Best place in the world to live if hypothyroid?

[Aurealis]

With thoughts of recent posts re Brexit - can anyone tell me where in the world I’d be able to obtain both T3 and NDT should there be any supply failure in the U.K. (but hopefully there won’t be!). Would I need a visa? Would I need to pay privately to see an endo? Would I need to pay for T3/NDT?

[nouvelleespoir]

I had access to both those options in the States. Now that I'm in France, I'm constantly searching. I can find some supplements for awhile through online pharmacies, but then inexplicably they're no longer available. As if Hashi's wasn't frustrating and stressful enough WITH the necessities . . .

You do need a visa, and healthcare there is pricey. The best docs for our kinds of issues are Functional Medicine Practitioners, and they rarely take insurance, but they're better than endos, in terms of they know the endocrine system and how the commonly prescribed drugs are meant to affect it, but they will look at the total situation and treat for whole-body wellness, not only glandular issues. So many other factors play their roles. They're way more current on worldwide research, they are great listeners, and they have more compassion and drive to help you get better than any other docs I've work with (excepting my chiropractors). And they're worth every penny. I miss mine! When i was just recently back, I did labs to take in for an appointment and they're willing to help me via email, that's how serious they are about helping and healing.

[Aurealis in reply to nouvelleespoir]

That’s all very useful information, thank you very much nouvelleespoir. I have some more questions now!

It’s quite a way and quite expensive to get to the US, but English speaking which is good for me, and big enough to be my forever holiday destination (every year) if I had to. I have no choice but to make obtaining what I need my highest priority as my quality of life would be so poor without and if the worst happens, I no longer am inclined to play swap the treatment NHS style whatever that could be post-Brexit.

But how do you find a functional medicine practitioner? Is there a professional body / particular qualifications or experience / is it a branch of medicine in the US? Are there variations from state to state? Is Canada at all the same in this respect? Also, which T3 were you able to get?

I didn’t know what to make of there previously having been no replies to my post - was no-one interested, or was there no-where, or was UK thought to be best, or had I asked a silly question. So you’ve made me feel better on many levels thank you

[wellness1 in reply to Aurealis]

You can find out more about the Functional Medicine approach here.

ifm.org/

This site also has a 'Find a Practitioner' tab at the upper right, but one has to enter a location to use it.

An awful lot of people from different backgrounds call themselves 'functional medicine' practitioners. Something like IFM certification can be a useful criterion to apply as a starting point. I would also try to get personal recommendations (as with any healthcare practitioner) if at all possible. Best of luck to you.

[nouvelleespoir in reply to Aurealis]

Functional Medicine is a newer, growing branch of medicine in the States (I can't speak to Canada at all). Depending on the state, they may or may not write prescriptions. In Michigan they don't, but they recommended a supplement I've been able to order online and have sent to France. It's worked wonders, and has been better than any prescription I've had before. I liked Armour, but I like GTA Forte II better. And provided I can keep getting it, it's what I hope to keep taking indefinitely.