Anaemia, hypothyroidism - anyone with these done a Knightsbridge medical?

[Zoeeeeeee 795]

So, my quest for a pertussis jab remains ongoing...

 

Went to the surgery to see the nurse. I saw her earlier in the week as came for my B12 injection and we’d discussed my pertussis shot then - she advised that she wasn’t sure which version I’d need, as they have one for pregnant women and one for children - I advised that to my knowledge it’s the one for children, but she wanted to check it out first.

 

So, went in yesterday and she advised that she’d called her NHS advisory line and they told her that pertussis isn’t routinely given to non-pregnant, adult people - and as such, they can’t give on the NHS as it’s considered a travel vaccine. She advised that their connecting pharmacy does do travel vaccines and I’d be able to get it there, for a fee - I was perfectly happy with this.

 

Called the pharmacy up as they were closed for lunch at that time - spoke to the pharmacist, who sounded a bit confused by my request and said he didn’t think I’d been advised correctly, but that he’d do some digging and call me back.

 

He called back and advised that pertussis is not a travel vaccine and therefore, they cannot stock it - he actually said, “I checked with our senior pharmacist, who’ll give you a vaccine for anything if he can, cause then we can charge for it - and even he said no!”. He advised that I can either get it done at a private doctors or on the NHS - and he said, “I absolutely do not recommend you getting it privately - based on the vaccinations you had as a baby, I’m 95% certain you would have had pertussis given - and therefore, your record needs updating to reflect this...and if you didn’t have it as a baby, you were entitled to it and should have had it - and therefore, you are entitled to get it now on the NHS”. He also offered to discuss this with the nurse if I need him to (the two buildings adjoin, so the medical staff all know the pharmacy staff).

 

I’ve called up and given the info to the doctors surgery - the nurse is now apparently speaking with the NHS again and I’ll hear back on Monday. 

 

Will let let you know how I progress - and I’m currently researching private doctors that do it as a back up (best quote found so far is £170, but they’re quite far away, so hoping for something nearer and ideally cheaper)...

[Boiler 43,430]

The big issue is usually cost, many people do not seem to appreciate the cost consequences in the US.

[Zoeeeeeee 795]

4 minutes ago, Boiler said:

The big issue is usually cost, many people do not seem to appreciate the cost consequences in the US.

Yup. I am 100% not coming to the US without being signed off for EVERYTHING at my medical - I’ll make certain I get everything, by hook or by crook.

 

I’ve told my doctors that I need it to emigrate and that’s it’s not negotiable (slight white lie...needed for AOS, but hey, I decided to be ‘artistic’ in my conveying of the info...)

[yoda one for me 321]

1 hour ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

Went to the surgery to see the nurse. I saw her earlier in the week as came for my B12 injection and we’d discussed my pertussis shot then - she advised that she wasn’t sure which version I’d need, as they have one for pregnant women and one for children - I advised that to my knowledge it’s the one for children, but she wanted to check it out first.

 

So, went in yesterday and she advised that she’d called her NHS advisory line and they told her that pertussis isn’t routinely given to non-pregnant, adult people - and as such, they can’t give on the NHS as it’s considered a travel vaccine. She advised that their connecting pharmacy does do travel vaccines and I’d be able to get it there, for a fee - I was perfectly happy with this.

I had this difficulty, in the end I made a nuisance of myself by being persistent and so the nurse prac was in and out to talk to someone up the chain at the surgery before eventually agreeing that she could give me the combined Pertussis, tetanus, diptheria, polio but she'd have to put me through privately meaning I needed to pay. Cost me just under £50 but all done. It was Boostrix that she gave me, if that helps (google describes it as Tdap).

 

I went in armed with a bunch of printouts (London embassy website has a chart of what's needed and I also took in the immigrant vaccination guidelines in general) to be able to plead my case and it took over an hour to get it sorted but it was in the end. Because it wasn't a standard vaccination and not part of the travel vaccinations, she wanted/needed to see documentary evidence that I needed exactly that, and then she was able to get it authorised internally. In hindsight it took so long because the system wasn't working for her to get the price so I could pay 🤦‍♀️

(Sidenote: she wanted me to come back in two months for my second dose of MMR but I've got a second appointment booked the week before my medical (just over a month from shot 1) and I'm going to plead my case armed with NHS guidelines on the booster being given 'at least a month' but not necessarily 2 months later. Wish me luck!)

 

It seems mad to me that in these times of the anti-vaxx movement that we have to fight so hard to get our wanted vaccinations!

[Zoeeeeeee 795]

26 minutes ago, yoda one for me said:

I had this difficulty, in the end I made a nuisance of myself by being persistent and so the nurse prac was in and out to talk to someone up the chain at the surgery before eventually agreeing that she could give me the combined Pertussis, tetanus, diptheria, polio but she'd have to put me through privately meaning I needed to pay. Cost me just under £50 but all done. It was Boostrix that she gave me, if that helps (google describes it as Tdap).

