Mercury Liquid Levothyroxine - Has anyone been getting it recently?

[Bellthyroid]

Was taking Mercury Liquid Levo and was doing really well. Am having trouble getting a new prescription is anyone else here having the same issues?

[Star13]

Haven’t got that for months, seems Zentiva is the main one around.

[Bellthyroid in reply to Star13]

Yes, I can get Zentiva and Teva and Brill Pharma - but typically the one I get on best with is Mercury

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Try these pharmacies

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

When someone reports that a particular medicine cannot be obtained by their pharmacy, I always suggest they consider contacting the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer directly.

We have had many occasions when the information given by the pharmacy to the member has not been accurate.

Examples with good outcomes have included:

• There were issues, but they are now, or will very shortly be, resolved;

• There is no issue and it is not clear why the pharmacy said there was;

• The product has a new branding - and is now only available under the new name;

• Give the pharmacist some information and they will be able to get the product.

And examples with bad outcomes:

• The product is no longer available;

• There is an issue that will not be resolved in the time required;

• The product has been recalled.

Quite often, members have found that the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer can and will advise how a pharmacy can obtain stock. At the worst, you can find out from an authoritative source that there really is an issue that will not be resolved. With pharmacies, you will almost always have at least one extra company - the distributor - between the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer and the pharmacy, allowing confusion to enter.

Chain pharmacies can make things more difficult by preventing individual pharmacists ordering directly from companies. Even then, they can ring the manufacturer and pass on information to others in their organisation.

Some pharmaceutical companies/manufacturers have been extremely helpful to members who have contacted them.

The company name is not always the same as the brand name. You can find the company name on the packaging (though in smaller letters and possibly on the back or bottom) and at the bottom of the Patient Information Leaflet. For example, Mercury Pharma is a brand name but the company is Advanz.

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

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

Or the British National Formulary's list:

bnf.nice.org.uk/guidance/in...

Also, check the documentation for all the levothyroxine oral solutions. I think you will find some are identical to each other (made by same company and with the exact same ingredients).

However, there were some takeovers and company name changes over the past few years which might not yet be reflected - so be careful.