Wockhardt levothyroxine

[GREENcard13]

Hi I just read on another site anyone over the age of 50 shouldn't take Wockhardt brand of levothyroxine. Surely this can't be true. I've been taking 50/75 mcgs of this brand for 9 months as I've reacted badly to other brands

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

That sounds like a fabrication.

Was there a reason given for this?

Be careful about what you read on the internet.

[GREENcard13]

It came from a contributer on underactive thyroid uk fb site. I thought I'd check it out on here before replying to her . Thanks

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to GREENcard13]

I've never heard of an age restriction on any brand at all.

Ask the for evidence of where they got this information. Its rubbish. Some of the thyroid FB groups have questionable information.

[JumpJiving in reply to Jaydee1507]

My current endo (got an appointment with a new one next week) tries to get his thyroid patients off levothyroxine as they age as he believes it can cause all sorts of problems as people get into their 70's. I read about another endo (in America, I think) saying much the same, just a week or so back. I'm approaching 60 and the current endo wrote to my GP to recommend stopping my levo, when (a) I wasn't even seeing him about my thyroid, and (b) all of my symptoms and bloods suggest I should be increasing dose slightly, not stopping. I was seeing him about adrenal insufficiency, about which his knowledge and recommendations were even worse (actually seriously dangerous IMHO), hence me changing endo. Thankfully, I have a stash of levo, that I am still working through (and have increased the dose myself). If the new endo doesn't get the GP to reinstate it, I will source it elsewhere. Since adrenal insufficiency kicking in, my hypothyroid symptoms have got worse, so there is no way I am doing without levo any time soon.

[debra_bill in reply to JumpJiving]

What planet are these people on!

[GREENcard13 in reply to JumpJiving]

Surely it would be dangerous to stop taking levo I thought it was for life. I'm 80 and I have taken it since I was 50ish but I have dropped the dose over the years .

[Zephyrbear]

I’ve been taking Wockhardt levothyroxine for the last 13 years as none of the other brands suited me and I’ve never heard of this one… I certainly won’t be changing from it as the side effects from the others, mainly hives, were unacceptable and it’s named on my prescription now.

As for thyroid sites on Facebook, I would pay about as much attention to those as I do to anything else of FB… zero! This forum and ThyroidUK are the only sites worth taking notice of.

[GREENcard13 in reply to Zephyrbear]

She had misread the information leaflet which states talk to your gp before taking levo

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I prefer Aristo Vencamil - but accept Wockhardt to make up my dose.

50 is very long gone!

I can't even dream up a reason for this idea. Never come across it before. And if it were accepted - by patients or the medical establishment - there would be some fragments of information available.

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

She misread the information leaflet. I'll have a look at Aristo as I've started to itch on wockhardt now.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GREENcard13]

We are hoping that additional dosages of Aristo Vencamil will appear around August - 25, 50 and 75 micrograms. This should help somewhat!

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

Is there any particular reason you prefer aristo vencamil or like me you react to other brands ?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GREENcard13]

I am NOT sensitive to lactose. I consume dairy most, if not every, day.

Yet, when I reflected on my experiences with levothyroxine, the best two I had tried were both lactose-free - L-Thyroxin Henning and Aliud. Teva was bad for me - so not that!

And, when Aristo launched, and it is lactose-free, I wanted to try it. And found it just fine.

I had found that Accord and Advanz/Mercury Pharma had slightly different effects on me. A few times I had felt Accord just wasn't quite delivering. And Advanz/Mercury Pharma seemed to be ore noticeable, sooner after taking a dose, but I'd often be feeling slightly under-dosed by the time my next dose was due. Hence, I did not like switched between them.

For me, Aristo has been like duck to water. Very similar to the other two German makes I had tried.

Others, as always, disagree!

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

Thankyou so much for your very helpful reply. Do you have any problems getting these brands in the UK?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GREENcard13]

I have exactly the same problems as everyone else regarding getting Aristo consistently - but my pharmacy is helpful.

And the L-Thyroxin Henning and Aliud are basically not available. The circumstances in which I had them are complex and no longer possible. Further, since Teva and Aristo are both lactose-free, they are no longer accessible (as once they were) on the basis of being the only way to get lactose-free products.

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

Thankyou Helvella

[Stourie]

I’m 71 and taking 75 wockhardt and I’m absolutely fine. Jo xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

think someone vaguely remembered that if over 65 years old guidelines say should START on 25mcg (rather than 50mcg)

But still essential to increase dose levo slowly upwards until thyroid levels are optimal

Usual Ft4 at least 70% through range

Test earth morning and last dose 24 hours before test

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon]

Noticed when checking something else that, if someone is prescribed levothyroxine oral solution (liquid levothyroxine), the Patient Information Leaflet doesn't say that. It says 12.5 micrograms!

