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Ibuprofen 400

Posted by beaton

26 Jan 2013

Hi everyone,All the talk of tablets etc. has made me think. I have a prescription for Ibuprofen 400 from my GP,I always use the same Boots chemist for my prescriptions,well there's not much choice. The last three occasions my Ibuprofen has come in those old fashioned brown bottles,no patient info. leaflet. The tablets are large pink smarties type with no writing on them. Is this normal practice?
Oh and my Levo used to come in a silver carton with the almus logo,today they have come in a gold carton,still with logo. On the leaflet is the name actavis. Are these the same brand I have always had?

Leave a comment See 27 comments

27 comments

CarolynB Admin

26 Jan 2013

I believe Almus and Actavis are the same thing but I'm not entirely sure. I would have to do a little research.

As for the ibuprofen, it's not unusual or a chemist to do this (the 400mg ibuprofen I last bought are the hot-pink smartie-shaped ones you mention) but they should still provide you with a patient information leaflet. Next time it would be wise to make sure they have provided one before you leave the pharmacy. They should be doing this without having to be asked.

With levo, however, it is best to stick with the same brand.

Carolyn x

Joanna

27 Jan 2013

Hi I think that the bright pink ibuprofen could be cuprofen but not sure. They contain ibuprofen and do the same job.

Jo xx

CarolynB Admin

26 Jan 2013

Just to confirm, the tablets will still be Actavis, it's just the distributor that is changed. Apparently the distributor of Actavis levo can either be Actavis, Almus or Lloyds.

See point 4 on page 2 of this document www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups...

I hope that helps

beaton

26 Jan 2013

Thanks Caroline,Someone else collected my prescription today. I do feel better about the Levo though.
As for the Ibuprofen,I think I am more worried from a safety point.Nice pink smarties may get into little hands.

CarolynB Admin

26 Jan 2013

That is a good point! Perhaps next time you could specify that you would prefer not to have those for that very reason.

beaton

26 Jan 2013

Yes Caroline think I'll mention it to my GP.

CarolynB Admin

26 Jan 2013

The pharmacist themselves may be able to give you a different brand too. They do tend to stock several for over the counter purchase so it shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't have thought.

helvella Admin

26 Jan 2013

In my humble opinion, no medicine should EVER be handed over by a pharmacist without a Patient Information Leaflet. Certainly, I cannot see why they produce PILs which say "Read this carefully ..." if it is not important for you to be given them.

I believe you should always be given one if you ask.

Bright pink is a "traditional" colour for Ibuprofen. (Though I know there are variations such as shades of range and even white.) Yet another reason to keep them a) in a securely closed container with a "childproof" closure; b) well away from children, preferably locked up (the pills, not the children!).

Patient Information Leaflets for a lot of medicines are readily available online form here:

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/

But, if you do not know which make you have, it is obviously difficult to identify the right PIL!

helvella Admin

26 Jan 2013

"shades or ORANGE" - of course!

beaton

27 Jan 2013

Yes,My point entirely.( Mind I do know a few children who could do with locking up.).

Framboise

26 Jan 2013

My niece is a pharmacist and we've discussed some of these questions because they're odd. She has to give the PIL regardless of what packaging the meds are in unless all the relevant information is contained on the label, you definitely shouldn't have to ask for one. I think this might cover it:
www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregula...

On the other hand medicines only have to be in child proof bottles or packaging if they contain aspirin, paracetamol or a certain amount of iron, but you can always ask for a child proof bottle:
www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregula...
I'm surprised at that considering how often health and safety is quoted at us for less important things.

helvella Admin

26 Jan 2013

Thanks Framboise.

We do hear a number of people here saying they did not get a PIL. And it is hard to think of ANY medicine for which all relevant information could be contained on a label - unless the information is short and the label large! Maybe, jut about, on a carton of some sort.

I had failed to realise that the child-proof issues was so restricted. I guess these are the classic ones that get left lying around?

Framboise

26 Jan 2013

I think it's a historical thing and that years ago those were the most prescribed medicines and the legislation hasn't caught up, but you'd it would have done by now considering there was a new law last year, wouldn't you! But Germany has a different law apparently so no doubt the EU will sort it out soon, it's possibly one of the better things they might standardise

beaton

27 Jan 2013

Thanks for that. The problem with the ibuprofen is a large bottle in a handbag is not practical,people use pill boxes etc. to carry a smaller supply with them making the meds easily accessed by small children. I also think it is wrong that there is no markings on these tablets.

Tiggysmummy

27 Jan 2013

My levothyroxine was in a silver packet and is now gold... I questiond the pharmacist and she said that all levothyroxine packaging had changed colour so it did not get muddled up as all doses were in silver packaging and now all the different doses are in different colours .x

beaton

27 Jan 2013

I have both 50 and 100 mcg. both are in gold packaging. The flash on the end is a different colour

helvella Admin

27 Jan 2013

Could you let me know what label is on those boxes?

beaton

27 Jan 2013

The levo boxes?
Both are now gold instead of silver. 100mcg has a purple flash on the front and the 50mcg has an orange flash.So just the same but the boxes are both gold.

RedApple Admin

27 Jan 2013

Hi Tiggysmummy, this is interesting. Can you tell us what name is on the box and do you get this thyroxine from a high street pharmacy chain like Boots or Lloyds?

picton

27 Jan 2013

I rarely get the same brand of generic drug twice in a row, for several drugs other than those I get where there is no generic brand! That includes at Boots, although I don't use them very often.

My Mother gets Levothyroxine and I have never known her get it other than loose in a brown bottle certainly since the 1970s! I use NDT, so don't get L-Thyroxine, but I never knew it came any other way than in a bottle!

As for non-child proof bottles, I have not had one of those for more than 25 years!
You can get them if you specifically ask for them (for people for example with arthritic hands)

helvella Admin

27 Jan 2013

Whereas I have never seen "loose" levothyroxine - only blister packs!

I suspect that the major chains only deal with blister packs - and smaller, local pharmacies are where you might still find loose.

beaton

27 Jan 2013

I think the small pharmacies use up their bits. In the past I have had of-cuts of blister packs.(for other meds.not levo.)No wonder it takes so long for them to fill your prescription. I imagine them popping blister packs into bottles.

Tiggysmummy

27 Jan 2013

Hi red apple , I get mine from boots and it's made by ALMUS, my new packaging is gold with purple flash... X

RedApple Admin

27 Jan 2013

Thanks Tiggysmummy.

Almus is the Boots own brand name. Boots don't actually make their own levothyroxine. Inside the box should be a PIL (Patient Information Leaflet). If you have a read of that, somewhere on it you should find it states who the real manufacturer is... it may well say Activis.

Tiggysmummy

27 Jan 2013

Hi red apple , thank you for that info... I'm very new to this as I was only diagnosed in December :-(( I only know things about thyroid problems from what I'm reading on the net, I had been feeling very unwell for along time( i actually thought I had altzimers) x

MCoates

28 Jan 2013

The last time i was given a prescription without a PIL i just went back to the pharmacy and asked for one by law they have to give you one they try not to when they give you them in generic boxes or bottles as theres only one with every box/bottle of tablets they are supplied by the distributor(so im told by my pharmacist).

As far as i knew the 400ibuprofens which is double strenght from the over the counters are always pink but might be wrong i agree though they do look like smarties and i would prefer them in a child proof bottle.

beaton

29 Jan 2013

Thanks for that. I think the fact that the Ibuprofen has no markings on is bad practice.

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