Mercury Pharma Shortage?

[Kazbe]

Hi Everyone I’ve just been to the pharmacy and they have said they can’t get Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine anymore !!!!

I asked for them to ring around and unfortunately can not get them and this is Boots Pharmacy which is huge in the UK they have rang around at least 5 different suppliers and they can only offer me Wokhardt?

Has anyone had the same problems are they’re supply issues ?

Thanks for any information

Kazbe 😀

[Rita-D]

I've recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and recruited my pharmacist (who is also a functional health practitioner) to help me get through chemo. She told me that there is a shortage and she has secured a 6 month supply for me to get me through chemo. Not sure why there is a shortage though! I've always had problems getting it and have usually had to ring around because my local pharmacist can't often get it.

Sorry not much help I know.

[Kazbe in reply to Rita-D]

Hi Rita-D

Thankyou for your reply I thought this might be the case because smaller pharmacies in the area don’t stock Mercury Pharma at all!!!

I will have to ring around or try something else

I am so sorry to hear about your Breast cancer diagnosis I’m so glad you have got a good functional medicine doctor who’s helping you through this awful time .

keep strong love and prayers for your recovery

God bless you

Kazbe x

[Rita-D in reply to Kazbe]

Thank you. xx

[RedApple Administrator]

Kazbe, As you say they can only offer Wockhardt, I assume you're talking about 25mcg tablets?

This sort of thing happens from time to time. Just because Boots can't get it, doesn't mean there's actually a shortage.

You could try asking at other (non Boots) high street and supermarket pharmacies. You could even call the company that owns the Mercury Pharma brand name and ask them to confirm whether or not there really is a current shortage. Contact details on the medications document from Thyroid UK here thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment...

Location can also play a part in stock levels. If you can get to a Boots in another town, you might even find they have it in stock!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Large chains only want to supply their own brands. Generally disinterested in helping patients if it costs them money

Try independent pharmacies they are far more helpful

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Today I have picked up my own levothyroxine paper prescription - 125 micrograms.

Pharmacy 1 (Lloyds)

Offered Northstar 100 and Teva 25.

Pharmacy 2 (local non-chain)

Offered Actavis 100 and Teva 25. Amazingly, the Actavis were loose from a large container. I have never seen loose Actavis before!

Pharmacy 3 (Boots)

Offered Almus 100 (Actavis) and Mercury Pharma 25!

B-I-N-G-O

At Boots, the pharmacy assistant was unaware of any Mercury Pharma shortage. Mind, she said that they usually wouldn't know until they had run out and couldn't get any more. You certainly cannot take my experience today as any evidence of anything except that I was lucky.

I suggest that anyone who needs to know contacts Advanz (for Mercury Pharma), Accord (for Actavis and the repackaged Almus and Northstar) and Wockhardt to try to find out the real story.

[Gingernut44 in reply to helvella]

At my last prescription, my very good independent pharmacy said they were out of Wockhardt (the only one I can barely tolerate) and said their usual Warehouse had none. Luckily he rang around and managed to get me 6 months supply (he's going to hold them for me). What is going on with all these shortages?

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Gingernut44]

I've been wondering that too. Could it be that the Brexit medication stockpiling that was set up many months ago, now means there's a gazillion packs all being held in warehouses and not being cycled through the system in the usual way.

[Gingernut44 in reply to RedApple]

Who knows, but I thought the stockpiling would have been EU manufactured drugs not ones made in UK ?

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Gingernut44]

I think it's about the sourcing of ingredients that come from outside the UK.

[Gingernut44 in reply to RedApple]

Ah, you could be right,

[Hidden]

My local hospital has a Boots Pharmacy and they told me that they are always able to supply Mercury Pharma Liothyronine.😊

[kaylala68]

Hi,

I have had the same problem, the GP then told me to have Eltroxin made by Mercury Pharma. I feel so unwell on this, I have headaches a lot, so tired and gaining weight. I really don't know what to do next.

Would like to hear from anyone else who has this problem.