Thyroxine brand..

[joanna708]

Hi, I asked pharmacist today if I could change from wockhardt/activis combo to Mercury pharma to see if I felt any better on those. They tried to flog TEVA, which I refused and then they said they did have mercury pharmacy in stock. The thing is, the pills are in a bottle and there is no mention of the brand on the bottle. I just wanted to ask those who take mercury pharma pills what the they look like. These have LT written on one side and the dosage on the other. Does this sound right? Many thanks

[Aurealis]

You could ask the pharmacist for the patient information leaflet - they should give you that anyway.

[joanna708 in reply to Aurealis]

Thanks, I just did and he gave me a Teva and an actavis patient info leaflet instead! And then asked if I had specifically asked for the pills to come in a bottle... I will go elsewhere.

[Aurealis in reply to joanna708]

I wonder when those tablets expire?

[helvella Administrator in reply to joanna708]

It is, in my view, malpractice to supply the wrong Patient Information Leaflet.

The list of ingredients will be different - if you relied on the wrong document you could be taking something that is a problem such as an allergen. Further, the wrong document means you cannot check that they are the right pills as the description is different (markings, size, etc.)

This should be reported.

[Nanaedake]

Why were they giving you a combo? You could ask for just Actavis or just Wockhardt. You can alternate daily doses to achieve correct dose. For example, take 100mcg one day and 150mcg next day to get 125mcg average daily. Then you can stick to one brand. You should always be supplied with the patient information leaflet.

If pharmacist is awkward then print out the 2013 MHRA Review on Clinical and Quality Considerations of Levothyroxine to give them or ask did they know the MHRA had reviewed Levothyroxine. Or go to a different pharmacy.

[joanna708 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you for your message. I was given the combo and told nothing else was available at my chemist at the time when I questioned this. I didn't realise until much later that it was possible alternate daily doses. When I told a French pharmacist friend about being given two formulations, she also told me that was not advised and should not happen.

[Hennerton]

They look just like my Mercury Pharma. They are fine but mine come in foiled individual sections on a 28 sheet and a separate cardboard packet.

[SmallBlueThing]

The patient information leaflet confirms your description, but helvella has information on identifying tablets and should be able to tell you whether other manufacturers use the same markings.

[helvella Administrator in reply to SmallBlueThing]

All UK tablet markings for levothyroxine are unique to the product.

[Hennerton]

I thought it was T4 being queried?

[joanna708 in reply to Hennerton]

It is T4!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

It's not T3 she wants but Levothyroxine

[SlowDragon Administrator]

My previous pharmacy use to sometimes give me Mercury Pharma 25mcg in little brown bottle like this. But like you I was unhappy as there was no proof it was MP and no patient information leaflet either

[joanna708 in reply to SlowDragon]

Did they order the other ones for you? After complaining, the pharmacist brought out a Mercury Pharma leaflet, but I asked to see what they came in. He brought out the tubs for me to check and said they would note my preference only file for next time. What did you end up doing?

[Judithdalston]

They are 100mcg levothyroxin Mercury Pharma pills. I have been on these ( with extra 25/50 mcg) for 12 plus years, but over the last three months been getting them out of a larger tub from Pharmacy...presume some form of shortage for packaged ones. I only get prescribed Mercury as had bad time on Teva, but the pharmacist seems to get given a range of brands...so if you only want Mercury, you might have to be content with bottles.

[joanna708 in reply to Judithdalston]

Thanks for your answer. After posting this, I returned to the pharmacy to ask for the patient information leaflet as advised and was given one for Activis (100&50mcg) and another for Teva (25mcg). I went straight back to the counter and complained about being given the wrong leaflets. After quite some time out back, the chemist came back with a Mercury Pharma leaflet. I also asked to see the recipient the pills came from and enquired if they were not available in blister packs, to which he said he would write it on my file my preference for the packaged ones...