Are you having or have you had any side effects... - Thyroid UK
Are you having or have you had any side effects that you think are related to the Teva brand of levothyroxine?
Please select one:
I started Teva in May 2019 and didn’t think I was having any side effects but symptoms weren’t resolving. Found that my T3 was low and began taking Armour Thyroid on Saturday. I currently feel no difference.
Severe breathing issues
Yes, lump in throat sensation, pressure in throat.
Also hair loss and brittle nails
I am taking currently taking Teva top up of 25mcg and I have that pressure in the throat. I feel like is numb, is it this what you were feeling?
Hi, can you tell me if the lump in your throat went away after stopping TEVA brand meds please? I have stopped them from today and am hoping this is the cause of swollen neck/thyroid/glands as well as swollen lymph nodes under my arms that I have been complaining about for 7 months. Looking back this is when I stated taking the TEVA brand thyroxine when it was changed after having a baby last year. Trying not to worry but we sending me for scan on my neck.
Hi there, unfortunately no it didn't stop, I still suffer from it and constantly have to clear my throat. Please try be reassured, I also went for a neck ultrasound at the begining of this year, it took the GPS a long time to take me serious, but I also developed a lump in my neck, my ultrasound showed that I had 2 begnine nodules that they classed as normal with thyroid patients. It was a huge relief but the throat issue/clearing is still very annoying. Apparently its down to acid reflux. I hope all goes well for you
Okay thank you for relying.
Hope all goes well, please feel free to message anytime you need a chat or have questions
Oh thank you! I may well do. Worrying myself sick
Here anytime. I know its easier said than done but try not to get to anxious about it. Is your appointment soon?
Muscle aches and feeling under medicated. I hadn't registered that I'd been given Teva. Reported it via yellow card and symptoms seem to have improved since changing brands.
Teva was the first brand I had in April. I had awful side effects from the start and filled out yellow card. Mainly bowel problems but also headaches and light headed. I also tried the liquid Teva and it was as bad. Both lactose free
Which brand did you switch to?
After trying a few I am taking Activas/NorthStar/Almus. All the same but which ever the local pharmacy can get. Acitvas now Accord.
TEVA now own Activis
Face and lips swelling blood tests were all out of range
Heart burn, stomach pains, headaches, increased fatigue, then anxiety, and ultimately panic attacks. Changed brands and felt better almost instantly (although it took a good couple of weeks to work out of my system). Vile stuff.
I was on Actavis but when my dose was dropped I was given Teva 75mcg and then have some vision problems so stopped taking it. This of course may have simply been a coincidence.
Yes had all symptoms as if I was taking no thyroxine stopped taking Tiva & went back on my usual brand, Reported on yellow card.
Made me very ill. Severe muscle ache and no strength in joints. Finally figured out it was a brand change and went back to original brand. Symptoms disappeared. Yellow carded at the time (3+ years ago).
Which brand did you switch to?
Some bowel issues since starting medication 4 months ago. Not severe but just about to start an alternative brand and hoping that will sort it out. I guess I will know soon if it was a reaction to TEVA or not.
Pains up back of neck and into head with blurred vision.
To be honest I’m being given a dif one every time I go to pick repeat tabs up mainly mine are activis I’m going to take notice if I get tea again
Teva
It did not work for me. Just became more hypo.
I sent a yellow card to the MHRA about this. I have refused to accept TEVA Levothyroxine from my local pharmacy. My GP won’t write non TEVA on my scrip which is annoying as it means I have to check my dispensed prescriptions every time before I leave the Pharmacy despite them having a note on their electronic system that TEVA should not be dispensed to me.
Why won’t your doc put it on the script? Mines does
They claim they can’t specify! Even though they know I’ve yellow carded it. What’s more frustrating is that the pharmacy that gets my electronic scrips know that I can’t have TEVA and still get it wrong most of the time. Some of the time they do get it right but not for the 25mcg tablet. They usually do for the 100mcg tablet but this time they didn’t. I guess it boils down to which bulk supply is cheaper for them.
I have refused to nominate a pharmacy and I go and get a paper prescription from my surgery every time. Then I have the luxury of phoning up the pharmacies in my area, I tell them what I'm after, what dose, quantity etc, and if they have what I want I go there and present my prescription telling them I want something I know they have in stock.
I have found that non-chain pharmacies are better for filling my requirements because they might not be tied in to such restrictive supply chains. One particularly good pharmacy I sometimes use is in the middle of a housing estate in a deprived area and is independent of the big chains. It's a shame it is so far away, but I just take the bus.
Thanks for the suggestion! With being do ill andhaving a disabled (adult) child I haven’t the wherewithal to go chasing around different pharmacies. Sometimes Sainsbury’s or Tesco pharmacies can supply actavis or So I try them if my local GP linked one can’t.
Impressive approach to getting what you want!
Whatever works!
I got fed up of being told that item XYZ on my prescription was completely unavailable and no pharmacies anywhere could get hold of it. I was almost always told it was "a manufacturing problem", which I assumed was code for "the manufacturer has found a buyer who'll pay more".
But then I discovered that going to a different pharmacy from a different chain might get me what I wanted. And then I just branched out and started going further afield. It is rare for me to have to admit defeat. The last time I did so it was for a particular antibiotic I was prescribed. Then I discovered that I could get it if I could get the surgery to re-write the prescription for double the capsules that were half the dose. So, I got there in the end. 
I do exactly same as humanbean
I get paper prescription. Now, at long last found wonderful small independent pharmacy attached to small GP surgery in a new housing estate. Pharmacist understands EXACTLY that patients can’t change brands. Has at least four customers who can only tolerate Mercury Pharma levothyroxine...so always makes sure he has stock.
Pharmacies cannot always stipulate what brand they are sent by their supplier so have to accept what they are given, it is not always down to cost as there is very little difference between brands of this medication
I use the Well pharmacy app, they’ve been brilliant. Initially they hadn’t seen the “not TEVA” on the script but I contacted them via the chat function on the app and they sorted it immediately, sent me out non Teva tablets and noted it on their files. I’ve had no issue since. And it gets delivered to my door!!
I used to ask what they had before I handed over my prescription (old fashioned paper type) and chose the brand I wanted - I think I preferred Activis when I took Levothyroxine. I take NDT now - feel much better.
Same here but it’s becoming a nightmare to get now.
I have done some serious stock piling - but when that goes I wonder if we will be able to access it anymore. A bleak thought.
Was your TSH 110?
Yes it was - I was extremely poorly. I felt unwell on and off for decades but was told it sports injuries/piles/frozen shoulder/heart chamber pumping problems women get and of no significance (really?🙄)/IBS etc etc ad nauseum. Then later on it was all due to the menopause...despite mentioning there was a lot of hypothyroidism in the family and asking if I might have it. Blood test not even suggested. In the end I though I was a hypochondriac and got more and more unwell. I gave up going to the doctors. I was like a whippet and had no goitre. Maybe that is why my suggestion was dismissed. I got bouts of hyperthyroidism but interspersed with more and longer hypothyroid periods as time went on, with some normal feeling phases, but I went down hill fast. One day I just became so desperate I mustered up my final resolve and went to see a new GP and told him I was hypothyroid and needed a thyroid function test (blunt and to the point!). He asked why did I think that and I said it was the depression like a big black cloud that never lifted. He started on the how about some antidepressants I said look here this is beyond any antidepressants it’s really serious! He asked me a bit more and it all came pouring out. The hypothyroidism the thyroid cancer the lymphoma all very upsetting because some close relatives died because of thyroid problems. He really listened and immediately set about doing a blood test. He even called me a week later to say the tests were back and I was hyperthyroid - I told him that’s the someone else’s test - I am hypothyroid no doubt about it. He did another blood draw - I was getting worse and worse I started hallucinating, yelling at people at work, my moods were like a crazy roller coaster ride, I though people were following me - it was really awful. I could not sleep until 6am when I had to be getting up for work, I had all sorts of very weird symptoms and my voice went like a darlek. Then the doc called to say I had been right all along I was hypothyroid and needed to come in immediately to get a prescription and to start on the Tablets straight away and not to wait till after Xmas . It was two days away. I was lucky to get such a conscientious GP. After all the hyper activity (hence the initial hyper diagnosis) I suddenly plunged into an artic like cold - it was unspeakable. I took the tablet and prayed to die I felt so cold, death would have been a merciful release from all that suffering. I had the central heating full on (over 30 deg c) and wore winter outdoor clothing in bed with two 13.5 tog duvets and two whippets in there keeping me warm. I thought I had had it. I was surprised to even wake up the next day, feeling a little less cold. I presume the Levo saved my life. I had to see an endo for 9 months before they got me ‘optimised’ The thyroid nurse told me my TSH had hit 110. Some people on here have had a TSH of over 200 but I think I had reached my upper limit - anything higher could not have been compatible with life in my case! I am pretty lucky to have survived - I regard every day as a bonus 😎 and try to make the most of it!
