T3 and the inability of my pharmacy to obtain it - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,775 members161,576 posts

T3 and the inability of my pharmacy to obtain it

birkie profile image
15 Replies

Hi everyone ❤️

AGAIN the pharmacy that I get my T3 from as said they can't obtain it, I put my prescription in on Tuesday of this week our surgery says leave 48 hours before collecting your prescription, I called down for it yesterday, I received my other meds but there was a written note on my T3 (teva lactose free meds which said.. "unable to obtain these meds" it's a good job I checked the bag out before leaving the pharmacy, I called the gentlemen bk who filled my prescription and asked what this ment as I needed these meds, he simply said I can't get them, I told him I had around 2 weeks of T3 left and surely he could try for the next few days to obtain them.. He refused saying I should try another pharmacy, bother he and I know T3 is not stored on any pharmacy shelf and has to be ordered in.. Boots didn't have any and the other 2 pharmacys had none I went bk to my GPS surgery to ask what I do now.. The receptionist said I'll tell the doctor, this was at 10 o'clock in the morning no doctor has rang me bk.. I guarantee I will be left like the last 2 times this happened they try to push normal T3 on me which contains lactose, I'm OK for around 3/4 days on it then I start with server cramping and very loose bowels which eventually means I don't absorb the T3.. Its getting really bad trying to get my meds, and I'm not all that well to start with.. Does anyone on here know if you can get liquid lactose free T3 on prescription in the UK?

Thanks 💗💗

Written by
birkie profile image
birkie
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
15 Replies
katherine107 profile image
katherine107

i have same problem obtaining particular brand even ithough on my notes its states i can only have that brand. I dont think gp can help at all. not sure what to do myself

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to katherine107

Hi Katherine 107❤️As I've said to this pharmacist, these meds are like insulin to us we can't just stop them, we need these hormones to live, he just shrugged his shoulders and said there's nothing I can do for you, would it be the same for a diabetic, ho sorry can't obtain your insulin 🤷‍♀️😠😠

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

I always suggest contacting the pharmaceutical company itself. Quite often, members have found that the company can advise how a pharmacy can obtain stock. At the worst, you can find out that there really is an issue that will not be resolved from an authoritative source.

With pharmacies, you will almost always have at least one extra company - the distributor - between the maker and the pharmacy, allowing confusion to enter.

Teva UK Limited

Address

Field House, Station Approach, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2FB

Telephone

+44 (0)207 540 7000

Medical Information e-mail

medinfo@tevauk.com

Stock Availability

0800 590 502

WWW

tevauk.com

Medical Information Direct Line

+44 (0)207 540 7117

medicines.org.uk/emc/compan...

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to helvella

Hi helvella💓Thank you so much for that information 👍 I will contact them, I also forgot to say this pharmacy is a family run one, I moved out of boots because they couldn't obtain T3 (teva) moved to another one they also couldn't obtain it, then this particular pharmacy said if I continued to receive all my meds from them they could guarantee they could supply me with the T3... I feel they haven't really tried, as my prescription was phoned in on Tuesday this week so he must have only tried 2 days to obtain it... As I told him I've got 2wks supply left.. He could have had another go at getting it.. 🤦‍♀️

Hookie01 profile image
Hookie01

If you contact Teva as Helvella has suggested ask for the pip code and they might be able give you the name of the company that the pharmacy order them from. Aristo gave me this info and a pharmacy looked it up that way. I'm yet to get them as I was told I had to add the name to my prescription. I put it in yesterday with the name on so fingers crossed 🤞. Good luck.

katherine107 profile image
katherine107

I can only have mercury pharma and saying cannot get anymore

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to katherine107

Mercury Pharma T3 or levothyroxine - box now rebranded as Advanz . Is pharmacy getting confused due to name change

Ring Mercury Pharma up re supply issues

katherine107 profile image
katherine107 in reply to SlowDragon

Boots know it's called advanz but say there is nothing in there warehouse for this and they keep getting sent another brand

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon

Contact details for most, possibly all, pharmaceutical companies/manufacturers may be found here:

medicines.org.uk/emc/browse...

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to SlowDragon

Hi slowdragon ❤️

You remember I had this problem not that long ago when the same pharmacy gave me 56 T3 tables but were not lactose free, he eventually obtained the lactose free teva brand for me, and now AGAIN he is saying he can't get it... As I said I don't think he as really tried as my script was done on Tuesday, I called for it Friday and he said he couldn't get it, so how many days has he tried to order it🤷‍♀️

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot

It seems to depend on the willingness of the pharmacy. I have no problem with my local Boots and they have never let me down getting the T3 I ask for. They would usually supply TEVA as their standard! However I have now switched to morning side and they order it in.Hope you get this sorted.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Lalatoot

My personal experience with Boots suggests that there are very significant differences between branches.

Not sure if this reflects areas/regions/nations or individual branches.

Doesn't help much, though, if your nearest branch(es) are not "good" ones.

silverfox7 profile image
silverfox7

Hope you succeed. Please let the group know how you get on. I’m concerned it may be a Brexit thing but sincerely hope not.

Aurealis profile image
Aurealis

Hi birkie,

I’ve found that pharmacies seem to work with the same suppliers, and if you try lots of different pharmacies, eventually you will find one that’s working with different suppliers.

Also, I once found a pharmacy with T3 sitting on their shelf quite local, at a time when I’d almost given up hope and there was a massive supply problem everywhere!

Try telephoning pharmacies, it’s much quicker. Make sure you try all the big pharmacy chains and the supermarket pharmacies, as well as independents and those based in GP surgeries. If you only have to visit the successful pharmacy, maybe you’re willing to travel a bit farther to get it. Good luck

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to Aurealis

Hi Aurealis❤️Unfortunately I live in a very small town I do not drive, and all 3 pharmacy's can not get the T3.. I've been with all 3 trying to get the T3... The last one I've been with for around 4 months and on 2 of those months they couldn't obtain it, I had to go bk to my gp and ran out of the meds which is not good. The last 2 months they have been able to get it but on Friday the pharmacy said we can't get it.. So Ive around 2wk supply left.. I can't understand why they can't just order in 3 months supply each time they know I will be using it as I need it.. I have no thyroid, and my gp knows this.. 🤷‍♀️

You may also like...

obtaining T3 on NHS query

I asked why and she said she thought it was because I had a private prescription and maybe they can...

Smartway pharmacy and T3

so just wanted to get some ordered and off the phone. He said £80 for 28 x 20mcg which is expensive...

Getting my T3 medication from gp

to my pharmacy today they have rang to say they can't get it, I've rang around every pharmacy near...

Obtaining Liothyronine (L-T3)

about obtaining liothyronine because they can't get it on the NHS. Whilst it can be obtained over...

Mexican T3 response from Pharmacy

running again. He also said that the other Mexican Pharmacies are not able to get it either. This...