Is it possible to buy liquid levo via the internet cheaply from abroad without a prescription?

[Wua13262348]

Can this be done? Can anyone shed light on this? Cost? If anyone has a cheap source a private message would be appreciated. I am in the UK.

[Bollieforme]

I get liquid levo on prescription, ask your Gp if you can switch?

[Wua13262348 in reply to Bollieforme]

I have liquid levo on prescription. It is impossible to get hold of at the moment. Have you obtained a prescription for liquid in last week or so? If so what make was it and strength?

[Bollieforme in reply to Wua13262348]

Mine is 50mg I need 75 so I take one and half syringe I am on Teva.

[Wua13262348 in reply to Bollieforme]

I got Teva liquid 18/8/22, but it hasn't been available since at least 20/9/22. Have you been able to source it since 20/9/22. It was 50mcg I got too, and I too am on 75mcg now.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I have never heard of any levothyroxine oral solution being available without prescription.

The simple fact that is is so much heavier means it is much ore difficult to transport and store.

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

Are you aware if it is available cheaply abroad without a prescription, at all? I know someone who goes to Spain every couple of months . Do you know if Spain sell it over the counter at all, for instance?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Wua13262348]

I am pretty sure it will not be cheap anywhere.

As you have asked about Spain, the product below is approved. No idea about availability or cost.

This is known as Tirosint SOL in the USA. Small plastic containers with one dose in each - which is a liquid. Lots of different dosages are available.

SOLSINT 100 MICROGRAMOS SOLUCION ORAL EN ENVASE UNIDOSIS

(Automatic translation: SOLSINT 100 MICROGRAMS, ORAL SOLUTION IN UNIT-DOSE CONTAINER)

cima.aemps.es/cima/publico/...

Summary of Product Characteristics (in Spanish):

cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtml/...

Patient Information Leaflet (in Spanish):

cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtml/...

And, for information, whilst we as individuals are allowed to import such medicines for our own use (and that of our household), this does NOT mean that it is legal for someone to bring it in for you. Just so you don't end up in a position which is difficult - for you or your friends. Don't lie to Border Force/Customs! Chances of anyone noticing are probably slight but better to know.

We hear of people buying levothyroxine without prescription in Spain but I wouldn't assume that will be possible until you have checked.

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

Wonderful information. Thank you. It sounds wonderful if you can get your hands on it!

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

I posted recently about finding a new brand on the shelf of my local independent chemist.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You need to find out who your local independent pharmacy is, phone them and ask them what they can get hold of. If necessary get your GP to rewrite your prescription if it's a different strength to your usual prescription.

[Wua13262348 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Ah, yes. They already had 1 bottle. Brillpharma was the brand Lloyds pharmacy was dispensing in August. If the independent pharmacy can't get your balance, it must be out of stock too.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Wua13262348]

Well it's rare for any pharmacy to keep it on their shelves, I think due to the cost of it. When I picked up the 1 bottle they did have he said not to go back for the balance too soon, so not even tried yet. Will wait a few weeks which is fine, I have enough at the moment. Yes it was BrillPharma, this was 5 days ago.

I wouldn't like the idea of buying it online, the cost would be silly anyway. If I get really, really stuck I'd go for one of the non Teva lactose free if they were around.

[Wua13262348]

Was it Brillpharma?

[Hookie01]

Have you phoned the manufacturer to see if there are supply issues? A lot of the time the pharmacies aren't being honest. If there are no issues you will have to hunt for a decent pharmacy.

[Delilahmy]

hi Wua just wondering what the benefit is of liquid thyroxine …. I’ve been on levo tablet for 34 years and struggled. My endo has just added t3 as a trial… which I think is benefitting me slowly …. I may have the liquid conversation with him … Thankyou

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Delilahmy]

There are many claims about liquid levothyroxine.

Advantages

• Better absorption (possibly approaching 100% compared against 60 to 80% from tablets).

• Fewer excipients.

• Reduced interference with absorption by other substances – such as coffee.

• Avoids some excipients which are very common in tablets (for example, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, gelatinised corn starch and other corn/maize derived substances).

Disadvantages

• Expensive.

• Some find it awkward/messy to take.

• Some find the relatively large quantities of glycerol or other sugar alcohols cause gut problems.

• Some do not tolerate E219 – a very commonly used preservative.

[Delilahmy in reply to helvella]

Thankyou Helvella

[Tintin0202]

Well, to continue this ongoing saga, my doctor's dispensary has just rung me to say that Lloyds can no longer get any liquid thyroxine and they think that all makes are being discontinued and that all old stock has run out. She told me that I would now have to find a tablet that suits me as we will no longer be able to get liquid thyroxine because of the cost. So, what to do next? I was fine for over 10 years on tablets and then the pharmacy gave me a generic tablet and that is when I started to react to the pills. Can anyone give me a brand name that they can recommend that many not cause reactions please? I will study Helvella's list of brands and ingredients too. I know I can't take Teva brand or anything with Lactose, Mannitol, Acacia and probably other excipients. I am sure there will be several members in the same boat, so any input will be much appreciated by us all. Many thanks!

[Wua13262348 in reply to Tintin0202]

I was going to post on the forum today with much the same thing.

I think because liquid levo is much more expensive than t3, the nhs will discontinue prescribing liquids because of the cost, in the same way that they withdrew t3 years ago. I think driver shortages and supply chain issues are their way of hiding the true reason it is unavailable. It suits their purpose perfectly to hide behind these issues, when it all comes down to cost.

