I appreciate that for reasons such as confidentiality you might not be able to give full details, but could you give us some idea as to how you came by this information?
If it were to be absolutely true we will have some very concerned people, such as any who live in Greece, Crete, etc. Therefore some degree of verification would be appreciated.
Well... a friend of mine who lives in Greece buys T3 for me. She has not been able to find any since January... I have 4 packages left but I will run out of T3 soon.
Today she looked for some T3 again as per my request and a pharmacist told her that it is not imported anymore (where from??? as it is a Greek product as far as I know) and that it is very difficult to find already... even if she finds any, that will be some T3 from an old batch, I mean as a leftover from last year. My friend lives in Athens.
You are quite right that Uni-Pharma appear in every way to be the manufacturers of their Liothyronine (T3) product.
From your post, I thought you meant that Uni-Pharma themselves were unable to purchase the actual T3 raw ingredient. One of the things we find next to impossible to find out is where tablet manufacturers get their ingredients from. Quite possibly some make at least some of their own. (I suspect that Henning do as they are the only company I have noticed using liothyronine hydrochloride rather than liothyronine sodium.)
I just asked the same question on a Bulgarian forum and a member who orders her T3 from a Greek pharmacy told me that she had been told the same thing from the pharmacy - diminishing supply, no or restricted import.
We know that there are issues with the supply of T3 tablets in Greece - it has been suggested that they are introducing new packaging. Somehow that doesn't seem a powerful enough reason in itself - unless something went wrong.
If it is packaging, sounds as if their planning wasn't quite right! Perhaps they had problems getting new packaging machines working properly, or something of that nature? Or they simply didn't count their packets of T3 in stock properly.
Hello Marz and Yuliana, T3 has been a godsend after years of struggling with my weight and hair. The thought of losing this Greek supplier is very distressing. Last week I did receive my package even though it was only half of the original order. Still waiting on second half. I really hope and pray this is just a manufacturing glitch and they do not stop over the counter consumer. Please keep in touch.
I ordered my uni pharma from Greece a week ago and they've accepted it and will email me when it is shipped. It's my usual supplier, so I'm sure they wouldn't accept my order if there was problems. This is my third order with them and I've never been disappointed. I hope you're wrong!
If I'm receiving my t3, I don't see why there would be a problem in Greece.
I would really appreciate info as to your supplier. My consultant has advised me to source my own T3 as my GP has totally refused to prescribe anymore. Feeling so frustrated.
To repost (and update) my post from a different thread yesterday - I ordered around the beginning of April from the Greek site with 'supply' in the name (as far as I'm aware there are at least two Greek suppliers so just want to be clear which one I'm talking about). I've chased a few times and been told variously - they're very busy, there's a shortage of supply, mines been sent but returned (tho I didn't get a despatch notice), it's Easter etc. We're now 7 weeks on and I've still got nothing, not even a despatch notice. Have other people using this Greek supplier received anything recently? They've definitely had my money - a western union transfer picked up by someone in Serbia over a month ago! Today I emailed them to say either send me the medicine or give me my money back and I'll go elsewhere. I got a reply saying they've sent it to me today but because it's a holiday the couriers aren't working so they can't give me a tracking number - which doesn't really stack up. If I hadn't been given the initial website details from people on HU I'd be sure I'd been conned. Wouldn't at all surprise me to find the OP is correct and this source of T3 is drying up. Are other HU users also having problems?
I ordered from exactly the same supplier ("supply" in their name). After huge delay and a number of email reminders they sent me....hydrocortisone! It was worth 35 EU less than what I paid for T3. They are now denying any responsibility so I'm not going to get my 35 EU back. I won't be ordering from them again...
Ljmarling also had similar experience with a supplier of Greek T3:
I ordered in April from Greek supplier, with supply in their name and still haven't received anything. When I made an enquiry they told me not to worry, that they'd had a lot of orders and had to take on new staff to deal with them. I'm really worried, especially as they took my money with no problems!
I was in Greece last week and bought some from a pharmacy. They only had one box left but said they were getting a delivery after the weekend (unfortunately after I'd gone home), the pharmacist gave no indication of a supply issue
I ordered about the same time I have e-mailed two or three times and each time they apologise and tell me that they will deal with it as ASAP but I am still waiting. I presume they are waiting for delivery too or they wouldn't answer my email so promptly. 🤗
My daughter is in Greece/Crete for the last 2 weeks. She's tried 8 pharmacies so far and was told she could not buy T3 anymore. Finally, one pharmacist came out to tell her that the Greek govt has made every pharmacy return all packets to them and doesn't know when it will be allowed back. She managed to find 3 boxes overall by going to every pharmacy in Crete but I doubt she find anymore before she comes home this weekend. I really worried how we all are going to source T3 if the Greek govt is not allowing it on the shelf anymore
Hi Pjgilroy - I live in Crete and yes there is a problem. You can click onto my name above and read earlier posts I have posted warning about T3 and the problems. I have posted an update below
I mentioned a few weeks back that a friend was on holiday in Crete and asked for some in a pharmacy I'm assuming in Chania. He was given an emergency supply but was told they had been told not to give any to British people anymore and that was a request from the U.K. No way of knowing if this is true but worrying if it is.
