Update Thybon Henning

[lynnwin]

just a update my GP has added Thybon Henning to my NHS repeat prescription..

so relieved

This is my second week of taking combo but can’t really comment on how things are as I’ve had a bad chest infection and on antibiotics.. so been in and out of bed ..

Xxx

[McPammy]

How are you obtaining Thybon Henning on a repeat NHS prescription please? I have to get mine through a private only route. Or I get NHS liothyronine T3 through a hospital pharmacy. I much prefer Thybon Henning and very interested how you’ve managed to get it via your NHS GP.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to McPammy]

Just a as general point:

Medicines without UK approval can be prescribed on NHS. But the prescriber has to be willing to say that there is a medical reason to not prescribe one of the UK approved products.

The rules even seem to go so far as to suggest that UK-produced "specials" are preferred to "foreign" medicines.

[McPammy in reply to helvella]

Yes, I understand what you’ve said 👍. When I approached Roseway about an NHS prescription for example they said they can’t provide Thybon Henning on an NHS prescription as it’s private only. So will I need a private prescription off my NHS GP would that work and then I would have to pay for them.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to McPammy]

An NHS pharmacy might accept a Thybon prescription as a special order. Indeed, while you might have to go round several, you should find one that will.

But no doubt that would cost the NHS far more than Roseway charge as private!

[McPammy in reply to helvella]

I have tried endlessly in the past to obtain Thybon Henning through the NHS with zero luck. That’s through my hospital pharmacy and community pharmacies again zero luck. So I get it from Roseway privately. I’m very interested how a member has managed to do it.

[lynnwin in reply to McPammy]

Hi my first prescription was private from a endocrinologist for T3

After checking ingredients for T3 brands I asked for TH as I’m allergic to acacia powder and just about manage lactose.. I have done a yellow card years ago because of the acacia powder .. My private prescription was filled by Tollesbury pharmacy I had to take a letter from my GP to say why I needed TH .. then the pharmacist gave me a form for my GP to fill in with questions eg why do I need this medication? and then the pharmacist said ask your GP to prescribe on the NHS which I did and have repeat for it now .. Speak to your GP as if there is a medical need for TH I believe they should prescribe ? Hope this helps ? Xxxx

[gabkad in reply to helvella]

Are GPs in England not prescribing T3 willingly because somehow it reduces their take home pay?

That's sort of the impression I get from across the pond. Over here there is no tie in between physicians and the drugs they prescribe. Unlike the USA, physicians here do not benefit financially from prescribing any drug. Although in the past they were incentivized to stimulate patients to get mammography, colonoscopy, and Pap smears. It didn't work so the government has taken over sending letters to those of use who do not comply. Including poop test kits as well..... I have had the impression though that physicians are encouraged to limit blood testing. For example, the Ministry of Health website for physicians discourages B12 testing because it is 'expensive'. Most physicians I know ignore this or never read it. The B12 test is not on the blood requisition form. It needs to be entered separately. Lots of tests are not routine anymore. When I worked at the hospital in the 1970s, VDRL was a standard test for all new inpatients. Can you imagine? Every patient was screened for Syphilis!

[gabkad in reply to gabkad]

It's a nice day here today. Cool and dry. I need to finish housecleaning or I'll never get it done. Four cats make for plenty of fur.

One day....... when I'm maybe 73 years old at the outer limit I'll be catfree. Right now I'm 65. The little blighters are 12 years old plus Eddie who is maybe 17. Seeing as how generally my cats live to over 18, almost 19, I've got a lot of catfur vacuuming in my future.

Back to work and I need to stop reading this forum.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to gabkad]

No.

First, in many areas, the local rules say GPs may not initiate prescribing of T3.

Second, each practice gets a budget and are expected to keep within it. If one patient's cost is high, another might not get what they need.

Third, some blood tests are simply refused by labs even when requested by GPs. This divides in two. One half is because they are poorly considered requests. The other because the lab is trying to reduce costs. In my view, whether the lab does a test or not isn't the issue. Every single request should be answered either by a result. Or by an explanation as to why there is no result.

[lynnwin in reply to helvella]

I would hate to think someone didn’t get what they needed because I got prescribed TH 😯

Yeah the surgery does get a budget but also gets paid for every blood test I do ..

I did have a problem a couple of times getting my T3 tested at the NHS lab even though my Dr wrote on there please test FT3 and still would come back untested apparently it has to be requested by a endocrinologist..

I worked as a phlebotomist for a few years at the hospital and when my bloods came back without testing my T3 I marched into the lab and said please can you test this as there is a reason it needs testing !! and since then they have done it !! I have spent a lot of money on private bloods like so many others here .. it’s all so wrong xx

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to lynnwin]

The prices now are much more reasonable! But when it was around £250 for 28 tablets, that was sufficiently high to be seen as affecting overall budgets.