Help with prescription

[020202]

Hi,

I currently take Levothyroxine in 25 mcg and 50 mcg, the pharmacy only have the 50’s and not the 25’s.

Does anyone know if they can issue the 50’s and let me take the prescription for the 25’s elsewhere, or would I need to get the doctors to make two separate prescriptions?

Thank you

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

020202,

It depends!

Do you get paper prescriptions? Are you in England? Then I think you are out of luck. They can only issue an "owing" note applicable to that pharmacy only.

If your prescriptions are entirely digital and you use the NHS app, then I think this is one of the issues that is supposed to have been addressed by the new "barcode" option announced the other day.

[020202 in reply to helvella]

Thank you Helvella, I am in England. I order via system online and the doctors digitally send it to the pharmacy, the NHS app might be different to the one I use, I will have to look into it, as that would make it easier

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to 020202]

I'm afraid I have no idea if the new barcode system works with any other apps. I think you will have to ask the pharmacy.

[HealthStarDust]

If your prescription is authorised to a nominated pharmacy, then no. You’ll be offered an I owe you. Or, the pharmacy can send the prescription back to the GP (I have no idea how that works). The latter is often the case if you have a specified medication and there are stock issues.

If it isn’t, I think it depends on whether you have either one or two prescriptions. If you have two prescriptions, one for the 25mcg and another for the 50mcg then theoretically it is possible to use different pharmacies for the different prescriptions.

Let us know how you get on as I am curious about the outcome.

Good luck.

[020202]

A little update, the pharmacy have said they can send the prescription back to the doctors as both items are on the same prescription and then I would need to get the doctors to issue a new prescription.

I called the doctors to discuss, if they issue a new prescription they said the renewal date will go from the date they issue the new prescription so I would lose a couple of weeks on my renewal, giving me less time to get my hold of my next prescription! (I asked this as I was sure years ago I had the same problem).

As it’s something taken daily surely the repeat prescription dates should remain the same regardless of when the prescription is put in, otherwise if it happens again I wouldn’t have time to get my next lot of medication before I run out?

I’ve gone back to the pharmacy and they are going to try and order them again, if not I will have to get the doctors to re prescribe them but I will ask for two separate prescriptions so I can take them to two pharmacies.

Going forward I’ll see if I can have two prescriptions to save being tied to one pharmacy.