Wockhardt brand

[Greenwall]

Hi. I've been told that wockhardt do not make 50 mcg levothyroxine. I wondered if anyone out there knows different?

Plus I'm told that Boots no longer stock wockhardt. Again, does anyone know different?

[shaws Administrator]

This is from a past post:-

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Greenwall in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws. I thought I'd seen something about it before. Boots have taken wockhardt off their computer ordering system! I contacted them, and they referred me back to local branch who thought I'd complained about them! So consequently no joy there. My usual chemist can only dish out what they receive (apparently), but have said that if they see wockhardt, they'll put it to 1 side for me.... Why can't they just order it? No idea.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Greenwall]

That's a bit strange :-

but have said that if they see wockhardt, they'll put it to 1 side for me..

Why cannot they order it? There was a similar post a couple of months ago:-

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Supul]

All I know is every time I collect my prescription for levothyroxine, the brands differ, and as I have 50mcg and 25mcg, I get 2 brands, every month, that are different.

Currently, I have yet another rash and ankle swelling. Don't know which brand causing it!

Oh well, keeps NHS system going as now been referred to dermatology again.

Dermatologist was the person was first medic that got my huge body rash and thyroid antibodies results diagnosed as toxicity due to over prescribed levothyroxine. It then took months for GP to organise bloods then reduce dose twice over 4 months.

Good luck.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Supul]

My chemist sources my medications by a 'name'. I check before I leave chemist that I have the 'right' name. Occasionally if someone else is collating meds and I may get one I don't want. I open and check before leaving and they do switch over to the one I want.

You should tell the chemist exactly what levothyroxine you prefer and he should be able to source it. Messing about with different levos might mean it takes longer for us to improve.

[Supul in reply to shaws]

I agree. I see my endo on Monday and will discuss because I explained I wanted same brand before.

Now, I have a problem knowing which brand as I have had too many changes every month.

I did open my pack before I left chemist, pharmacist told me, that's all we have, that's what you get! I've changed chemist now. I'm going to talk to endo see if he will prescribe brand consistency. Then, involve new pharmacist.

Thanks for response.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Supul]

Always pick up actual prescription. This gives you options

Then ring/visit pharmacies until you find helpful one

[Greenwall in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon, but I tried that. I rang all the pharmacists in the area, and no one had the 50 mcg by wockhardt.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Greenwall]

No-one can have 50 microgram Wockhardt tablets. They simply do not exist in the UK. (That bit about the UK is simply because I do not know about other countries - like India.)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Supul]

Different brands of Levothyroxine are not bio equivalent. That means each brand gives different results at apparently the same dose. Therefore every time brand is changed your dose is changing

It is strongly recommended by endocrinologists that you ALWAYS get the same brand each time.

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Last paragraph

"Physicians should:

1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy;

2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and

3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18)."

[Supul in reply to SlowDragon]

I agree. Thanks for pointers. I replied to Shaws above too.

[Greenwall in reply to SlowDragon]

Many thanks for this info, SlowDragon. This could mean testing every time someone collects a prescription if available brands vary each time.... and nhs lab complains "Please consider resources when making requests" (albeit not knowing anything about the pt, or why GP made the request)

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Wockhardt only supply 25 microgram levothyroxine in the UK.

Boots might or might not supply Wockhardt. In the past few years we have seen several contradictory statements about what Boots will supply - perhaps, to some extent, it varies by area?

They usually supply Almus (as that is their own brand name - and it is just Actavis is a different card outer) for 50 and 100 micrograms. Locally I was told they supply Mercury Pharma when 25 microgram tablets are required.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to helvella]

I find them generally unhelpful and obtuse

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon]

I have found the individuals in my current local branch are friendly and helpful - but obviously limited by the organisation they are working within.

That was not the case at my last local branch.

[elwins]

Boots have been good to me, as well as taking thyroxine I also take paracetamol but can only take one brand due to the fillers. They have marked it on my records and tell me if it is a different brand. Different brands can vary according to the fillers sometimes.

[Greenwall]

Many thanks for all the replies, which as usual are informative.