very approximate - they don't deliver a nice neat 2 micrograms an hour (or whatever the dose is). Rather they have a varying profile which, at best, gets somewhere near. For some substances, even this is much better than standard "fast" release.
They also interact with our guts which themselves have widely varying transit times even within indiviuals on controlled diets.
I only see my GP. When I came back from the USA I found a GP who would work with me and keep me on the medication that keeps me well. Never seen an endo.
Am interested in how you get T3 from the USAdoes your GP have to be involved with that?Ann Simpson
He writes a prescription and faxes it to a US pharmacy and charges me £10.
Do you think you are quite unusual, and lucky, that your GP will do that for you? Mine will not even allow the mention of T3 to pass his lips! So with the help of others on this website, I am now in touch with an USA pharmacy who will sell me T3 without a prescription. Waiting for the first delivery and hoping that I return to my former healthy self.
thank you for your reply - All our experiences although a little different are very interesting.
Ann Simpson
Hi Ann
Am very interested in whether you received your medication if it was successful could you pm me with the details please am getting desperate
Thank you 😊
hello, not sure if this is a private message, I think it is. I have received my T3 from Mexico but am waiting to see Dr Peatfield next week before I start taking it. I am hoping and expecting that it will make me feel much better.
Ann
Thank you but I don't think. This is a private message would love to know more Internet details bot they must be done privately .good luck with dr .
I have received the medication I ordered from Mexico, but have not started to take it yet as I am going to see Dr Peatfield next week and will start after his advice on the matter. So can't be too much help at present.
Ann
My endocrinologist has written to my Gp asking him to prescribe liothyronine, he has refused as he says he is not permitted to prescribe it. I am piggy in the middle, need it but can't get it prescribed what should my next move be please?
I am prescribed T3 on the NHS. Was it an NHS endo that recommended the T3? If it was, go back to them and advise them of what your GP had done and get their assistance on having T3 on an NHS prescription.
T3 is available over the counter elsewhere in Europe and people can personal message you the details but I would persevere with getting it on the NHS first.
My NHS and endo refuse point blank to prescribe t3 and they won't test t3. Really depends on your NHS region.
SlowDragonAdministrator
NHS appears to now be allowed to prescribe a cheaper option - you could try that option
My NHS Endo wanted me to add T3 to my 100mcg of Levo as I'm not converting well, however, she is no longer able to giver her patients T3 as they have pulled it. I bought mine from Greece and she is fully aware of this and still treats me. If the NHS won't give us the medication then what other choice do we have? She said county by county T3 is being pulled.
My Endo is writing to my GP to request he prescribes me T3. I've an appt to see my GP to ensure it is prescribed and my nurse said the other day it shouldn't be a problem. Is T3 really expensive?? Is this why Endo's can't prescribe it out of their hospital budget so request your GP does?
Yes - it is really expensive. Not quite as stratospheric as some cancer and eye medicines, but last I checked over £250 for 28 tablets of 20 micrograms each.
Prices of broadly similar products in France, Germany, Greece and Turkey are considerably lower. Like 1.36 euros in Greece.
Wow seriously! Really hope my GP will prescribe it as it's what I need. If not they've a fight on their hands. I need my life back I'm so sick T4 isn't converting my bloods show this
You don't need a prescription for T3, just buy it OTC - or via Internet - from Greece. Just start low, increase slowly until you feel well. If you get the jitters or palpitations, back off to the previous dose. You don't need a doc to do that. If you take the dose the doc starts you on you could feel ill 'till your next appointment which could be weeks or months.
Thats the option I'll go down if I can't get it through my GP. However he's upped my dose of levothyroxine and I can feel it's to high at 100 but 75 was too low so already have palpating n hyper along with hypo symptoms. I've constantly got thyroiditis and feel terrible. So hoping T3 might be the answer.
When one dose is too high and the lower one is too low, aim for the middle. In your case this is about 88mcgs (100+75)/2 ~ 88.
To get to ~88 take 100s for 4 days and take 75s for three days. Alternate the days. This averages out to 89.3.
