Update on Endo appointment and question about c... - Thyroid UK

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Update on Endo appointment and question about cutting pills in half!

Penny_babe2001 profile image
18 Replies

Ok, so a while back I posted about my GP refusing to refer me to Endo for Thyroid/pituitary (empty sella picked up on MRI for suspected MS). He said he would "write to him and see what he said".

Well, yesterday I had the Endo appointment that the GP said I couldn't have; Endo obviously thought different ;-). Was a bit surprised that he's prescribed me T3; I thought majority of doctors wouldn't and a lot of people have to fight for it. If it makes me feel human, I'll give it a go!

But he's prescribed 10 mcg, and I've got 20mcg pills. Ans have to chop them in half! I tried earlier and lost about 3 pills to crumbling.

Is there a right way to cut them up? I'm concerned that I won't be getting the right doses as the halves aren't quite half!

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Penny_babe2001 profile image
Penny_babe2001
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18 Replies
Slj1970 profile image
Slj1970

Hi Penny,

Today I bought myself a pill cutter from Boots to do the same boots.com/en/Safe-Sound-ext...

I asked the pharmacist and they said this is the one they use, I've not tried it yet though.

Sarah

Aurealis profile image
Aurealis in reply toSlj1970

This is the brand if use too, it's the best I've found. Temperature seems to affect crumbling so be careful where you store them.

Jayne22 profile image
Jayne22 in reply toAurealis

Where do you store yours Aurealis? Mine are in the fridge and cut fairly cleanly with just a little crumbling..... will try the damp hands suggestion! X

Moggie profile image
Moggie

Great news that your endo seems to be a bit more in tune with thyroid issues than some others about T3.

Once you get your pill cutter (any chemist will sell them) you might still find that the T3 crumbles so what I used to do was handle them with damp hands, not wet only damp. I found this out by accident when I had finished washing up one day. I had dried my hands on a tea towel and then cut my pill only to find that it didn't crumble so used to run my hands under water, dry them and then cut the pills - worked most of the time.

Moggie x

Tiggysmummy profile image
Tiggysmummy

Can you not get your pills in 10mcg doses? I have 20's10's and 5's it saves waist

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toTiggysmummy

The only licensed liothyronine tablet in the UK is a 20mcg one from Mercury Pharma.

If you are getting 10 and 5mcg tablets I assume one of two things - you are not in the UK or you are getting unlicensed products. Either is possible though cost of unlicensed products tends to be prohibitive.

Indeed 10 mcg tablets seem to be pretty rare anywhere.

Rod

Tiggysmummy profile image
Tiggysmummy in reply tohelvella

I get my liothyronine capsules from boots the chemist , they are made by martindale And 5mcg are distributed by paddock and they are tablets, I am in the uk and all are on nhs prescription, I normally wait about 3 days for them to get them as they are a special order

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toTiggysmummy

In October 2013 there was only ONE prescription for 10mcg T3 capsules in England - and the 56 capsules cost the NHS £169.48.

In the same period, there were FIVE prescriptions for 5mcg Cytomel with an average of 171 tablets and costing about £382.14 per prescription.

(Data available from links on this page:

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/PrescriptionS...

)

At that rate, I shall, sadly, be surprised if you continue to receive 5mcg and 10mcg products indefinitely.

Rod

Tiggysmummy profile image
Tiggysmummy in reply tohelvella

Well I of get them on prescription and I have 3 pots of 5's with 100 in each , I have 3 pots of 10's with 100 in each and far to many pots of 20's.... While my gp prescribes I will keep collecting them.... And the reason I have far to many pots at the moment boots did a repeat prescription not knowing I had all ready done it x

Penny_babe2001 profile image
Penny_babe2001

Thanks all :-)

Will invest in the pill cutter. I didn't even know there was such a thing! I used a sharp knife and cut it on tissue (which I've done before, but with bigger tablets). I didn't know how small T3 pills are!!

The Endo did tell me when he wrote the prescription out, so I assumed 20mcg is all I'd be able to get.

Will try the damp hand one too, thanks :-)

Heloise profile image
Heloise

Penny, it's not so important to be perfectly in half. just be sure to take the other half the following day and you will be taking your correct dose within 24 hours. I use the crumbs as well. I hope T3 works for you.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toHeloise

...lick the end of your finger and dab up the crumbs.... :-)

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply toMarz

Ha, or just lick the pill cutter........ OUCH

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toHeloise

:-)

Penny_babe2001 profile image
Penny_babe2001 in reply toHeloise

Ah, mm, I may have cocked up a bit there then. I chopped a few up together and put them back in the pot, trying to make it a bit easier for myself. Will just do one at a time from now on. Thanks :-)

HarryE profile image
HarryE in reply toPenny_babe2001

:-D :-D

Stourie profile image
Stourie

I used to use a pill cutter but the pills crumbles quite a bit so now I use my thumb nails and that works a treat.

Jo xx

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toStourie

..oh to have thumb nails !!

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