Problems getting Levo?

[carolen]

Hi, I've only been able to get half of my Levo prescription today and the pharmacist says they are having all kinds of problems getting various brands of Levo. Has anyone else had problems?

[Greybeard]

I had problems getting 50mcg mercury pharma a few months ago, I changed brands to activis (almus from boots) in the end. Chopping and changing or mixing brands can cause you problems.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Which levothyroxine products are you referring to? Let us know make and dosage(s) involved. Quite often an issue affects only some products. Indeed, quite often it isn't a product as such - rather a distributor.

[carolen in reply to helvella]

I'm prescribed 25mcg Wockhart and 50mcg of, usually, Teva (I can't take MP, it gives me horrible indigestion). They can provide the Wockhart but only MP in 50mcg dose. Thanks.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to carolen]

The obvious suggestion is to try a different pharmacy.

In general Boots and Lloyds (including Sainsbury) have Actavis available because they handle their own repackaged forms - Almus and Northstar respectively.

Having said that, I do not remember Teva being reported in short supply - far more often, people are being given it when they want something else!

Any further information about your case - or from anyone else - would be appreciated.

[whispers in reply to helvella]

i wonder if teva is having problems as many people are complaining of feeling unwell on it and are submitting yellow cards?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to whispers]

That thought crossed my mind but you are the only person, so far, to have reported the issue.

[whispers]

yes, they haven't been able to get my actavis 100 mcg for several months, were offering me teva which i refused, they gave me mecury pharma then last time northstar which they said was actavis,

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to whispers]

There's nothing wrong with supply of Actavis. I use it and my prescription is for only 1 month at a time and there has been no delay or attempt to substitute. I had my last prescription about 2 weeks ago.

[whispers in reply to SeasideSusie]

To be honest, I don't think my chemist had a problem, I actually think they don't request a certain brand when putting in their orders for medication, I think they just put levothyroxine sodium and the dosage as when I queried it he said they just dispense what they are sent, ( this was the time he offered me teva) he said they were getting another delivery from another supplier the following day and thats when I ended up with the moercury pharma as i had nothing left at home. this was november last year

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to whispers]

Yes, I'm sure it's a case of they are sent whatever is the cheapest at the time. My surgery's normal policy is not to put the brand name and my prescription just says Levothyroxine Sodium.

But there are cases of pharmacies being awkward.

My old pharmacist was lovely, I was on the old Eltroxin years ago, named on my prescription. When Eltroxin became unavailable I tried Actavis and he checked that I was OK with it, then made a note to only give me Actavis in future and there was always a label on my pharmacy bag to that effect.

Now we have a new pharmacist who is a right moo and the label is no longer on my pharmacy bag. She dislikes coming to talk to customers - assistant says "MRS X would like a word please..... (delay)..... Please....... Pretty Please" then makes you wait until she is ready.

I recently had my inhaler changed from one brand to a cheaper one (same active ingredient). Due to side effects on the new one the surgery changed me back to the old one and named it on prescription. She ignored it and dispensed the other one saying they have now changed to that brand. I said the other brand was named on prescription, she wouldn't budge. I had to ring the surgery who said if brand is named she has to dispense it, so they rang her and only then did I get the correct one.

By the way, I'm beginning to wonder how many Teva products are causing problems. I know about the problems many people have had with Teva levothyroxine, and the inhaler that caused me side effects was made by Teva.

[whispers in reply to SeasideSusie]

I might ask my gp if i can have it named, the problem is too that our prescriptions are now electronic so its a hassle getting them reissued to try anywhere else I too, wonder about teva, i also wonder why they are causing so many problems when they are supposed to have the same ingredients

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to whispers]

You do not have to accept electronic prescriptions - at least, not when I checked online recently.

[whispers in reply to helvella]

i will check my options thank you, i usually irder online

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to whispers]

They are right that Northstar is Actavis product. Just look on the bottom of the packet.