If you think that is too high, another alternative is to take the 100s for 3 days and the 75s for 4 days. This will average down to 85.7. Again, alternate the days.
All units are in mcgs of Levothyroxine.
If you think either of these averages are too high or two low for you, i.e., you are still hypo or hyper, come back and we will calculate a higher or lower dose based between the average and the upper or lower dose.
Thank you I understand this but due to having continued thyroiditis my Endo has put me on a higher dose to see if it will help as my bloods keep progressively getting worse. When I'm retested I'm sure my TSH will be out and he will reduce my levo accordingly
Don't stay too long on a dose that is causing palpitations. Blood flow needs to be "streamlined" all the time, palpitations makes it not run smoothly and this can cause strokes or blockages. If I were you i would get back to the doc and get that blood test so that you can reduce your dose to some sensible level. Post your results so that we can give better analyses of what might be going on.
Sorry what's OTC can you pm details please
OTC = Over the counter.
Originally an abréviation used a lot in the US where it is a method of buying shares and stocks. But also used now to say that something is available to buy in a shop (hence over a counter).
I too am having the same problem, endo sent my GP letter to prescribe me t3 but my GP refuses point blank, letter was sitting on his desk since 20th of October, not once did he comunicate with my GP, in the end I spok e to my endo secretary who advised that my endo wants my GP to write to her the reasons why he won't prescribe T3, I went and seen him, he was still refusing to prescribe it as he said it's unlicensed drug and if my endo wants to prescribe it she can but he won't. I told him that I thought it was a disgrace and poor practice that he had not tried to speak to me or my endo about this and was willing to let that letter sit on his desk forever at the expense of my health, anyway a week later he wrote to her and am still waiting to hear from her with a reply to GP refusal and what happens next.
It's unbelievable how we are all treated so badly, am fed up with it all, my GP even told me to buy my medication online.
Good for you persisting with these people! You are worth it. The NHS is overworked and underfunded, badly run and largely demeaned in our national budget. Plenty of educated medical people who dont' have the proper supervision or authority to do their jobs properly. Communication can be ABYSMAL. The squeaky wheel gets the oil has been my experience, on several fronts not just with thyroid issues.
There is medication out there to better peoples quality of life and not just thyroid issues, my sister is having same problem but with getting a certain brand of medication that gives her the least side effects and the pharmacist and GP keep passing the buck, it's a minefield.
Have you tried going above your GP to the practice manager or trust? I will buy it online if I have to but I'd rather get it from my GP and authorised by my Endo. My GP has been Supportive since diagnosis and he said he hoped I didn't have hashimotos as it's bad so he does understand. I'm more concerned that the practice won't cover the cost. I've already got an appointment to see my GP to speak to him and get bloods done before I see my Endo on 29th. I'll know beforehand if it's going to be an issue. So can prepare my Endo to detail why I need it in his letter. I'm also intending to ask the practice manager and my GP for a meeting to discuss why I can't have it on prescription when my health is deteriorating and then go to my local NHS trust. Just when everyday is a battle to get out of bed another fight is last thing we need.
I find the practice managers rarely go against the GP. I think I'd have to take it up with my local NHS trust. Am not going to let this go, going to wait to see what my endo has to say about GP refusing to prescribing it for me. Since I stopped taking Armour and going back on T4 meds my health has deteriorated, did not realise at the time how much T3 does help give you back some quality health.
I think that's why I've been so sick since I was diagnosed. My TSH has gone from 149 to within range but I'm still not feeling any better. Fortunately my Endo can see this from my bloods over the last year. Keep fighting don't accept that they can't help you! In the meantime I've posted to get help to buy it online x
If I can't get it prescribed I will look to buy it online. Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands, Some GP's won't think outside the box and certainly won't go against the lab ranges, no matter how low you are in the range.....the range is too wide for a reason and I think we all know it's to do with money.