 

I went in armed with a bunch of printouts (London embassy website has a chart of what's needed and I also took in the immigrant vaccination guidelines in general) to be able to plead my case and it took over an hour to get it sorted but it was in the end. Because it wasn't a standard vaccination and not part of the travel vaccinations, she wanted/needed to see documentary evidence that I needed exactly that, and then she was able to get it authorised internally. In hindsight it took so long because the system wasn't working for her to get the price so I could pay 🤦‍♀️

 

(Sidenote: she wanted me to come back in two months for my second dose of MMR but I've got a second appointment booked the week before my medical (just over a month from shot 1) and I'm going to plead my case armed with NHS guidelines on the booster being given 'at least a month' but not necessarily 2 months later. Wish me luck!)

 

It seems mad to me that in these times of the anti-vaxx movement that we have to fight so hard to get our wanted vaccinations!

Oh, I absolutely will be capitalising on the ‘be a persistent nuisance’ method - I utilise it frequently when it comes to dealing with companies, doctors etc - and it’s generally effective 😆.

 

I had one MMR jab as a child and they were quite happy to give me a second one of those, so fingers crossed for pertussis- and fingers crossed for you too re MMR!

 

When I relayed this info to my mum (re the pharmacist saying he was 95% certain I would’ve had the pertussis shot as a baby), she told me that she’s sure I didn’t because “there was a big controversy with them at the time!”...dammit. Early anti-vaxxer...but just for whooping cough apparently, all other vaccines welcome 😆. My response was “good work momma-bear, your early anti-vaxxing stance is probably going to cost me hundreds of pounds now. And I might get whooping cough in the meanwhile!!” 

[Meg101 316]

On 7/5/2019 at 7:48 PM, Zoeeeeeee said:

Will let let you know how I progress - and I’m currently researching private doctors that do it as a back up (best quote found so far is £170, but they’re quite far away, so hoping for something nearer and ideally cheaper)...

Hi Zoe, I’ve sent you a private message, hopefully I will be able to point you in the direction of a private travel clinic near you. If you haven’t already sorted it, that is, let me know 🙂

[Wuozopo 4,285]

On 7/5/2019 at 3:17 PM, yoda one for me said:

. It was Boostrix that she gave me, if that helps (google describes it as Tdap).

 

Boostrix or Adacel are the two brand names for Tdap the adult formulation for Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

 

My GP gave me DTP, the pediatric formulation for Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis. That works for AOS as well if your doctor will allow it. 

 

The upper and lowercase letters mean something. Uppercase is big dose. Lowercase is reduced dose which was found more suitable/tolerable past around age 10 years.

Tdap- Adolescents and adults. Big dose Tetanus, little dose diphtheria and pertussis

DTP- Babies and tots. Big doses Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis.

[Zoeeeeeee 795]

45 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

 

Boostrix or Adacel are the two brand names for Tdap the adult formulation for Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

 

My GP gave me DTP, the pediatric formulation for Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis. That works for AOS as well if your doctor will allow it. 

 

The upper and lowercase letters mean something. Uppercase is big dose. Lowercase is reduced dose which was found more suitable/tolerable past around age 10 years.

Tdap- Adolescents and adults. Big dose Tetanus, little dose diphtheria and pertussis

DTP- Babies and tots. Big doses Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis.

Fab, thanks for that - and all are suitable for AOS, big dose or small? 

2 hours ago, Meg101 said:

Hi Zoe, I’ve sent you a private message, hopefully I will be able to point you in the direction of a private travel clinic near you. If you haven’t already sorted it, that is, let me know 🙂

Thanks Meg - I’m going to see what my GP will do this week and will look privately if not resolved by the end of the week 🙃.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

33 minutes ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

Fab, thanks for that - and all are suitable for AOS, big dose or small? 

Yes. It's in the USCIS handbook thing to accept Tdap, DTP or DtaP. You might have a problem getting the baby version because it's not recommended for adults but my clinic wasn't bothered. I had no ill effects from DTP. 

[futurecoloradogrl 82]

5 hours ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

Fab, thanks for that - and all are suitable for AOS, big dose or small? 

Thanks Meg - I’m going to see what my GP will do this week and will look privately if not resolved by the end of the week 🙃.

If it helps, a nurse at my NHS doctor surgery gave me my MMR and Tdap boosters no problem (had the 1st round as a child, I was well overdue) - I was required to fill out and email a 'travel vaccination' request on their site, explained my situation in the email, and the nurse called me back within a week to discuss it all. Very kind and helpful. I don't see why it wouldn't be accepted for AOS as the vaccine should protect you from the diseases - someone please correct me if I'm wrong though. 

 

I get faint from needle pain and had to sit down and relax for 15 minutes afterwards. MMR was fine, though the Tdap arm was sore for almost 3 weeks after (as expected) - didn't exercise for a week afterwards as it really hurt to raise or move around my arm too much. But of course all worth it for this process.