# Filling a US Prescription For Meds In The UK?



## lkb-lka (Jul 3, 2012)

I just had a check up and my doctor just prescribed me trazodone for my "mood" and my sleeping problems as well as my chronic pain and the feeling of "bugs" crawling and biting me. So my question is can I get a refill for my meds in the UK?

I'll be in the UK for 5 months and like 20 days but they pharmacy here will only give me a month supply at a time even tho I asked them and the said uh no.

If they won't refill them based on a US doctors prescription would I be able to go to a doctor in order to get prescribed my meds I need? or will that look bad later on for me if I later apply for a fiance visa.

Pls help I only have like 8 days before I fly out and I'm really worried with this now and I need them because I really have a hard time sleeping :'(


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

You should be able to get a private prescription from a private clinic. There is one located at main London rail terminals, for example. You will have to pay a fee, and the full cost of the medication when going to a pharmacy. Bring your US prescription and show it to a medic here.
Alternative is to register as a temporary patient with NHS doctor (GP), which is at the discretion of the GP concerned. In this case your prescription will be free and you only pay a standard NHS charge for the medication, currently £8.05 per item. This should not affect your future visa applications, but you will have to declare it.


----------



## lkb-lka (Jul 3, 2012)

how do i go about being a temp patient with a NHS doctor?. and every time i have seen a doc there its as a private patient.


----------



## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

lkb-lka said:


> I just had a check up and my doctor just prescribed me trazodone for my "mood" and my sleeping problems as well as my chronic pain and the feeling of "bugs" crawling and biting me. So my question is can I get a refill for my meds in the UK?
> 
> I'll be in the UK for 5 months and like 20 days but they pharmacy here will only give me a month supply at a time even tho I asked them and the said uh no.
> 
> ...


As You only seem to be on a visitors visa, not a fiancé visa yet, you should see a Dr privately for your repeat prescriptions.
NHS treatment is only allowed for absolute emergencies for visitors i.e accidents, not ongoing treatment for visitors, as it is very busy, and waits can be very long for UK subjects to receive appointments, let alone treatment for non life threatening illness.
You may go to one of the private medical centres, like Joppa suggested,or ask a GP to treat you privately, any prescriptions should be private ones only, and paid for at the chemist for the 'List' full private price of the medication, and not the reduced NHS price, which is only for those eligible, for NHS care. Keep hold of any receipts you get for consultation and payment of medication, for future reference if needed.
As Trazadine is used for major depressive disorders, you may find that any Dr will only supply you with one month at a time, due to possible side effects,and being able to monitor the drugs effect on you, and you being only a temporary visa holder, not known to doctors in UK,so you may have to repeat the exercise each month until you go back to the US. 
If you do decide to apply for a fiancé visa at a later date, you may have to prove 'somewhere' on the form that you have received treatment in the UK. And fully paid for it, so the receipts will come in handy.


----------



## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

I recently was in the UK for four months. I had someone here in the US refill my prescription and mail it to me, is that not an option for you?

In one case I was nearly out and they used an express one day service. It cost $50, but I'm sure still cheaper than visiting a GP and paying list price.


----------



## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

lkb-lka said:


> how do i go about being a temp patient with a NHS doctor?. and every time i have seen a doc there its as a private patient.


You are visiting the UK. You do not have eligibility to NHS services and treatment apart from emergency treatment.

You should pay for any medical services.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Sometimes NHS doctors allow visitors to be treated as temporary patients at their discretion. But normally you should have medical cover on your insurance and claim on it (for non-recurring condition) or pay for it yourself for routine prescriptions.


----------



## lkb-lka (Jul 3, 2012)

I think I'll go as a private patient I mean its cheaper for me to see a doctor over there plus have them prescribe me something u know the fee they charge to prescribe something. the only thing I'm curious about now is how much is my meds over there on average for just a month supply.

$50 bucks is quite a lot to pay for one day delivery of my meds plus if I did I'm paying $100 bucks just for 2 months of my meds and well if I can get my meds in the UK and not risk USA to UK mail delivery I think it would be better in the long run. 

Plus my doctor only has me down for 2 refills so I would end up having to go to a doctor over there in the end now would I not?. Thanks y'all for the heads up!.


----------



## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

lkb-lka said:


> I think I'll go as a private patient I mean its cheaper for me to see a doctor over there plus have them prescribe me something u know the fee they charge to prescribe something. the only thing I'm curious about now is how much is my meds over there on average for just a month supply.
> 
> $50 bucks is quite a lot to pay for one day delivery of my meds plus if I did I'm paying $100 bucks just for 2 months of my meds and well if I can get my meds in the UK and not risk USA to UK mail delivery I think it would be better in the long run.
> 
> Plus my doctor only has me down for 2 refills so I would end up having to go to a doctor over there in the end now would I not?. Thanks y'all for the heads up!.


The first set of refills sent to me only cost $8 to mail in a flat rate box. It took them about a week to arrive. The second order was $50 because I was about to run out of blood pressure pills. Of course, my prescriptions are for a three month supply each time.

Also, I spoke with my doctor before I left. He said if I needed anything while I was gone, I could just call him and he would fax in the prescription for me. It may be a bit different since I've been a patient for many years.

When the pills were mailed to me, they just needed to declare "prescription refills" on the customs slip. The box was never even opened for inspection. The worker in the post office helped to fill out the slip.

I didn't want to private fill a prescription over there if I could avoid it. The pills would have costs hundreds of dollars, my co-pay here was $10 per type of drug.


----------



## lovestravel (Apr 9, 2012)

Our daughter visits quite frequently and needs meds. I just took her to our NHS surgery in which they have a private doctor on staff. We filled out a temporary visitor form, they took a copy of her passport and made an initial appointment in which she gave them copies of her normal prescriptions in the states. They charge £50 cash for this. At the pharmacy there was no issue with private pay. In fact her medications are less expensive on private pay here than the copays with insurance in the USA. Now all she has to do is complete the online repeat prescription request at the surgery and they send it to the pharmacy to be filled. They don't even charge for this now that she is set up with them.


----------