My TSH is now suppressed on NDT and I feel a lot better 😊
Sounds familiar... 1976 was the year of the great heatwave ...I was piling on the cardies and feeling like death. Still no diagnosis until swung to hyper ..again. Been okay on Levo but long time to recover after young hospital doctor in ‘81 thought test unnecessary after RAI treatment. Made ‘76 look mild! Hope you’re ticket your boo now.
Yes feel pretty good now 😊
Oh dear guess US version of life doesn’t recognise tickety boo! 😀
I thought it must be an American version of the expression tickety boo thought it odd I had never heard it says that way before 😂🤣😂 it’s a funny expression must look up what it comes from
Quite interesting it’s actually from Hindi:
tickety-boo adjective fine, correct, in order, satisfactory. Originally military; a variation of 'ticket', as in just the ticket (correct), with Hindu [Hindi, —ed.] tikai babu (it's all right, sir) UK 1939. The proper Hindi phrase is ठीक हैं बाबू /theak hai, babu/ (Okay, Sir) —ed.
Interesting!
Wow TSH110, I had almost the exact same symptoms in 2003. No one did blood tests or even contemplated hyperthyroidism!!! They said it was a postnatal‘episode’. When I had another episode, I got labelled bipolar...I only ever had the hyper swings, never down.
I’ve had hyper swings since, with hypo kicking in 2016 (a side effect of the medication is hypothyroidism...or a natural progression of untreated hyperthyroidism??)
I am struggling to get my head around the fact that I may have been I’m misdiagnosed but it has been suggested by admin members here.
How could I have been treated so appallingly (I have PTSD from it..)
The proof will be if I can find a Levo (that doesn’t make me hyper) that sort my levels out and stops the episodes...
That’s dreadful! I take it your were eventually diagnosed with Graves. I take NDT seems much better that Levothyroxine which I found simply awful longer term after two years of it I felt suicidal as it did not restore my mental well-being just made me feel like a shadowy thing and I piled on weight like there was no tomorrow after always being very thin. NDT put that right rapidly lost the weight. Are you on Levo now? I have heard some say NDT is bad for antibodies and I am not well up on Graves treatment so not sure if you can take it but if you can it might be worth a try. Trouble is if you are Uk based you’re on your own if you send medicate with it. As I no longer felt my life was worth living (I used to wish I had never got treatment and just died of untreated hypothyroidism - like I went through all that hell to end up a shadowy “thing” simply surviving for the rest of my days that’s not any quality of life it just awful) I had nothing to loose by trying it. Glad I did. Hope you get sorted 🍀😉☘️
I have Hashi's now, so underactive thyroid. I had such severe side effects to TEVA Levo in 2016 I was almost hospitalised (hyper, rapid weight gain) as no one joined the dots with my prior hyper (2003, postnatal - it was pathologised as psychiatric...). When the psychiatrist signed me off in 2018, I asked about Levo and she casually said, "oh yes, that can induce mania in people, even those without a prior history"...wish she and my GP had thought to tell me this earlier!!!!
I am also on an anti-convulsant since 2003 which lists underactive thyroid as a side effect.
I had been too scared to take Levo up until Dec when my bloods came back and GP said I really needed to start. With another brand, I felt the same happen - that was on only 25mg every other day - a dose level suggested by my GP as I explained my concerns about the 2016 attempt.
I am in the UK so yup, it's all free (thank goodness) but no NDT option with NHS 
I have persuaded my GP to refer me to an endo but from what I hear on here, I will not hold out much hope...
So sorry to hear you were ill for so long and went to such a terribly dark place with this. It's shocking. Heartening to hear you feel a lot better now.
☘️
Have you emailed admin for a list of sympathetic medics? Perhaps you could pick one of those if this one isn’t up to parr? It’s all money though. My endo was very good but conventional at least he followed the optimisation protocol that Toft recommends not the rubbish some people suffer on here. I still felt unwell even them and upping the T4 just made me feel similar to the hyper bouts I had. Do they think you had hashi all along or graves and hashis? I was diagnosed with atropic (no goitre) Autoimmune thyroiditis - they don’t use the term Hashimotos although I think mine gets its own special category for what its worth! Looking back I was pretty wired most of my 20’s And 30’s always on the go! I thought I was a manic depressive because I’d get crazy highs where creative thoughts would become so thick and fast it was almost unbearable, this would have been preceded by a short deep depression like a bloomin rollercoaster ride! It was closely allied to my menstrual cycle So deffo hormonal surges wreaking havoc. I now miss my creative thoughts but not the depression which has evaporated since taking NDT. I hope you get some success on Levo two of my close relatives love it!
Yup, very closely related to my monthly cycle too...and I too always wired...until medicated at 29yrs old (2003) . No official diagnosis from my GP, they just said my bloods were out so I needed Levo and greygoose suggested it's now Hasi's due to my high Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies.
What is NDT please?
Many of the abbreviations and acronyms that have been used on this forum are explained in my document:
dropbox.com/s/2423slilh0or6...
NDT = Natural Desiccated Thyroid. Dried animal thyroid standardised and made into tablets.
Hi louisepeas NDT (natural desiccated thyroid as explained by helvella) is ground up pig (or sometimes cow) thyroids. It was the first effective treatment for hypothyroidism (they used sheep thyroids initially) it was the only treatment from c 1889 to the 60’s when synthetic t4 (Levothyroxine) and TSH blood tests began to replace NDT until it was effectively banned. It contains all the hormones a human thyroid makes T4 T3 T2 and T1 as well as calcitonin. T2 has some effects on metabolism but no one seems to know how much the thyroid makes or if it is of any significant value, T1 appears to be a breakdown product, again little is known about how much a thyroid gland makes or why it should bother to make any if it is just waste. It is a combination therapy containing both T4 (inactive pro hormone converted to T3) and T3 the active form of thyroid hormone. We at least know those two do have an effect if you take NDT. Calcitonin may be destroyed upon ingestion although taking it sublingually is claimed to allow its absorption but I can’t find any proof either way. It’s good for bones. We are repeatedly told by scientists (mostly male) who have no firsthand experience of thyroid disorder, that combined therapy has no advantages over T4 mono therapy and is a waste of NHS resources to prescribe. However large numbers of us lumbered with hypothyroidism have found combined therapy much more effective that t4 mono therapy in alleviating symptoms of hypothyroidism - but what would we know being in the receiving end of it all 🙄 when white coats and numbers are all that matter! However even their stupid numbers support T4 mono therapy failing to restore a euthyroid state as it does not normalise all the thyroid hormones, leaving a lack of free T3 which is the most important thyroid hormone determining a true euthyroid state. They also claim NDT has the wrong proportion of T3 to T4 for a human being. However there are wide variations between individuals and the hormones are not static they are produced in a dynamic manner to allow for us to function maximally in our changing environment so we are able to deal with a wide range of variation as would be found in NDT. The fact that in tests a majority express a preference for NDT over T4 monotherapy would indicate many of us do feel better on it. How just giving one hormone is somehow a superior treatment to one that replaces all the things our thyroid makes is a logic I simply fail to comprehend. My mind and body tells me the white coats are talking 💩 and they are destroying the health and lives of countless people to boot. Remote from the disorders they claim to know all about! They know nothing and worse still they do not know that they know nothing.
