Bonjour mon Amis,
Can anyone resident in France tell me if there are any private testing companies equivalent to Medichecks or Blue Horizon. I have searches the web but can only find one in Ireland but they don’t seem to do the full range of Thyroid tests only TSH, FT3 & FT4.
No, there aren't. And the UK companies won't accept blood samples from outside the UK.
What you could do is go to your local lab, and ask if they are prepared to test your blood without a prescription, if you pay for it. Some will, some won't. Best not to ask for too many tests at a time. 
Hi greygoose
Many thanks for that. If I am honest I am just trying to put off going to the doctors in case ‘it’s all in my head’. The last time I got tested was with an Irish company that collected the blood samples by courier, but as I say they were not very extensive.
Have a very enjoyable Easter weekend ‘sante’ 🍷
Thank you, you too!
Hi greygoose,
Sorry to bother you again but I read on your profile that you are on T3 could I ask is this prescribed for you or do you obtain it privately. Reason I ask is both my FT3 and FT4 are right at the bottom of the range.
Also a lot of posts on here are not that complementary of the doctors, do you find this is also true of French doctors regarding knowledge of Thyroid problems.
Kindest regards
Meg
Well, let's just say that I haven't yet met a French doctor that knew where the thyroid was - with the exception of one, but he cost an arm and a leg! Most of them don't know what T3 is. That can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the person. Some doctors will prescribe it because they don't know what it is, and others won't prescribe it because they don't know what it is. This is a post I wrote for my blog about the last doctor I saw - but, he's pretty typical :
"So, went to the doctor’s today and my GP tells me he knows more about hormones than any endocrinologist. But they’re supposed to be hormone specialists, I cry. Ah, but they get carried away and lose all sense of logic, he says. (Logic? I could tell you a thing or two about logic, I think to myself. But we’ll save that for another day.)
The TSH is all you need, he says, all the rest is useless. Testing for vitamins and minerals serves no useful purpose, and supplementing is a waste of time. Adrenal fatigue doesn’t exist. Your cortisol is either normal or you’re dead. All humans are created equal we are not all different or unique; our bodies all work in exactly the same way and everyone reacts to all drugs in the same fashion. Women do not need testosterone! He said.
So, I said, you don’t believe that being hypo has an effect on your adrenals and lowers your cortisol? Ha! He said. I get asked that all the time!!! Yes. Of course you do, you finky little rat! In our tiny little industrial French town with a high percentage of immigrants, a lot of which don’t even speak French, and a high percentage of school-leavers who can’t even read! Everybody must be asking about their cortisol!!!
For an example of just how much he knows about hormones, have a look at this conversation we had when I first brought up the subject of thyroid :
Your TSH is 31, he said, I’ll give you a prescription for Levo.
Oh no, I said, I can’t tolerate T4.
He said what’s T4?
I said levo.
He said no, levo is the treatment for hypo.
Yes, I said ok, so what’s in it then?
He said thyroid hormone.
I said yes, T4.
He said what’s T4?
I started to explain about the different thyroid hormones and he said oh, all this T4 T3 stuff is only to do with hyper, not hypo.
With doctors like that, who needs enemies?!?!"
However, if both your T4 and T3 are at the bottom of the range, then it could be that levo would be ok for you. You just need enough of it. And, it would make life so much easier for you! So, if I were you, I would go with that, to begin with.
After reading Greygoose’s first message. I am wondering if you can have the test sent to someone in the uk and forwarded to you. I’ve read on here that people prefer to post first thing in the morning and answered that it will save it sitting in the letterbox for an extra day or two. If there’s no rush for it to be back next day, then maybe find a post office that’s in the main hub and post back to said friend in the U.K. I think it £6.95 next day Signed For here. Alternatively Ryan Air just had a sale. I got a return flight for £5.98! I’ve flown to Amersham for day, France wouldn’t be different.
Get it posted to someone in the UK to forward to you, with postage stamps. Fly over on a cheap flight for a day. Take the sample here. Post if off when you land - there’s a letter box in Stanstead Airport next to the M&S landside and Gatwick if you walk down to the Gatwick Express. Heathrow Terminal 1-4 by the London Underground ticket office.
Or the Eurostar has tickets if you book about 10 weeks in advance.
A little crazy I know but do able.
Seriously cannot believe how helpful people are on here.
I hadn’t thought of that my daughter is coming over in a week trying to work out if I could have the test sent to her - she could post it on - I could take the test on the day she leaves - she could post on arrival. I wouldn’t dare ask her to bring it with her she is only flying with hand luggage and 20% of the case contents are already ours.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your reply.
Unfortunately we aren’t close to an borders.
Ebony had a good idea so might follow this through.
Thanks again & enjoy the rest of the 🐣 weekend.
It would fit in a jacket pocket. It’s tiny. You wouldn’t need the box - it’s just decoration. A few pin prick thingies are the size of a £2 coin. Please have a re think. It will work. 💜
Hi Ebony Evans thanks to your help Blue Horizon are sending Thyroid +11 kit to the daughter and they suggest I post direct from here next day delivery. Will let you know how I get on. Perhaps other member that live overseas would be interested to know that it’s possible.🍷
If you live near any of the countries that border France you might be in luck - but I'm not guaranteeing anything. See this link :
stopthethyroidmadness.com/r...
and search the page for Germany and Switzerland.
Hi I live in France and also had my thyroid removed here as well.
I asked for blood tests results for my thyroid but they would only do TSH which was useless for me I am on NDT. I don't bother to go to the Doctor's anymore and treat myself. The Endo was hopeless as well she didn't even know about Vitamin D and had to look it up on the computer.
I returned to the UK last October for a Blue Horizon Thyroid 11 test which proved to be helpful and money well spent then I posted my results on this site for answers. You are supposed to obtain a prescription for T3 but I can buy it without at my local pharmacy.
Hi Bunnyjean,
Thank you so much for that information, seems we are a bit of an oddity here in France. I think I am going to bite the bullet and pay a visit to the docs (he does happen to be young (and pretty gorgeous) so perhaps he is a one off and knowledgeable about thyroid problems) fingers crossed. I think I may also get a test from BH 11 sent to my daughter etc....... Can you tell me what NDT is and what’s the name of the T3 you get from the pharmacy.
Thank you so much for the info
NDT is desiccated pig thyroid which I order online called thyroid s. If Levo doesn't' agree with you some people go onto this.
Once you have all of your blood test results back it will be easier for people to help you.
The T3 I buy here is called Cynomel .
Good luck with the French Doctor it will be easy to get an appointment they will usually give you 30/45 minutes. By the time you come out after having every thing else tested i.e. ears, heart, lungs, etc. etc. knee knocked with a hammer you will probably be none the wiser!
The cost around 26 euros if not insured with the French Health System.
Hi Bunnyjean, thanks for the info I’m learning more each day. I have just got off the phone to Blue Horizon and ordered the Thyroid+11 they are posting the kit to my daughter who will (hopefully, not asked as yet) bring it with her next week. Blue Horizon suggested I post the completed test from here (France) on next day delivery in case the test is confiscated at the airport when she returns. Blue Horizon were most helpful and are even including spare lancets in case!
We are with the French Health System as we have been residents here for over 5 years, however the only time I have seen the doctor is when we registered with his surgery, personnel thing I just hate going to the Doctors though as I said he’s young and gorgeous so there are compensations
Once again thank you.
Is there any financial support out there?
French Levothyrox scandal?
Using French Pharmacies? 
Any truth to Estrogen being out of the question for hypothyroidism?
