I am hypothyroid and needed a new prescription so thought you'd like to see my morning's experience. Hope it helps you.

Rang around a number of docs to find one that was taking patients and who did bulk billing.

Bulk billing means that the doc claims the money from the gvt and you don't have to pay anything other than your prescription charge. Just like going to the doc in the UK.
However, some docs don't do bulk billing because they like the money and so they charge you more to be seen by them. You pay for your appointment and your prescription charge. Average around here for an appointment was $48 dollars, well above the $30-ish of bulk billing that the doc claims for your treatment. The doc pockets the extra as his. Nice!
You can imagine how going to the doc with three sick children would be if you had to pay for appointments. Bulk billing is therefore a very good idea.

Anyway, waited, and saw an indian doc, who was ever so pleasant. He gave me a new prescription of thyroxine, with a promise to do a thyroid function test in a month or so to compensate for changing weather (good doc!)
I only took my empty thyroxine boxes with my name and UK address on them as proof of my situation. He was absolutely fine with it.

Signed my paperwork, took my script to the pharmacy and had it filled.

Received a large heavy box and I asked how many there were in there. There are six bottles of 100 mcg - 40 tablets in each, for which I paid $26!

I commented on how in the UK we had to fill prescriptions month by month, which the pharmacist said she thought was ridiculous and time consuming. I was told to just take out one bottle, and keep the rest in the fridge.

I have over half a year's supply for $26!

I have discovered that my fridge comes with a handy 'locked' medicine compartment so the rest are in there.

I know I was worrying about this before we arrived but wanted to put some minds here at rest who share the same condition as I do.

Thanks for that. It has put my mind at rest

That's one thing I really miss about home - proper repeat prescriptions!

I hate having to go back to the doctor every month, and wait for a further two days while they get around to filling out my new prescription. It's so clumsy and time-consuming. Although I must admit that medication is MUCH cheaper in the UK; I do love the "one price fits all" prescription system!

But I still prefer to have a prescription with five repeats on it, meaning that I can keep topping up my meds for six months without having to visit the doc again.

Thats very helpful Thank you.

Hey you! Long time no speak!

Thanks for posting this - I didnt realise you were a fellow thyroid sufferer!! I've got a multi nodular thyroid goiter which thankfully at the moment doesnt require treatment - but will do in the future (probably removal!!). I was a bit worried about how they dealt with this disease over here so its really good to read your post! Sounds like they've got to grips with it more than the UK have - great to hear!

Take care and speak to you soon

Rach xxxx

Hullo Rach!

Have a look at my 'three weeks in ' post, to be found here.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...97#post3528197
and you can catch up!
Ha, fellow thyroid sufferer ... yours sounds complex. Nodules is a pain in the arse from what I've heard and read. The docs here are much more competitive and up to date with the latest.... Australia actually holds a massive 'thyroid' symposium for all other countries who are waaaay behind... like the UK for example.
I have links for good endo's in Sydney ... and further up north for anyone else who needs.... just ask for the links.

It used to be like that in the UK - that's partly what contributed to my tranquilliser dependency at the outset. The whole idea of seeing the doctor was designed to keep track on patients who were getting repeat prescriptions for meds that they either shouldn't have had or didn't need. But it is time-consuming and just adds to the queue in the surgery.

Our surgery back in the UK permitted repeat prescriptions to be ordered at the local pharmacy without needing to see the doctor more than once or twice a year. It depended on the item being prescribed.

I personally don't think it's a bad thing for patients and their repeat prescriptions to be tracked, but I think it needs discretion - for folk with life-long conditions such as diabetes, and other long term illnesses, it's not so necessary, but other meds, such as antidepressants, need careful monitoring and that's not going to happen if people are getting 6 months' worth of medicine on one script.

Just my 2c's...

Sue

Hi Sue - I agree with you. But I can't speak for my doc when it comes to other conditions....This was the first time I've seen him and it's my first experience of the Australian medical service. I was mentioning it purely from the prescription charge side of things, which a lot of us were worried about.
My doc isn't leaving me unmonitored, and has me booked in next month for tests. Thyroid people tend to become somewhat 'self medicating' if their docs let them... If the symptoms return or lurk, the doc (if he's any good) allows you to do your own tiny increase in thyroxine so that you can stabilise yourself again. As thyroid changes happen with colder weather, it's fairly common in the UK. I'm sure this happens with other conditions too, but none that I know of personally - I'd be amazed if it was just thyroid though.
My condition is life long, sadly ... I hope I didn't give the impression it was just the doc handing out the drugs and never seeing you again. It certainly doesn't seem to be that way at all from my very short experience this morning.

I only have to see the doctor in the UK once a year, unless I notice any change in how I feel.

If your thyroid is playing up, you soon know about it and if your dosage is too high, you also get to know the signs fairly quickly.

So unless I notice any change, all I have to do is ring up for a repeat.

In theory, you should have your thyroid tested twice a year Wendy. Once after weather has cooled, so you know if you need more thyroxine, and once when the weather has warmed - to tell if you need less.
If you're not getting the right amounts, even small amounts, you can end up not getting optimal treatment.
Of course, that's the ideal, so if once works for you, then great. TSH levels fluctuate all the time though and it's something which should be monitored so that you are symptom free. In theory.

I always end up going at least three times a year, but every time I do go the doctor he says not to see him for 12 months.

I do however go in for blood tests a month after any changes in prescriptions or if I feel like there is something wrong.

Same for me. A blood test once a year unless I notice any changes in symptoms. It will be much better to have a few months of thyroxine at a time.

I asked at my doctors yesterday if i was allowed 3 months supply to take with me when we leave next month and they said it wasn't a problem. I just have to write a letter 2 weeks before we leave and they'll also print out a summary of our medication and recent history without charge

It's a good job neither of us listen to our doctors, Wendy. We wouldn't be as healthy as we are!

Ha ha A Team... don't do what I did and forget to collect the prescription before you leave for the airport. I arrived with 3 weeks supply... hence my trip to the doc today.

Doh!

That's true!