Hi everyone. Today I visited my local pharmacy for my order of T3. A different assistant served me and she asked for my prescription. I have never been asked for one before.
I explained that I was self funding i.e. paying the whole amount myself and she ordered it straight away. The cost 13.92 euros for 4 boxes.
I just wonder if the stumbling block for others who have tried to order it in France was this.
That they were asked for their prescription, but didn't explain that they were paying for the whole amount themselves. Just a thought , just trying to help!
Yes I see it now, uniquement sur ordonnance Liste 11 but the fact is they still supply me monthly without a prescription. Also in the town 20 kilometers away. Weird or what?
This is good to note in case I need to self medicate T3 in the future. France is a 4 hour train ride and the trip would be well worth it as it is €13.92 for 4 boxes. That sounds very reasonable compared to the prices I have seen online. Thank you for sharing.
Sorry for not being clear. I live in France and buy it over here every month without a prescription. I ordered some this morning for me to pick up tomorrow afternoon.
Hi I am sorry that you have so much trouble with the T3. What exactly did you ask for? Did you explain that you were paying the full amount yourself? An finally did they know what it was that you were asking for? If I know your answers, perhaps I could help!
Hi Bunny. Many thanks for helping. I asked for Cynomel. They looked it up and said, sorry, you need a prescription for this. I didn't really pursue it as I could see that they were probably not going to move beyond that... I'm not sure, just thinking back to how they responded, that it would have made any difference if I'd suggested paying for it all myself. My impression was, that was it...
Hi I have no axe to grind I don't even take it myself. I take NDT.
I actually ordered some this morning at my local pharmacy. I have asked to order it
in two others towns now with the same result.
The difference this morning was that a new assistant served me. When I asked for the four boxes she did ask me for a prescription. However, I explained that I didn't have one and that I would pay the whole myself and she ordered them for me. I am picking them up tomorrow. The cost 13.92 euros for 4 boxes.
Your account is very interesting. I live in France and to get Cynomel i have to go to a big town, find a pharmacy I haven't used before and ask for a box of Cynomel, explaining I don't have a prescription because I'm just visiting. The response is varied some then order it others refuse...but they all are very suspicious. I think there is serious abuse of Cynomel in France and possibly linked to women trying to stay super slim. I haven't had the courage to ask for more than one box at a time, simply because I'm so grateful to get a month's supply.
I had a colonoscopy this week and had to tell the anaethestist what medication I take, along with submitting my latest prescription. Obviously they didn't tally and he asked who had authorized the T3, I had to reply no-one. Again, I got a very suspicious and disapproving response. I think there will soon be a big clamp down and we will be in the s*** because French pharmacies are audited and have to have the paperwork to support their dispensing. That's why I use a different pharmacy each time and am very surprised you can order several boxes on a regular basis.
What sort of a relationship do you have with your French GP and/or endo? I'm at my wits end trying to locate a sympathetic endo and would love to know how one goes about locating one with an independent approach. As far as I can see you can ring up anyone of the millions listed online who take new patients, pay the consulting fee and get an appointment. But you cannot find out before hand what their attitudes or prescribing habits are. I've been to two already, who have left me in tears with their wagging finger and predictions of early death !
How have you got on?
Hi well sometimes good sometimes bad. I had my thyroid removed here in France, Poitier Hospital. Before this I wasn't on any medication at all and had been very fit, it was a shock when my trachea moved and I was diagnosed with an ingrowing goiter.
I was put on Levo by my GP after 4/6 months I was ill with various aches, pains really bad. I then joined Thyroid UK and found others were using NDT. I ordered some and have been taking it for a year now. The only symptom I have is tiredness.
I have visited two endos and my GP and they will not do the bloods test I want. They don't appear to know anything about the thyroid. I have never informed the GP or endo regarding NDT. The endo was unhappy with my TSH and FT3 but I was happy with the result.
Now I just rely on this site and myself. I don't visit the doctor or endo anymore.
