# Repeat prescription in Dubai



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

New on here so apologies if this question has been covered before. Can't seem to find the answer if it has so any help would be hugely appreciated. Currently living in the UK but may be relocating to Dubai for a few years. I have a repeat prescription with the NHS for Levothyroxine following the removal of my thyroid due to thyroid cancer a few years ago. 

My new job will come with medical insurance but is that likely to cover a repeat prescription that I'm already receiving? If not, how would I get the Levothyroxine in Dubai? Is it available over the counter at Boots or only via a GP? I have got my repeat prescription slip in the UK so presumably that would be enough? Would be really grateful for any advice on the price of Levothyroxine in the UAE in case it isn't covered. I take 125mcg daily.

I'm guessing that I would have to pay for a private check up (I have them annually) as it is a pre-existing condition but how would I get my medical records transferred from the UK to the UAE? Thanks so much for any help. Chris


----------



## UKMS (Jan 9, 2017)

ChrisScott said:


> New on here so apologies if this question has been covered before. Can't seem to find the answer if it has so any help would be hugely appreciated. Currently living in the UK but may be relocating to Dubai for a few years. I have a repeat prescription with the NHS for Levothyroxine following the removal of my thyroid due to thyroid cancer a few years ago.
> 
> My new job will come with medical insurance but is that likely to cover a repeat prescription that I'm already receiving? If not, how would I get the Levothyroxine in Dubai? Is it available over the counter at Boots or only via a GP? I have got my repeat prescription slip in the UK so presumably that would be enough? Would be really grateful for any advice on the price of Levothyroxine in the UAE in case it isn't covered. I take 125mcg daily.
> 
> I'm guessing that I would have to pay for a private check up (I have them annually) as it is a pre-existing condition but how would I get my medical records transferred from the UK to the UAE? Thanks so much for any help. Chris


Hi

You really need to check the policy on your companies medical insurance regarding pre existing conditions. Many of the insurers will cover them but some don’t or some exclude certain conditions. Remember that unlike the UK where medical insurance is an added ‘luxury’ to the NHS in the UAE your insurance is your only healthcare but the cover can difer widely particularly in relation to what hospitals you can attend and some with and without copayment etc. Particularly keep in mind whether there is any likelihood of related conditions recurring rather than focusing on the prescription. 

Off hand I can’t help with the availability or price of this drug but as you are coming for a significant time with a condition I would explore exactly what you are covered for. Some employers will give you the bare minimum required by law, others will give you really superb coverage with added bells and whistles. 

As for your records, my advice would be to bring a report from the UK about this condition to show any doctor here. There isn’t a way (that I’m aware of) to get records moved here, it’s actually not that easy to get reports between one hospital and another here let alone from UK. There isn’t really a unified system of records here unless it’s within the same hospital group (other than the current system that records Covid vaccines and tests)


----------



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

UKMS said:


> Hi
> 
> You really need to check the policy on your companies medical insurance regarding pre existing conditions. Many of the insurers will cover them but some don’t or some exclude certain conditions. Remember that unlike the UK where medical insurance is an added ‘luxury’ to the NHS in the UAE your insurance is your only healthcare but the cover can difer widely particularly in relation to what hospitals you can attend and some with and without copayment etc. Particularly keep in mind whether there is any likelihood of related conditions recurring rather than focusing on the prescription.
> 
> ...


That's really useful and very kind. Do let me know if you have any other thoughts and I will follow your advice! Many thanks.


----------



## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

Euthyrox (Levothyroxine Sodium) is available at any pharmacy without a prescription. It is fairly cheap, 30AED for 100 of the 100mg I take.


----------



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

XDoodlebugger said:


> Euthyrox (Levothyroxine Sodium) is available at any pharmacy without a prescription. It is fairly cheap, 30AED for 100 of the 100mg I take.


Thanks so much for the advice. Really helpful. Is Euthyrox the only brand available there or is there a selection? Thanks again.


----------



## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

ChrisScott said:


> Thanks so much for the advice. Really helpful. Is Euthyrox the only brand available there or is there a selection? Thanks again.


They gave me another type once when they ran out of Euthyrox during the early days of Covid but this the prevalent brand. I've asked for Syntroid in the past without luck (they always give me Euthyrox instead) I also had a doctor once give me alternatives from a compound pharmacy but they are no longer around, it was T3 and T4 I believe. I didn't notice a big difference so never bothered to look for it again.


----------



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

XDoodlebugger said:


> They gave me another type once when they ran out of Euthyrox during the early days of Covid but this the prevalent brand. I've asked for Syntroid in the past without luck (they always give me Euthyrox instead) I also had a doctor once give me alternatives from a compound pharmacy but they are no longer around, it was T3 and T4 I believe. I didn't notice a big difference so never bothered to look for it again.


Really helpful. My tablets are made by Mercury Pharma but I don't think they have a brand. They just say Levothyroxine on them! Many thanks again.


----------



## UKMS (Jan 9, 2017)

ChrisScott said:


> Really helpful. My tablets are made by Mercury Pharma but I don't think they have a brand. They just say Levothyroxine on them! Many thanks again.


As always with anything relating to medicines surely its better to take what your doctor advises, maybe discuss the various options of brands/dosages with him/her ? ..... just a thought  ...... from my own experience, availability of certain brands/drug names comes and goes here. 

If it were me once you are settled here my first choice would be getting it correctly prescribed here whether or not its available over the counter.


----------



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

UKMS said:


> As always with anything relating to medicines surely its better to take what your doctor advises, maybe discuss the various options of brands/dosages with him/her ? ..... just a thought  ...... from my own experience, availability of certain brands/drug names comes and goes here.
> 
> If it were me once you are settled here my first choice would be getting it correctly prescribed here whether or not its available over the counter.


Hopefully it is as simple as that as I totally agree with you. I've got the medication on a repeat prescription here in the UK but don't yet know whether medical insurance in the UAE would cover it as it is due to a pre-existing condition. I assumed that if it didn't cover it I would have to buy it myself though I guess what you are saying is that it would make sense to pay for an appointment with a specialist in Dubai and get them to write out a new prescription based on my existing one from the UK. Makes sense to me if so and many thanks.


----------



## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

ChrisScott said:


> Hopefully it is as simple as that as I totally agree with you. I've got the medication on a repeat prescription here in the UK but don't yet know whether medical insurance in the UAE would cover it as it is due to a pre-existing condition. I assumed that if it didn't cover it I would have to buy it myself though I guess what you are saying is that it would make sense to pay for an appointment with a specialist in Dubai and get them to write out a new prescription based on my existing one from the UK. Makes sense to me if so and many thanks.


My condition was pre-existing and they covered it without issue, but I believe that could change by provider, my insurance is fairly high end. Of course if that was my only issue then going to the doctor every three months (my maximum prescription time frame) would be a pain and actually cost me more. My deductible is 50AED and the drugs are only 30 for 100 days, so I would save myself 20 by just going to a pharmacy. They will also do blood tests for your here without a prescription.


----------



## ChrisScott (May 13, 2021)

XDoodlebugger said:


> My condition was pre-existing and they covered it without issue, but I believe that could change by provider, my insurance is fairly high end. Of course if that was my only issue then going to the doctor every three months (my maximum prescription time frame) would be a pain and actually cost me more. My deductible is 50AED and the drugs are only 30 for 100 days, so I would save myself 20 by just going to a pharmacy. They will also do blood tests for your here without a prescription.


Really useful to know. I guess it all depends on what the insurer covers. Thanks again and speak soon.


----------

