Has anyone been having any weird side-effects h... - Thyroid UK
Has anyone been having any weird side-effects having to switch from eltroxin to mercurypharma generic levothyroxine?
We have had a few people contact us now with possible problems from the switch...
L
x
Louise,
Eltroxin SPC ays:
Each tablet contains 100 micrograms Levothyroxine sodium anhydrous BP.
medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...
Mercury Pharma SPC levothryoxine says:
Each tablet contains 100 micrograms Levothyroxine Sodium anhydrous also known as thyroxine sodium tablets.
(Goodness knows who wrote that sentence - it looks to have been edited to insert the Anhydrous word - very badly. )
medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...
The word "anhydrous" in there is meant to say how it is measured.
100 micrograms of levothyroxine without any water (anhydrous) has more molecules of levothyroxine than 100 micrograms of levothyroxine pentahydrate (with a little bit of water). When expressing how string a tablet is, ALL levothyroxine products MUST express their content in terms of anhydrous levothyroxine in order that their claimed potency is on the same basis. That includes liquid levothyroxine products which will always be hydrated.
Failure to adhere to this appeared to be why the first liquid levothyroxine (Kappin) had to be withdrawn for a while. After that, the MHRA tightened up and the PILs and SPCs started to more clearly state the basis of their potency as being anhydrous.
Also, regardless of whether anhydrous or hydrated levothyroxine is actually added to the mixing bowl, water is a listed ingredient of these two products. So it is likely to be hydrated at the end of the production line.
I believe the use of the word "anhydrous", or not, is a red herring as regards any possible difference between the products.
Rod
What weird side effects are you having? I'm sure there is a difference. I suspect the generic is made in a different country and perhaps the ingredients although the same, same measurements etc are just processed differently. I have had to up my dose to 125mcg and still my tsh lingers just over 1. I also have an extremely unpleasant taste in my mouth in the mornings and more catarh even though I've cut our dairy and gluten.
Mercury Pharma have repeatedly stated that the products are made in the same factory.
do we belive this ???
I do believe this.
It is stated on the public documentation that the same company makes them.
It has been repeated by the company that not only does the same company make them but that they are actually made in the same factory.
I have absolutely no personal reason to doubt it.
If I believed otherwise I would already have written a letter to both Amdipharm Mercury and to the MHRA saying so and seeking absolute assurance. As you seem to believe otherwise, I suggest that you contact those who are in a position to tell you with certainty.
(I have already been in contact with MHRA about related issues. Am still awaiting responses.)
Rod
My heart palps are back since taking these (which would contradict what janiebell is saying as this would make them stronger) but I don't know whether this is down to the change or that my iron is helping me to convert better as I have had to reduce the amount I am taking twice already since taking iron supplements, but that was when I was on Eltroxin.
Moggie x
I have developed heart palpatationsthat have continued despite dropping to nearly half my previous dose! Fell really unwell on these. Muscle and joint pain also and foggy headache. Just like i wasbefore taking eltroxin.
If you have halved your dose then its no wonder you feel unwell. If I were you I would go back to your GP, especially regarding the heart palps. How are your iron, B12, VitD, Ferritin, Folate levels?
Moggie x
Thanx Moggie, felt unwell before lowering dose to half still feel the same. Have been back to Gp this morning and have spoken to phaemacist will try another generic initially but have discussed switching to NDT Armour to trial it. Have not had the levels u suggested checking , done yet but will mention it to Gp at next appointment in a weeks time. Thank you.x
Some people may have different reactions. I certainly had when, about 4 years ago, I was given Eltroxin instead of levo and there was such a difference to my well being that the chemist kept the stock he had for me, it was 25mcg only. The Endocrinologist also changed my prescription to Eltroxin as they could see I was much better.
I changed to T3 and NDT thereafter.
agreed with you !!well done you ,...........that is what I mean about same product ...they did change it a few years ago tried to say it was the same NO it was not ...it is cheap to perscribe why do they do it ??I stick with make I know
These are two links I just read. First that an company in India did manufacture Eltroxin:-
slideshare.net/theswissphar...
medsafe.govt.nz/hot/alerts/...
I assume because Eltroxin went out of patent that Glaxosmithkline 'sold' the name to others to manufacture.
The brand name Eltroxin was not legally protected in all countries of the world.
Even among those in which it was legally protected, there are AT LEAST three different formulations. These include:
1) MercuryPharma Eltroxin
2) north American Eltroxin (by GSK)
3) Aspen Eltroxin (who bought the rights to the brand name outwith the USA from GSK but supply a product that is different to either of the above)
There are numerous other products which have "Eltroxin" stamped on them but I do not know what formulation they have - they could be the same as one or other of the above or very different. They are definitely made in different factories and with different regulatory authorities.
A number of years ago (but I am not in a position to be accurate about this), Goldshield sold at least two, if not three different formulations of levothyroxine. At that time, there could most certainly have been a difference between Eltroxin and all other levothyroxine products on the UK market.
Rod
How have you felt since NDT? As I am discussing the possibillity of trying it for myself with my Gp.
Hi U. We've been switched repeatedly between brands over here, but i've never experienced reactions as such.
What has almost certainly (as in it's not been not lab verified, and the system here in Ireland plays dumb on the issue) been a very significant issue is variable potency.
Despite having for years been stable on the same product, I had long periods of very significant hypothyroidism for example from late 2011 to late last year while on Goldshield branded T4 product - where i'm pretty much certain the effective potency was up and down.