Patients who can't swallow tablets will be told to grind the tablets with a pestle and mortar, and drink the powder in water!

I think what you have been told will be absolutely right. It is the t3 saga over again, but this time it is liquid levo.

I was told that Boots system was showing green for an Alliance liquid levo, meaning available, and from premises about 6 miles away from me. This was on 3/10/22, I think.

Boots owe me a balance of 1 bottle on a prescription from 20/9/22, I think. I got 1 bottle of Wockhardt then that I had refused 18/8/22, when I got Teva liquid.

Their system just shows that an Alliance liquid is available, but when ordered does not arrive. It is different staff every time I have raised the issue.

Last time I spoke to Boots they said in an emergency they are allowed to use the supplier Lloyds usually uses, and she would order from them, as well as her own supplier, as I thought Jaydee had managed to get the Brillpharma Lloyds were supplying 18/8/22 as an order from an independent chemist, when the independent actually was holding it as a stock item. Jaydee now has a balance on her prescription, like me.

I previously e mailed Bristol labs on 9/8/22 to ask if they were the makers of Brillpharma and supplying Lloyds pharmacies, as at that time LLoyds knew they could get "Bristol" but nothing about the ingredients it contained.

I asked for a speedy reply, but didn't get one until 19/8/22, in poor English. They confirmed they are the makers of Brillpharma, but to approach my pharmacy for supply, naming the distributors as AAH and AAH Trident. They stated that , generally, they won't supply directly to patients.

I emailed them again last night. I asked why it is unobtainable at the moment, and whether it will be available again in the future. I pointed out that AAH have none, and that no brand of any strength seems to be available at the moment, and could they tell me the reason for this.

I don't expect I will get a reply.

I believe what you have been told will be correct, and had worked it out before I even saw your post on the forum.

Could someone tag Helvella with this reply as I said I would let him/her know the situation with the Boots Alliance liquid levo position. I'm hopeless with computers and can't take new things in at the moment.

The Glenmark levo tablet suited me but it disappeared off the face of the earth and is unobtainable. That tablet would likely suit, but is unobtainable.

Thanks for the info you have provided, which I believe will be true!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Wua13262348]

Has anyone contacted Glenmark to ask why their levothyroxine disappeared?

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

Yes, when Glenmark disappeared off the face of the earth.

In Scotland there is an independent chemist chain not too far from me, but far enough away to be awkward to use, called Dicksons.

The managing director phoned the premises listed on the Glenmark leaflet in England for me when it disappeared (19/7/22), as it is the only tablet lactose, mannitol and maltitol/maize free. I heard her on another line whilst I held on on the phone.

She was sympathetic as she, personally, is lactose intolerant, and knows personally how much of a nuisance it can be.

She asked them what the situation was as she could see from her systems that there was no Glenmark in the network available for distribution.

They couldn't answer her query whilst on the phone, and they were supposed to get back to her. She was supposed to get back to me.

Never heard from her again. I was desperate as I had no tablets left. The G.P. prescribed liquid levo at this point, which resolved the issue for me.

I tried to research Glenmark and think it is Indian. The managing director thought the same. She seemed to think Mumbai in India.

My brother has worked in India and says India is a big producer of pharmaceutals. I think they are supposed to manufacture a lot of the covid vaccines . My brother thought it might be a possibility that you could purchase from there via the internet.

I had a look to see if that looked likely, but drew a blank I'm afraid.

I have the leaflet for Glenmark. The Manufacturer is listed as:

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd., Building 2, Croxley Gren, Business Park, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, WD18 8YA, U.K.

The Marketing Authorisation Holder is:

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd., Laxmi House, 2B DraycottAvenue, Kenton, Middlesex, HA3 0BU, U.K.

Other information:

Levothyroxine Tablets are packed in blisters supplied in boxes containing 28,30,50,56,60,84,100 and 112 tablets and also packed in HDPE bottles with oxygen absorbing canister; sealed with polypropylene child resistant screw cap and heat seal linear containing 28, 56, 100, 112, and 1000 tablets.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed. Leaflet last revised in April 2021.

The Glenmark tablets I had had an expiry date of 01/2023, pc:05060204166648,sn:224w37y93f7g, lot: 20210515

I don't know if that helps at all.

Glenmark tablets would probably suit everyone. The problem is how to get them. It was only independent chemists who had them for a limited period, and they were supplied to them through Phoenix, if that's any help? My local independent chain who supplied it to me said when I needed them again and they just get what comes in, and it wasn't Glenmark that came in after that. They said they couldn't order them!

Hope that helps.

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

I wouldn't be surprised if they had come from India , even though there is a manufacturing address in England. The tablets were so tightly sealed in foil that they couldn't be pressed out to take. They had to be cut out, very carefully.

[Wua13262348 in reply to helvella]

I have now e mailed Glenmark and asked how to obtain their levothyroxine tablets, and asking why they disappeared in July of this year.

I informed them of the likely discontinuation of all liquid oral levothyroxines and the need for patients to be able to find a suitable tablet as an alternative.

I informed them that their Glenmark Levothyroxine tablet is the only suitable alternative, and that this creates a large market for their product.

I have also said that if it was to be regularly and reliably and freely available, other thyroid patients would also be likely to switch to their product.

IF i get a reply, I will let you know what they have said.