I live in a small village and visit the local pharmacy in my nearest town.
I now intend to have blood tests done in the UK in October this year.
I tried to get T3 in France earlier this month, the Town (in Provence) I was staying in said "yes, we have it, but you have to have a prescription". On the way home we stayed overnight in another Town (in Burgundy) and we tried again, the pharmacist asked me had I taken T3 before and why I didn't have it with me, my Husband quickly piped up "she forgot to pack it", the pharmacist was sympathetic and said "okay, I will let you have one box (28 tablets) but next time you need a prescription". Sounds like they are clamping down!?
Well I bought four boxes again last Friday. I think that they are used to me now. I go in just once every month. How much did she charge you for one box?
We have a second home in France and you mention Confolens, which is about twenty minute drive. We are going this week, so I shall check the pharmacy in our village, in which I have never thought to ask and see what response I get. In fact I get T3 on prescription from my GP but for how much longer? Thank you for lettIng us know.
I just went into my village pharmacy in France and asked for cynomel. The assistant checked her computer and said it would be in after 3pm that day. Then she said that next time I will need a prescription. I collected it later and will try it while I am here and, if I like it, I will go to the doctor in the village and ask for it to be prescribed. It will be interesting to see what happens.
I am currently using Greek Uni Pharma, because I find NHS T3 has a short shelf life nowadays and loses potency. Tried complaining under the MHRA yellow card system but without any help from them. They are closely involved with Big Pharma I believe.
Hi I am glad that you were able to get some. Once you have the box you can show it to the pharmacist. Although last time I was asked for a prescription I still got it without.
How much did you get? I go in every 4 weeks on the same day and order mine. Don't get me going regarding the injustice of it all in the UK.
Anyway please let me know how you get on. By the way if you live fairly close to another town why not ask they for some there, just a thought.
After reading your replies in here it intrigues me to call my pharmacy (Castres 81100) and she told me that I need a prescription even if I pay for it myself! I have a very good relationship with this pharmacy. The owner and everyone work in there know me very well as I've been their frequent customer since 2011. Am I just out of luck?
I started taking Levothyrox 50 mcg since Dec 17, 2017 (started from 25 mcg/day for ten days and from Dec 26, 2017 - present is 50 mcg/day). I still haven't seen any improvement whatsoever and my French GP wouldn't give me Cynomel to start with Levothyrox even though my T3 was only 1.3. He told me to wait until the next blood test which would be at the end of Jan. 2018.
Should my GP still refuse to prescribe me Cynomel despite no improvement in my health condition yet the lab result might improve favorably/slightly I might then need to buy Cynomel from your pharmacy. Any info to do so would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Jacqueline
It's not just my local one last May I tried several different ones. Manly to report the information to anyone on this site.
I went to four in different locations only one looked it up and stated that she couldn't get it ordered. Never mentioned a prescription.
Because everyone on here is telling me different I am made to feel like I am lying about it when I am telling everyone that truth.
I have no thyroid and only asked for it to help people out I only started taking it 6/7 weeks ago.
You have only just started your journey and it takes time and patience. Wait and see what your next blood test reveals first.
When my thyroid was removed in Oct 2015 I waited 8 months on various doses of Levo I then joined this site and ordered NDT from Thailand. Then after taking it for over a year I still felt tired to now take NDT and T3 together and feel well again.
I believe you. It is something we have seen several times over the years - one person gets it without a prescription, the next ten don't.
I have no explanation for it.
Does anyone read French sufficiently well to go through the official ministry site - or wherever - to find out what that says? Far too difficult to do with my lack of meaningful French - even with Google translate.
Goggle translate is not good French to English can be laughable, sometimes useful, but never brilliant. One day maybe, but in the meantime who knows how the French operate I certainly don't.
I am returning to the UK when my house is sold but will have to find out how to get the T3 I have started on.
Thank you for believing in me as you are aware I was only trying to help others.
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