T3 prescription to NHS from private endo

[Sybilla14]

Hi, will a GP honour a prescription for liothyronine from a private endo or does this need to be an NHS endo? Would the GP need to refer me or would they accept the conclusions from a private endo even if they did not refer me?

Many thanks!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If an NHS endocrinologist says you have clinical need of T3 then the initial 3-6 trial is done via hospital on NHS prescription. Assuming trial goes well ongoing care and NHS prescription is taken over by GP

But seeing an endocrinologist privately does not enable access to T3 on NHS

Private endocrinologist should provide private prescription.

Three options.

Option one

Most common option is private prescription to read

100 x 20mcg Liothyronine

This enables access to cheap T3 from Germany

31 Euro plus 8 Euro p&p

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Option 2

25mcg T3 - No UK T3 is 25mcg so you may be able to order 25mcg tablets via UK pharmacies from EU

Option 3

5mcg T3 by Sigma Pharma- 90 tablets private prescription are £130

[Sybilla14 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon. This is very clear.

I’ve tried to get a private prescription from a gp but he referred me to a private endo for a recommendation letter first. It sounds like going private completely is the only way forward.

Is there any indication from anywhere yet what is likely to happen after Brexit and whether EU pharmacies will still accept UK prescriptions?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sybilla14]

Simple answer.....no idea

As it stands, EU pharmacies can accept prescriptions from EU registered doctors

Email Dionne at Thyroid Uk for list of recommended thyroid specialists

please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

Ideally pick one that is NHS and private, then you may be able to transfer to NHS under same endo

Prescription is usually by the endocrinologist, not your GP

A GP's insurance may not cover prescription of non UK license medication, therefore they can be unwilling to provide private prescription

[Sybilla14 in reply to SlowDragon]

Wow I didn’t realise there were so many complications to this. I’ve been buying from Greece but apparently it is increasingly harder to get it without a prescription so I’m expecting this to dry up very very shortly.

Do you mean that a prescription accepted by a German pharmacy as per the details above is unlikely to be issued privately by a GP? So the only option to legitimately purchase outside of the UK is through a private endo?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sybilla14]

Yes

Very few GP's prepared to write any private prescriptions.

A) because they don't have facility to do so.

B) they don't want to prescribe a medication they know nothing about

C) their insurance wouldn't cover them if you got ill as direct result

Roughly where in the UK are you?

Email Dionne at Thyroid Uk for list of recommended thyroid specialists who prescribe T3. Some are private and NHS


 please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

[Sybilla14 in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ll email Dionne, thank you for the info. I’m on the edge of Derby.

[JMo1]

My GP did eventually prescribe T3 for my daughter on advice of private endo but that was only after a lengthy complaint process which ended with the Chief Medical Officer of NHS Lanarkshire recommending they prescribed it . It was definitely worth it but it took a long time and so I initially purchased it privately until the GP agreed to prescribe. It made a huge difference to her life. I had to agree to continue to have it monitored through the private endo though so this is obviously still expensive.

[Sybilla14 in reply to JMo1]

Thank you JMo1. I’m pleased that you were successful in fighting for it. I’ve found a GP who is prepared to take me on as a private patient and prescribe as long as I get a letter from a private endo. Interestingly he suggested the very same private endo who diagnosed me so I’m hopeful it will work.

T3 is amazing and it was the only thing to lift off my brain fog and cognitive impairment. Levo only improved some of the other symptoms I had. It is so angering to me that there are no studies to show what an incredible and powerful hormone it is. If I’ve no option through the nhs I’ll end up going private, like you, as t3 is a life changer.

[JMo1 in reply to Sybilla14]

Yes, it really makes me angry too as it is a false economy! My daughter was never away from the GP before starting T3. She was referred for a colonoscopy, endoscopy, patch testing, ultrasound, physio, psychological input, memory testing all by the time she was 16 years old and all testing was inconclusive. Symptoms remained until the T3 started and her life turned around in a matter of weeks. Makes me sad to think of the years she suffered unnecessarily. Absolutely criminal that people can’t get access to trial it and treatment if needed. Good luck with your quest and I am happy to share any info that might help. Just Private message me.

[Sybilla14 in reply to JMo1]

Hi JMo1. Someone tried to contact you through this post but responded to me not you...

[JMo1 in reply to Sybilla14]

Thank you!

[Hashi-hacker in reply to JMo1]

Hi JMo1, sorry to jump onto the thread. I am in Scotland and in a similar position. I have a private endo (who is also NHS) write a letter to my GP saying that I should start T3 for a 3 month trial. My GPs are now debating whether they should honour this or not. I honestly don't know which way they are going to go. I could go get the T3 privately but I am really not wanting to do this due to the ongoing expense, which I understand is going to be about £90 a month or so. I'm in the fortunate position that I can afford some private medical care but not that well off! Do you have any tips on what to say, if anything, that might persuade my GPs to fund this? I was looking around for the related Scottish parliament document but I can't find the right one.

Thanks x

[JMo1 in reply to Hashi-hacker]

Hi Hashi-Hacker. Yes, the Scottish Parliament published a response to the petition recently which I will look for and could email to you if you private message me. I’m not at my computer at the moment but will look at other guidance I used too. NHS Lanarkshire at one point in the complaint process stated that one of the reasons for refusal (along with many others) was that it was from a private endo request. I replied to them highlighting that the private endo was also NHS and asking if it would have made a difference if she prescribed from her NHS clinic? Does your private Endo practice in the same NHS/ council area as you? I also pointed out that my GP had prescribed the vitamins which were prescribed by the private endo which seemed to contradict the T3 position (that also helped). Don’t suppose your GP has prescribed any other medication from any other private consultant? Have you looked at your local council’s policy on T3? The South Lanarkshire policy only said it should be reserved for use by accredited endocrinologists (not only NHS). One policy I saw recently stated NHS endocrinologists which might make it harder? I agree that the cost of buying T3 is crippling. I would definitely have purchased from abroad at the cheaper price if it had been for me but was too worried as my daughter was so young. That is also something to consider. Saying that, it made such a difference to my daughter that I never once regretted it. Really is true that your health is your wealth! I hope you manage to get a trial soon.

[Hashi-hacker in reply to JMo1]

An update... I have been asked to get my private endo to fill in an IPTR form, which is to let someone further up the decision making tree to decide if the NHS will fund this trial or not. I am in (edited) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde so I have no idea which way this will go.