Procuring AVs when based in the UK?

[cfsme23]

Hi All

Is there an alternative to just getting a private prescription and paying for the drugs in that fashion? Do any of you see UK specialists who are happy to prescribe any of the AVs talked about on this forum 'off-label' or is that just not an option? I am off to America to see a specialist but I guess once I am back here then I am still going to have issues procuring the drugs if the doctor in the USA thinks it would be beneficial for me. Many thanks in anticipation of the assistance

 

[Seadragon]

Hi Scavo,

I'm seeing Dr Chee at the Royal Free Hospital. Jenny, another member here is also seeing him and she is taking Valtrex I believe.

I am waiting on the results of extensive testing he ran at my first consultation but am hoping he will let me try Famvir or Valtrex on an empirical basis. I'll let you know when I see him if he agrees to this.

My old GP agreed to Immunovir but I got no results. I am thinking of trying it again as it was not pulsed correctly at the time as it should have been for CFS/ME. I did have a very experimental open minded GP though - sadly he has now retired and my current GP is hopeless and will not prescribe anything except sedatives so I'm relying on Dr Chee now.

Good luck with your visit to the States - wish I could do that, they definitely seem more knowledgeable over there and none of this CBT/GET nonsense!

Love Esperanza x

 

[cfsme23]

Thanks for getting back to me Esperanza...how good would you say Dr Chee is, what were the extensive tests he ran? I am likely going to need a UK based Dr to oversee my treatment even if I go to the USA so I am wondering maybe it would pay to book up to see this doc before I head over the pond? I presume if he prescribe Valtrex/Famvir etc it's all on a private prescription is it? Thanks again

 

[Jenny]

Hi Scavo

As Esperanza says, I also see Dr Chee, on the NHS. He is a nice man, an immunologist but not an ME specialist. However, he seems to be getting more involved with ME now as he is recruiting patients for an ME tissue bank.

He's done quite a lot of testing, which show I have immune system problems.

I asked him for valacyclovir and he reluctantly agreed to put me on it - an NHS prescription. Doesn't seem to be doing anything though, after a year.

Jenny

 

[ukxmrv]

Scavo,

Have you considered seeing Dr Enlander in New York or waiting for one of his visits to the UK?

Have you tested for an viruses that may respond to AV's?

(I've taking AV's BTW and buying them through the internet. You don't need a prescription to do this and there are threads on online chemists patients use. If you have a prescription though it means you have a bigger choice of online chemists as some need a script. If your USA doctor is registered in the UK as well as the USA you can use there script to buy drugs here in the UK. If they are only registered in the USA then you can use their script to buy drugs online)

 

[cfsme23]

I can't decide who to go and see in the USA because I want the broadest set of treatment options open to me and there doesn't seem to be one clinician who has a broad brush approach, every one seems to have their own preferred treatment protocol which is fine but I guess I want all avenues open to me. Hence why I might go and see Dr Chee first before spending ridiculous amounts of money heading Stateside. I haven't been tested for viruses etc yet but I suspect I fit into a more viral subset, time will tell though I guess. Sometimes I just don't know what to do for the best and whilst I heed everyone's advice about potentially spending a lot of money and then being left in the same mess health wise at the end of it I can't just sit back and let this illness take its course without some form of 'proper' intervention. I am 26 now, have been ill for four years, and think that if I am to stand any chance of a remission I shouldn't leave things much longer.

 

[cureminded]

Hi guys,

Could you please let me know if you know a reliable online place to buy Famvir without prescription? Magicpharma was recommended to me previously, but it opens up as a blanc page. Could have something to do with country restrictions I guess.. Tried to open up on 3 different computers.

I am thinking of trying Famvir and nobody would prescribe it in the Netherlands off label as far as I'm aware, which is really frustrating.

Thanks!

 

[orion]

I'm not sure what you mean by "country restrictions". Are you suggesting that your ISP might be deliberately blocking the site on the instructions of your government? If that's the case you could try using a proxy service.

Anyway, I personally wouldn't use MagicPharma unless I had absolutely no alternative. I tried ordering from them a few months ago and had terrible problems. Eventually I had to cancel my order (which was also difficult). They insist on a telephone number for "security" reasons. I told them that I never give my telephone number to online companies as I prefer to communicate by email, and I don't want unscrupulous companies selling my phone number to scammers. But they wouldn't have it. Also, their communication is absolutely terrible. If you ask them a question, they just send you a standard (and generally nonsensical) cut'n'paste response. I get the impression that most of their staff don't actually speak English.

I've had much better luck with www.alldaychemist.com and it appears they also sell Famvir.

 

[cureminded]

Thanks Orion! Much better priced than on 4RX! I don't see anything regarding the shipment prices to the Netherlands though. What's your experience with the shipment prices?

 

[heapsreal]

wow, we all have different experiences with online pharmacy's. I use to use 4rx until a year ago and had alot of problems recieving stuff and then they changed their payment system to some sort of online cheque??
I just checked famvir prices and 4rx are $150 more then magicpharma. 4rx have better priced valtrex though.
My experience with magicpharma has always been good, once it took along time to recieve my order so they reshipped it at no cost. The only negative i have found is that every 3 months or so they are closed for a few weeks and there site says closed for holidays, maybe making too much money. So far these guys are the best priced famvir i have seen. Shipping can be a hidden cost that can make some orders from 4rx more expensive then magic but then some things orderes through 4rx in larger quantities are free shipping, so it pays to compare.

cheers!!!

 

[ukxmrv]

I've had great experiences with Magicpharma but no longer use 4RX as they stopped supplying a good generic Valtrex.

The only problem I had with Magicpharma is when they close for weeks at a time.

 

[cureminded]

Can't open up Magicpharma. So will probably have to try one of the others. Not sure how a proxy server works. Maybe will try to look into that as well. Thanks for the tips guys.

 

[orion]

Thanks Orion! Much better priced than on 4RX! I don't see anything regarding the shipment prices to the Netherlands though. What's your experience with the shipment prices?

Last time I checked, they charged a fixed rate of $25 for shipping anywhere in the world. It's quite a lot but you pay the same regardless of how much you order.

In my experience, the very low cost of most of their drugs generally compensates for the relatively high cost of their shipping, as long as you order a reasonably large quantity in one go.