Where do you buy it from?
This is a poll about Teva levothyroxine and is an inappropriate place to ask for sources of medicines.
Please write a NEW post and ask.
If you wish to call out to TSH110 - type @ and then TSH110 - a list will appear. Click on TSH110 and in your post it will go blue. That will alert TSH110.
TSH110
I only ever took tev a before it was recalled a few years back.I felt nauseated on most other brands.The new make tev a has acacia in it,it never used to have that ingredient.
I had Teva and within a week I noticed fatigue and muscle aches and pains. I asked my dr to issue another prescription and I only accept Mercury Pharma now.
Within 2 days of moving on to 100 mg TEVA felt dreadful, fatigue, confusion, took to bed on day 3 thinking I was almost dying... day 4 wife rang Doctor who suggested stopping taking this tablet and wrote a prescription for a different brand. My surgery now quote ‘Actavis’ as a named brand on all my repeat prescriptions and no trouble since.
Been taking for a year now not had any side effects at all with Teva. My pharmacy gave me a different brand one month which gave me headaches and upset my stomach these stopped once I was back on Teva. Just had my levels tested and they are much improved. So very happy with teva
Yes I actually ask for Teva as I feel better on it than on other brands
I had tea instead of my usual activas. It gave me palpitations and made my ibs worse. I now have a note with my pharmacy that I won't have it. Recently changed a week ago to another brand but on checking the internet found it is the same as activas.
Should read teva not tea
Hi Lynn, I have to confess I objected to taking Consultant-issued 25mcg tabs after comments on here and altered other meds instead to accommodate. I have now been given Teva brand 100mcg too and told point blank even if I asked GP to prescribe other brand he (chemist) would still probably give me Teva! I'm reluctant to try as I have only recently got myself reasonably fit again and don't want to compromise my health once again at the whim of GP/Chemist/Pharma firms.
Are chemists allowed to override GP/Consultant prescribed brands?
Cheers, Zippy
I would suggest changing your pharmacy since the one you currently use is so awful.
Thank you humanbean and teacherspet ; I’ll have a look round. My favoured pharmacy had to close and the current one was the nearest, but ‘have car, will travel’, lol!
Teacherspet, I had a similar instance with locum GP wanting to a) remove daughter’s epilepsy meds as ‘she wasn’t having seizures anymore’ (um, lack of seizures was because of medication!) and b) removing specialised meds for emergency treatments when travelling. I asked him if it was down to costs and he said yes! He said he would contact her consultant to stop the meds. I told him I would contact the consultant too! The consultant backed me up 100%! Woohoo!
Most dispense the cheapest brand they are offered. They tell a lot of lies to cover the fact it's down to cost. I tend to try different pharmacies to find someone who can give me something that's not Teva.
When I was on Levo the chemist got me ones that weren’t Teva they should be able to order other ones surely, maybe try an independent one. I think most stock it but other makes too. Good luck
Thank you, Nessy50 , I’ll certainly have a good look round first.
Quick update - not sure if this will reach all who answered me though. 🤞🏻
I have ‘had’ to nominate a pharmacy now - GP’s orders!!! 🤬 - but have been able to find a nice team who are helpful, work with me, and smile while they do it! As they also have Levo by Almus my deal-breaker now is getting my daughter’s named epilepsy meds...if they do that then they are the bees knees (for now at least!) and have my vote!
I have answered no side effects because I rarely have been given Teva by the pharmacy. I will be interested to see if I notice anything if it is given to me again.
Usually I take Actavis.
I’ve had bad effects with all brands and doses. Newly diagnosed before Christmas and doctors won’t give me anything else and are not really bothered about it either
If you were diagnosed before this christmas your medicine hasn't had any effect yet!
I had serious breathing problems and heart rates over 130 on all levo. So not giving it time from September to now! I’m unmediated now because doctors will not help or provide anything else.
They are not bothered either way and don’t even ring me. My results were bad. But I could be dying and my doctors don’t care!
Don’t have options to change GP either, I was house bound for 15 years before UAT
Muscle weekness still off balance. Over 6mths gradually improving now back up n normal brand was awfull
Have issues with bowel problems and headaches . Made me under medicated
This brand does not work for me and l have changed chemists to ensure that l am not given Teva.
Full on inflammation including facial swellings that affect my vision. Joint, nerve and muscular pain. Headaches, nausea and heartburn. Palpatations, dizziness and breathlessness.
no side effects and have to have this brand as lactose intolerant
Teva brand is great is you are lactose intolerant.
Only if you tolerate the Teva product.
If you are lactose intolerant but sensitive to Teva levothyroxine, it must be incredibly frustrating, to say the least.
I felt dreadful within a week of starting it after being on Wockhart first. I have major, major nosebleeds. No doctor has ever believed me that the nosebleeds were due to the Teva. But I never had them before and I've not had them since. Funny that. I stopped after 7 days and went back onto a different brand.
Yes me too. I had explosive headaches, dizziness, chronic fatigue, digestive disturbances, aching all over, visual disturbances, breathlessness, sensitivity to light, dry mouth, tongue swelling and thyroid enlargement which led me to have an ultrasound. I believe a lot of the side effects are from one of the ingredients called mannitol. My chemist tries to give me this brand even though it’s on my notes not to. I guess it’s because it’s the cheaper option. Never again will I ever take it!
I had issues with their T3 brand. Splitting headache, numb and heavy, yet painful arm, and a disoriented feeling. Symptoms started within hours if taking the first dose and stopped within a day if taking the last dose. I assume it will be similar fillers to the T4 they make.
I refuse Teva now. Too much of a coincidence that I always felt under medicated with this brand. Fortunately, my pharmacist listens to me.
For me this brand has been a life saver. I feel better than I have done in years. It did upset my stomach but I resolved this by splitting the dose. Please don’t get them to change anything! None of the others worked.
I don't think those of us that have problems want it changed. We know that this brand works for some. What we all want is the ability to get the brand that works for us, as opposed to given what they happen to have.
I do have some issues with Teva but not too bad Teva is all my Chemist can get at the moment. I prefer Mercury Pharma, l have no side effects l know of as they are a lot smaller less additives?!
Started on teva 75mg. Had muscle and joint pains with general lethergy. Resolved when switched back to activas and Lockhart. Filled out a yellow card.
Every time I am given TEVA I get an itchy rash like eczema, it is only mild. As soon as I stop and switch brands it disappears completely. I believe they use a filler called Mannitol which other brands don't so maybe that's why. I have not reported to the yellow card scheme because it isn't a severe reaction, but maybe I should. I am going to ask my GP to write NO TEVA on my prescriptions.....if he will!
As others have reported, aches, pains, puffiness. On that also very hard to titrations a dose, seemed more variable. Was on Mercury. Now Actavis, seem Ok. Goldshield seemed best so far, same plant became Mercury.
I've voted yes, but it wasn't so much I had side effects as it didn't appear to work as all my symptoms returned. They reduced once I came off them, but haven't gone away completely. I was on Teva on numerous occasions between diagnosis in 2006 and 2012 ish and was fine. It was Wockhardt that always made me I'll.
Started off on Mercury Pharma and which cured my symptoms and was feeling great. Anyway, when I handed in one prescription i was given Teva. Within a day I was feeling absolutely awful and spent a day in bed before realising it could be the change of brand. Got a new prescription and started back on MP and I immediately started feeling better. I do sometimes have difficulty in getting Mercury Pharma, but luckily have managed to get it in the end.
