Twas on a Monday Morning, the VAT man came to call
The Postman wouldn’t deliver – he would not call at all
He could not let me have my parcel without a hefty fee
I pleaded and I pleaded and even offered tea
Oh, it all makes work for the Border Agency.
With apologies to Flanders and Swann
I tried an experiment to source a year’s supply of Pharma grade Biotin powder from outside the UK, as I failed to find a supplier within the Bunker of Albion.
PureBulk offered 100 grams (about a year’s supply if you take the suggested dose of 300 mgs daily) @ $138.00 plus postage of $7.37 making a total of $145.37. When I placed my order on 1st August, I paid £114.34.
I had checked the possible import costs beforehand and discovered that parcels under the value of £135 would not incur customs duty but would attract VAT and a fixed handling charge of £8.
Today I received my notification from Royal Mail that my parcel was ready for collection subject to a payment of £29.95 (ie, VAT plus handling charge). Phew, my calculations were correct. For a year’s supply of Biotin I paid, at the exchange rate current at 1 August 2018, £144.29.
The purpose of this rambling tale is as follows. A year’s supply @ £144.29 worked out at a breezy 40p per day. It cost me nothing as I used part of the princely sum doled out from the Alms of the Blessed Saint Esther (aka PIP). Naturally, I have a statue of the Blessed Saint by my bedside.
Hopefully, this will be of some interest to my fellow users.
I recently bought a years worth of Biotin Capsules from Pure Bulk and paid $252.80 (this included a 20% discount), plus $11.34 shipping. The Customs charge from the Royal Mail was £45.86.
Well worth it for a calmer bladder in my opinion, although this improvement only applies to Pure Bulk and the other two suppliers products used were woefully ineffective.
Please stick an extra pin in Saint Esther on my behalf.
I have found that Biotin has not improved my mobility but may be slowing down the decline. However, combined with CBD, I have found that my bladder retention and control has improved, especially overnight. I have reduced my nightly visits to the loo to two only, sometimes three, but that is a great improvement compared with the time before Biotin and CBD.
It’s a little alarming that you found the quality varied between suppliers.
I have always ordered a years supply at a time, so can’t be accused of not giving each provider a decent crack. First up was Bulk Supps and didn’t really notice any change, so moved on to Pure Bulk and was eventually rewarded with a better behaved bladder. Next up I thought I would try a UK supplier (Blackburn), as I thought pharmaceutical grade Biotin would be all the same, but sadly not in my case and soon deteriorated.
My next move in April was back to Pure Bulk and the improvements have been restored, so at least can be quite sure that Biotin works, although all products do not seem to be equal. Perhaps it’s just me, but know which supplier I will be sticking with in future.
Glad to hear you have found a treatment combination that suits you.
Today I received my notification from Royal Mail that my parcel was ready for collection subject to a payment of £29.95 (ie, VAT plus handling charge). Phew, my calculations were correct. For a year’s supply of Biotin I paid, at the exchange rate current at 1 August 2018, £144.29. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Next time ask for a form to claim VAT exemption. This is perfectly legal as the biotin is used for your medical condition.
It might be worth your while to email the VAT dept and ask them if it’s possible to reclaim the VAT from this batch. (That’s assuming you still have the receipt.)
I love the motto if you don’t ask you don’t get Good luck.
I’m not pharmacy capable of measuring small powders, mainly 'cos of tremors, plus I can’t understand the pg, mg, et al. So I buy Biotin via Am az on at cost of £30 for 100 tablets. I take 3 in a morning (the recommended dose 1 per day for strong nails & hair). Started this a couple of years ago. Within a month I felt great, more positive on life. Nowadays, my nails are at their best, strong, pliable & hair length has grown by more than 14 inches with more regular trims. More efficient bladder, bowels, energy levels. Nothing to complain about. I daren’t use cbd oil, I don’t know why. Of course the PPMS continues it’s damage. I’m worse physically (peripheral vision gone, tremors & spasms aplenty, when fatigue gets worse, it’s a helluvalot worse, likewise cognition and attention/concentration. Naturally, I often feel sad. So for around £90 with free p&p, I think all is well. My MS Nurse is putting me on the Ocrevus system and other arranged another MRI (active 18months ago) the results of the new MRI will show I qualify for Ocrevus If still active. Nothing certain, but Hope!!!
Good luck.