Older patients (over 50 years of age) and patients

with severe hypothyroidism or heart disease:

The starting dose is 12.5 micrograms a day,

increasing by 12.5 micrograms every 4 weeks

until the correct dose is obtained. The usual final

dose is between 50 and 200 micrograms daily.

mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

I find it perplexing that the starting dose in the over 50s should be halved depending on the medicinal form. (Or doubled, if you look at it going from liquid to tablet!)

That suggests to me that the "advice" is somewhat (or completely) arbitrary and is not finely tuned to the individual or even their age or state of health.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to helvella]

Also indicates/suggests liquid Levothyroxine is possibly MUCH better absorbed

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon]

I don't think anyone has ever seriously suggested a 100% increase in absorption.

Typical figures seem to say 60 to 80% of tablets and better than 80, possibly approaching 100, for liquid.

Only in the more extreme cases of poor absorption would the difference be more than 50% - that is, a 12.5 liquid delivering the more than a (hypothetical) 18.75 tablet.

I think it is as arbitrary as most other guidelines.

Remember the suggestion in UK that a daily T3 dose could be 60 micrograms whereas in the USA they say 75 micrograms? In both cases, I'm pretty sure that the basis is that BOTH are three tablets a day.

[elaine2447]

Sounds like nonsense, the Teva which contains mannitol made me ill. I am presuming its the mannitol as I also react to mange tout, sweet potato and squash which contain natural mannitol. Why any of these levos have to have such a load of rubbish added I dont know. The Wockhardt is less than half the size of the same mcg of Teva. I have been on Wockhardt 25mcg for a year and it suits me fine.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to elaine2447]

The problem, as always, is what would you choose to put into levothyroxine tablets that won't cause issues? For example, the Wockhardt you favour contains lactose which is not acceptable to a number of members for various reasons including intolerance.

And some members find the Teva excellent - the best they have ever taken.

[elaine2447 in reply to helvella]

Yes I realise it does and I am not great with lactose but the mannitol was worse. It is very hard to get Wockhardt, the local tesco pharmacy in the end refused and so I have to get it from Boots. Even the pharmacy2you said they only supply Teva. I guess because it is cheap. Why they need to put so many fillers in beats me.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to elaine2447]

Levothyroxine tablets vary in weight - something like 80 to 100 milligrams.

The dose also varies, but let's consider a 100 microgram dose.

That means a tablet is around 1 part levothyroxine to 1000 parts "everything else".

Might be a bit higher or lower than that but it gives the right sort of area.

You simply cannot make a tablet small enough to avoid "fillers".

And there really aren't many excipients in any UK levothyroxine. No coatings. No colours. No slow release agents. No flavours. No parfum! Around five ingredients in total.

We might not get on with lactose, or with mannitol, we might want to avoid acacia, but the number of excipients is low.

Don't get me wrong - I wish that we had formulations which didn't cause anyone any issues. But we even hear of some people having issues with Tirosint which has about as few as can be achieved.

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

I think it's the acacia which I reacted to because I went through the ingredients in all the brands and wockhardt is the only one I've come across without it unless you know of other brands, as I've started itching again .

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GREENcard13]

Neither Accord, nor Aristo, nor Wockhardt have acacia. All ingredients for available products are in my UK thyroid hormones document.

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...

[GREENcard13 in reply to helvella]

Thankyou i 'll have a lookI think my finger slipped when I liked your post and inadvertently reported you !! 🤔

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to GREENcard13]

Don't worry - no report came through! It is easily done.

[GREENcard13 in reply to elaine2447]

I found a small independent pharmacy which is great . Boots couldn't get it gor me

[elaine2447 in reply to GREENcard13]

The lady at Wockhardt was very helpful and she phoned Boots and organised it. Shame of it is that I have to try and walk up to the town now once a month whereas tesco pharmacy is 3 minutes walk away.

[blondpalomino]

Hi, I've been taking Wockhardt thyroxine for 25 years ever since I had my thyroid removed (along with T3) and find it the best brand for me. if they have to give me another brand due to not being able to get wockhardt, it really upsets me.

[Daffers123]

I am 67 and been on Wockhardt 25s for 10 years at least. It’s the only thyroid med which suits me due to minimal fillers/binders. I had major problems with the other manufacturers.

[GREENcard13]

Yes me too . I think she read consult with your gp before taking if you're 50+ and must have misunderstood it. It says the same on all the other brand info leaflets too