Brand of Thyroxine change ...

[Wired]

I've been happy and reasonably settled with Mercury Pharma brand of thyroxine. However much to my dismay I can't get my current prescription as they have merged with another drug company (Sorry if I'm very late to the party with this).

I clearly have no choice but to start a different brand now. Activis seems to be the one that's most available in pharmacies around my area. I'm really worried about how it's going to affect how I feel. Any advice or suggestions, thoughts please? Thank you.

[Churchie]

I reacted badly to actavis but I hadn't been on any brands before to know any difference. I've been advised by others that wockhardt is the best if you have sensitivities.

[silverfox7]

Bit confused by what you have said. I started my thyroid journey may years ago on Goldshield who became Mercury Pharma. I understand they have since merged twice with other companies but I have never changed my named prescribed drugs at all and I'm still getting the same medication and the packaging hasn't changed either or the PIL. Could it be that your pharmacy doesn't know where to order it from? If you contact them, email and address is on the PIL or if you have thrown it out you can find it online then ask them if there is any change.

[helvella in reply to silverfox7]

Mercury Pharma is now a brand of Amdipharm but what silverfox7 wrote is, as far as I know, correct.

amcolimited.com/news/levoth...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Rod

[silverfox7 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for that Rod! I'm feeling bit spaced out this morning and not quite up to speed. At the conference last month I was sitting with a pharmacist. She more or less confirmed what my own pharmacist has told me that they get so much literature they don't always get time to keep up to speed which memo's on changes. She did say something I found interesting. That how much a tablet is compressed in manufacture can change how it reacts. It made me wonder about the recent Ertha dose not seeming the same. May be if it's more compressed it doesn't dissolve enough it be absorbed in the right part of the gut. Forgotten she had said that!

[Wired]

Thanks Silverfox. I've been on the phone for the past hour trying to get somewhere with it. I've even contacted the warehouse that supplies the pharmacies, who of course cannot give me any information. It's so frustrating.

You are right, Mercury Pharma have no issue with manufacturing and are still doing so (someone obviously got their information incorrect there) as I contacted them directly to clarify.

So the state of play is that the warehouse have none in stock and so none of the pharmacies in my area can get hold of them for me. Crazy.

[helvella in reply to Wired]

There are many online pharmacies who might be better able to help than some of the local ones. List here:

nhs.uk/Service-Search/pharm...

Obviously you have to factor in time for delivery.

Also, the big boys (Walgreens-Alliance-Boots and Lloyds) might distribute for themselves.

Rod

[Wired in reply to helvella]

Thanks so much Rod. That's very helpful.