Does anyone know where I can get Euthyrox levothyroxine

[OllyTojo]

This is the only brand that works for me and I can't find it and I'm running out. Does anyone know where I can source this particular brand?

Many thanks

[helvella Administrator]

It might help to get answers if you add your country to your profile!

And if you say what dosages you are looking for.

And whether you can get a prescription?

If you can get a prescription, you just might be able to get Euthryox from a specialist pharmacy, such as one of these: thyroiduk.org/get-support/t...

Have you tried Aristo Vencamil?

Contains neither lactose, nor mannitol, nor acacia.

Some find it very good for them. (Me!) Currently only in 100 microgram dosages in the UK.

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. There is now a specific world desiccated thyroid document.

I highly recommend viewing on a computer screen, or a decent sized tablet, rather than a phone. Even I find it less than satisfactory trying to view them on my phone.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines - UK

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrixes for levothyroxine tablets, oral solutions and also liothyronine available in the UK. Includes descriptions of tablet markings which allow identification. Latest updates include all declared ingredients for all UK products and links to Patient Information Leaflets, etc.

dropbox.com/s/bo2jzxucgp9hl...

helvella - World Desiccated Thyroid

Contains details of all known desiccated thyroid products.

dropbox.com/scl/fi/gx6dmz5i...

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines - RotW

Contains details of all levothyroxine, liothyronine and combination products - excluding desiccated thyroid products. Details available vary by country and manufacturer.

The link below takes you to a blog page which has direct links to the documents from Dropbox and QR codes to make it easy to access from phones. You will have to scroll down or up to find the link to the document you want.

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

[OllyTojo in reply to helvella]

Hello Helvella

Thank you for this. I've noted all the pharmacy numbers and will give them all a call.

I am on 50mcg daily and am in the UK, Wales. I am officially diagnosed (30 years) and can get prescriptions.

UK brands I tried made me ill and so I was prescribed liothyronine for most of the 30 years which has also been a nightmare in sourcing. Got very ill whilst on a trip to Thailand in 2015 and they did very thorough testing on me . Ended up in endocrinology department where they put me on Euthyrox and the impact was transformational, incredible. Euthyrox by Merk was available through the NHS until Brexit. Since then I've been buying it myself privately. Now my source has dried up.

Is the Aristo Vencamil available on the NHS and easily prescribed by GPs? It would be so much easier and cheaper to be able to go back to prescribed.

Thank you Helvella

[RedApple Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

I suspect your source for Euthyrox by Merck has dried up because Merck changed the formulation by replacing lactose with mannitol. Many people cannot tolerate levo that contains mannitol. However, if you are one of the few that do better on this formulation, you might try the UK Teva brand levo, which also contains mannitol.

[OllyTojo in reply to RedApple]

Thank you Red Apple. I do OK with the Mannitol but not OK with Teva at all. I feel really ill same day with Teva, like I've had no thyroxine at all. I am trying the Almus brand today and actually after feeling a bit rough for a couple of hours, seem to be picking up. It is Anhydrous, same as Euthyrox. Not sure if it's this.

[helvella Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

The expression "levothyroxine sodium anhydrous" means little or nothing.

When they specify the dose, this MUST be in terms of the anhydrous form. Otherwise some batches might be measured using the ingredient when it is anhydrous and others when it is hydrated. That would cause tablets that varied by a few per cent simply due to the water which is obviously unacceptable.

There was a UK levothyroxine oral solution which did this incorrectly and ended up being sub-potent. It disappeared from the market. From around that time, we saw levothyroxine sodium anhydrous being specifically used on many documents.

(The anhydrous form simply has no water molecules. But if you leave levothyroxine sodium anhydrous around, it will draw water from the atmosphere. That could result in anywhere from one to five molecules of water. And, unless you assay the ingredient, you do not know how much.)

Some processes of making tablets involve adding water - which would fully hydrate any levothyroxine sodium - whether or not the ingredient had been anhydrous.

Levothyroxine in tablets that are not blister packed will absorb water. Indeed, the levothyroxine will hydrate as you swallow it, or as it disintegrates and disperses in the stomach.

In case you don't already realise, Almus is Accord product!

helvella - Aristo Levothyroxine Posts

Experiences of taking Aristo levothyroxine as posted on HealthUnlocked.

No longer being updated - since 2023.

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

[RedApple Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

OllyTojo, after feeling a bit rough for a couple of hours, seem to be picking up. '

Have you considered splitting your levo dose? Some of us find we can't cope with the rise in blood level of a full dose in one go. Split dosing, helps with that. e.g. if your usual dose is 100mcg daily, try 50mcg in the morning and 50mcg later in the day (or at bedtime, whichever is convenient).

[OllyTojo in reply to RedApple]

I will try that. Thank you

[helvella Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

Aristo Vencamil is a completely standard UK licensed medicine.

The prescription should be written simply for "Vencamil" (not "levothyroxine"). That is because, technically, it is a branded medicine though it was ioriginally launched as Aristo levothyroxine. It is on most, probably all, GP prescribing systems. New dosages (25, 50 and 75) should be available in three months or so.

[OllyTojo in reply to helvella]

Thank you so much. Sorry to be a pain but do you know if it's a lot more expensive than Teva or Almus, etc. They are VERY cost conscious here.

[helvella Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

NHS Indicative price is £1.77. (Advanz Eltroxin is £1.78!)

"Generic" can be less expensive but are typically around 69p.

The prices in the BNF can give a general idea but this area is incredibly complicated and often at least a little bit wrong or out of date.

I get mine on a prescription that is wrongly written and the pharmacy has simply accepted that I want Aristo - but I did discuss with them before my first prescription for it and they were very helpful.

Price information here:

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/levot...

Let's be realistic. Arguing about it for a few minutes will cost the NHS more than the product itself!

helvella - Aristo Levothyroxine Posts

Experiences of taking Aristo levothyroxine as posted on HealthUnlocked.

No longer being updated - since 2023.

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

[OllyTojo in reply to helvella]

Thank you Helvella. I will look into it. I'm not sure they will prescribe 100mcg for me when I need 50mcg daily but I can but ask. Great to hear they are soon to be bringing in 50mcg. Thank you, definitely one to explore

[helvella Administrator in reply to OllyTojo]

Technically, Vencamil tablets have a split line. In many markets, the patient information clearly shows how to split them - just using your thumb and a hard surface. And they split very easily. But the MHRA seems unwilling to sanction splitting.

[OllyTojo in reply to helvella]

Yes I happily split Euthyrox and naturally no problem at all. I will ask my GP when she comes back from holidays though all the same

[soppysokes in reply to helvella]

Hi Helvella can I ask are you saying that Vencamil is available from nhs uk and is the same as Euthrox, Eutirox in Spain etc.? if so I will try to get my prescription altered to that. I am currently on specified mercury Eltroxin cos euthrox etc not available(even privately they could source it). I cant believe the Mercury eltroxin is same as Merck brands- been switched for 2 years and never felt ‘right’ on it after years of being on Eutirox.

[soppysokes in reply to soppysokes]

oops privately they coukd not source it…

[helvella Administrator in reply to soppysokes]

Vencamil is available on NHS prescription.

It is NOT the same as any other formulation. Not identical to Euthyrox, nor other German makes. But it is different to Advanz/Mercury Pharma, and Accord, and Teva, and Wockhardt.

Can't make any promises. But seems worth a try. Quite a number here take it.

Screenshot of levothyroxine matrix

[soppysokes in reply to helvella]

Thankyou so much for your helpful reply, I will try to get it changed .