I was given Teva brand instead of my normal brand Actavis ,about a week after starting to take them I had vision problems ,muscle and leg aches and pains ,Sweating ,nauseous ,palpatations and Depression, I reported it on Yellow card ,I saw my GP and he did another prescription stating Actavis brand only .After taking the Actavis for a few days I was back to feeling ok
I take 75mg of Levothyroxine, split as 25mg and 50mg. The 25mg brand is Wockhardt and it was replaced with 25mg TEVA. I felt nausea soon after taking TEVA but kept taking it for a month. I reported it to the pharmacist then my GP who reluctantly changed it back to the brand wockhardt. I reported it also to the nhs yellow card system. It’s on my notes to not give me TEVA but I constantly have to remind pharmacy I cannot have teva. I have not felt nausea since going back on Wockhardt brand.
I was first given Actavis 5 years ago. Then after a year they gave me Teva. Not knowing that different makes react different towards you, I carried on taking Teva. I had bad leg cramps. My legs iitched. And I was putting in weight felt very sluggish and always had colds. Until I read on here about different ingredients.
I spoke to my pharmacist and he gave me Actavis back after a couple of weeks. Itching went. Leg cramps went. And I felt my lively. So I’m sticking with this brand. And Iv also told my pharmacist to put on my notes. Actavis
Terrible side effects ... landed me in hospital thought my end was nye... severe sickness and rather loose bowels... terrible headache .. severe pains in back, lower back, shoulders and felt like I had an argument with a truck... very tired just wanted to lay down ... horrendous drug... took a light bulb moment last year to realise it was the Teva... now on Wockhardt no fillers...still fighting my corner with chemists trying to give me the vile drug ... despite no Teva on the script... must be getting paid to issue me thinks...
When I’ve tried tablet and liquid form Teva, I felt under medicated with symptoms of fatigue and headaches and generally feeling symptomatic with hypothyroidism. After changing brand after a week or so I felt much better. My pharmacist now knows not to accept Teva brand for myself anymore.
I did my own research on this brand, I found it contained an ingredient , mannitol, that is band in France and Belgium as it made people sick, so I stopped taking it.
Did not work on me! Have been, thankfully, taking Mercury Pharma successfully since.
I stopped Teva exactly a week and a day today. My GP upped my levo to 75 before Christmas. I was slowly going downhill. I had fatigue like I've never experienced before, my mood went so very low and I struggled to swallow. My face puffed up and I got this strange forehead spinning feeling too.
The gp tried to pursuade me it was depression (as I was a complete mess) and prescribed me some antidepressants, which I didn't take. I knew it was my thyroid and asked if I could go back onto my old brand. He wrote me, begrudgingly, a new script for me to try. It was the TEVA.
I've been slowly getting better, but an still fatigued, my swallowing reflux is improved and I actually cleaned the bathroom.
Awful stuff.
I was given Teva instead of my usual brand and took it from 22/01/18 to 01/03/18 - I ended up bedridden. Felt under-medicated all the time I was taking it, pains in arms and legs, severe fatigue, headaches, hoarse voice, really quite ill. I realised what it was and stopped taking the Teva, had some odds and ends of my normal Levo so took those. Once I was able I took the Teva back to the pharmacy and asked for it to be on my records that I shouldn't be given it again, I advised the pharmacist how ill it had made me. I filled in the yellow card online.
They need to remove the mannitol I yellow carded the brand even though I desperately need dairy free Levo. Check what happened in France.
Needed a high dose and have eczema flares when I had it
Nausea, intense itching of forearms and scalp within 20 minutes of taking. Now have to go out of my way to use a pharmacist that stocks other brands.
I felt very ill on these and my Gp writes no Teva on my script. Pharmacist is very good. I did fill out a yellow card.
Nausea and general feeling of being unwell. Would start about an hour after taking Teva.
My GP has had to write on my prescription to NOT PRESCRIBE Teva brand due to the severe digestive issues it gives me, particularly acid reflux. It was so bad I was told to submit a report to the MHRA. Anyone in the UK who is experiencing side effects should do the same: yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ because otherwise they will just keep making this crap and not change it.
Just over a year ago was on Teva gave me horrendous back ache, could hardly walk and my blood pressure dropped. When I told the chemist he told me to stop taking it straight away and got Activis in for me, took a couple of months to feel normal again and have been fine since so I am sticking with Activis.
When I was given Teva I shook badly, felt nauseous and had severe dizzy spells.
I do have the odd shakes with the other brand but Teva shakes were much worse and frequent.
I request on my docs form not to get Teva now, and immediately return the ones I am given. My local pharmacy are very helpful with this luckily for me.
Teva Levothyroxine gave me headaches and skin that felt as though it was crawling with invisible creepy-crawlies which itched so much that I would scratch myself raw. I switched to Wockhardt some years ago now and I won’t have anything else. I now check my supplies each time I collect them because, even though I specifically ask for Wockhardt, they still sometimes try to fob me off with Teva...
Made me feel ill as soon as I started taking it, it’s the mannitol in it. Switched and no problems any more. Reported via yellow card.
Tingling down both arms and feeling hot 10 to 20 mins after taking it. Trouble breathing and starting to itch.
Teva made me feel ill tried it on two separate occasions just to confirm i was right all symptoms of hypothyroidism returned,i was always ok on other brands. I refuse to take it from my pharmacy.
Hello
I started on Teva in December after being diagnosed hypo- I have never felt so ill in my life. I have had to be absent from work for 6 weeks- began to wonder if the tablets were making me more ill on top of bad hypo symptoms- I had found the taste when swallowing bitter and had extreme nausea, continual pressure headache/ dry sinus, dizziness/ vertigo sensations, tingling all over body and extreme muscle weakness wobbly legs etc
I am 3 days into taking a different brand now. Although I’m not recovered, I am feeling better than I was. I am going to complete a yellow card and will never take Teva again.
I started itching all over. Only stopped when I stopped Teva
Funnily enough, I prefer Teva and have to travel about 5 miles to get it!
Hi Susan, I'm travelling 14 miles to get Teva it helps me so much. Doctor won't put it on prescription and my local pharmacy will only prescribe Almus.
Yes I luckily only was given Teva once by a pharmacy in the U.K.- Actavis I’m fine on- they didn’t have any so gave me Mercurypharma which I was really Ill and tired on - the Teva made me feel the same within days tired and no energy. I’ve moved to Ireland and at first they gave me Eltroxin which did the same, so doctors have said I’m just extremely sensitive to fillers in the tablets. Luckily got a great pharmacist now who orders my actavis in for me and I’ve had a med increase recently so he chops up some of the actavis for me which works fab as it’s got my tsh down and I feel so much better. E wouldn’t want to take Teva tbh!
Thought I had been poisoned with Teva Levothyroxine went to doctor with numerous side effects lower back pain couldn’t walk for a few minutes as legs felt as if they were filled with lead hand spasms hair loss lumps on side of neck lump in groin breast pain one breast went to nearly double the size of other kidney infections brown urine severe dehydration severe constipation other side effects to numerous to mention and lastly had a heart attack over a year now and still having side effects.
When I took Teva I was extremely dizzy, bad headaches and nausea. I couldn’t function properly.
Joint pain and muscle aches that started when I was given Teva for a 6 month prescription and stopped when changing brands from Teva.
I have been on Teva for 3 years and felt increasingly unwell during that time. I have had to source a private gp to get ndt at a huge expense to myself as the nhs dont offer it.
Symptoms of fatigue and pain were the worst not to mention brain fog!
Came out in a rash/spots particularly near hairline. Angry red bumps which went away when I stopped using it.
I was given teva instead of usual brand tried it as no one can supply 25mcg of any other brand ! Felt dreadful straight away headaches, nausea reported it to Dr and filled in yellow card
Yes i have had all the symptoms. Waste of time talking to the doctor who just looks at you and thinks it’s all in your head.
Not side effects as such, but felt they were useless. Mercury pharma improved symptoms.
