Moving to the UK with a medical condition, need prescription advice

Hi there. I have hypothyroidism and currently take Synthroid to treat it. My doctor in the US has written me a prescription that is good for another 9 months and I should be able to fill all 9 months at once if necessary. I am basically posting to ask if there would be any problem with me bringing a great quantity of my medication with me (I would arrive with a Spousal Visa) so that there's no chance of missing a dose while I get cleared as a permanent resident and registered with a GP?

Also, has anyone ever encountered an issue with a GP not continuing treatment that had been successful in the US? Unfortunately I have both hypothyroidism and PCOS. and both are viewed and treated very differently by different doctors sometimes.

Hi there. I have hypothyroidism and currently take Synthroid to treat it. My doctor in the US has written me a prescription that is good for another 9 months and I should be able to fill all 9 months at once if necessary. I am basically posting to ask if there would be any problem with me bringing a great quantity of my medication with me (I would arrive with a Spousal Visa) so that there's no chance of missing a dose while I get cleared as a permanent resident and registered with a GP?

You shouldn't have a problem, but it's best to bring with you a copy of your prescription and possibly also a letter from your doctor explaining why you need the medication, so that there won't be any issues with customs.

As you will be on a spousal visa, you can register with a GP from the day you arrive in the UK (although some GP surgeries may try to convince you that you have to have lived in the UK for 6 months before you can register, but that just isn't true), so you shouldn't need to wait very long to see a doctor and get medication once you arrive.

Also, has anyone ever encountered an issue with a GP not continuing treatment that had been successful in the US? Unfortunately I have both hypothyroidism and PCOS. and both are viewed and treated very differently by different doctors sometimes.

There shouldn't be a problem with getting your medication in the UK. I'm not sure whether the brand name Synthroid is available, but the active ingredient is levothyroxine, which is widely available in generic form (I work in a pharmacy and we get lots of prescriptions for levothyroxine). In fact, because you have hypothyroidism, you will get all your prescriptions for free in the UK - you will just need to get a 'medical exemption certificate' from your GP, which you will need to show when you get a prescription filled to prove that you are entitled to get the medication for free .

hiya,

when I moved over, I was on medication and running out. I registered with a gp the day after I got here and had an emergency appointment the next day. I took my us prescription with me to my appointment and had no trouble.

DW has a thyroid condition, she has had no problem getting her meds in the UK and....all her meds are free because she has this condition (including unrelated ones), when you've registered with a GP ask the practice nurse about this....the nurse informed DW and filled out the application for the exemption card.

You shouldn't have a problem, but it's best to bring with you a copy of your prescription and possibly also a letter from your doctor explaining why you need the medication, so that there won't be any issues with customs.

I'd actually take this further, and bring as much of your medical history concerning your thyroid and PCOS as you can. Your new GP here won't be able to see your medical history from the States unless you specifically go and bring it to them, and it could be a big help in not having to undergo the same basic tests all over again. The more your new GP knows about you from the start, the better your chance of a seamless transfer of care.

And take it from me, doing consent forms and getting medical transcripts from a distance is really difficult (and at times, impossible - my dad had to physically go in person to collect them, then scan them, and send them to me in as my US doctors had neither a fax nor scanner!!), so do as much of it while you're still there as you can.

I'd actually take this further, and bring as much of your medical history concerning your thyroid and PCOS as you can. Your new GP here won't be able to see your medical history from the States unless you specifically go and bring it to them, and it could be a big help in not having to undergo the same basic tests all over again. The more your new GP knows about you from the start, the better your chance of a seamless transfer of care.

And take it from me, doing consent forms and getting medical transcripts from a distance is really difficult (and at times, impossible - my dad had to physically go in person to collect them, then scan them, and send them to me in as my US doctors had neither a fax nor scanner!!), so do as much of it while you're still there as you can.

Yes - very good points. I was only thinking of the 'getting the medicines into the country' part rather than the 'getting them prescribed and your conditions treated once you have arrived' part .