Shame I didn't check but I know my FT3 or FT4 was red that's why my Endo said I wasn't converting so least they can see what's happening. But not much help if they can't make us better 😢
Don't give up, look at other possibilities as to why you might not being feeling well....get your zinc, folate, b12, etc, sometimes being low in these can make you feel poorly. Hope you get sorted soon 👌
I'm supplementing on everything and researched it fully even gone Gluten Free. I'm just at a loss and having repeated chronic thyroiditis is just getting me down so hope T3 will work for me x
If you have seen an endo and this is his recommendation, I think you should contact the pharmaceutical advisor of your CCG because s/he will be able to explain the position re prescribing in your local area. I suspect that the GP can and should prescribe though (if like mine) they will not actually fill the script. I have to go elsewhere.
Will PM about suppliers but do follow that route first. Good luck!
What is the CCG?
Sorry! Clinical Commissioning Group, responsible for all health decisions in your area. Google and you'll find it, then give them a ring. If your CCG has permitted GPs to prescribe T3, then they can. If they haven't, they would find it very hard, if not impossible.
Surely my Endo would know this or he wouldn't suggest writing to my GP to prescribe it? Is the CCG the same as an NHS trust?
Your endo will see many patients from many different health areas, so no, he may not know the policy in your specific area. It isn't the same as an NHS Trust. That is a single organisation usually a hospital or group of hospitals. A CCG controls all aspects of health care within a given area and decides policy which all health providers must follow. It replaced Strategic Health Authorities. IT isn't hard to find which is yours and the pharmaceutical advisor should be friendly and able to help. That was certainly my experience!
SlowDragonAdministrator
This is reason for the increase in price
Hopefully now being investigated like recent case regarding similar price hike in epilepsy drugs
Hi, you can buy Naturethyroid from the US. It is genuine but I think you/we need advice on the dosage, quite difficult especially when GPs really do not want to be involved. The reply saying you can buy from Greece is worth following up, sounds much cheaper!
As a last resort I will buy T3 online but too scared to go onto naturethyroid and I still hear ppl struggle on this. So think I should trial adding T3 first and get my T4 dose correct too
I had the same problem. I have sourced my T3 from abroad. My husband goes to Zurich and got my medication from here. Google them and call them. Victoria Apotheke Zürich
Dear Claire, There might be some reputable Canadian companies that you could look into. What concerns me more, is the fact that your GP lied to you initially. Personally, that would concern me. I have to wonder if there might be another, better GP for you out there. Good luck and blessings!
Most so-called Canadian sites have absolutely nothing to do with Canada. They just use the name Canada and imply or tell you that is where they are. It is baloney and lies for the most part.
There are a few reputable sites that are located in Canada, so I hear, but I do not know of any at the moment.
Funny you should say that. A while ago I was researching an address in Canada that had advertised that it sold either NDT or T3. I got on Google Earth and went to the address with "street view" - I just got a large field on the corner of a remote intersection. Absolutely nothing looked like an establishment that might be selling medical products. That made me very nervous and curious. So your post makes a lot of sense.
I did the same for the Australian company who registers in Vanatu (an island off the mainland) - that was even more scary, dirt tracks and banana trees! I guess the Australian company just has a mailbox somewhere in one of the little villages.
I live near the US one in Redwood City, that one looks OK but they can't sell to the US.
i visited my endo a couple of weeks ago after changing to nature thyroid over 6 weeks ago as I was sick of the indigestion, acid reflux and other issues with my tsh bouncing up and down all the time. My endo was really good, he said he would continue to see me every six months to monitor me, all my digestion issues disappeard after a week on naturethyroid. My endo said it was to do with lactose and fillers in the Levo. He also told me that there is lots of pressure on both endos and doctors to stop prescribing T3 in this country and he said his hands were tied but has no problem in supervising people who are willing to buy there own. My TSH went down from 6 to 2 in three weeks and my FT3 and FT4 were both reduced from where they were but I am feeling much better.
And have increased my nature thyroid by 1/2 a grain to move my t3 and free t4 up to the higher third of range. He did offer to prescribe a non lactose alternative levo but I am so happy with my switch that I have decided to stay put. He said he wished he could put more people on armour type of medication, but the paperwork and all the issues with the CCG it caused him too much stress.
