I am taking just T3 for my severe hypothyroidism but the latest lot of tablets I had from the doctor seems to be very weak, is anyone else having problems with batch no 83201? Most of my hypo symptoms are returning with this batch of medication and even doubling the dose does not seem to make any difference. I think someone else mentioned that they were having similar problems with batch no 83202 and I know this has happened before some time ago. I have tried to raise the issue with my pharmacist but they have no mechanism for raising these type of problems with the manufacturer, the "yellow card" system is only for reporting severe side effects. The pharmacist suggested I write to the manufacturer with my concerns but I need to know first if anyone else is having similar problems.
Heather
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heathermr
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The pharmacist is wrong .The yellow card also covers defective medicines. Google Yellow Card System for medicines.
It was me who wrote about 83202 batch Heathermr.
I was feeling so sick and achy and symptoms returning......not coping and loss of confidence again.
It was all at a bad time in one way as I had the bilious attack so no real intake of my T4/T3 and I was due my blood test ( this morning ) for which I don't take meds beforehand.After my test I decided to go without T3 and upped my T4 to 100 mcgs temporarily,today.I am feeling better but too soon to attribute it to that.
Probably just a recovery from my gastric attack.Also have untreated gallstones I shall be querying.......don't want an op unless absolutely necessary though.
Today is the first day since last Saturday that I've been been able to face cooking our meal and am so thankful to my hubby who has been doing the cooking while I was unwell..........I have lost 8lbs!!...... All a help towards the weight loss plan but not ideally the way to do it.(MP T3 patient leaflet mentions Nausea as a side effect)
So my meds are going to need a review when I see my Endo...........I think my test results won't be worth looking at!!
In view of my T3 prescription having a very short shelf life left I am wondering if NHS are scraping the barrel by giving us old stock.Where is it all heading?
My Levo thyroxine issued at the same time has over a year to expiry date.
If the latest guidelines recommend leaving your TSH until it reaches 10 before treating then only needing T4 Levo,then there is much to do in order to safeguard the well being of future sufferers.......I shudder to think about it.
So,Heather good luck with your reporting .....would like to know how you get on.
I haven't approached my Pharmacist yet having only been out for the first time this morning since Saturday,to get my blood test.
I see my GP on Monday.......Oh how nice it would be to be able to have time for a genuine discussion on our concerns about the future of the prompt diagnosis and choice of treatment here in UK........something for the future hopefully.
Yes, yes, yes! I raised this with my pharmacy early January and asked him to contact Mercury Pharma on my behalf, which he did. I gave him my email address and two days ago, at last I received an email from them, with a form to complete with all details of my complaint. I had already returned the unused tablets to my pharmacy, so I presume they sent them off and MP should test them.
Please ask your pharmacy to do the same, or if you would like details to make your own complaint , just let me know.
As a matter of interest, when I was given this batch before Christmas, I queried the Feb use by date but my pharmacist assured me it would be fine. Hmm!
Can I ask what medication you used after you returned this batch please? Have things improved? Having just started using this batch number 83202 for the first time this morning I am worried, don't want gut issue returning. I was so hoping that this would help me to feel better not worse!
Yes complain to the MHRA and I doubt anything will be resolved. This seems to be a frequent occurrence. I could tell there was something wrong but didn't realise it was the MP T3 - of course I didn't realise instantly but it was over a few months and getting symptoms I never had before.
When they test the product they are only concerned with the lio and don't take notice of the fillers/binders which may have changed slightly.
Hi, I am worried now as I have only just this morning taken my first T3 Liothyronine batch no.83202. I take thyroxine 50 mcg and have fought to get the T3 and try it with my thyroxine. I have been given 10mcg to try but they have given me 20mcg to be cut in half. I have quartered them because a little afraid of possible adverse effects. So have just taken my first 5mcg of T3. The use by date is 22.05.2016. they are in a plastic tub. My excitement has just hit the floor because of what I am reading. Please advise me shaws? I have only recently started to get my gut issues calm and am worried these are going to do more harm than good.
You've nothing to lose - it might be due to your dose of T4 /T3 being too low (bearing in mind I'm not medically qualified - just experience).
You can take T4 and T3 together. It might be better than separating doses. I felt much better when 10mcg was added (although still not well enough). If I were you I'd try 10mcg T3 for a couple of days and phone GP to say you've felt a difference (I hope you do). As I said 50mcg of T4 plus 5mcg might not provide your body with a decent dose. Being mindful that T4 has to convert to T3 and we have to have sufficient T3 to 'flood our receptor cells' which effect lasts for between 1 to 3 days.
Before they brought in the blood tests we were medicated according to clinical symptoms and the usual dose (NDT) was between 200 and 400mcg of thyroid hormones.
If we take too much thyroid hormones we wont feel well and would cut back to the previous dose.
50mcg of T4 plus 10mcg of T3 is equal to around 80mcg of thyroid hormones (still quite low). UK T3 only comes in 20mcg. There are other T3's but GP would have to prescribed on a 'named patient basis' and most wont take the responsibility.
Thank you shaws, I am concerned about what people are saying about a bad batch no 83202. This is what I have, concerned because I have nothing to compare it having only just starting it.
I guess if I feel worse it could be the batch? xxx
Not everyone complained about the previous batch problemms so for some people it must have been tolerable at least.
After a couple of days, if you've got additional symptoms which you didn't have before starting T3. Make an appointment with GP and explain that members have been reporting adverse affects. I don't know if they're on T3 only which might make a big difference. She might be willing to prescribe on a 'named patient basis' on a trial basis. We all react differently to thyroid hormones, some get well on a particular NDT, other don't, others T4/T3 or T3 only. It can be trial and error.
My initial experience with MP T3 two years ago was that they tablets were ineffective.
Fortunately, I discovered that an alternative was (and still is) available on NHS prescription through Boots, but only in bottles of 100 5mcg T3 tablets manufactured by Paddock Labs (now Perrigo) in the USA.
I was able to convince my GP that the Paddock/Perrigo T3 tablets were effective and he has continued to prescribe them for me.
Sadly, the price of the bottles of 100 5mcg tablets is around £360 compared with around £65 plus shipping and import costs if ordered directly from the USA.
Unfortunately, Boots say that they are obliged to order them from the UK distributor and pay the extortionate price.
Why does the NHS continues to buy meds from MP ? Losing count how many times people have reported problems with their thyroid meds. And that's just the people who use this forum. How many more out there living in ignorance and suffering, and probably wondering if they've got something else going on/wrong.
I have just checked my supply of T3 (from Mercury Pharma) and I am just finishing a batch of 83201... I too have felt extremely out of sorts on this batch and when I looked a bit further I noticed that its expiry date is 20/02/2016! That's just 14 days away!!! I also checked my next batch (which is the 83202) and this expires on 22/05/2016! I then decided to conduct a little experiment and had a look at expiry dates for all the other medicines for both my husband and myself (both prescription and over-the-counter), some of which were acquired some time ago, and there is NOTHING that expires before September 2017 at the earliest! Even when I have had my T3 sourced for me by my brother in Greece, it has always had a minimum of 3 years before it expires...
So why is MercuryPharma fobbing us off with crap that expires in a matter of months? You can't tell me that these tablets are still at their full strength and this rubbish is costing the NHS over £150 a pot of 28 tablets... not even in blister packs!!! When is the NHS going to wake up to this abuse of this reprehensible monopoly??? I think there is a serious need for some concerted questioning here... and we need answers. This is our health they are once again playing fast and loose with!!!
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