hypothyroidism

[Mouliere]

My wife suffers from this underactive condition,for which in U.K meant an annual blood test,and 6 monthly prescriptions(free) for thyroxine.However our doctor in France will ony prescribe for 2 months supply,and requests a blood test every other visit.Is this normal practise,or is it a case of "self protection" on behalf of the doctor.Just curious.
Thanks for any info.Dennis

[Joanl]

I also suffer from this condition. My french doctor wants me to have a blood test every 6 months to make sure that the pills are doing the job,& whether I need more or less medication. The doctors in France cannot give repeat prescriptions for longer than 3 months at a time, & for certain drugs only 1 month at a time, they can be brought up in front of a tribunal & fined heavily if they do not abide by this rule. joan

[Chrissid]

I am on Thyroxin as well, but my docotor handles this just the same as in the UK, i.e. test once a year and prescription for 6 months. However, the pharmacy will only give me a one month supply at a time as the caisse maladie will not re-imburse otherwise. It might be different where you are or it might have something to do with the actual condition as I don't actually suffer from Hypothyroidism, but from an enlarged thyroid gland.

Christiane
www.francesw.com

[Charlotte3]

charlotte3

Hi Dennis,

I too suffer from this condition. I brought a years supply of Thyroxine with me from the UK, and eventually went ot osee our local doctor.
In the UK I had been given the impression that this was a relatively minor condition and so long as it was monitored I had nothing to worry about.

NOT SO IN FRANCE!!!!

I attended my appointment with our local doctor (just so as to get the necessary prescription), and was told that I needed a blood test. She gave me the prescription for ONE months supply and I had to attend at the end of the month for the results and another prescription for 3 months supply. (Incidently, I had a fasting test rather than the ordinary blood test I was used to in the UK).

The results were not good, and she asked me what were the results of my scan (of the thyroid gland) in the UK? She was amazed to discover that this test is not offered to everyone with this condition in the UK, and promptly sent me off to Fougeres hospital for an ultrasound scan.....to cut a long story short I ended up at the cancer hospital in Rennes where they confirmed I had a large tumour in the right side of my thyroid gland. Luckily for me a biopsy showed it to be benign, but every health professional I have encountered here has been amazed that this was not picked up in 20 years of treatment back in the UK.

I am now monitored: bloods every 3 months and ultrasound scan every 6 months for the rest of my life.

I HAVE NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THE FRENCH HEALTH SYSTEM.

If I can be of any help to your wife, or can provide any moral support for a misunderstood condition, please email me direct.

Good luck to you both.

[Charlotte3]

charlotte3

Sorry Dennis,

Just remembered about the free prescriptions thing.....not free in France, but free in UK where the condition is considered life threatening by the government but not your local doctor!!!

Good luck,
Charlotte