He told me he was very happy that I felt better and would not ask me to change and was glad I had found a solution that suited me.
Hi have you complained to your local CCG? If all the people who are having a problem getting T3 on the NHS contacted their local CCG Something might be sorted out.
Hello I had a similar problem and have just ordered 25mcg of liothyronine from Tollesbury Pharmacy in UK. It was £50 on private prescription. I cut them in half so they will last 2 months. If they work I am going to ask my GP to prescribe them for me. If you were buying them at boots it would be more than £300. If you deal with a Mr Dimple there he is very helpful
Regards
Heather
helvellaAdministrator
TO ALL WHO MAY BE THINKING OF ASKING FOR LINKS:
If you want a member to tell you how to obtain medicines from abroad, please first read this post:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu......
Then go and write your own post.
Hi Claire,
PM please I can help.
TT x
ThyroidThora, If you wish to communicate with a member via PM, why not send them a PM in the first place, rather than post on forum for the member to PM you?
I'm not sure how to PM and I'd rather they contact me then I know they want my help rather than me feeling a bit pushy.
To send a PM:
Click on the member's name (in blue, next to their avatar)
This takes you to their profile. On the right, towards the top is the white Message button.
Click on the message button, then click in the box that says Write a message... to start typing your message.
Finally, click on the green Send button.
Thanks. I'll try and remember but my thyroid brain is on slow mo at the moment due to being undermedicated.
I've tried sending a PM using your instructions above but it's not working. It's a green message button and I've clicked on it. It says send to and you type in the person you want and then the message. But, it puts your name underneath the send message box but doesn't put it into the send message to box.
Are you trying to send a message to yourself?
You cannot do that. You have to choose someone else.
No
If you clicked on the members name to get to their profile and click on the message button, their name is already filled in for you.
Therefore you simply need to click in the box that says Write a message... to start typing your message.
It's much easier to do than it is to explain in words
I've tried again but it asked for the username to be typed into the sender box. I didn't type it in like last time so it might have worked.
It worked
I'm fully on T3 and my GP presribes it on insistance from endo. Maybe it's confusion as I know my local authority have banned GPs from prescribing it "accept" in cases where an endo has instructed it. The GPs cannot even request a T3 blood test. It might be a case that GPs just think it's an outright ban???? Maybe get the rules from the local authority and show to your GP. THey are on a website somewhere lol - just can't remember where I saw these lol???
helvellaAdministrator
Uni Pharma is the name of a company, not a "drug".
helvellaAdministrator
My Greek levothyroxine also says "UniPharma" on the box. Doesn't mean it is the same as T3!
Every picture of a UniPharma T3 box which has been readable says "liothyronine sodium" on it. I do not have a box to check directly for myself.
helvellaAdministrator
My point is that the boxes on T4 and T3 BOTH have the maker's name - UniPharma - on them. As do all the other many tablets the company makes.
So saying "UniPharma" is of no help.
According to my GP T3 is a "brown" drug and can only be prescribed by GPS under the direct supervision of a physician I.e an endocrinologist.
Once the endocrinologist agreed to supervise both mine and my daughters prescriptions of T3, the GPS surgery prescribed it.
We have to visit the endo every 6 months for them to do bloods, they then write to the GP with the results and say they are happy to continue to supervise.
Maybe what is missing from all these cases is letters stating the endo will directly supervise the taking of T3?
Londinium - yes Dithyron can be bought OTC without prescription ....
It's a UniPharma so should be OK. My Accountant uses it 😊
I've bought some T3 this week after being scammed by another website. Fast delivery but not sure I'm allowed to add their website address here? They are thankfully legit.
britonnia• in reply to
Please PM details - Thankyou
I have tried to get my GP to do a T3 blood test but won't hehas put me on 125mcg of levothyroxine I want to try T3 to go with it, I have got some tablets which are 25mcg can anyone suggest how much I should reduce my Thyroxine and how much T3 to start with
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