Tiredness, aching, nausea and terrible brain fog when taking Teva. Felt like I was suffering from terrible Hypo symptoms all over again. Definitely caused by Teva, as I tried it again and it affected me in exactly the same way. So filled in the Yellow card at my pharmacy to make sure that I’m not given it.
I'm allergic to lactose, so I was put straight onto Teva when my thyroid problems started. I could tolerate Teva on low doses only, not even the usual starter dose. I found I tolerated being hypo better than I tolerated taking enough Teva to get even close to normal thyroid level. Whether that was because of T4 sensitivity, or whether it was because of some additive in Teva, I don't know. In the end, without my GP knowing (she still doesn't), I switched to NDT (NP Thyroid, which is lactose-free as at the date of my last batch). That has allowed me to get my FT3 to around the top of the reference range without any issues. Having switched from Teva to NP Thyroid, I feel better than I have in years (other than dodgy sleep patterns, which were already a problem).
I don’t always feel well but have no idea whether that is attributable to Teva brand or not. So i voted no.
Well! Just read through all the comments below and am now wondering if Teva is the source of all my problems. Hmmm what to do!
Anxiety and feeling nauseous and feeling under medicated. Put in a yellow card.
yes. very lumpy throat. no issues now that i’m on mercury pharma - but i’ve had to have my GP put the brand in my prescription in order to get it
I was definitely getting side effects from the Teva Brand with having an irritation to my throat and constantly trying to clear it when the brand got change in about 2018, (could of been earlier) I now have to have Actavis and Wockhardt which has to be ordered in for me every month. The ingredience in the Teva brand are different to the other brands. Teva is the cheaper version, and this is not good to give to the patients. This has been put on my notes with the Phamacy but still give me Teva from time to time, so I have to reject it.
Yes, fatigue, muscle pain, lightheaded, left side of face actually quivering in the night. Normally take Actavis or Wockhardt. Teva definitely doesn’t suit me
I had headaches from the first day as well as some nausea. The headaches were similar to the start of a migraine or dehydration. I took for 2.5 weeks before being able to speak to my GP and getting mercury brand that I usually took.
I get palpitations when I take Teva so have asked chemist to not give me that one and always check before leaving chemist to make sure they haven't made a mistake
I can’t take any brand of Teva it makes me feel really ill,I feel spaced out, achy and as if I’m starting with flue
I just feel that Teva is not as strong as the stated strength. This is based on the all the other brands that get dispensed from time to time.
I was once given the Teva brand of Levothyroxine however quite quickly I noticed that I felt sluggish, sleepy, the brain fog was worse than usual and I was just not right. I became very bloated too. I managed to work out that the changes had started when I changed my brand of Levo. I went back to the chemist who explained how the fillers in tablets can have an adverse effect on some people. He swapped the tablets and gave me my my usual brand (Activis). It is now on my notes to be prescribed Activis.
I had bad headaches when taking Teva, they went when given a different brand, next issue was Teva again and back to frequent headaches. Also felt undermedicated on it, eyes not focusing well by evening time.
Insomnia, fatigue, brittle nails, anxiety & brain fog. Maybe due to levothyroxine in general not just Teva brand!! Who knows?!?? And so it goes on......🤷♀️
I seem to have been one of the lucky few who so far have tolerated Levothyroxine and different brands for the approximately 25 years I’ve been using it - that I’m aware of.
Made me very depressed and in pain, could barely walk!!
Muscle and head aches, the only brand I've ever had which has caused an adverse reaction
I was doing so well until 2 weeks ago when my prescription changed from Activis to Teva. I have felt exhausted, achy, my stomach is upset and I feel shaky and hungry the whole time. There’s nothing else going on that would account for the sudden change. I’ve asked my GP to re-do the prescription. I’ll yellow card Teva too.
Teva causes an all over, very itchy rash. My GP won’t specify ‘non-teva’ in prescription but pharmacist (independent) was happy to put a note on his system and I am always provided with brands that don’t contain mannitol. Filled out a yellow card report.
Teva makes a considerable difference for me, makes me feel much better than Almus or Mercury.
Having terrible joint pain in my hips which I’ve just realised could be linked to my pharmacy changing me to this brand was thinking my levels might be off but now I think it could be the switch to this brand
I now refuse to use the pharmacy which refused to supply a brand other than Teva...they said they had no say in what they received!
Many pharmacies don't have a say as it's down to their supplier - chains will get their drugs from one supplier and they often go for the cheapest brand that's available. You may fair better with an independent pharmacy. This is the reason many of us try different pharmacies and refuse to have electronic prescriptions sent a nominated pharmacy.
Yes, thanks. I do use an independent one now. They’re exceptionally good.
i seem to have more breathing problems with teva
i seem to have more breathing problems with teva 25mg
I had muscle weakness - particularly in my arms and my knees. It went away once I stopped taking Teva. I can tolerate any of the other brands and it's only Teva that's an issue.
I can’t take Teva as it gives me a red an itchy rash and I feel generally unwell. Can take other manufacturers Levothyroxine though.
I have only taken Teva 12.5 microgram tablets (alongside Actavis/Almus/Northstar). I asked to try them as I was on a 112.5 daily dose and it seemed sensible to try them as I preferred to avoiding splitting. Just a few days and my stomach felt quite uncomfortable. Switched back to splitting and all was well again.
Since then, my dose has been increased to 125 micrograms so there is no longer the same reason to consider Teva - and I don't. Each time I get my prescription, I go round as many pharmacies as needed to make sure I get what I am OK with - Actavis plus Mercury Pharma.
Iv been bed bound extremely ill on teva but other brands are impossible to find in Cornwall
I had dreadful headaches; dizziness;migraine reaction. Completly stopped using levothyroxine and now on T3 only. Got my life back. Thank you for asking.
It made me feel really ill, severe joint pain, low mood, headache and I gained weight.
The biggest problem with Teva Levo, is, it doesn't work, full stop.
dylansmum, If there's one thing we know for absolute certain from the many years on this forum, it is that "what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another' and vice versa. Teva levothyroxine may not work for you, but there are others for whom it is undoubtedly the best option.
Surely, if we have to take this medication, it should work, otherwise why bother? Teva, in the past have been stopped producing Levothyroxine, because of the fillers, causing patients problems. Teva are now back producing again, in my area they are the only option.
Not defending Teva, but if all levothyroxine were identical, it would mean that patients had NO CHOICE whatsoever.
If someone came up with a perfect, universally acceptable formulation of levothyroxine, that might be acceptable. Until such time as both levothyroxine tablets and patients come in uniformly perfect forms, we will have differences.
From where we are, the most important things are for patients (and others) to recognise the issues and differences, and for patients to be able to receive the best product for them.
I had aches and pains in my body and felt generally unwell so reported it on yellow card system.
Ot sure if its teva because I've only ever had that brand but I've felt awful for the last 2 years on levothyroxine...I had a week off felt effing wonderful 4 days back on and I feel like dog poo
I had severe dizziness where I thought I was going to keel over, a lot of headaches and generally felt under medicated.
I had a month's worth of Teva 100s over Christmas and became terribly constipated, which I've never had before. I've been taking levo for best part of 2.5 years, and only had this reaction when I started on teva. It soon went away after I switched back to almus/actavis brand 100s, and my dispensary now make sure I don't get any teva anymore.
tried TEVA twice without any prior knowledge of issues and felt as i did before I ever got treated. I was asking to be retested as I knew i felt ill again...then heard about TEVA, switched brands and got well again. Last year i was given Teva again but reasoned the earlier issues would have been dealt with. Nope...quickly felt vile again. Boots dont tend to stock TEVA but my nearest Boots isn't convenient and service is slow. Now my GP writes NOT TEVA on my script so local pharmacy can give me a different brand without being penalised
I was on Teva & felt awful with brain fog, an awful feeling of lethargy & as if I was in an unreal situation. Pharmacist suggested I try another brand, now taking Mercury for approx 2-3 yrs. & feeling so much better. Only intermittent ' Flushing ' experienced, but maybe caused by other reasons. At least I can cope with this & it passes in time.
