Doctors in Spain or France prescribing Natural thyroid

[wishing2go]

Hi every one

I am seriously considering moving from the UK to France or Northern Spain. I have been on natural thyroid hormone very successfully for many years Armour or Erfa both as good as each other for me Synthetic thyroxine does not work for me. Can anyone please tell me if there are doctors in Spain or France who will prescribe natural thyroid hormone for me, or if not how patients manage to get their thyroid meds living in either of these countries

If I kept a UK doctor would I be allowed to take my prescribed medication with me to either of these countries. In other words would I need to return to the UK every 3 months to collect my medication?

Thank you very much in anticipation of your help

[humanbean]

greygoose lives in France. She has reported many times that NDT is illegal in France and can't be prescribed by anyone. Also, people who have tried importing NDT for their own use have often had it confiscated by customs officers, although the occasional parcel makes it through - presumably because they can't check every parcel.

I don't know anything about the rules in Spain.

[wishing2go in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for the reply. I did not realize that it was illegal, even on prescription which mine is? I wonder if Spain is a possible. Any one know??

Thank you all once again

[greygoose in reply to wishing2go]

I think you might have a problem if you went to the UK every three months and came back with three months supply. They might think you were intending to sell it. Even if you do have a prescription.

Depends where you're planning to go in France, if it's anywhere near the Belgium border, you could possibly get yourself a Belgium doctor, and go say monthly to get your NDT. But, once again, if you're stopped by customs - and they can do that anywhere on the motorway - and found to have it, they could confiscate it. Although, twice, I have been stopped with HGH on me, which is also illegal, and they let me keep it. So, depends on the individual person, probably, or what he had for lunch that day.

In Spain, they don't sell NDT at all, but I don't know what the prescribing laws are.

[cazmania7 in reply to greygoose]

I can’t believe that it’s easier to buy heroin than something which may end my misery.

[greygoose in reply to cazmania7]

Difficult to believe, I know. But, it is. And, I've often said so.

[wishing2go in reply to greygoose]

Oh ! It sounds crazy! To be honest I just do not want to spend the rest of my life in the UK. France would be a good option , but not the be all and end all. The other side of the Pyrenees around Girona in Spain is an option as is the other side of Spain in Galicia near Portugal. I would even consider Portugal ! Any one know what the NDT situation is in Portugal ???

I always thought the UK was hassle enough as far as natural thyroid was concerned , travelling across the country to be seen by a sympathetic doctor .

I have to plan my whole future around where I can obtain my prescription medication, what a crazy world we live in!!

Thank you once again

[greygoose in reply to wishing2go]

I don't think there's any NDT in Portugal, either - but what a lovely place to live!

You're right, it's a crazy world, and a very cruel world. Man is an ugly beast.

[abitsad in reply to wishing2go]

"I have to plan my whole future around where I can obtain my prescription medication, what a crazy world we live in!!"

I take need to take T3 and feel the same way.

[Nikkkita]

Hi wishing2go, I live in Spain and my last two T3 orders were confiscated by Customs, however they did ask me to present a prescription, which I don't have, so if you do have one you might be ok. Also, if you have a prescription you might be able to get it from Germany or somewhere and they don't seem to bother so much with packages from other European countries. I did manage to get Thyroid S though but it's very stressful and expensive not knowing if or when you will be able to get your hands on the medication you need.

Good luck!

[wishing2go in reply to Nikkkita]

Thank you for the info. Are there sympathetic doctors in Spain who might prescribe do you know?? .

I have researched some more and I am able to get a prescription in the UK and apparently get it filled in Belgium who in turn will post it " anywhere In Europe" so I wonder if that would work . Alternatively finding a doctor in Andorra or Portugal and bringing it back to Spain with a prescription.

Thank you all very much for help and advice much appreciated

[Nikkkita in reply to wishing2go]

I very much doubt you'd find any doctor in Spain who'd prescribe NDT, I think it's illegal. But if you have a prescription and can get it filled elsewhere in Europe I don't think it should be a problem, that's what I plan to do next. The difficult part is to get a prescription and you already have that.

