Things to do while waiting for your visa decision

She used to live in Chelmsford and Colchester. There's a long list of why she doesn't like it, mainly due to personal issues. I don't have a problem with it, but she's already put down roots in Hertfordshire so I wouldn't make her move away.

Anyone have any advice on selling your American car? It's my current obsession. It's a 06 Toyota minivan so not exactly a hot item. I'm nervous about internet scammers.

I sold our two cars before we left. Tried advertising myself but got a *lot of time wasters.

In the end I used Carmax.   https://www.carmax.com/sell-my-car

Maybe got a bit less money but it was a quick, efficient and overall pleasant experience.  I would happily use them again. 

Also, if you are on thyroid meds. My medication is not easily prescribed here, Armour,  so my US doctor set me up with 2 years of meds. My kids get my script every month and they bring them over with them when they visit. I've got a 4 months supply with me now and they will be bringing an 8 month supply on their next visit.

This is the one I'm most worried about. My insurance has changed and my new doctor would only give me 2 mo worth. I don't know what to do when I move in the next couple of weeks

This is the one I'm most worried about. My insurance has changed and my new doctor would only give me 2 mo worth. I don't know what to do when I move in the next couple of weeks

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It really depends on what meds you're on and who is your GP. Some of them are more than happy to continue the medications and dosages your American doctor's had you on and others go back to the start.

You'll definitely want to get set up and speak with your GP when you get here. If they want to do any tests they seem to do them one at a time.

I wanted to add to the prescription thread: Last summer when I was in the UK, my jet lag was horrible. Like I was delirious with no sleep. I stopped by the pharmacist to grab some melatonin, and they were like kind of offended that I asked without a prescription. So on my next visit, I brought huge bottles of all my common meds (ibuprofen, benadryl, melatonin) and kept them at my husbands for next time. Target's generic brand is awesome!

Yeah, melatonin (or really any sleep aid) is very difficult to get without a prescription. Bring some with you if you use it.

Yeah, melatonin (or really any sleep aid) is very difficult to get without a prescription. Bring some with you if you use it.

Which I'm still confused by, because isn't it essentially hormones? I feel like it is similar to take vitamins 

Yeah, melatonin (or really any sleep aid) is very difficult to get without a prescription.

I think it's fairly difficult to get WITH a prescription

I worked as a vitamin information specialist for 4 years and we always cautioned people away from melatonin BECAUSE it is a hormone.  If they were adamant on taking it.. we always suggested the LOWEST possible dose, and only for 2 weeks max.  And we would definitely discourage it for children.
Because it is a hormone, you can actually really harm your sleeping pattern if you dont take it right. Quite honestly it should be monitored by a physician, but physicians over here dont really get trained on that kind of thing.
I have found that rescue remedy sleep is great.  Just be careful taking melatonin!

Someone mentioned Zyrtec, and I was very excited to know that it's much cheaper in the UK...$30 or something at CVS vs £5 at Boots! I'm also on prescriptions and the Boot's pharmacist used my CVS bottle with the RX on it to refill when I ran out. It was insanely cheap! The same medications come out to $120 in the US without insurance, but cost about £20 at Boots!

Since my American insurance was linked to DH's job, and he's resettled in the UK, I have no insurance here anymore.

If anyone's on Metformin it's worth it so if they even have the same strength in the UK. I'm on 750 mg in the US but in the UK they only carry 1000 or 500; the Boots pharmacist and I worked out a good system when I ran out.

On a different note.

To keep myself occupied. I keep reading about the history of where I am going to live.
 
It helps keep the excitement up and keep the visa nerves at bay.

Growing up on the west coast my whole life (not a very long history narrative), i always love knowing the history of a place.  I lived in cologne, Germany for 3 years after college and was blown away by all the little nuggets of history to uncover.

moving to central london, and am finding some nice things about the new neighborhood.

Anyone else relocating to london?

I worked as a vitamin information specialist for 4 years and we always cautioned people away from melatonin BECAUSE it is a hormone.  If they were adamant on taking it.. we always suggested the LOWEST possible dose, and only for 2 weeks max.  And we would definitely discourage it for children.
Because it is a hormone, you can actually really harm your sleeping pattern if you dont take it right. Quite honestly it should be monitored by a physician, but physicians over here dont really get trained on that kind of thing.
I have found that rescue remedy sleep is great.  Just be careful taking melatonin!

Interesting.. I've never heard that. I do remember doing some research into it and all I really found was that it *could* be good for a short term sleep aid, and it's not necessarily proven to work.

I was so exhausted when I went searching for it though. I had been in the UK for two weeks, wasn't falling asleep until 6am and waking up at 9am so I wouldn't miss anything. I was desperate! It should be okay to use for the first couple days after a long haul flight, though, right?

Interesting.. I've never heard that. I do remember doing some research into it and all I really found was that it *could* be good for a short term sleep aid, and it's not necessarily proven to work.

I was so exhausted when I went searching for it though. I had been in the UK for two weeks, wasn't falling asleep until 6am and waking up at 9am so I wouldn't miss anything. I was desperate! It should be okay to use for the first couple days after a long haul flight, though, right?

The best thing for jet lag is exposure to sunlight, and scheduling your meals a day or two before on the timeline that you will be eating.
At lot of the time our bodies adjust to diet and sugar regulation and that can keep us up at night.
But as a general rule of thumb, allow a day for every hour difference. So if it is 7 hours difference, give your body 7 days to adjust.

Jet lag and time change is extremely stressful on my body since I am super sensitive to sleep.

Anyone else relocating to london?

Not quite London... but Uxbridge not too far out. Was originally going to be outside the M25 and now we'll be inside it! Happy to live in the suburbs of a big city.


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The best thing for jet lag is exposure to sunlight, and scheduling your meals a day or two before on the timeline that you will be eating.
At lot of the time our bodies adjust to diet and sugar regulation and that can keep us up at night.
But as a general rule of thumb, allow a day for every hour difference. So if it is 7 hours difference, give your body 7 days to adjust.

Jet lag and time change is extremely stressful on my body since I am super sensitive to sleep.

Same here! And it's weird how sometimes I can be totally fine and other times I'll be struggling for weeks. Thanks for the advice though!!