# Methimazole transdermal gel



## paulg25 (Feb 27, 2014)

Hi All - new to the forum. I am trying to find a supplier of Methimazole in transdermal gel form in the UK. My cat Malcolm (only 6 years old) is on it and it is keeping the worst of his symptoms at bay. However the price has just gone up by 33%! It is now £50 a month. I cannot afford the radio iodine. I have contacted some USA based companies but they will only supply to a US prescription. My vet will give me a 6 month prescription. My vet gets it from Summit Pharmaceuticals.

Thanks - Paul :sad:


----------



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Summit is the only place that I have heard of to provide it here in uk.
I know the radio iodine is expensive at around £1200 but if you are paying £50 a month it would work out a lot cheaper in the long run.
Sorry not to be of more help


----------



## Sanremoelly (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi at last viovet.co.uk is supplying Methlimazole transdermal gel and cheaper than the vet is charging.


----------



## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

I only know of Summit.

Is surgery an option for this kitty if meds are proving costly?


----------



## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Oh bloody hell, skeleton thread again. Sorry everyone!


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Hi Paul,
Could you please give me the name of the Vet who could give a 6 months prescription.
Many thanks
Ling


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Ling18 - Paul (the OP) has not logged on to the forum for over 2 years so you may not get a reply from hiim I fear.

Your regular vet should be able to give you a 6 month prescription for this medicine. My vet was happy to do so, when I had a cat in the past who required the drug.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks Chillminx,
My Vet only wants to give 3 months, constantly asking for blood test !!!
Is your vet in London, do you mind to give me the name.
Ling


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

He wants blood tests because it's vey important to make sure the right dose is being given.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

I do understand that, but I found from most pet website, blood is required to monitor every 6 months. Not 3 months


----------



## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

Ling18 said:


> I do understand that, but I found from most pet website, blood is required to monitor every 6 months. Not 3 months


My hyperthyroid cat is monitored every three months now she is stable. She had blood tests very frequently until my vet was satisfied with her levels. Transdermal gel can give different results as time goes on. It is recommended for stabilising cats prior to surgery or iodine treatment although my vet has used it successfully long term but I had to change my cat to tablets after about 6 months.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks.
I will wait to hear from the two other person who said their Vet prescribed 6 months medication, as this is what I found over 30 searches on Internet.


----------



## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

@Ling18 There is now a liquid version that has just come out called thyronorm made by norbrook.

Although not specifically validated for adding to food, it can be as it doesn't have a nasty taste. (Has a taste of honey though some cats may not like this)

Perhaps have a chat with the vets about this as an option.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks.
I am not searching for an alternative to Methmazole as it worked wonders, I am very contented just don't like too frequent blood test, felt Threatened !
Don't want my Cat to be Guinea pig to try new medicine !


----------



## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

OK. 

Unfortunately can't help further.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Ling18 said:


> Thanks.
> I am not searching for an alternative to Methmazole as it worked wonders, I am very contented just don't like too frequent blood test, felt Threatened !
> Don't want my Cat to be Guinea pig to try new medicine !


Why don't you want to be sure your cat's thyroid condition is properly controlled? Is it a cost issue?


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Ling18, sorry the vet I was using is not in London. The vet monitored my cat's T4 levels with blood tests every 3 months throughout the time he was on the transdermal gel. Personally I was happy with that as I did not want my cat to be getting too much or too little hyperthyroid medicine. And as QOTN mentioned above ^ T4 results can vary over time when using transdermal Methimazole because take-up rate is not as predictable / reliable as when using oral medicine.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks Chillminx.
The reason I asked cause you said your Vet was happy to prescribe for 6 months, as I searched over 30 sites on Internet and it said blood test is required every 6 months. Excuse me to bother you


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

No worries @Ling18. I hope you find what you're looking for. 

A 6 month prescription was a saving on cost as I was buying the mediicine from Switzerland direct from a laboratory on a special order. It was very expensive and made sense to be able to order more than a 3 months supply. The doses were metered on the syringes so it was possib;e to adjust as required according to test results from my vet.. That was 6 years ago, before the transdermal gel was more easily available in the UK.


----------



## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Ling18 said:


> I do understand that, but I found from most pet website, blood is required to monitor every 6 months. Not 3 months


You can't be prescriptive with hyperthyroidism. Bloodwork every six months may be suitable for some stable cats, but it really depends on the cat's age, dose, stability and concurrent conditions.

Hyperthyroidism is a tumour at the end of the day - a potentially life-threatening disease - and the medication is not benign.

