Need some help please with t3 and obtaining Thybon Henning through the NHS?

[CarolineAnne]

Hi everyone

I have gone downhill with a return of my symptoms ( and the outer third of my eyebrows has disappeared) I believe this is because of efficacy problems with the t3 I am getting from the hospital pharmacy. I get my t3 prescribed by the Endo at hospital and receive a white prescription which means I can only get my tablets from the hospital pharmacy. I have been getting Mercury Pharma and the date is so short that I don’t feel they are consistent. For example: I have a three month supply that I will be due to start at beginning of December but the expiry date is February 2022. I have yellow carded previously, it was investigated and I was informed that the tablets were fine. I have tried to ask for better dates.

At my recent appointment with Endo I asked for a different brand. He put Thybon Henning 20 on the prescription but said that the hospital chemist might not be able to supply that if they are contracted. In that case it might be worth asking GP to prescribe so that I could get a different brand at another chemist. I asked at the hospital pharmacy. They said they had it in stock. I was over the moon but when I came to collect, it was Mercury Pharma. They told me three times it was Thybon until I asked for the leaflet. They then said that they can only obtain the Mercury brand.

I asked around and found a chemist and he said that he could supply Thybon henning at a drug tariff price to the NHS of £92.25 for 100 tablets. I wrote a letter to my GP but she has just rang to say that she cannot prescribe as it is a specialist medication but to ask my Consultant if he can use a FP10 prescription which is green and I could use this to access community chemists.

I feel like nothing is simple! My GP used to prescribe t3 until it got too expensive then she asked me to ask the Endo to prescribe. I thought she might be able to prescribe the cheaper one. Why would the Endo ask me to ask her to prescribe if it is specialist only? Can anyone make sense of this please? I am sure that I’ve read about other patients obtaining Thybon. Can anyone help? Thank you.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

The GP can prescribe liothyronine if that is taking on the origination of prescribing by a consultant. But it is usually claimed that they cannot initiate such a prescription anew.

If you could afford £50 for 100 tablets, ask your endo (or GP!) for a private prescription. There are at least two UK pharmacies who will supply Thybon Henning at that price.

I also suggest you repeat Yellow Card if you are having ongoing issues which you consider due to the product.

[CarolineAnne in reply to helvella]

Thank you for the info. I could afford to pay £50 but I am on 40 mcg so would need two tablets per day and then the cost of the private prescription. It seems to mount up when as a thyroid patient I should be getting treatment for free. It’s very frustrating! But thank you for your input.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Roseway Labs or Chemist 4 U can supply Thybon Henning 20mcg tablets private prescription only

£50 for 100 tablets

[CarolineAnne in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for the information. Appreciated.