levothyroxine

[vivienneferreira]

can anyone recommend the best make as the ones I'm on activas make me itch

[Clutter]

Vivienneferreira,

Try Mercury Pharma 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg, or Wockhardt 25mcg. Wockhardt have the least fillers. It's possibly one of the fillers in Actavis (also known as Almus) which is making you itch. You could try taking an antihistamine tablet an hour before you take Actavis until you can get an alternative brand.

[vivienneferreira in reply to Clutter]

Ye I have been taking them but don't want to have to take them long term , are the others easy to get hold off?

[Clutter in reply to vivienneferreira]

Vivienneferreira,

Just ask your pharmacist next time you have a prescription filled. If they aren't held in stock it should only take a day to order them in. If your pharmacist isn't helpful ask for your prescription form back and take it elsewhere.

[vivienneferreira in reply to Clutter]

Great thanks, do you think I should go to the doctor now to get a new prescription as I still have a while to go on these ones

[Clutter in reply to vivienneferreira]

Vivenneferreira,

If the itching is very bothersome take your Actavis tablets to the pharmacist and see whether s/he will swap them over for MP or Wockhardt. If not, contact your surgery for a new prescription.

[vivienneferreira in reply to Clutter]

I went to chemist and they sed it wouldn't be the filler it must be the the thyroxine I've booked an appointment with my gp tomorrow

[Clutter in reply to vivienneferreira]

Vivienneferreira,

Doesn't know what he/she is talking about! Thyroxine is a naturally occurring substance. It's much more likely you are having a reaction to one of the fillers.

[vivienneferreira in reply to Clutter]

Yes I know that's why I'm going to the doc because I want it sorting out

[MrsRaven in reply to Clutter]

I had to get the brand specified on the scrip, because the pharmacy had to pay £20 to order a specific brand, and could only claim it back if the GP had stated that brand was to be supplied.

[vivienneferreira in reply to MrsRaven]

Thanks. So I should sk the doc to specify wockardt?are they usually willing?

[MrsRaven in reply to vivienneferreira]

I have discoveredthat its important to find the one that suits you best and stay with it. It seems to be that people do get on better with Wockhardt I think. I had no problem getting it named on my scrip. The problem came in the dispensary when an assistant couldnt be bothered to read the scrip

[Clutter in reply to vivienneferreira]

Vivienneferreira,

The downside of having the brand specified on the prescription is that if that brand is not available the pharmacist is not allowed to substitute another brand and you will have to get another prescription.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Clutter]

Agreed.

A particularly fussy pharmacist might even refuse to give you Almus instead of Actavis (or the other way around) even though they are the self-same product with the same product licence - just different packaging.

In the time I have inhabited the thyroid world, not one of the original products I knew is still available under its original name. Several are not available at all. That is only around 10 years or so.

[vivienneferreira in reply to helvella]

its quite difficult to get sense out of them the chemist says I just need to adapt to the medicine and probably dose isn't high enough but the doctor sed it was high for a starting dose and never heard of the fillers causing a reaction

[MrsRaven in reply to Clutter]

I haven't tried mercury pharma, but i became very ill on Activis. I went back onto Wockhardt and things improved dramatically.