Does anyone else have a problem with Mercury Pharma Liothyronine?

[Mugs19]

I have been on Morningside Liothyronine since first was prescribed it. I stopped Levo 5 weeks ago and had my first appointment since Feb with my usual Endo 4 weeks ago. He told me to double my T3 dose from 15 mcg to 30 mcg. Despite a rocky ride at first, I started to feel some improvement but when I got my new prescription , the pharmacy insisted I had to have Mercury Pharma. He is now on a different site, so this is a hospital Dispensary, whereas previously the site he was on had contracted out to a private chain. No amount of appeal and argument could get them to swap it. To add insult to injury, though he had specified 10mcg x 3 daily on the prescription , they had given me 20 mcg tabs. These are supposed to be dissolved in 10 ml water and half of it that isn't swallowed goes down the sink. When I transferred to the Mercury Pharma I started to go backwards, with shooting pains everywhere and feeling dithery to the point of not being able to think straight, and on the point of collapse.

I had another appointment with him on Friday. He is transferring me to the other option he had in mind which is to use liquid levo and a smaller does of lio. I asked him how does he think I am going to get that if we can't manage to stick to one brand prescribed by the same doctor in the same trust of what I was already on. ( I cut the pills incidentally, as I think the drug companies are taking us for a ride as usual.) I'm worried that the new prescription will also have been amended. He didn,t tell me how he is going to do it but he was considering getting it supplied on a named patient basis.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Which brand of T3 did you have before, Morningside healthcare?

[Mugs19 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, Morningside healthcare

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mugs19]

Morningside healthcare are the only NHS licensed 10mcg and 5mcg tablets ....they are much more expensive than 20mcg.....hence probably why hospital dispensing 20mcg

Hospital should honour the prescription as written

Endocrinologist can specify brand on prescription

Cost of T3 to NHS

Per box of 28 tablets

20mcg - £121 - per tablet £4.32

10mcg - £148 - Per tablet £5.28

5mcg - £90 - Per tablet £3.21

Obviously the instructions to dissolve tablet in water can be ignored. That’s just a con to use up more tablets and water shouldn’t be tipped down sink

Easy to cut 20mcg tablets in half or 1/4’s with scalpel

amazon.co.uk/Modelcraft-Sca...

Many people on here get 20mcg Morningside healthcare tablets (including myself) and cut into 1/4’s

Post from few months ago when price charged for 20mcg was much higher

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Mugs19 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou for your usual prompt response. Very informative and enlightening.

[fuchsia-pink]

DON'T try and dissolve the tablets in water and throw half away! There's absolutely nothing wrong with using a pill cutter [and anyway I understand they are resistant to dissolving in water]

I've had couple of different lio brands without problems (mostly Teva, which is fine - the Teva problems are with the levo not the lio), but if you think it's the new brand rather than the dose increase, "yellow card" the Mercury - and any other one(s) that don't suit - and see if you can get Morningside put on the prescription. Or can the GP issue the prescription now it has been approved by the endo [that's what happens with me - I only had to schlepp over to the hospital a couple of times]

[Mugs19 in reply to fuchsia-pink]

I had got used to the raised dose on Morningside. Since transfer to Mercury, hypo symptoms increasing: constipated and putting on weight now. Wondered if the Mercury dose is weaker. Thankyou for your reply. Think Endo wants to get me settled on something he knows is working before he passes on prescribing to GPs, He is not perfect but he is a lovely man and he goes along with a lot of what is said on here. And he does listen.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mugs19]

On just T3, most people would need somewhere between 40-60mcg T3 per day

On levothyroxine plus T3, we tend to need both Ft4 and Ft3 roughly similar % through range....probably minimum of 60%

Liquid levothyroxine is also expensive and lots of different brands - so again need to watch for brand changes

Full list here

thyroiduk.org/medications-f...

Prices of liquid levothyroxine listed in this reply from couple of days ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Mugs19 in reply to SlowDragon]

Once again many thanks for sharing your expert knowledge