If your vet has asked for blood tests every three months at the moment, I would do it.

I haven't done any Google searches but see hyperthyroid cats on a daily basis.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks very much Chillminx.
Not just about the cost, every time when they took blood for test, my Cat was agonised and stressed, panting, drooling.
And I am very stressed, tried to avoid my Cat having to go through unnecessary agony. As I can see if dosage is insuffient even without blood test, he will loose weight & increase appetite.
But I feel this Threat all the time that I don't get the medicine.


----------



## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

I think you should speak to your vet about this, and if you are uncomfortable doing this then find another.

If your cat gets that stressed having blood tests then your desire to avoid or minimise them is certainly understandable. However, I'm concerned that merely finding a vet who will give you a six month prescription and leave it at that fails to address some issues.

You need a vet who can discuss your cat's case with you and see if you can find a way forward to make his monitoring more bearable for you both, rather than just avoiding the problem. 

Have you considered surgery or radioactive iodine treatment? These are not suitable options for every cat but are curative - no more medication and fewer monitoring visits / blood tests in the long run.


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks Ceiling Kitty.
I can't deal with the stress my Cat have to go through, draw blood for the test


----------



## Ling18 (Aug 30, 2016)

I need a supporting & caring Vet,
I have been thinking of intergrated treatment
with Methimazole & homeopathy.
I used to have a vet who took very good care of my Dog for 15 years, he was a saint, a room was name after him in Edinburgh Uni, how I wish he is here but he died 6 months ago.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Whatever therapy your cat has, he still needs regular blood tests for the reasons outlined above.


----------



## Grandma (Sep 28, 2016)

Ling18 said:


> Thanks very much Chillminx.
> Not just about the cost, every time when they took blood for test, my Cat was agonised and stressed, panting, drooling.
> And I am very stressed, tried to avoid my Cat having to go through unnecessary agony. As I can see if dosage is insuffient even without blood test, he will loose weight & increase appetite.
> But I feel this Threat all the time that I don't get the medicine.


Hi I have 2 elderly cats (17 and18) with thyroid problems and I've recently put them on Methimazole Transdermal gel but would like to find a uk supplier to see if I can reduce some of my costs. I have not had any success. Someone said Viovets sold it but they don't. I can appreciate your concern regarding costs they certainly mount up. Mine are now running into thousands. Blood tests are unfortunately a part of the treatment, mine are on monthly ones at the moment until we're happy with the dosage then back to 3 monthly hopefully. Any help from anyone would be appreciated.


----------



## Roy & Marj (Nov 30, 2016)

My cat has been on the gel for two weeks now and has put on a bit of weight which is good. The problem is that she is now constantly scratching especially around her head and lost most of the fur on the outside of her ears. I have read that this can be a rare side effect from methimazole gel. Our vet wants to go down the route of fleas and food allergies but I'm not convinced. She also suggested that it might be due to the central heating being turned on but it's never been a problem in the past. Any thoughts?


----------



## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

One of my cats had the gel for a few months but now has tablets because it can be difficult to stabilise a cat for long periods of time with the gel. She never scratched at all. I wonder if your girl can still feel the gel in her ears. Obviously the gel has to be fully absorbed and my vet said massage it in for 30 seconds. My girl was on a very small dose so presumably a higher dose would take longer to be absorbed. I expect you already alternate the ears as per the instructions?


----------



## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

You might also want to look at Thyronorm. Which is a new liquid version by Norbrook that came out a few months ago.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

I can't delete posts!


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Roy & Marj said:


> My cat has been on the gel for two weeks now and has put on a bit of weight which is good. The problem is that she is now constantly scratching especially around her head and lost most of the fur on the outside of her ears. I have read that this can be a rare side effect from methimazole gel. Our vet wants to go down the route of fleas and food allergies but I'm not convinced. She also suggested that it might be due to the central heating being turned on but it's never been a problem in the past. Any thoughts?


You don't say how old your cat is, but for younger cats iodine treatment or surgery are well worth thinking about and whilst expensive at the time are also very cost effective over more than a couple of years.


----------



## Roy & Marj (Nov 30, 2016)

Marj is 14. It's not just her ears that are causing her distress but her forehead as well. I do alternate from ear to ear but I will try massaging the gel in for a bit longer as suggested. I understand that the iodine treatment would mean her being hospitalised for about a week. There is a centre less than 20 miles away which offers this treatment and I do have a ball park figure of the cost. 
Thanks for replying.


----------

