Northstar

[Lynne75]

Good morning I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and New year.

I posted a few months back about my chemist giving me and brand of levothyroxine,due to anxiety I prefer to take medication that suits me,so my doctor stated on my prescription WOCKHARDT only,I’ve collected my medication and they are northstar! I rang the chemist to be told they don’t get my original ones in anymore,I have 1 day of wockhardt left,so it’s looking like il have to throw caution to the wind and start northstar,surely chemists can try harder if they know a patient needs a certain named medication,anyone had to use these brands and how did you find going from one to another.

Thank you x

[helvella Administrator]

I assume you are referring to the 25 microgram dosage of Northstar? If so, they are Teva levothyroxine product. Some people find them the best of all UK levothyroxine'; others find they cause issues. The only way of finding out (unless you know there is an ingredient to which you are sensitive) is to try them.

If possible, it is best to try a new or different make while you still have some of the old product available. That way, should you find you cannot tolerate them, you can switch back. Obviously too late for that now.

Afraid that for the future, you will have to discuss with the available pharmacies which one will provide what has been prescribed. Not sure if they are even allowed to change like that but some rules were eased to cope with shortages, etc.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

I have created, and try to maintain, a document containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

From Dropbox:

dropbox.com/s/shcwdwpedzr93...

From Google Drive:

drive.google.com/file/d/12N...

[Lynne75 in reply to helvella]

Hello yes the 25mcg tablets,I don’t think my chemist will be open today,last time they got some from a chemist up the road,I will see if I can get something sorted today,if not I will have to try the northstar ones and hopefully they are suitable.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Anxiety is common hypothyroid symptom

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

ALWAYS test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

ESSENTIAL to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year

Low vitamin levels common when under medicated for thyroid

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[Lynne75 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi I’m taking 50mcg a day,I started in july 2021,I haven’t had my bloods tested as my doctors keep ringing me up saying they’ll do them in 6 weeks time,then I go to book my appointment and they call me back saying to wait another 6 weeks,they are useless x

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Lynne75]

Hi wow, that's really bad care. You could try testing privately, many members do. Thyroid UK has a list of private UK testing companies and its not too expensive. I paid £26.10 for a thyroid panel just before Xmas and got my results the next day. Your anxiety could be due to being undermedicated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Lynne75

Remember to always check your medication bag before leaving the pharmacy. Best to do it before moving away from the counter. If there's anything incorrect you can hand it back and they will accept it but you can't give it back once you've stepped outside the shop. If they can't get your brand then ask for your prescription back and ring round to find a pharmacy that can get it for you.

[Lynne75 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi I did open it in the chemist and enquire why it was different,she explained then that they couldn’t get my usual brand,I came home looked at the ingredients between the two and I rang the chemist to ask if there was anyway they could get my wockhardt,they said no.Looking back I should of asked for my script but with so much on my mind I just never thought x

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Lynne75]

Hi

As Susie says you could get your script back and try elsewhere. I get Accord as a named brand on mine and my pharmacy has tried to give me Mercury before as they couldn't get Accord in. I checked around and the pharmacy down the road from mine stocked Accord so I got the GP to resend the prescription to them. Fortunately it was a one off.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lynne75]

So it sounds like your pharmacy is being lazy in not obtaining your stated brand, a lot of them do this.

If you ring Wockhardt they will be able to tell you if there are any supply problems, which I strongly suspect there aren't.