T3 Brand issues

[Dymockn]

Hi Everyone,

Posting this for my wife, who has underactive thyroid and currently takes 112.5mg T4 & 10mg of T4 / day.

My wife had Mercury Pharma T3 for years from Boots but in the last 12 months or do they have been dispensing a different brand every time she goes.

She has had all sorts of problems since this has happened, headaches, aching joints, feeling low etc etc. She is on the backend (hopefully) of the menopause which does complicate things, but she is convinced that the constant change of T3 brands is causing many of her issues.

Her consultant says brand doesn’t matter but we can see from reading the many posts on this forum that she is not alone in these thoughts.

We have asked the doctors before to specify a Mercury pharmacy on the prescription but they won’t.

Has anyone had any success doing this and if so have you got any advice to help us persuade our GP?

Thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

suggest you try specialist thyroid pharmacies

thyroiduk.org/get-support/t...

GP could be helpful and specify brand T3

Does she always get same brand levothyroxine

[Dymockn in reply to SlowDragon]

unfortunately, it’s the same with levothyroxine as well, different brand each time. We assume it’s whichever is cheapest that week 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Jefner in reply to Dymockn]

for literally all of this year I have to phone my pharmacy on EVERY script for everything I have to ensure I get what I need, it's beyond ridiculous

[Dymockn in reply to Jefner]

that’s terrible

[Jefner]

brand does matter!!!!!!!!!! your doctor CAN most definitely specify brand names against your meds and you can quote when asking them again to do it, that the NHS website clearly states that patients are recommended to stay on the same brand. Phone your GP back and request it and say that your wife has bad reactions to certain brands and they have a duty of care by law. My GP has done that for me although it doesn't mean that you WILL get the specified brand. I have had the same issue for a long time now and have been through the mill about it with various pharmacies. They say that even though a brand is specified on the script they will do their best to get it but if they can't they can't, so then it's a case of ringing round different pharmacies to see who can. This is a continual thing with me every time I put my script in

[Dymockn in reply to Jefner]

Thanks Jefner, useful information, we will try again with the GP.

[tcpace in reply to Jefner]

Absolutely, brand really does matter. My wife is T3 only and cannot tolerate Teva T3 at all. It makes her extremely anxious and emotional. She's fine with Morningside which the GP now specifies on her prescription.

[Anthea55]

This summary was nearly a year ago so there may be more brands since then, but it gives you an idea of the extra ingredients in pills.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

By the way, always worth checking what's in the bag before you leave the pharmacy.

[Dymockn in reply to Anthea55]

Thanks

[ThyroidieGriaffe]

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...

This was MHRA guidance on levo when changes innbrands leave patients symptomatic. May be helpful.

[Dymockn in reply to ThyroidieGriaffe]

Thanks, very useful

[samaja]

Pharmacists know that brand matters as well and some are helpful if you talk to them and ask them to get you a specific brand before your repeat is due or make a note for themselves and get you what you want.

[Dymockn in reply to samaja]

Thanks, maybe it gindind a a good pharmacy as well.