[wishing2go in reply to Nikkkita]

Hi Nikkkita

May I ask one more thing then . Is it better to get the NDT posted from the European Pharmacy to Spain . ? or collect meds in person and bring them in

I guess it would run along these lines

1)UK doctor gives me my 3 month prescription it is filled by European Pharmacy and posted to Spain.

or

2)I find Doctor in Andorra or Portugal and they prescribe and I visit there and return with meds to Spain.

Oh I do hope hope it works out OK. We are rather set on leaving the UK before we reach the foothills of old age .

With all good wishes to you

[Nikkkita in reply to wishing2go]

My plan is to have meds delivered to the UK, pick them up and take them back with me. I was going to try and get a prescription but it's true that we don't know what will happen after brexit. It's just so hard trying to get well!

[hbinder72 in reply to wishing2go]

Andorra and Portugal don't allow it

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to wishing2go]

Do bear in mind that there is no suggestion whatsoever that the current pan-European recognition of prescriptions will continue past any brexit.

That means, UK prescriptions will NOT be valid anywhere except the UK.

[wishing2go in reply to helvella]

Thank you for the input. So I guess looking at worst case scenario regarding the Brexit nightmare could run as follows

If UK prescription not valid outside UK. Options are to find Dr inPortugal to prescribe and fill my prescription in Portugal perhaps posting from Portugal to Spain with yearly check ups and so forth. Or keep UK doctor,and fulfil the prescription in the UK and post to Spain or colllect from UK.

Oh what complictions when it should be so straight forward

Good luck to Nikkkita by the way

Best wishes and thanks

[LAHs in reply to wishing2go]

Gosh this is a depressing outlook, it's like nightmare when you cannot find any path that isn't a dead end. I don't understand, well, I suppose I do, Pharma want's to make money. Surely there are not so many of us that our unique needs would make a dent in their profits. I too feel like I am living on top of a volcano, if my sensible doc leaves or retires I am in the same boat. I recently tried to find a good contact for someone in the UK to buy NDT/T3 from the US but it was not trivial and I am still working on it.

I don't know what to say except that it breaks my heart.

[LuluCops]

This is disappointing to read as we are hoping to retire to Portugal but I will need to be able to get my meds! What a flaming mess!??

Why on earth is NDT illegal? It’s a natural product!?? How shocking in this day and age that class A drugs are more easily obtained than a lifesaving drug that would make us much better and for some of us, even possible to make a living again! 😱🥺🥺

[hbinder72 in reply to LuluCops]

I'm in Portugal, any solutions found?

[Elainevictor]

Hey guys, i live in Gibraltar. It is at the border with Spain (la linea de la concepcion, Cadiz) opposite Morocco. We are a 3 hour drive from portugal. You can buy Armour here at Morrisons pharmacy with a prescription xx hope this helps.

[Openfields in reply to Elainevictor]

ElaineVictor, thank you! Do you happen to know if they also prescribed Naturethroid?

[hbinder72 in reply to Elainevictor]

Do you have contact information for your doctor there that prescribes?

[hbinder72]

Any luck? I'm in Portugal and can't get it here. I'll travel.

[JLCC74]

Hello! I just stumbled upon this thread doing a search for Armour in France. I moved here from the USA 8 months ago, and am running out of my prescription. I thought it would be easy to find a naturopathic doctor here that prescribes NDT, but I see it isn't. Wondering if you could update us all. Did you end up in France, and were you able to find someone who prescribes it? Also, I was considering ordering a non-prescription glandular from an online pharmacy, hoping it would make it through customs. Anyone have any experience with that?

Thanks.

[pennyannie in reply to JLCC74]

Are you aware this post is from around 4 years ago ?

i see you haven't written anything yet nor registered on the forum :