GP Strategy Tips ?

[Guest guest]

I'd be so grateful for any tips on how to go about asking to switch from

ordinary levothyroxine tabs to a lactose free solution !(actually it's just

levothyroxine, glycerol and purified water)

I've just had a very informative e mail from someone at martindale who I gather

do this, setting out exactly what the doc needs to put on the prescription.

Here's where the difficulty starts of course.

I've only recently moved and only met the GP I'm with twice.

The last time was because yet again the meds I take (Teva Levo tabs 125mcgs

strength)were giving me debilitating headaches and visual disturbances, which he

flippantly viewed as 'just a migraine'. I managed on my own to find a new packet

which seem, thus far to be better, though I never feel well completely and only

continue because they do at least suppress my goitre from growing larger !

I feel that as this has happened several times now causing huge distress and am

unable to get any help to get to the bottom of it, being so seemingly sensitive

to one or more of the other substances in the tabs I would be best on this purer

liquid version of the stuff. I want to try it as I feel it would offer much

better stability.....but with this sceptical doc I just know he will refuse to

go along with this, doubtless using the excuse of it being expensive.

So really, my questions are, has anyone else tried to persuade their doctor, how

did you go about this, what was the outcome, are their any things I might say or

not say. Can they actually refuse on the grounds of finance alone, if you can

show a requirement for a particular medication in preference to another version

of the same thing.

Before I go to see him I want to arm myself with as much information as possible

and know my rights (if I have any).

Sorry this is a bit long. I feel as if I am about to go into battle. How absurd

is that !

Thanks in advance for any tips.