I had terrible heartburn with everything I ate, by chance I read in here that someone else had heartburn and teva was the cause. I told my chemist not to give me teva again and my heartburn stopped
Terrible itch stopped when stopped Teva. Yellow carded it.
Teva tablets dissolved in my mouth even before I could drink my water! Reported to pharmacy because I also had itchy skin. I am no longer given Teva.
Though, to be fair, I'm never well on any generic brand of levothyroxine.
Years ago, I had quality thyroxine - from the day I was told (and given) I had to have cheaper levothyroxine, I've never felt well.
I have not felt like the better version of me when on thyroxine replacement meds.
This is the reality of taking meds with additives. It's an absolute disgrace when money dictates what we are prescribed. The ' Do No Harm' philosophy is rarely considered when mis-treating patients with thyroid disease..
I think I feel better since taking it
Headaches on waking daily. Came off and on and off to confirm. Improved with Wockhardt which my endo now specifies for me.
I still have symptoms that levo is not solving.
It made me really itchy, I was almost scratching my skin off. At first I didn't know what it was and continued with the Teva but then at my next prescription collection I was given a different brand and the itching stopped. Next month got Teva again and itching came back so my pharmacist has noted not to give me Teva again
Yes I definitely did have side effects from using Teva but I would never have worked out that it was the brand until I saw posts on here..I took this up with Lloyds chemist who admitted that they had several customers complaining of side effects , but said that was the only brand they stocked. I had to change my provider to Superdrug who were also aware of problems with Teva.
I got heart burn and acid reflux on Teva. So I ask my pharmacist not to give me that brand now.
I heard somewhere online that it's the mannitol in it that's the problem.
Suffered from bowel issues, headaches, mouth ulcers, heartburn and never felt really well on Teva. Changed to Mercury although can be difficult to get.
I take this brand I thought it was gluten free so better for US?
When on Teva I had hair loss brittle nails really bad depression and a feeling of being under medicated but since changing to a different brand two months ago I now feel almost normal
I get very dry mouth and headaches
Good idea to survey people though maybe how people are surveyed should be carefully done. People more likely to respond if they have had a negative experience than to say they aren’t affected by Teva?
Started on Actavis in 2017 and began to feel better. Then given Teva brand and felt as though I hadn't taken any levo at all....(aches and pains, extreme fatigue) Next time I was given Actavis again - and felt better, so concluded that I had a problem with the Teva. Have now requested on my repeat prescription not to have the Teva brand
Terrible aches and pains, muscle weakness. Barely conscious a lot of the time
Started gradually but within 3 weeks all the joints in my hands and feet were incredibly stiff and painful, to the point I could barely use them/walk. I finally recognised it was a medication reaction having had a bad one 30+ years ago to acne meds (that progressed to a full drug allergy complete with donut rash along my arteries) Teva was the only change so I stopped immediately and got a replacement supply, it started to ease very quickly and back to normal within about 2 weeks
1 year ago I had a bad reaction to Teva with chest pain, difficulty breathing, leaden arms and legs, extreme fatigue and brain fog that came on over 4-5 days after starting this brand. This all went away within 1-2 days of stopping the Teva
I really don't know. My chemist keeps giving me different brands depending on what they have in stock I guess. One of them is Teva. I have no end of symptoms. And many of those of an underactive thyroid as if I wasn't on Thyroxine. I am postmenopausal and no longer on HRT. GP blames my non-exsistent hormones. Nearly 16 years on Thyroxine and I am a mess. I was better, slimmer and fit before they decided I had an underactive thyroid. I must have nearly all the symptoms while on thyroxine.
I could only take Teva for a week or so (in 2017) because I was struggling with an increased heart rate, severe migraines, palpitations, nausea and feeling very hot. As soon as I stopped my medication the symptoms went away.
I felt like I had been kicked in the gut, could barely stand upright..... Pharmacist agreed that I'd had a bad reaction as this was the only thing that had changed. It took a visit to a pharmacy that wasn't my regular one to get the prescription changed!!!!!
Not levothyoine , but had side effects with t3
Not sure if taken Teva before as taken all different ones and don’t pay much attention. However have been taking Teva 25mcg (plus MercuryPharma 100mcg). Have not noticed a difference but was confused by the 25 being a larger size tablet than 100 which could be bad for those with visual impairment or just not noticing in a hurry! The good thing is that the dose can easily be halved to 12.5 mcg. which could make subtle difference.
I normally get Actavis Thyroxine from my usual chemist but in 2018 my levels of TSH were slightly high. My GP increased my dose to 100mcgs then at blood test 2 months later he said all was ok he didn’t alter the dose. I started having intermittent palpitations & severe exhaustion & GP eventually did an ECG which was ok but I was absolutely exhausted not being able to move from the sofa for 4 weeks. Palpitations became constant another ECG done which was also ok but saw a locum after who said my TSH was low so she decreased my dose to 75mcgs & the palpitations stopped however my T4 is now raised at 23. I’m still feeling extremely exhausted though & wondering if it’s due to my Thyroid.
I did better on Teva because I have a sensitivity to lactose
Yes, took them for a month and had migraines and diarrhoea.Managed to get the Doctor to put my usual brand name of Wockhart on my prescription.
For me the Teva brand of Levothyroxine doesn’t seem to work. I always get an increase in my hypothyroid symptoms on Teva, so always ask my GP and pharmacist for other brands.
I also wonder why the Teva pills are so big when every other brand has tiny levothyroxine pills? Are they using a huge amount more filler and starch than anyone else?
Itchy skin and hives due to Teva 25mcg Levothyroxine.
I stopped the teva brand and gp put on prescription not teva brand so I dont get it any more maid me breathless and faint
Tried taking Teva brand and felt woozy, more brain fog than normal, muscle aches and pains. More heart palpitations than I would normally have, and even more fatigued than usual. Went back to Mercury Pharma branded Levo and was fine thereafter. Have since avoided Teva.
I am allergic to Mannitol and acacia powder. Had to stop taking it because my heart was racing and when I looked at the ingredients, both items were in Teva. Cheap fillers, I suppose. I am now on NDT and doing just fine.
Felt as though i was shaking on the inside. Palpitations, dehydration, insomnia, fatigue, weightloss, muscle aches, severe brain fog. Numbness, tinnitus, hairloss. Severe Chest pain esp on left side down arm. (area on underwire of bra thro to underarm.Dry itchy skin/dry eyes. Sensitive to light. Anxiety . I thought the 25mcg tablets were off. Levels went from t4 28 to t4 13 just dropping 25mcg. Ended up in A&E with chest pain and irregular heartbeat. Yellow carded it
I had problems with TEVA - my kidneys started to really hurt and by the end of the two months, I could barely move with the back pain and felt like my kidneys were going to burst and felt so ill and a little feverish, breathless and faint. Finally thought it was worth a try to change as so many other people mentioned a problem with it and my problems reduced in days of changing clearing up a few weeks later. For me it was the mannitol. I don't cope at all well with artificial sugars, especially alcohol ones which this is. I've ingested it every now and then and knew it doesn't quite suit as tongue gets tingly and have bad stomach but never took it everyday like this time so it was awful. I can't take vitamins with it in either or any other foods.
Fortunately, my independent chemist is very good about it, they give me a 25mcg and 50mcg instead of the 75mcg Teva (which is apparently the only one that does 75s?). It's written in my notes and I normally get mercury pharma which I've never had a problem with
It’s difficult to tell as I have a mixture of pharmaceutical producers
E.g. this month out of my 175mcg of thyroxine only 25 mcg is from teva
I have been on Teva for 12 months as it's the only brand my pharmacy can get in 75mcg. I feel undermedicated. My TSH is surpress but my T4 is at the bottom of the range. I feel jetlagged, my weight has ballooned, my joints ache and everything has swollen. It's like it's not working. I wonder if it is because it's Teva?
