seeking info from anyone who needs to take prescription medication on a regular basis
 

I'm seeking info from anyone who needs to take prescription medication on a regular basis, and how they manage outside Europe to obtain the drugs they need.

My own situation is a little different from most, but not unique I'm sure. I underwent surgery in 2003 for liver cancer and had a transplant. I have to take immunosupressant drugs for the rest of my life, along with a cocktail of other stuff to keep everything in balance.

The problem is these drugs are very expensive, and although I get them on prescription, I can only get up to two months supply at a time, which rather limits my horizons as far as travel is concerned, as I'm not sure I'd be able to buy (or even find) what I need in more remote areas.

So this is my question, does anyone have experience of obtaining sophisticated prescription drugs outside the European environment?, or is there any procedure I can go through here ( UK) to get prescriptions that are perhaps valid elsewhere? I know that's a long shot but future plans are rather dependant on me being able to overcome this issue.

Thanks in advance.

Just some advice, you may get a better response if you change the thread heading to something that matches the subject, you need to help yourself before anyone else can help :)

Cheers
TS

Have you explained the circumstances to the doctor and/or the pharmacy to ask if they will let you have more than 2 months supply ?

Are you allowed to buy them yourself ?
Expensive yes but if you are allowed to buy them, then it is an alternative option.

And Strom is correct in that the heading could really do with changing.

Title fixed Pongo- pm if you would prefer something different

I'm in the UK. So have no idea about French Doctor's. But with a letter to your Doctor and an visit. You can get up to six month's in one hit. I think that is the Max you can get.
John933
John933

Outside of the EU and other countries where doctors have got a legal monopoly on prescribing drugs you can get most drugs over the counter at a pharmacist/chemist. Any drugs in large quantities can/may attract the attention of customs so have a letter from your doctor as well - this can also be used to explain your needs to a pharmacist or a doctor in a country that requires a prescription.

Personally I'd try to get a stockpile of the special drugs you need by bringing forward your prescription by a few weeks each time you need a replenishment. Easy enough to get four months supply stashed away.

I might start a thread that lists countries where drugs are available from a chemist and those countries that require a doctor's prescription.

Thanks all for your input. I have been down all of the routes you have suggested, but it does not help me here in France. I tried asking again with the pharmacy yesterday. I have a new 6 month prescription from my Medecin Traitant (GP) which is valid throughout France, however the pharmacy will only issue two months max at a time. Unlike the U.K. the French health care system is very tightly controlled and everyone has a mag strip or smart chip medical card ( Carte Vitale) which is linked to a central computer system which holds massive detail of all your medical history and prescription drug usage. If you try and by pass it or stock pile they can see it immediately and refuse to fulfill a request. There is absolutly no flexibility in the system, and no one will make a decision locally unless it's an emergency. It gets passed up the line to the Departmental authority, and getting through that is like stiring setting concrete with a baguette.

Roger M's suggestion has given me an idea though, based on the principle of an International Driving licence, which is of course a translation in all different languages of your National Licence. I'm wondering if there is such a thing for Medical situations and prescription drugs. ? If not then why not!

Now I have been thinking down that route it took me less than 5 minutes to discover the International Medical Passport, ( why I didn't think of this before I don't know doh), and am already in touch with ''easymed mobile'', who do corporate passports internationally, to see if they do a non corporate one.

EasyMed Services: International Medical Passport