T3

[virgoansun]

Hi. My mothers T3 has been taken away. She feels awful without it. Anyone have suggestions on where we go from here?

[Marz]

Clutter has good advice on this issue. She will be along later in the day. Meanwhile you could read her many Replies by clicking onto her name .....

[eeng]

She could either buy some T3 online (or take a holiday in Greece or Turkey where you can buy it over the counter) or switch to a brand of NDT, which contains T4 and T3. It will take a while for your mother to find a level of NDT that suits her, so buying T3 would be a better short term fix because she knows how much to take.

Was she prescribed T3 by an endocrinologist or by her GP? If it was an endo who prescribed it and the GP who stopped it she might get it reinstated by the endo.

It is really awful that T3 is being stopped in the UK by many groups of GPs. It is all due to Pharmaceutical companies greed. T3 isn't actually expensive abroad, but the company who sell it to the NHS have hiked the price by about 20x what it costs abroad. The NHS seem incapable of thinking outside the box and finding another way of buying T3.

[Marz in reply to eeng]

No longer guaranteed to be able to buy T3 in Greece .... I live in Crete and have a prescription which I show each time and then only one box Some folk have been lucky in finding the odd box - but no more bulk buying it seems

[eeng in reply to Marz]

Thanks for that. Does anyone know whether Turkey is still OK and how much they charge typically?

[Marz in reply to eeng]

Have read that Turkey seems fine - sorry know nothing about charges.

[Clutter in reply to eeng]

Eeng,

Tiromel costs €2-€3 per 100 x 25mcg over the counter.

[Abi-Abster]

I get my Tiromel (Turkish T3 - works fine) flown in from Hong Kong of all places!

Arrived here within a week. Couldn't believe it

[virgoansun in reply to Abi-Abster]

Where did you buy that from?

[Clutter]

Virgoansun,

What reason was given for withdrawing T3 prescription? Was T3 recommended initially by a NHS endocrinologist?

[virgoansun in reply to Clutter]

It was taken off by GP. Not sure why but I think its all about money. Mum still wants to take it. Pretty hard for her.

[Clutter in reply to virgoansun]

Virgoansun,

Perhaps your mother could write challenging the GP's decision?

The BTA issued guidance that patients doing well on T3 should not have their prescriptions with-drawn. See FAQS for patients and GPs in british-thyroid-association...

CCGs do not have the authority to tell GPs what not to prescribe. Individual GPs, not CCGs, could be found in breach of the General Medical Services contract if they do not prescribe treatment patients have been told "they need".

bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j36...

The GPC has warned that GPs would be in breach of the GMS contract and could get into legal trouble by following the orders and refusing to prescribe patients treatments they have told them they need.

gponline.com/gpc-warning-ig...

Please complete the NHS England Survey re de-prescribing Liothyronine. engage.england.nhs.uk/consu...

Please also sign the petition requesting better thyroid diagnosis, testing and treatment. change.org/p/itt-campaign-g...

[virgoansun]

Thank you for the info