Have just called in at one of our local Pharmacies en route back from the airport - to check out on the T3 situation. Yes it affects us locals too It is not only T3 that is affected - there are many drugs that are so cheap here in Greece and have also been affected by various websites buying up from the wholesalers and selling on. Something I mentioned/suspected in a post earlier on. To stop this happening the main supplier - UniPharma - is restricting orders.
I did explain in an earlier thread that I had phoned the HO of UniPharma and was told they are trying to keep T3 for those that need it - so take your prescription to your local Pharmacy and ask them to phone HO for further instructions. The guy I spoke with this morning will do that - when I take him the prescription.
Hubby spoke with another Pharmacy yesterday and was told they had only been sent one packet this week. Pharmacies re-stock on a daily basis from a central warehouse.
Click onto my name at the top of this post and then click Posts - where you will see some linked to T3.
As things stand today - I think it very unlikely. But hey this is Greece and things can change on a whim .... I cannot order it at the moment - even from Pharmacies where I am well known.
For what this is worth, I'm just back from a week in Greece, and tried 4 pharmacies without success. Although I don't yet use T3 with my Levo, I think it's looking very much like I'll need it, so as I was on hol anyway, I thought I'd get a banker in. It was a very weird experience and I felt like a 'dealer' - not helped because I'm relatively slim. My hubby sensed the reluctance and more than a hint of a fobbing off response as well.
On the first try, 2 pharmacies said come back tomorrow/next day - awaiting delivery, suggested trying another pharmacy. At another pharmacy, the assistant was about to go to the drawer and was stopped by (who seemed to be) the pharmacist and a shifty word or two between them in Greek - I read this as 'British T3 tourist dealer'. I was then told they were unable to obtain it.
So, feeling like I might have more luck if I went in with my Levo box (with prescription info to show I was HypoT), and claiming to have run out of my T3, I tried this approach 2 days later. This time all were slightly more helpful in their explanation and I sensed they didn't now see me as a 'T3 tourist dealer', just a 'T3 tourist' But the upshot was that I couldn't buy any.
To be honest, as it wasn't mainland or one of the larger islands, I wasn't expecting to get more than a packet anyway. What surprised me was the initial sense of caution towards me, and I know 'in me waters' 1 or 2 had it, just wouldn't sell it to me. Everything you say Marz , just hope this is a temporary glitch and those that rely on it can get it through online suppliers. It's a dire situation.
Maybe if the t3 manufacturers realise that UK residents are buying from overseas, then they will realise that their sales in the UK will nosedive and are therefore restricting their supply.
Sorry - what sales ?? Hasn't it been restricted in most areas ?? Ah yes - I had forgotten about the hugely inflated UK prices - so maybe you have a point. But hey we read every day that people are having their T3 treatment blocked ....
Maybe the manufacturers think that if us, the UK public, can't get it easily from abroad then we would demand t3 from our gp's/Endo's then the companies would make more money as , as you say, they charge the NHS an exorbitant price, compared to what you can buy the same product for in the EU.
It was the bit that the UK had asked them not to sell it to us that concerned me but no idea who that could be. The suggestion that it could be the only place that supplies it here is an interesting suggestion!
I ordered from my usual supplier over 2 weeks ago. I usually receive an email from them by now, with shipping details, but there hasn't been one. I'm worried now! You would think they wouldn't accept the order if they didn't have them in stock. They've took my money! I'm frightened to be without them.
Am leaving for Crete myself soon and was intending to arrive and present myself at the nearest pharmacy with my private prescription and stock up on my T3. Looks like I am going to be disappointed and face deteriorating health (unless I switch to Turkish Tiromel until 'they' cotton on to that supply).
What can we do? It makes it even more important to be able to obtain T3 reasonably in the UK, but how can we argue for that when the BTA don't endorse its use?
If you have a private prescription, you can use that to obtain T3 from numerous sources - such as Germany. And at prices which are far more reasonable than the UK. You do not need it for Greece so why even consider presenting it at a Greek pharmacy?
I have bought T3 in Greece before without a prescription, but thought I may have more hope with one, given all the problems people seem to be having buying it.
Yes - buy it online from Germany. I have not bought T3 from there, but have in the past bought T4 for various reasons. (I would not now recommend the company I used.)
I don't get the impression that having, or not having, a prescription is significant in Greece and regarding current supply issues.
Thanks @helvella I have some supplies to keep me going for now, but was counting on replenishing. Good to know there are alternatives if I have no joy in Crete.
Has anyone been successful in getting orders from the said company yet? I placed my order in August, still nothing. I so wish I'd seen this post prior to ordering. The last time I spoke to them they said at beginning of Sept, all orders will be dispatched in Sept. Now Oct still nothing 😣
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