Before I left for Paris I had alot of trouble getting health insurance because I have Celiac Disease. I finally found a company that would accept me, but at $300 a month. I was really upset about how hard it was for me to get insurance and could only imagine how difficult it would be for someone who couldnt afford a ridiculous $300 a month. I really do think it is a problem in our country and that something should be done about it. ATTTTT the same time. I was perscribed Thyroid medication yesterday, because I am boarderline hypothyroid. First of all it was very difficult for me to find a Dr that would treat me because my condition as far as blood tests say, is boarderline when you refer to the lab ranges. But my symptoms have been completely debilitating (anyone who has seen me in the last 2 years knows that). Its hard to get Drs to treat it because the large medical associations say its not necessary. This is really disturbing to me, as a Dr's job is to treat the individual and everyone's body is very different. This is a problem that exists both in America and France. But something else came up last night as I ordered my perscription from Belgim. Yes Belgim. I am taking natural Thyroid that is taken from Pig thyroid glands. You cannot buy it in France because of the medical socialization and in the U.K. it has recently been made illegal, meaning people who have taken it for years can no longer get the medication they need to function. THAT IS CRAZY! You can buy it in America but it is not FDA approved (because it comes from an animal each does is not 100% exact-- but contains a necessary combination of 2 different hormones that synthetic thyroid medications do not contain), and you have to hunt to get a Dr who will perscribe it because it is not FDA approved. Yet among Thyroid patients it is VERY recommended and is unanimously claimed to be the best. The only reason why its hard to get a perscription is because of the FDA, the same FDA that approves medications that kill people every year. I wish Dr's could just treat patients with medications THEY understood and could feel comfortable to perscribe on their own, without a big organization telling them how to treat symptoms instead of the individual. Kristy youre in drugs-- do something! :-)