Advice on tablets if liquid thyroxine is still unavailable.

[Tintin0202]

Hi all

Having seen my GP today to discuss the lack of liquid thyroxine, she tells me that they cannot just discontinue providing it on the NHS as there are several patients that can't take thyroxine in any other form. It seems it is all cost related and pharmacies don't want to order it and be out of pocket. She thinks it will be sorted out in due course......

But in the meantime she says I must get some tablets in case I run out of the liquid while it is still unavailable . As I am intolerant to most of the excipients in the tablet form - and I know others will be in the same situation -I wonder if any of you would be kind enough to tell me what tablets work for them. I cannot take Lactose, Acacia powder and Mannitol so I just want to find one with the least amount of fillers.

Having looked at Helvella's amazing list of thyroxine brands I see that Aristo's ingredients are: Maize starch, heavy magnesium oxide, sodium starch glycolate type A, magnesium stearate and microcrystalline cellulose. I don't know what most of those ingredients are, but maybe there are fewer reactions to those? Are there any other brands that have worked for those of you with intolerances to Lactose, Acacia and Mannitol? I hope this will help others as well as me. Many thanks in advance.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Is that really the case though as I found a pharmacy that has so far kept me ticking over in liquid Levo, although with difficulty. I was under the impression that despite it seems to affect virtually all brands of the liquid it was down to ingredient shortages?

[Partner20 in reply to Jaydee1507]

There appear to be shortages of several types of liquid medication, so supply issues with ingredients sounds a plausible explanation.

[Wua13262348]

IF Glenmark levo tablets were available, which they aren't, these would be lactose, mannitol, and maize starch/ corn free. Too good to be true. I had these for a few months before they disappeared entirely. They seemed to suit me fine.

The maize starch in the Aristo is contra-indicated if you have IBS (irritable bowel).