Mercury Thyroxine/Eltroxine: Hi, Is anyone else... - Thyroid UK

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Mercury Thyroxine/Eltroxine

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Hi,

Is anyone else having problems with getting the Mercury brand? The last time I collected my prescription from the chemist they could not get the Mercry brand. I take 125 thyroxine, sometimes 150 when I struggle on 125mcg, but the chemist said they tried to order it but could not get that brand from any of their suppliers. I know of chemists 30 miles away that do have it, but why should I travel that distance out of my way to get it. If I go to a place frequently that has it, thats ok, but I haven't really got the time to be trekking around the country for a specific brand. I had no problems when I have lived in other areas getting this brand.

Also, I know this is a bit off the point, but does anyone know where I can get Wilbermax Wormer for my cat without a prescription? (Please PM me) He is more than 2kg, and online its only £4.60 but need a prescription. I thought seriously for worming tablets! Am loathed to pay for a prescription for worming tablets. He has had them before from the vets but that was in another area. Its the best wormer so I want him to have that one, rather than other brands which can be gotten in supermarkets.

Thanks x

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15 Replies

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8 years ago

Ignore my bad spelling - Eltroxin does not have an 'e'

SeasideSusieRemembering8 years ago

The only thing I can think of is to ring any other pharmacies that you can get to easily to see if they can supply the brand you want.

As for the wormer for your cat, if you mean Milbemax then it is prescription only so you either need to get it from your vet or change to a non prescription brand but not all of them cover all worms like Milbemax does.

• in reply toSeasideSusie8 years ago

Thanks for your replay. Yes, I do mean Milbermax - my spelling not too good today. It comes from fast typing. Mmm, ok means I have to contact a vet. I was hoping to avoid paying for a prescription because the tablets are only £4.60 online and with my previous vets who were very good in total I remember paying around £13 for them (which is 3 x the online cost). That must have been including the prescription then. The vets I have now, I can never get through to by phone. I will ring an alternative vet tommorrow and ask if I can buy it from them as he has had Milbermax before and it was his regular worming treatment and hope they dont ask me to go in with him for a consultation. I do prefer it, as its the best one. I cant get near him with spot-on's and other worming tablets even if I disguise them in his food. Milbermax, I can put in his bowl and he will eat it without a problem

• in reply toSeasideSusie8 years ago

Got it from vets yesterday. 4 tablets (a years supply) for £19 something. Worked out cheaper than the £4.60 online x per tablet, plus delivery, plus prescription costs

helvella8 years ago

You could always use one of the internet pharmacies - wherever they are:

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

I suspect that one of the causes of the current issue is that Teva, who have their own distribution operation, seem to have discontinued Mercury Pharma since they released their own new formula Teve levothyroxine. Any pharmacies that get supplied by them, directly or indirectly, might have a problem.

Ironically, I kept getting offered Mercury Pharma a couple of weeks ago.

• in reply tohelvella8 years ago

Thank you for that, its really helpful

• in reply tohelvella8 years ago

Yes,Ihad the same experience ,suddenly being given Mercury Pharma when my notes say I prefer Actavis!......... New computer hadn't transferred my notes.

• in reply to8 years ago

I used to prefer Actavis, but I had problems getting that, but I then moved and could always get mercury and was happy with that. It should be on my notes, but the chemist asked me if my gp has said that I must specifically have mercury and I did not answer because thats not really the issue. Its that the potency varies between brands. Some chemists get that and others really dont understand. Even a friend who is a nurse is adamant that all thyroxine is the same - I disagree. The chemist just said that mercury was out of stock with their 3 suppliers, so now I have got the 25mcg ones in mercury and the 100mcg tabs in actavis as thats what they gave me. But, I also ordered from New Zealand and have Eltroxin. The chemist had told me that they could always get Mercury Eltroxin and the T3, but not this time. Am shortly due for next months so will see what happens. If they cant get it, I will go around all chemists in the area. It tends to be the independent ones that have mercury. This one is part of a chain.

• in reply to8 years ago

It's an absolute pain having to keep sorting out medication and put up with the negative attitude towards our plight from the very people we turn to for help.I would dearly love to be getting on with life and trying to achieve some of the goals I have still set myself,rather than constantly getting remarks that don't help at all and leave me frustrated and undermined.

I totally agree there are people worse off than me.....I have a very sick relative,so don't need telling!! But to tell me I think about it too much........well what can I say?

I have stayed with my combo t4/t3 in readiness for my blood test next month or else the lab will go into a tiz woz if I go back on my Armour Thyroid . Your friend is wrong that all thyroxine is the same as they all vary in their fillers etc which affect people differently. My pharmacy is an independent and I too had to ask yet again not to be given MP levo. Oh what a joy it would be to take a few grains of Levo from any source and be cured and " normal". ..........I am sure we all welcome the day .....if not for ourselves,for the next generation of sufferers.

I hope you soon get sorted x

MidnightBlue8 years ago

I posted about this recently. I have terrible problems getting it.

8 years ago

The price of T3 is rediculous and its down to greed and profit making on the suppliers part. Just before I moved in the summer, I was told by my GP that my T3 would be stopped due to its high cost and the fact that Powys patients on T3 were being prescribed it by Cardiff consultants, and its out of area. I have been with my Cardiff consultant since I had lived in Cardiff and am still with the same one even though I do not live there now, and if I had stayed living in that area I would have had to collect my T3 from the Cardiff hospital pharmacy where the consultant is based. So, I would have still got it, but at a 2 hour drive each way. I now live in an area where it is prescribed by my GP so at present I dont have that worry, although, doesnt mean that cant change

8 years ago

I just read your post. I know exactly where you are coming from. I had to do the same treck around various chemists too. I quickly learned that Boots, Cooperative, and Lloyds dont do it. In the last place I lived the local private chemist which was on the corner of my street stocked them or would order them every time, and even the boots in that town would go down to the private chemist and get it for me - tho, in a tiny town, that would take days. So, I then got it myself direct from the private chemist. Where I am now, I have found that Wells are now having problems getting it and Numark dont stock it, so now am looking for an independent chemist again. I know that the big Asda's and Tesco's can order them, but these are 30 miles away, so am going to see if the online pharmacy is an option and at the same time look for an independent chemist also. Having now read your post, I am aware that you had problems getting it from the online pharmacy

helvella8 years ago

Which is really not very helpful for those who seem to be better on Mercury Pharma than other makes. Do you really expect them to suffer in the hope that a bean counter at Concordia actually notices? Eventually.

I'd be happy enough to see people choose other makes of products, when possible and convenient. I certainly don't think it fair, right or proper to impose a burden of guilt on anyone who continues to use Mercury Pharma products.

8 years ago

She must have the same endo as me, as he is the only one in the Wales who prescribes T3. I was due to see him in Aug, but wasnt sent an appointment letter and spent all autumn chasing it. I now have an appointment in Feb 2017

8 years ago

I should do that on next appointment, otherwise I am having over one year between appointments. I wouldnt be able to get referred outside of Wales on NHS unless live in Mid-Wales where the nearest hospitals are Hereford and Shrewsbury. In the past I lived in Kent, around 19 years ago as I worked there and also I lived in Mid-Wales but stayed with all my consultants in Wales because I had referrals to them before I lived there. When I lived in Cardiff, my GP referred me to Dr S (prior to Prof D) but was told because of a 2nd GMC review an NHS referral was not possible (however, I could have had a private referral, though sadly its not possible now in any case) and also being in Wales and not England was another obstacle.