Tis me again!

We are busy emailing "Peter Bollard" ref our planned Immigration to Adelaide - and with regards to the "Medical" side of things - I have had Weight loss surgery and have a "Gastric Band" - have had it for just over a year now. This was done on the NHS and I have post-op care for life.

I also have an "Underactive thyroid" and have done since childhood. I am on 200mcg/day. This is to do with the metabolism. I will need these tabs for the rest of my life.

Do you think this would go against us as a family - ref Immigrating & the Medicals side of things?

tx
maz

Hi Maz

Dont worry about the thyroid side of things - I had a thyroid goiter when we applied and it wasnt an issue at all. Its very unlikely to cost medicare anything (which is what they're concerned about) because you pay for your thyroxine over here. There are lots of us thyroxine chicks on here!

Not sure about the Gastric band side of things though sorry.

I really dont think you're going to have any problems though

I'm on 200mcg/day - do you know how much it's going to cost for my thyroxine per month?

I think I pay around $50 for a 6 month supply - something like that anyway. I'm on 125mcg per day.

HTH

Rach xxxx

Oh thats nothing! Cheap - thought it might be more than that!

tx for that info, it's just I'v never had to pay for it - because when I lived in South Africa (grew up there) - I had Private Health & because Thyroxine is classed as "Critical Medication" - I never paid for it. And then obviously with the NHS - it's also "Critical Medication" - so you get that "Medical Exemption Card".

Well at least I know I can get my meds in Aus!

tx again

No worries - yes you can get it in Oz no problem its called Oroxine here though (well mine is anyway ) Just a different brand I suppose.

http://www.pharmacydirect.com.au/PD_...ID=3690&PLID=2

Can I join the Thyroid Chick Club too? I find it scary just how many people have a thyroid issue; do you think it's on the rise (possible environmental factors???) or we're just getting diagnosed these days due to better healthcare?

I take Thyrosol for mine - it's a herbal supplement, I don't do meds. It's working and I've lost about 12kg since being diagnosed 2 years ago.

Hi there!

Well I'v had my "Underactive Thyroid" since childhood. Was diagnosed when I was 5yrs old in South Africa. Mine is genetic. My mum had a goitre, as did 2 of her sisters (they had them removed years ago). But I am the only person in my generation in my family that has an Underactive thyroid. I had my son checked at birth and then when he was 3.5yrs old. Am about to have him checked again - as he clearly has probs with his weight. I have a feeling my brothers middle daughter may have underactive thyroid too.

I have battled with my weight for years -even with Thyroid medication - hence the reason I had the Gastric band op just over a year ago (was my last option in desperation). Weight loss kicked in - in March and have now lost 4stone. Is a big change to ones lifestyle - but when you have battled constantly with weight and thyroid probs - this was my absolute last option - and it's worked!

But I have to say I am rather unwell at the moment with thyroid probs and have been told that it's going to take 6-9mths to get me right. We were going to start trying for a baby in March '08 (after a long time of waiting) - now I'v got to wait even longer Going back to GP on Friday for results of blood test results - as I'm permanently knackered. But hey the last few nights - this forum has kept me from falling asleep on the sofa lol.

But it's bed time for me now - at nearly 1.40am in the morning - I must be mad.......... er no - it's this addictable forum.

night night and tx for your replies

regards
maz

Hi again Maz,

I too have an underactive thyroid (Hashimoto's) and suffered really badly with it in the UK. Since getting to SA I have never felt better, I found a brilliant doctor who is a Thyroid specialist and he has put me on the right meds for it. I've also lost just over a stone in weight over the past 12 months just by being on the right meds.

Just need to sort out the anaemia now

If you do come over to SA let me know if you want the doctors name and details. He's fabulous and he bulk bills too (so it's free for consultations, blood tests etc).

I spend approx $52 per prescription for Eutroxsig(thyroxine in the UK) and Tertroxine (helps the eutroxsig work as my body can't convert it on it's own, which is why I still felt crap on just thyroxine in the UK).

Theres also a really good website here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

You gotta love that little old butterfly gland called the thyroid aint ya?!! If only mine was a small butterfly and not 12 cms long by the time it was removed!!

just moved to melbourne 3 months ago an i have underactive thyroid

this didnt effect me :



We are busy emailing "Peter Bollard" ref our planned Immigration to Adelaide - and with regards to the "Medical" side of things - I have had Weight loss surgery and have a "Gastric Band" - have had it for just over a year now. This was done on the NHS and I have post-op care for life.

I also have an "Underactive thyroid" and have done since childhood. I am on 200mcg/day. This is to do with the metabolism. I will need these tabs for the rest of my life.

Do you think this would go against us as a family - ref Immigrating & the Medicals side of things?

tx
maz[/QUOTE]

Wendy,

I've never met anyone else with Hashimoto's! I'm really interested to hear about your two different medications. Its been about 12 years since I first started on thyroxine only but fter all that time and a dose of 200mcg I still don't feel I'm quite right.
Maybe I'll get the name of your doctor when we arrive!

I had/have? Hashimotos too but didnt find out until my thyroid was removed! (and that was only because I questioned what 'lymphocytic thyroiditis' was!) They wouldnt have told me otherwise! I must admit though that I'm glad I had the op in Australia rather than the UK - you seem to have a lot more control over things here - mainly because you get to keep all of your records I think.

There are others on here too with the same condition - I'm sure they'll come forward too

Hashimoto's is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. I also have it

Sorry - I divulge from initial question:-
I also have underactive thyroid (on 50mcg/day). I developed it following birth of my daughter - went overactive then went spiralling to underactive. (all within 5 months following birth of my daughter). Has anyone experienced this before?
It wasn't the best experience in my life and it was only through pushing my doctor for a referral to a specialist did I then get the appropriate treatment.