Long tours - prescription medication?

[RobinS]

We (MrsS and I) are currently planning our second three month tour (as per my other thread), however over a pint she has said (it would be nice if we could just go for longer and not worry about when we come back"

The issue though is, she need daily prescription drugs as she has thyroid disease, and asthma. She keeps three months or so in reserve so we can go for that long, but what happens on a six month trip?

Anyone any experience of this, and any solutions?

 

[robing]

Take 6 months' worth?

 

[RobinS]

Not so easy - NHS won't dish it out, took a lot of hassle and a sympathetic GP to get 3 months ahead - technically if you go abroad for more than 3 months you cease to be an NHS patient.

 

[srw]

In those circumstances I'd probably be saying "it would be nice. But you know what? I don't want you dying or being admitted to hospital somewhere we don't speak the language because you've run out of drugs."

I'd also be checking up on my travel insurance. Emergency repatriation is expensive, and getting long term cover for pre-existing conditions might be very tricky.

 

[classic33]

Check you can take what's being used acrossed borders.

It may well be available in the other country under a different name, but taking it across the border could be the problem. Even leaving this country, with the correct letters from your doctor/specialist, can be a problem if you get a person convinced you're taking something else.

 

[robing]

Not so easy - NHS won't dish it out, took a lot of hassle and a sympathetic GP to get 3 months ahead - technically if you go abroad for more than 3 months you cease to be an NHS patient.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound flippant. Can you order another 3 month prescription when you are 3 months in, get someone to pick it up on your behalf and post it out to you?

 

[clockworksimon]

Alternatively, ask your GP for a private prescription for the extra 3 months worth. Thyroid medicines are very cheap. The asthma meds cost will depend upon exactly what she is taking. Salbutamol inhalers are cheap. Things like tiotropium and Seretide are quite expensive although not ridiculously. If you do get a private prescription, make sure you shop around with community pharmacies as their pricing policies for private prescriptions can vary widely.

I wonder if you can order another NHS repeat prescription after 2.5 months by phone, then get someone to collect the dispensed medicines and post them on to you wherever you are at that time? You would need to check the rules about international posting/couriers but it must be possible.

You also need to consider how often her condition needs reviewing. Is it completely stable so you don't anticipate needing her to see a GP or specialist for more than 6 months? If not, then some consideration of how to arrange a review would be wise.

Obscene amounts of medicines are collected by patients and then not used (about £100 million per year!). Not uncommonly the asthma inhalers costing £70 plus per inhaler are wasted. I recently saw over a year's worth of inhalers thrown away due to repeat prescribing and the patient diligently collecting them every month but not telling anyone she wasn't actually using them. It costs a lot to get specialist waste disposal to get rid of them as well! That is why the pesky NHS limits quantities dispensed!

Finally, to take medicines abroad it is wise to get the GP to write a letter about the condition and the prescribed medicines to take with you. The GP will know what they need to do. This will help if stopped by customs!

 

[RobinS]

Thanks for the advice all. She has no real health concerns and the thyroid disease is stable, as long as she takes thyroxin everyday. When we in the alps with an address our daughter collected her prescription to send out to us, but that could be tricky on a long tour somewhere like Albania - though we do know someone in Austria who it could be sent to for collection on the way home for the last few weeks.

 

[si_c]

Would it be possible to fly back to collect a prescription? If you are in the EU, chances are you can position yourself so that you can get a cheap flight. Plus you'd get a chance to see people at home again. I know it defeats the point of a longer tour.

 

[mmmmartin]

Fly back and stay in your home for a few days and pick up the prescription. This is unlikely to cost more than £70 return. And while you're at home you'll be ensuring your house insurance is not invalid because the property has been empty for more than 90 days........

 

[RobinS]

Flying back is just too much hassle, but I think we have a solution - if her GP won't issue enough on the NHS can get him to do a private prescription and then buy the thyroid drugs (the important ones), as they aren't too expensive.

(and we don't leave our house empty - the lodger helps fund the trips!)

 

[classic33]

EHIC?

 

[RobinS]

We have EHIC cards, but they are not much use for getting routine prescriptions when travelling from country to country.

 

[smutchin]

Get someone from British Cycling to bring it out to you in a jiffy bag.


(Sorry, totally flippant answer but I coudn't resist. Hope you find a practical solution to the problem.)

 

[classic33]

We have EHIC cards, but they are not much use for getting routine prescriptions when travelling from country to country.

Could you not leave with a three month supply, then use the cards to get a further supply?

I'm on regular medication and have simply gone to the doctors there when more were needed.