Obtaing supply of progesterone pessaries in UK

[Needingadviceandhelp]

Following successful frozen embryo transfer outside of the UK, on returning to UK need to continue with medications, including progesterone pessaries for up to 12 weeks. However, gp not prepared to prescribe, and not helpful to argue. Any advice from anyone on how and where to obtain a supply of good safe medications in the UK would be helpful. Prepared to travel anywhere to get prescription and medications.Thank you.

Maybe message a few private gynaecologists to see if it's possible, even better if they have fertility experience

Your Gp should prescribe really (mine did) but if not, can you obtain a private prescription from your clinic abroad? Then you should be able to fill that at any pharmacy here or use one of the specialist fertility medication suppliers (eg stork)

Hi and thanks for the advice. GP is fearful and worried about legal consequences. Very happy to contact specialists speculatively, but it would be really good to know if anyone has contact with a named UK or Ireland-based gynaecologist or GP who you can see privately and has a track record of providing help of this sort, with the necessary prescriptions. Having finally been successful in getting pregnant, one could really do without this type of worry, but it all seems such a lottery here in Britain. Thank you.

@DaffodilSunshine You can't use prescriptions from abroad in UK pharmacies (unless EEA) to my knowledge. Even so, many UK pharmacies may be reluctant to dispense. And the GP isn't a fertility specialist so many would only act on advice from a UK-registered fertility doctor, though some might have more experience in this area and feel more comfortable doing so.

@RiderofRohan yes I had assumed European clinic as most people that go abroad tend to go to Europe. I had no issue getting private eea prescriptions filled at multiple pharmacies. My gp was happy to prescribe post positive pregnancy test, provided my clinic wrote a letter with med names and doses

If a uk prescription is required there are services that will rewrite a foreign one for a fee (eg if for an unlicensed medication). I've had multiple cycles abroad so been through this all lots of time

I also had multiple cycles abroad and my clinic prescribed via Fertility2U or a few pharmacies in London.
We tried Asda, Boots, and some local pharmacies and none of them would prescribe on a foreign prescription. NHS GP would not prescribe, they said so in advance as they knew about my treatment.
I bought extra progesterone over the counter in Spain.

Thanks all. The clinic was in the EU, in a southern country and they will prescribe up to the first scan at 6 weeks. The service they provided was superb. The prescriptions they provide are honoured by a UK -based pharmacy. Getting hold of the next six weeks of meds, aking things up till the 12 week point, from somewhere accessible from the UK has been the real difficulty. The over the counter option in Spain is really interesting and worth a trip over there, unless something comes up here. Still keen to hear if anyone here has ever managed to find a specific qualified person here who will transcribe a ivf associated prescription from an EU country onto a UK private prescription for a fee. Prednisalone and clexane are needed as well as progesterone and estrogen. Thank you everyone for your advice.

I've never tried to transcribe a prescription because I just didn't need to.
It could be worth checking with Ali's pharmacy in London. Or ask your clinic if they prescribe to any other UK pharmacy, if they have international patients.

I had same day doctor transcribe a prescription for me. It was for prontogest progesterone injections. Because they are unlicensed in this country I needed a uk written prescription to obtain them. I think it was about £100 and was done quickly.

All my other eu private prescriptions were filled by Tesco pharmacies

Fertility2u should also happily fill eu prescriptions without transcription required. You just get your clinic to email the prescriptions to them and then they give you a quote for cost then they confirm the prescriptions with the clinic. If your clinic are responsive you should be able to get your meds delivered within a couple of days

The challenge here is that the EU clinic will prescribe up to the 6 week scan point, but not beyond. Because of the lack of a GP in the UK prepared to continue with the necessary prescribing till the end of the first trimester, that is the problem. It is not just the progesterone and oestrogen, but also getting hold of clexane and Prednisone for the next six weeks till the end of the first trimester. Badly need to find someone in the UK who will prescribe the necessary medications. It is a really really difficult situation. Thanks to you all for your advice and help to date.

Hi, can I ask how you found the same day doctor who was prepared to transcribe the prescription. The clinic in the EU have made the necessary recommendations till the end of 1st trimester, but just need to find someone qualified in the UK who would be prepared to prescribe the drugs based on the clinic letter. Happy to pay whatever it takes. Thanks.

@Needingadviceandhelp if you can get the clinic abroad to write a letter saying what you should take until the 12 week point, then cherish can write you a Uk prescription cherish-uk.com/fertility-services/prescriptions

The cheapest place to get the meds is Asda as they will sell them to you at cost price.

Thank you so much gardenlady543, that really looks like a great option. Very grateful.

@Needingadviceandhelp I've used them before and they are great. You can give them a call on Monday about it.

Hi @Needingadviceandhelp did you manage to get sorted? Hope things are going well.

Thanks very much. Now have some medication for the present - how much will ultimately be needed depends on how long one needs to stay on the medications. I have set up a separate thread on this aspect of things. Once again, thank you.