Advice from Endo

[Mantras131]

I had an interesting meeting with my Endocrinologist yesterday (NHS South London). At the moment he advised a combination of T4 and T3 which is prescribed via my GP. We talked about my moving to Scotland where (to my understanding) NHS are not prescribing T3. I explained that I would prefer not to buy from the internet in part because I didn't think that I should. We talked about private prescriptions... He suggested that this would be a reasonable way forward to get a private prescription and to buy online or abroad (Greece or Belgium was suggested). We talked about going overseas to buy it in person.I explained that I did think it odd advice to give a woman of 57 - the idea of going on 'drug holidays'. I suggested that this wouldn't be the case if the patients were mainly men rather than women. I know that I have been lucky to have been seen by this particular endocrinologist over the years - he has been supportive and I do feel as if I have been listened to. However, I also think its so sad that it has come to this - sourcing drugs and to some extent possibly putting myself at risk. We did sell our house and we will be moving to Scotland in August. We will be visiting both Spain, Greece and France in the next couple of months - so will let you know how my shopping goes. Many thanks to everyone that has offered advice and support and apologies for long message.

[greygoose]

I think the fact that some other countries sell T3 OTC - although not as many as one might think, these days - does show that it's not as dangerous as UK endos make out. It's not a drug, it's a hormone. And I don't think buying it abroad puts you in any danger.

Nor do I think the situation would be any different if hypothyroidism were a man's disease. The fault is with greedy manufacturers, not the doctors themselves.

[phronsias]

Hello

"this wouldn't be the case if the patients were mainly men rather than women" what makes you believe this?

Regards

Frank

[trelemorele in reply to phronsias]

How about most recent example: viagra has just being made prescription free and is widely accessible and available to all ages and all health conditions.

[Mantras131]

Apologies if I appeared sexist. It wasn't my intention. Just feeling a bit grumpy.

[greygoose in reply to Mantras131]

Understandably. But, you have to ask yourself why T3 is so expensive. It's Big Pharma greed, and Big Pharma doesn't take sex into account. They want the money any way they can get it! It's nothing to do with sexual bias in the NHS - which, admittedly, does exist. It's not the NHS that fixes the price, making it unobtainable.

I'm not sure quite what trelemorele 's comment is meant to prove. Except that a lot of men are sex-mad! Viagra has nothing to do with medication.

And, in case you're someone who believes that a goose is automatically male, no. I'm a lady! Ganders are male. lol

[trelemorele in reply to greygoose]

Viagra as a MEDICATION was rebranded from blood pressure controlling drug during trials to another health condition: impotence.

It is a medication, it has strong links to coronary problems and its main purpose was/is to cure male impotence.

Just because it's used by "sex mad" as you call them, doesn't make it anymore less dangerous to fit prescription free status.

By the same criteria I should be allowed to purchase t3 and t4 - prescription free - it's used by muscle mad people in the end.

Or get prescription free unlimited access to hormonal contraception, which by the way is longer standing on the market and went through longer trials than viagra.

Yet not only it is prescription only but a lot of women (including me) are denied access to it under pretence - it's dangerous.

If child bearing and contraception was ONLY male problem - contraception would be made available prescription free, since its invention, in ever village garage with a packet of fags.

[greygoose in reply to trelemorele]

OK

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I agree absolutely that thyroid treatment is misogynistic. If 90% of the 2.2 million people in UK on Levothyroxine were men, there would be an outcry at the high percentage labelled as chronic fatigue, anxiety disorder etc etc

If the NHS in Scotland can afford to fund PrEP, it should definitely fund Liothyronine for all those that have clinical need

[Aurealis]

Hi Mantras, I agree with you that it seems very strange when the NHS provides us with a medical exemption certificate for lifelong essential medication, and then doesn’t allow any to be prescribed.

I think you are right that there is a sexist assumption that women have time for all this nonsense of using private prescriptions abroad for vital medication.

There is a sense of insecurity as you approach retirement, to find that essential medication has to be financed from our own resources. So much for cradle to grave nhs.

NHS safe with the Conservative government? Clearly not!

[Marz]

Not wishing to add to your woes but I do not think T3 is available in Spain - rarely in France - and here in Crete I have to show my Greek prescription. Some have been lucky and found an occasional box here and there .... certainly the bulk buying has been curtailed it would seem. Hope all goes well with the move .... 😊