Levothyroxine ARISTO what pharmacies can you get it from?

[Merlio18]

I need to source Aristo to try and was wondering what pharmacies stock ARISTO LEVOTHYROXINE as my local pharmacies supplier says it is temporary out of stock so need to try different pharmacies incase they have a different supplier that can source it for me?

[TiggerMe]

You might find they are having trouble ordering it as the generic Aristo has been taken off the usual suppliers lists and replaced by the named Vencamil.... generic Aristo is still available but certainly Alliance have taken it off their list

Worth having a word with your usual pharmacist and getting them to check 🤗

I had this issue a few weeks ago... healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Merlio18 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thanks what happened did you managed to get some?

[TiggerMe in reply to Merlio18]

Yes, there isn't any problem with supply just the fact that pharmacists need to order it by name... Vencamil has a different PIP code so unless they go looking for it by name it doesn't come up under Aristo on their system🤷‍♀️

I still haven't won the battle to get my surgery to write the prescription correctly but they have agreed that they will supply it!.... We shall see 🙏 my prescription just reads Levothyroxine Sodium 100mcg (Vencamil)

For the last year+ I have used Badham's an independent as my surgery wouldn't supply lactose free, it hasn't been an issue until they requested a correctly written prescription for the named item🙄

[Merlio18 in reply to TiggerMe]

Ok great so if I go back to the pharmacy this one is attached to the GP and ask for vencamil to see if they can source it as they rang the supplier and asked for Aristo and it said there was temporary out of stock and when they order they wouldn't know what specific name they would get as they order in bulk?

[TiggerMe in reply to Merlio18]

With it now named it should be more straight forward getting it BUT they don't seem to have integrated computer systems or maybe don't check the updates? 😕

It seems to fall to us to do the detective work 🕵️‍♀️

I had a similar problem when they reduced the size of Testogel sachets

Luckily on my 4th trip to the pharmacy I got a smart, switched on young lady who found out what had changed 😅

PIP Code for Vencamil is 123-4418 but the name should do the trick, it is still supplied by Alliance

[Merlio18 in reply to TiggerMe]

What's the pip code used for?

[TiggerMe in reply to Merlio18]

Unique code for the product... they should be able search for it either way

[Merlio18 in reply to TiggerMe]

Iav just gone back to the Pharmacy and asked them to look for Vencamil any dose and they said they can get 100 mg is that right ? As I thought Aristo did different dosages as the GP as written it for 25mg to try on my prescription as I use to only have a 50 mg and 5 liothyronine combination

[TiggerMe in reply to Merlio18]

That’s right, they only do 100mcg at the moment but they have a groove and are easily split in half, though your pharmacist has to be happy with you doing that 🫤 so up to them.

Other doses were due out this year but think they have pushed it back to next year helvella has all the latest news

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Merlio18]

There is only one dosage - 100 micrograms (mcg).

Aristo have other dosages in the pipeline but there seem to be delays in the approval/authorisation pipeline through the MHRA. Unlikely to arrive before June 2024 - unfortunately.

Details of ALL UK authorised/approved thyroid hormone medicines are in my UK medicines document. You can see which products are available in the various dosages.

helvella's medicines documents (UK and Rest of the World) can be found here:

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

helvella has created, and tries to maintain, documents containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

This link takes you to a page which has direct links to the documents from Dropbox and Google Drive, and QR codes to make it easy to access from phones.

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrix for tablets, oral solutions and liothyronine available in the UK.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Merlio18 in reply to helvella]

Iam just been to my local village small independent pharmacy and the pharmacist showed me the computer and there is two medications

1 is ARISTO LEVOTHYROXINE by alcura - this one is a specials so GP would have to specifically write on the prescription for the pharmacy to be able to directly contact the supplier to request this one

1 is Vencamil levothyroxine by ARISTO pharma ?

And they both have different pip codes !

So which is the one people seem to be able to tolerate that's free from as I am abit confused now and both only do 100mg

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Merlio18]

Alcura is a distributor. They might, or might not, have any Aristo Levothyroxine.

Vencamil is a brand name used by Aristo.

They do have different PIP codes but they are identical except for the packaging.

Exactly the same tablets.

I put this in a reply on your other post:

Aristo have more or less stopped supplying Aristo Levothyroxine sodium - and supply Aristo Vencamil. Apparently the problems of supplying both versions were too great.

Alliance (who supply Boots and some other pharmacies) immediately stopped accepting any Aristo Levothyroxine sodium. I do not know the details regarding any other distributors.

You should ask your GP surgery to re-write your prescription to specify Aristo Vencamil.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Please look at my medicines document (linked in earlier reply on this thread). It lists products and things like PIP codes. And adds some extra information.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Merlio18]

Also have a look at my blog about this - which includes pictures of the packaging and other information:

helvella.blogspot.com/2023/...

Screenshot of blog

[Merlio18 in reply to helvella]

Ok great so Aristo levo there discontinued and it's under the brand name Vencamil now through ARISTO pharma ltd. So on the prescription see if the GP will write Vencamil 100mg (Aristo pharma ltd)

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Merlio18]

Pretty much.

But the "old" generic packaging might still be available from some pharmacies.

[Regenallotment]

Mine is the pharmacy attached to the GP clinic. Looks a bit like a Lloyds but isn’t branded.

[Merlio18 in reply to Regenallotment]

Would you be able to find out the name ?

[Regenallotment in reply to Merlio18]

I think it’s an independent sorry. I didn’t know about this either and will need to navigate it with mine when their stocks run out. 🌱

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Aristo have more or less stopped supplying Aristo Levothyroxine sodium - and supply Aristo Vencamil. Apparently the problems of supplying both versions were too great.

Exactly the same tablets.

Alliance (who supply Boots and some other pharmacies) immediately stopped accepting any Aristo Levothyroxine sodium. I do not know the details regarding any other distributors.

You should ask your GP surgery to re-write your prescription to specify Aristo Vencamil.

Suggest you simply start ringing round all the pharmacies that are accessible to you. Any of them could have a few packets on the shelf.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Other than the issue outlined by others already you would need to phone around your local chemists to check who has what you need in stock as supplies can be very localised.