It is the only brand any UK pharmacy can get! Teva are the only company which produces a 75 microgram tablet.
Alternatives include getting a 50 and a 25 or a 50 and a split 50, or alternate day dosing 50 and 100 (or two 50s).
I spoke to my pharmacist this morning to double check and he said that. He said to chat to the doctor to get it split down. I am currently trialling an increase with my endo. 5 days at 75mcg and 2 days at 100 so I am going to go back to him and have a chat about it. He's worried about me being overreplaced if we go up to 100 consistently but if Teva is the problem why I feel rubbish it's pointless.
I can’t find my original reply here, but wanted to add that I got a new prescription made up yesterday. Having expressly asked it NOT to be TEVA, that’s exactly what it turned out to be. I’ve subsequently spent, what feels like ages today, going between my doctor’s surgery and the chemist, being told conflicting stories about who, if anyone, can authorise it not be TEVA. At one point I thought my surgery were going to wash my hands of me. “It’s what the chemist has in right now and therefore you might need to roll with it” was the inference. But I stood my ground. The chemist has now ordered another brand and even noted on my record that I must not have TEVA. The doctor’s is doing me new prescription. I tell you, you end up having to be quite badass to get what you need! And it’s bloody exhausting.
I felt unmedicated - itched, and had hives. The itchiness disappeared when I changed brands.
Took TEVA 100mcg for 3 months Sept to December 2019. Bad brain fog and headaches as well as fatigue worse than usual. All resolved when I got my repeat prescription and asked for another brand as by then I’d seen plenty of comments on here about TEVA.
I noticed pains & swelling in my hands & fingers but never realised it was the Teva until I was given it a couple more times. I will not take it now.
It didn't work, tried it twice and went back to feeling like I wasn't taking anything, severe fatigue and brain fog. Now have NO TEVA printed on my prescription.
Headaches, feeling of pressure in head.
I have been on Levithyroxine for 40 years and it always came in brown plastic bottles. Since it came in packets I didn't pay attention to the make. I put no side effects because I have Sjogrens too with aches etc and IBS. I will now record all symptoms and note the manufacturer and see if there is a correlation. Perhaps bowel problems are related? Would be good to know. Thanks for raising this..
Hi I have just been given Teva brand from my local pharmacy this week for the first time ,should I be concerned after reading everyones comments ,not sue now whether to start on them or not
That is a difficult question to answer. We see many patients complaining of side effects of Teva, but at the same time, some patients find it the best they have ever had.
Possibly best to try when you still have other tablets available in case you do not get on with them, The last thing you want to do is leave yourself with only Teva and be unable to change back, if needed.
Although it is noted on the pharmacists screen NOT to supply me with Teva, they still do. My latest results on 125mg 25 of the being Teva = serum free t4 18.3 {12-22} serum TSH 0.21 {0.27- 4.2}
I was put on Teva first and had unexplained abdominal pains which stopped when I changed to a different brand. I asked to be changed after reading that some people have problems with some of the fillers in Teva.
To be honest, I am not sure. Now I have Teva every time as I did have side effects from other brands. Continuity is helpful. However, I don't know if I would be better with another brand.
Muscle pain . Joint pain. Thought symptoms where part of disorder until went into other source of thyroxine. Symptoms all disappeared. Felt my body was aged 90 on the Reba. Also started developing itching all over body. Terribke
I was given Teva last month and had taken it for a week , then asked for a change of brand due to having really bad palpatations and bowel problems
I have it noted on the pharmacist screen not to give me Teva, unfortunately this still happens. Then GP queries my TSH.
Teva gives me horrendous tendinitis in shoulders hips and ankles, and plantar fasciitis.
Activis fine - when I stopped teva symptoms above normally resolved in a few days
After almost two weeks of taking Teva I had muscle aches and joint aches, the likes of which I had not experienced before. Also very low mood. I have only been on thyroxine for a few months and my dosage was increased to 50mcg, but it felt like I wasn’t taking any. I have yet to contact the doctor about replacing them, so I am taking what’s left of the Wockhardt I have left. Felt better soon after taking these and joint pains had gone the next day!
I have had low thyroid for about 25 years. Could never lose weight, continually gained. I have had many many brands of thyroxine. I have had a lot of Teva, I only know because the 100mcg and 50mcg had different coloured foil on the backing. But I never took notice of what the brand name was. But I have also had, different brands, many times too. Again I never took notice of what brands they were.
The different brands have been increasing in latter years, I had no idea what brand I was going to have next.
I know I was on Teva for March/April definately. Started my new months Levo different brand (but had not looked what it was) about the 15th April I think (might be out a bit) and around 27th/28th of April I noticed that my weight was more steady. I weigh myself most mornings and I have always tried to lose weight but it tended to go up a pound, down a pound, over and over again, mostly in a very gradual rise, soul destroying! But my weight was a steady 13st 7lbs for about a few days and I suddenly realised that something was different. I knew it wasn't diet, which was low carb, zero dairy since around Christmas, and I had stopped coffee. Meals salads and green veg, lots of mushrooms, fish, chicken, prawns, quorn products at times and not a lot else.
On 28th April I suddenly wondered what brand of thyroxine I had been taking. I was around half way through my 4 week supply and the brand was Accord.
I could not remember having or reading the Accord brand ever before! I thought I was also feeling better but couldn't swear to that, it may just have been the possibility of an improvement, I don't know.
My weights were:-
28th March 13st 7lbs 0oz
29th 13 7 4
30th NW I was terrified of weighing myself!
1st May 13 6 4
2nd 13 6 0
3rd 13 5 4
4th 13 5 0
5th 13 4 8
And so it went on. This morning, I was 12st 12lb 4oz I am on the 2nd month of Accord Levo, my chemist can't promise that he can always get Accord for me in future, but when I rang and told him what was happening and asked about it he said he had another 2 months supply of Accord in stock, which he would ear mark for me. There is now only 1 month left there now. I now record everything in a diary, weigh everything I eat and record it and when I have started the last months supply I am going to go see the GP and show him my diary, weight graphs, etc and ask him how I ensure that I can only get this particular brand in future!
So I have had a lot of Teva in my time, but lots of other brands too, which I have no idea.
In 2011 I had started to lose weight too. I was 15st then. I dieted and found it was actually working, just as it is now. I lost over 3 stones and was size 12 by May. I kept it down but daren't buy new clothes because I wasn't sure it wouldn't all change again. In January I had not gained, so I hit the sales. Bought new undies, nightwear etc etc.
In about 4 to 6 weeks I was growing out of them again and I had absolutely zero control over my weight, it just rose and rose and I was 14st plus by the end of the year.
I can only think that I was on a different brand of thyroxine when I started to lose and when I began to gain I had been given a different brand, Teva or what I have no idea. But it is the only thing I can think in light of what I is happening to me now.
I still can't believe it and am constantly hoping that I can stay on this brand and keep losing to size 12, hopefully I can keep my size there then.
I joined HU in about October 2019. I was in Stoke for most of last year because my mum lives there and she wasn't well. I had lost some weight between Christmas and February. I started going to Stoke in February, gradually spending longer and longer there. I was about 12 stones 5 lbs .
I begun gaining weight again in July 2019 and I was on Teva then too because after about May I got most of my repeats from a chemist in Stoke who always gave me Teva.
It is now in hindsight that I think it was because of the Teva that I got every month in Stoke until I came home to Wales at over 13 stones on March 3rd and 13st 7lbs by April 28th this year.
I was definately on Teva from June to mid March this year when I got the Accord at my local Chemist!
Sorry this is such a long one and hope it helps in your research. I can't say that Teva in particular was what has caused me so much pain over the years but I suspect so, because I had those most regularly over the years, but have had many changes too. I didn't have to read the brand, I remember very clearly the two different coloured foils, one orange and one green on the different dosages.
