I'd like to try T3 but have some questions about supply.
I have a nephew in Germany so am thinking of asking him to see if he can find a pharmacist who could supply T3 and give me contact details. My son-in-law also has friends in France who I may be able to get contact details from, for a pharmacy. I've no idea how it works though. For example, how many months supply can you usually order from Europe? As some people have had issues with supply in the past and seemingly more especially this year, if I only needed 1 grain tablets, would it be a good idea to order 2 grain tablets and cut them in half - so if I was only able to order 3 months supply, I would in fact have 6 months supply to combat any possible supply issues.
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AnneEvo
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I think it is possible to buy OTC in Greece and Turkey, but (a) you need a prescription in France and Germany, as Lalatoot says; and (b) it's quite likely that UK prescriptions won't be accepted after the Brexit transition period ends (ie in a few weeks).
If you are a "poor converter" it's possible - albeit tricky - to get lio on the NHS, so this may well be your best route ... Have you had the list of T3-friendly endos from Dionne at Thyroid UK? - tuk admin@thyroiduk.org
Hi , just a quick question. What evidence do you have that a private prescription won’t be accepted abroad after brexit ? I would have thought that there could possibly be a tariff added to costs, but a ban ? There still will be a market to sell medications I’m sure . Can’t see why you think this .
Richardhall1, ' What evidence do you have that a private prescription won’t be accepted abroad after brexit ?'
I don't think anyone has any 'evidence' yet. But, at the moment, a prescription given by a doctor in any EU country is valid in all EU countries. It's a reciprocal arrangement. Obviously after Brexit the UK won't be an 'EU country'.
I think it likely that at best, it will be up to the individual EU country to decide what their policy will be with the UK. And then, it may even be down to the individual pharmacy whether they can be bothered with all the potential extra customs paperwork involved.
That said, I know no more than anyone else about this. helvella might chime in here with his thoughts.
The recognition of UK prescriptions across the EU is based on the Commission Implementing Directive 2012/52/EU of 20 December 2012.
Broadly, this applies:
A prescription delivered by a doctor in your country is valid in all EU countries. However, a medicine prescribed in one country might not be available or it may have another name.
This all applies to any valid UK prescription whether NHS or private. (Though if used other than in the UK, there will be no payment by the NHS. It becomes, effectively, a private prescription.)
Prior to this, UK prescriptions were not universally, if at all, recognised across EU countries.
At present, this recognition continues despite Brexit due to the transition arrangements. I have tried to identify any measures taken to ensure ongoing recognition of UK prescriptions within the EU, or EU prescriptions within the UK. So far, I have found none.
In this case, I believe we need to assume that the arrangements will terminate unless and until we see evidence to the contrary. To assume that the arrangements will continue would appear to me to be folly.
We have seen reports of some recently having UK prescriptions declined in France due to Brexit.
"This all applies to any valid UK prescription whether NHS or private. (Though if used other than in the UK, there will be no payment by the NHS. It becomes, effectively, a private prescription." As it then becomes a private prescription, if one was to have a prescription filled in, say, France, presumably they add the cost of the prescription on to the medication?
Since writing this post, I have realised T3 may not be the answer for me. I had forgotten at the time of writing that when I was taking Metavive ll my T3 level was good (even though there is no stated amounts of T4/T3), better than previously, however I didn't feel any different and stopped taking it. So it seems likely, having T3 wouldn't make any difference to me.
An NHS prescription used in the UK will be dispensed for free or standard NHS prescription charge. A private prescription dispensed in the UK will be dispensed for whatever cost the pharmacy says!
The same NHS prescription taken to, say France or Germany, would in those countries be identical to a UK private prescription taken there. Whatever dispensing charges/costs of medicine there are in France or Germany would apply. The NHS would not make any payment at all to the pharmacy in France or Germany.
I’ve just emailed my private Endo to issue a new prescription and usually it’s a 6mth supply and I asked if he’d be prepared to prescribe more in light of Brexit looming. He replied that he didn’t expect any changes/problems.
Yes. Others buy ndt and hormones labelled thyroid supplements from other countries without a prescription. However supplies seem to be getting trickier to source.
You might be as well continuing to explore the doses of levo plus metavive.
Measurements in 'grains' is usually only for the very original thyroid hormone replacements, NDT = natural dessicated thyroid hormones and 1 grain is equal to approx 100mcg of levo.
