I normally take Mercury Pharma brand of levothyroxine and have done for years after reading this advice on here and having felt to unwell. There have been times when it’s been scarce and there’s been issues getting it but my local pharmacy always managed to find it with very few real delays and only a few times I’ve had to take a substitute. I moved home and had to change doctors and pharmacy. I had to visit a few pharmacists in the area before I found one that said they use the brands supplier and no issue in fulfilling a repeat prescription which goes to them electronically. With various cutbacks, they are part of a small chain of pharmacists in the area, they now have all prescriptions made up at a hub then it’s shipped to each shop (although it still needs a pharmacist to dispense it in the shop (beyond me how it saves money!?). Every time I now collect my meds I have to open the bag is the shop, check the brand and every time it’s the wrong brand, not occasionally, it’s every time. It’s on the shop computer ‘supply Mercury pharma’ but the hub doesn’t read their computer. It takes ages to get my meds as it goes back a forward between them so I tried to shortcut it and ask my doctor during an appointment, explained my reasons for why and he added to my notes ‘ patient can’t tolerate some brands’ then he asked me to ring the (dr’s)surgery pharmacist to make sure it’s added to my written prescription before it is sent to the dispensing pharmacy. He wasn’t willing to put Mercury pharma nor was he willing use the word specific and put patient prefers a particular brand!! I requested this trying to make it easier for the ‘hub’ and the their pharmacy shop where I collect as they seem incapable of communicating to each other. I can make up to six trips to the shop to collect my meds on various day which I’m told the meds are going there to find out they’re not and they can go between shop and hub up to the same number of times because they don’t write why it’s going back. On 23rd December after exactly this routine I went to collect, queued out of the door waiting and only to receive a sealed bag with the wrong brand in it again. When I handed it back, I’m just exasperated and but there is never an apology or even recognition there’s a problem. The pharmacist came to the counter ( someone from another store) and I was told they ‘never’ take orders for specific brands and offered me a mixture of brands instead, I offered to wait whilst they put it on order she said no I’ll give you back the prescription. Im sure others may have had the same experience. Just shocked by the attitude and very upset and concerned I’d have to ring around pharmacists to find out who had it. Anyway, she realised I’d already had one item from the prescription so I was then to,d to go back to my doctor and get a new prescription. I actually left in tears. I rang my surgery and was told to go back they have an obligation to fulfil it and they refused to do another. I am totally exasperated. Please, please is there any advisory medical document which explains to doctors and pharmacists why we ask for a particular brand. I’ve tried hard to explain it is either the lactose or the mannitol etc etc but unfortunately I feel I am just branded a Prima Donna or something who is asking and to be nothing short of awkward. I would be so grateful for any advice that can be printed off and given to them.
Advice on taking specific brand of levothyroxine - Thyroid UK
Advice on taking specific brand of levothyroxine
This type of practice by pharmacies is terrible. My local chemist did similar a year or so back and in the end they folded because they lost so many customers. Its now been taken over by a different group and everything back to being OK.
Firstly I'd recommend switching pharmacy to avoid all the nonsense this type of system brings.
Secondly if you still need evidence of requiring a specific brand then this should work: gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...
Jaydee 1507, many thanks for this information. I will print off the Gov. info sheet and let my surgery have a copy and I will take it to the pharmacy but whether they read it or not is another thing. Many, many thanks
I think many of us have lived this particular nightmare getting caught in their ridiculous systems, best I can suggest is asking you GP to swap you to Vencamil which is a named levothyroxine and therefore can be named on the prescription if they write it correctly. Vencamil is generally well tolerated, lactose, mannitol and acacia free and thankfully now available in more than just 100mcg
They, I'm afraid are only obliged to dispense any generic brand unless named, even if you can get a particular brand mentioned if it doesn't appear on the top line of the prescription which is almost impossible as Levothyroxine Sodium takes up most of the space!!
I'll add the right and wrong versions too
I've yet to get mine written correctly but my surgery do get it for me as they refuse to issue a correct prescription that I could use anywhere else!
I wonder how important it actually is that the brand has to be on top line. My prescription is basically written like the second example and is accepted by Springfield pharmacy
It probably depends on the pharmacy but as I understand it, if brand is written in the first line then they cannot give you anything else, whereas if its anywhere else on the prescription then teey can substitute.
The big problem is that the pharmacy only gets paid for generic levothyroxine if they do not specify a make on the top line.
That makes the pharmacy unwilling to supply a product which costs them more than the generic levothyroxine reimbursement rate.
I suspect that pharmacies would be more willing to indulge us if they didn't lose out by doing so. (Slightly more complex than appears and you have to check the specifics to see what they might lose out by. Sometimes the generic reimbursement is higher than the price but I suspect they usually assume it will be less.)
I'm on Morningside and previously spoke about indicative and drug tariff prices ( not like I understand it). Just checked and Indicative price at moment is £95 a box, drug tariff price £75. 92. If this means they will be £20 out of pocket they will not supply me if wrote wrong. I posted my latest prescription a few days ago, will see what happens
I think it really depends on your pharmacy... I had it very clearly explained to me by the local pharmacy that they wouldn't accept anything other than on the top line else they wouldn't be able to claim any extra cost 😳went back to the surgery to explain this and get it 'corrected' only for them to disagree! Explained that I was obviously caught in the middle of this nonsense and refused to leave with out a resolution.... finally the Surgery Pharmacist saw how impossible it was for me to get the correct brands and agreed to supply them, having always previously refused!... They themselves got it wrong several times but at least it's just a walk around the corner whereas I previously drove 20miles to a less fussy pharmacist until they changed their rules too 🤯
So truthfully who know what nonsense you may encounter out there 🫤
Yes, I understand. Trying to explain to a receptionist is like trying to explain to a 2 year old 🤦🏼♀️then also you don't want to waste gp's time with an appointment just for that.
We have a great surgery pharmacist who works with our rubbish surgery. I ask to have telephone appointment with her now rather than a gp when it's to do with my medications
Grey-Sky we discussed this a while ago, thanks TiggerMe 
Eltroxin is the (completely identical per my pharmacist) branded version of the generic Mercury Pharma product. So, assuming that there are no problems with the supply of Eltroxin now in the UK, you could ask your GP to change your prescription to "Eltroxin" and then you should get them without any hassle!
Hi Hashymo, many thanks for the reply. The problem isn’t a supply issue it’s more that the doctors surgery is unwilling to specify anything at all on the prescription. The pharmacy doesn’t seem to have a problem with supplying Mercury Pharma either but their problem is the prescription is made up at a central point and then sent out to my local pharmacy. The two unfortunately just don’t communicate with each other so anything is sent to fill the prescription, even a mixture of brands. It’s sole destroying and just wastes absolutely everyone’s time.
It isn't just as per a pharmacist, it is as per the company!
I wrote this blog to cover the issue:
helvella - Eltroxin vs Levothyroxine
Email evidence that Eltroxin and Levothyroxine tablets are the same product.
Last updated 28/12/2024
Link to blog:
helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...
However, tablet markings have changed since I received the quoted emails!
mine is mercury pharma too. the prescription reads Eltroxin mercury pharma and its always supplied corectly praps gp would add that?
Exactly the same as you. My scrip says Mercury Pharma only, it’s printed on the label they stick on the Accord box.
Still waiting for two boxes to be replaced
Change of Levo brand??
Constantly changing brands of Levothyroxine 
Levothyroxine brand
Levothyroxine - is Mercury Pharma brand still available
