T3 in Belgium?: Hi everyone. Quick summary Hypo... - Thyroid UK

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T3 in Belgium?

brewster01 profile image
25 Replies

Hi everyone.

Quick summary

Hypo for 6 years and lived overseas. Happy on T3 12.5mcg (cytomel) and 100mcg levo. Returned to UK and after a battle with GP prescribed 12.5 msg liothyronine (Perrigo) pending appt with Endo. It doesn't agree with me and spent Christmas feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. Stopped taking it and waited 18 days for an appointment with GP. Told it is the only brand they can prescribe?! Feel like Ive been hit over the head with a baseball bat and falling asleep mid afternoon. Also rapidly gaining weight. Bloods in range but didnt and wont test for T3.

Still waiting for my Endo appointment (6 months so far). I am going to Brussels for a meeting next week. Will I be able to buy T3 OTC. GP wont provide a prescription for an overseas pharmacy.

Grateful for any advice.

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25 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

why not try NHS 20mcg tablets and cut up. that's what nearly everyone does here

3 options on those - Teva - lactose free

Morningside Healthcare - most of us seem to think this is the "strongest"

Mercury Pharma

brewster01 profile image
brewster01 in reply toSlowDragon

Thanks but GP states they can only prescribe Perrigo. Am I being fobbed off?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tobrewster01

That's presumably 5mcg tablets. Which are probably even more expensive than standard option of 20mcg

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply tobrewster01

Brewster01,

You are certainly being misinformed. As SlowDragon said, Mercury Pharma, Morningside Healthcare and Teva Liothyronine are the usual Liothyronine prescribed in the UK. They are all 20mcg though so you will have to get a pillcutter and see whether 10mcg or 15mcg doses are best for you.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

I'm pretty certain that you cannot get T3 OTC in Belgium. I think that, these days, the only places you can get it are Mexico and Turkey.

No, T3 is not available OTC in Belgium (I have lived there for 10 years). In fact, T3 has never been available in Belgium at all, only synthetic combo drug Novothyral (T3 + T4) was until a few years ago when it was taken off the market. Since then, only T4 drugs are available in Belgium (prescription only).

T3 used to be available OTC in Greece, but lots of problems have been reported in recent months and have no idea if things have improved since.

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply to

Just noticed this old post. I have just got Cytomel from pharmacy in Antwerp with help of Dutch daughter in law. They were happy with emailed copy of prescription and said would send. As I had mine collected in Antwerp I didn’t sort out how to pay from a distance but very kind female would sort if asked. If anyone wants contact, send me a message. Also have contact details for Bennewitz pharmacy.

Ediel profile image
Ediel in reply toKandahar

Please can you PM me?

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply toEdiel

Please note, this was written in 2019, so things may have changed. please also note that I got this by sending a photocopy of a UK prescription and this was before Brexit. they were 25mcg tablets.

They are able to supply Cynomel x 30 tablets at about €7. She said that they might be able to send it by post.

Pharmacy Lotry

Grote Markt 56

2000 Antwerpen

Belgium

Tel: 0032 3 2330186

Email: antwerpen@apotheekcortebeeck.be

Dorica profile image
Dorica in reply toKandahar

Hello Kandahar, could you share the contact of the Antwerp pharmacy with me? I am interested in ordering Cytomel. Thanks a lot!

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toDorica

Be aware - there are two forms of Cytomel available in Europe.

Pfizer Cytomel.

Ace Cytomel.

They have different ingredients, different dosages and, I expect, different availability.

You will find more details in my medicines document.

I don't know where you are, but UK prescriptions are no longer valid in EU countries. This is a change in the years since this thread was active.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

I have created, and try to maintain, a document containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

From Dropbox:

dropbox.com/s/shcwdwpedzr93...

From Google Drive:

drive.google.com/file/d/12N...

Dorica profile image
Dorica in reply tohelvella

Hello, I am in Belgium. I would need 5 mcg dosage. I know it exists in Canada, but not sure whether we in Belgium could order them.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toDorica

Ace Cytomel is available in 5, 12.5 and 25 microgram tablets.

More details in my document.

There is also Liotir, a liquid, in Italy.

We in the UK now have three 5 microgram products - one from Morningside and two hard capsules imported from Greece.

Afraid I don't have much information about Belgium. If you were able to let me know where I can find out more, I'd be very happy to add details.

I have no idea about import rules for Belgium.

Dorica profile image
Dorica in reply tohelvella

Thank you for this info. Could you send me the names of the Greek medications? It could be I can order them. Also, do you know if 5 mcg dosage is sold in Suisse and if yes, what’s the name of the brand? Thank you!

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toDorica

I have not found a Greek site that I am able to use! Most are too heavy in Greek for me to manage.

Look for Roma liothyronine hard capsules in my document. It will say who the manufacturer is.

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply toDorica

Since Brexit I’ve not used Antwerp, nor Bennewitz in German. I’ve been, successfully, been getting Tiromel 25mcg from an online oversea’s company. Also got Cynomel from a pharmacy in Coquelle, near Calais.I deleted the details but if you give me till next week, I’ll dig into old emails. I’ll message you. If you are in Antwerp, the pharmacy is in the old square (forgotten name). But the Cytomel was in 25mcg as well. Lynn

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply toDorica

Please note, this was written in 2019, so things may have changed. please also note that I got this by sending a photocopy of a UK prescription and this was before Brexit. they were 25mcg tablets.They are able to supply Cynomel x 30 tablets at about €7. She said that they might be able to send it by post.

Pharmacy Lotry

Grote Markt 56

2000 Antwerpen

Belgium

Tel: 0032 3 2330186

Email: antwerpen@apotheekcortebeeck.be

Dorica profile image
Dorica in reply toKandahar

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me! ❤️

brewster01 profile image
brewster01

Thanks everyone

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar

Jan 22 2019 and been given private prescription for liothyronine. Any ideas of where I can get it in UK or elsewhere at reasonable price - actually the cheaper the better, please! Investigating Lloyd’s on line and whether I can email a copy of prescription to France so friend could get it.

Any more info about other European countries, please?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toKandahar

If you have a prescription then you can send it to Germany. They must have the prescription, not a copy in an email. Information here

thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment...

Bennewitz used by some members here.

Must be written correctly - Liothyronine 20mcg x 100 tablets

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply toSeasideSusie

Thank you for that. My prescription says 28 days 20mcg liothyronine repeat three times. Will that be any good?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toKandahar

It has to say the number of tablets in 100s, they come in 100 tablet bottles I believe.

Kandahar profile image
Kandahar in reply toSeasideSusie

Thank. You. That’s really going to slow things down. Hey ho!

The only thyroid drug in Belgium that contains T3 is NDT and it`s a prescription only drug. No synthetic T3 drug available and never has been. Belgian pharmacies are very strict and will not sell any POMs without a valid prescription issued in the EU. They might be able to order T3 from neighbouring countries if you have a prescription but they do not usually carry it. Synthetic combo drug Novothyral was taken off the market in 2010, leaving only NDT prescribed by functional doctors.

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