Whilst on T4, I was fortunate enough to travel to a country where I could buy both NDT and T3, without prescription. Needless to say, I hedged my bets and bought some. :o)
I didn't however, start taking it straight away as I wanted to exhaust my options under the NHS, prior to making a very long term commitment to self-funding. I had already had a number of private consultations. My initial diagnosis took a LONG time to achieve. Others have struggled much longer.
Having got up to 150mcgr T4 without getting my T3 into range, never mind in a decent place, I eventually saw an NHS Endo (whom I had already seen privately). I had a VERY long appointment with him. I wasn't leaving until I was satisfied! (I did post about it, around September last year.)
The outcome of that appointment was a trial of T3, which was continued at review, and just reviewed again a week ago, and continued. I am on dual T4+T3 therapy.
A remark made by the Endo warmed the cockles of my heart. After he had reminded me again that there are only something like 20 patients in our CCG area being prescribed T3, but that there is a growing body of evidence that it helps more than previously understood. He then confirmed I am obviously one of those people.
So, please keep an open mind and ask for a referral, if you feel you need T3. You just never know.
I appreciate I am so very fortunate to be in this position. It shouldn't be so hard, but maybe there's a chink of hope for us all.
I have successfully ordered from Parcelmed in Germany. My spanish friend (doctor) wrote a prescription. In Germany they are called Thybon Henning (Sanofi) and come in packages of 100 and are 20 mcg instead of 25 mcg as the Cynomel in France (Also Sanofi). I ordered online, sent original prescription via courier, paid and received 300 pills. Cost in total around 90 euros. This is the website that worked really well for me parcelmed.de
Which is fine until the EU stops recognising UK prescriptions which is likely to be very soon (and might already have happened in some countries/pharmacies).
Forgive the question, but do you know that you don’t convert enough T4 to T3 and therefore need T3? I only ask as I get the impression that some who post here think that T3 is the answer to everything whether or not they are deficient. Good luck.
I think most of the people on this forum would like an opportunity to try 'option's if they don't improve on levothyroxine. Researchers have proven that a combination T4/T3 helps many who've hypo.
I felt better (I certainly did) when T3 was added to T4. Before that I had constant - severe palpitations - especially during the night and pulse around 144 +. To try to lower I had to sip ice-cold water plus wrap around my neck ice-bags.
It may sound 'fashionable' to ask endocrinologists for a trial but it can be a lifesaver for some. Even if it is a T4/T3 combination.
I will say that we are all different and millions seem to be fine on levothyroxine, but they wont be searching the web.
There is a section of people that cannot and do not improve. In fact the cardiologist was puzzled about my palpitations and was going to put an implant in my heart to 'see' what was going on. Just then T3 was added to T4 and I never consulted the cardiologist again. The more I reduced T4 the better I felt and eventually all symptoms resolved.
We can have ups/downs at times if changes are made to the excipients.
I agree; I am on T3 only but this was after many years of trial and error and the advice of the great Dr P. I only mentioned this as I read many posts where people want to trial T3 when their blood tests show otherwise, as if it were a panacea. I assume this is because many do well on T3 and post this so there is a leap to the conclusion that T3 IS the answer; it may be, it may not. It might be that AnneEvo has a conversion problem. It was a gentle question.
I, too, consulted with Dr Peatfield. The fact that the medical profession pursued him (after introduction of levo/blood tests etc) quite a number of times because he was 'old school' and treated symptoms rather than blood tests. He was forced to resigne his Licence due to the stress but still was able to give us good, helpful advice.
The book 'Tears Behind Closed Doors' is well worth a read for those members who haven't read it. The suffering some people have to go through is absolutely horrendous. To actually read what many hypo patients go through 'hits the spot'.
The woman he helped then went on to assist Dr Gordon Skinner (another good and knowledgeable doctor/scientist/researcher). Both did their best to change the medical 'attitudes' but Dr S was then pursued and appeared before the GMC several times but always found to 'not doing anything untoward' and discharged. That must have taken a toll on his health.
Since his death his staff have collated all of their/Dr Skinner's scientific evidence and were hoping to publish it if/when they had sufficient funds.
26. Do not post advertisements, links or information of any sort whatsoever, on where or how to obtain UK prescription only medications without prescription. This includes online pharmacies who issue 'prescriptions' on the basis of the completion of a simple health questionnaire.
I live in the US and I have to have a prescription to get my T3 and I also have to see a doctor once a year for refills. I wasn’t aware of any pharmacy that you could purchase from without prescription so that’s interesting news. Happy to hear that it’s available to you.
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