Sandra Hilton, (BrynGlas on HY thyroid Group)
Yes I have following symptoms when taking it
Period cramps in stomach but no period
Hair loss
Skin breakouts
Depression
Pain in neck
Flaky nails
Tiredness
Joint pain
Weight gain
Irritability
Low libido
Puffy and dark eyes
I don’t know if it is low thyroid because my results are ok
Debilitating diarrhoea, dreadful
Definitely
I picked up my prescription yesterday, ''Avoiding Teva'' the pharmacist gave me NorthStar. are pharmacists aware that this is Teva ?
Probably not. It will be up to us to inform them.
Are you referring to the 25 microgram tablets? They are Teva. But 50 and 100 are Accord.
Just seen this post , haven’t posted anything for a while . I’ve been on teva 75mg for last two months because my endo reduced my dose , so I don’t know if I’m having symptoms because of a lower dose or because of the teva . My hair has been falling out a lot been having headaches feeling more fatigued than before ,so I don’t really know for sure
I have only been on it for a few weeks and chose it as am vegan but my hair is getting thinner and have had flushes and vision migraines. Am sure it is the teva 🥴
I’ve been taking 25mcg for almost 1 month. Gave me palpitations ( aware of HB) , and anxiety, my Thryoid is swollen and have a weird feeling in my throat which improved in the past few days after stopping the tablet.
No more problems with the heart since then. I am still waiting for the pressure in my throat to disappear.
I've only ever taken Teva but I don't think I have had side effects. Though it would be difficult to know what is a side effect and what is a hypothyroid/Hashimoto's symptom, I don't feel very good on Teva but I think that's to be expected with T4-only treatment.
What sort of bowel issues are associated with Teva?
Experienced terrible vomiting/stomach pain after one day of Teva. Now insist on Accord which seems ok.
I had an immediate severe reaction to Teva lactose free tablets. I am lactose intolerant but also gluten intolerant but highly sensitive to chemicals in caking agents. My GP has placed this on my notes and reported to the MHRA. I have even had a reaction to liquid Teva formulation. Now on 75mg LThyroine Henning lactose tablets. Getting Henning - which needs imported from Germany - is getting to be extremely difficult. I also need to give Boots a GP hand-written paper prescription which needs to specify brand and written instruction to dispense 50mgs and be halfed to make-up the daily dose..as getting 25mgs of the Henning is even more difficult. Aristo is only available under UK license for 100mg tablet which when taking 75mgs would be extremely difficult to accurately cut so have never taken. It would really help if Aristo has available their 50mgs and 25 mgs under UK licence.
@Jinker Have you tried a different pharmacy. Boots are much more strict than others.
I did phone around some other local pharmacist and they said it was very difficult to get Henning lactose free levothyroxine as it's not licienced in UK. Boots has been willing to try but worry with not being part of EMA it will be impossible to get.
We have a list of pharmacies. Not sure if you have already seen it... thyroiduk.org/help-support/...
Yes I am having side effects from Teva all the symptoms mentioned on here, have gone back to my old brand. And Symptoms slowly improving. Boots have been very good and have noted my records no teva so have doctors surgery. Just wish I could tell how long before feeling back to normal.
No side effects that I’ve noticed.When I started Teva 50 Levo back in January for what the GP described “borderline hypo” I didn’t feel any changes at all . My sleep improved for a while but then got really bad, only sleeping four or five hours a night.
When Levo (still Teva) was eventually increased to 75 I felt really energised for the first five days (and sleep improved) but after the five days I was back to my usual low energy and poor sleep. I’ve just started magnesium and hoping my sleep will improve with that.
Will soon have the next blood test to potentially increase Levo again. My vit D is now raised, while B12 is in range but still low.I’ve never had any side effects from Teva that I know of, except maybe the poor sleep, but nothing has improved either except for the 5 days after increased dose. I’m surprised in a way, because I have always got very dizzy and nauseous really easily but Teva hasn’t affected that, whereas the high dose B12 lozenges made me feel really sick and lightheaded instantly .
I’m not at optimal dose yet for Levo, and I’ve never had any other brand so wouldn’t know if I’d feel more energetic on something else. Just don’t suffer any side effects.
Allergic reaction to Acacia which is in Teva and its co brand names Mercury Pharma, Northern Star.
Sorry but I am finding your reply somewhat confusing! Not clear what you mean by "co brand names".
Mercury Pharma levothyroxine has nothing to do with Teva at all. But, yes, both do contain acacia.
Only one dosage of Northstar, the 25 microgram tablet, has anything to do with Teva. (Their 50 and 100 microgram tablets being made by Accord.)
My eyes constantly feel like I have an allergy, itching, dry and crusting up. Increasing my dose has made them worse. Also, my skin overall is now very sensitive to chemicals, dust, etc. I'm also wondering if the constant increase in thyroid antibodies is down (at one time they were reducing) to this drug - possibly the mannitol in it. I changed to this brand as I couldn't tolerate lactose, but lactose didn't have such an awful affect as the Teva. I would rather have the lactose. Better the devil you know and all that.
I have had pneumonia/ chest infection and been given a stronger inhaler whilst on Teva, which I was given several times recently.
Until I started reading here about Teva, I hadn't suspected my Thyroid meds. But I have been itching all over for weeks. I knew my thyroxine was split into 2 brands. The 25mg one is Teva. The 100mg Mercury Pharma.
Let us know if it stops when you stop the Teva?
Previously, I had experienced awful Hyperthyroid symptoms including palpitations, breathing difficulties, boats of anger and anxiety etc. etc. I was given Carbimazole tablets for a year - which helped a lot - but also needed propranolol when I experienced palpitations again (not that often). Then I was encouraged to have RAI treatment. Immediately afterwards I felt wonderful - just like my old self. However, after 6 weeks I was diagnosed as being Hypothyroid, and given Teva Levothyroxine 50 micrograms. I have taken them for a month now - and feel really rotten - gradually getting worse day by day. The palpitations, breathing difficulties, have returned - and now I am also experiencing extreme fatigue, diarrhoea, sore eyes, and aches and pains all over. I felt like throwing them in the rubbish bin, but have spoken to the pharmacist who has promised to give me the Accord brand this time (marking my notes "no Teva"). I am hoping these will agree with me.
Teva levothyroxine 25mcg side effects for me: Diarrhoea. Very mild headache. Bit jittery. Hypothyroid for 32 years. Already taking 100mcg Actavis. Stopped Teva and alternated 100mcg with 150mcg Actavis. No side effects. Recommenced Teva, side effects recurred. Reported to GP.
Yes both myself and my sister had very bad reactions, anxiety, nausea aching joints - both put yellow cards in - vile stuff 🤮
Had brand Teva, and oh my goodness me..... It felt like I had been punched in the stomach so bad that I couldn't stand upright, also my skin had a yellowish tinge to it. Changed the tablet back to Mercury Pharma and all is well...... May I add that that was after a heated debate with the pharmacist.
Can I ask how long symptoms last once you stopped taking teva brand? I think my issues (muscle cramps, heart palpitations, dizzyness and the feeling of wanting to cry at any given moment) are due to TEVA, changed over to the old brand I was taking about a week ago but I am still experiencing side effects.
Just been on 75mcg of Teva for a month (having increased from 50mcg Accord) and was miserable due to constant bloating and digestive discomfort plus felt like I was getting a lot of headaches.
I'm now on 100mcg Accord and it might be a coincidence, but the bloating went immediately the day after I stopped taking the Teva and hasn't returned. Appreciate I am now on a higher dose and while I was a little sceptical about all the side effects, I'm not now!
Throat swelling and pressure, bad anxiety and panic right after taking it, feeling faint and dizzy, unable to focus on work, itchiness, frequent urination. Switched to another brand, felt better right away.
I tried TEVA for about 1 month since neither mannitol nir acacia were listed in the ingredients. No issues for the first two weeks but thereafter pain and inflammation, burning tongue, guts, vagina. I changed back to TICHE (liquid formulation in gelcaps) and side effects resolved.