Whatever the reason, a switch to generic Mercury Eltroxin T4 in late 2012 as a result of changing pharmacies instantly resolved the problem with no change in dose or in the T3 taken.
The problem was i think in the T4, although given that I take T3 with it I can't be 100% sure. The brand of T3 never changed through this period though, and it has remained consistent since the above change too.
My best guess is that there was a reduction in potency (in at least the batches we were getting) of the Goldshield Eltroxin from late 2011 forward (although for one month it seemed the opposite) compared to what had been the case for several years previously - but that the Mercury product has proven to be of very similar potency to the original Goldshield...
ian
I have three days of Eltroxin left, I phoned Lloyds to find out when they are delivering me the rest of my perscription that I have now waited a month for ? they told me they can't get Mercury Pharma levo or Eltroxin of any dose as they have a manufacturing problem with levo of any kind ? I need to contact the GP for a new perscription for Activis or they can't give me anything ? I am a bit concerned in swapping to Activis as I haven't felt well for a while on Eltroxin as it is.
Thank you wall .. will give Boots a phone call although I went to Lloyds a year ago because they were the only ones who could get it back then .
The switch to Mercury makes my heart thump (wouldn't call it palpitations as the rate doesn't increase) about an hour after taking them. I also preferred the Goldshield tabs but my chemist could only offer what they had been provided with. I did read somewhere that the producers of levothyroxine are allowed a 15% leeway (plus or minus) meaning from one batch to another the difference could be either 170mcg or 230mcg instead of 200mcg!! Then we're told we're just imagining our symptoms...
The tablets must be in a range of 90% to 105% of claimed potency.
This represents a tightening of the allowed range which used to be 90% to 110%.
Bear in mind that this is the range of potency that the tablets are required to demonstrate from first release to market to last day of expiry. Therefore the actual factory-gate potency range must be considerably tighter than 15%. Indeed, if they have been stored in decent conditions I would expect their potency to be well within range even at expiry.
There could be any number of reasons to question the product but fundamental potency does not seem to me to be top of the pile.
To take your example of 200 micrograms. That could theoretically be in the range 180 to 210 micrograms. A range of 30 micrograms rather than the 60 micrograms you suggest.
Rod
I am going to do a little experiment as I have a couple of months of eltroxin still at hand. I am going to stop the mercury pharma generic and start taking eltroxin again and if my heart palps stop then I will know that it is definately the generic mercury pharma that is doing it. I will then report this and also speak to my endo as to what to do next - although I think I know the answer already - any old levo for me from now on - and I was doing so well and showing real improvement before changing.
This illness is hard enough to cope with let alone the drugs companies making it worse.
Moggie x
Please let me know how you get on incase I miss your post!!!! X
One week back on Eltroxin and the palps have completely gone so I think its about time my endo was informed of the facts.
Moggie x
I don't like this at all. How on earth can this be happening if the ingredients are exactly the same? I noticed someone had posted about undisclosed binders, ie ingredients they don't have to list. Noidea if that is true. I'm going to call Mercury now and ask them.
Someone else posted something and the comments from Red Apple were great, let me link it to you before you phone, just got to find it.
Moggie x
Got it.
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Moggie x
Ok, v interesting. I spoke to a rep called Kim who was very informative unlike other reps I've spoken to there in the past who were almost robot like. Must be a new set up.
Anyways, Kim confirmed Eltroxin wil be coming back and that they have had many, many complaints re the generic v Eltroxin. How can this be? I asked when the ingredients are exactly the same and they are manufactured in the same factory. All she would say is that Eltroxin went through adifferent compliance protocol to the generic - what ever that means - but suggests to me there is a difference.
Did she give you any idea WHEN.
A very desperate
Moggie x lol
I'm afraid not but Eltroxin is available in liquid form. Could you try that fr now?
Hia moggie, i reported my weird side side effects to mercury pharma on their web page and low and behold, i had a response from a drhareen, who asked me about the problems i had experienced. My gp has also stated that several of her patients had reported problems with the generic mercury pharma levo. I got the impression they are looking into this problem. If its any use i am currently taking levo made by actavis and i am having nowhere near the amount of side effects ive had with othet brands. I still hope to try amour but probably in combination with actavis at a lower dose. Just waiting for practice to confirm it ok, thankfully my gp is happy to prescibe.
Thanks for the update - if you look up a few pots then you will see that janiebell has been in touch with mercury pharma and Eltroxin is, hopefully, being re-introduced.
Hope you get your Armour.
Moggie x
Hi Moggie, why do they mess with us like this I fail to undersatnd .it does not make sence..
I hope it works better for you if so then follow what you know best we know our own bodies at times !!
..we will never get first with the doctors I feel ..or the pill com panies ..it is all about money Money and costs ..while out lives are turned upsidedown ...grrr
I have been on Goldshield Eltroxin for ten years, with good stable levels and no side affects. Then suddenly the pharmacy cant get them, so on general advice I got a prescription for Levothyroxine from Mercury Pharma. Result, tight band round head, fuzzy head an excited rushy feeling for 36 hours that left me unable to sleep. 100mg for both prescriptions. (Oh yes and the runs). So I dont care what the drug company says there is absolutely no way the recipe is the same. Somewhere along the line something has altered. Tried to discuss this yesterday with my doctor (locum) who was confrontational and totally unhelpful. Suggested to me that it was no different to Kellogs stopping making cornflakes. I did point out that a lack of cornflakes would not make you ill so the comparison was somewhat stupid. He wouldnt refer me to an endocronologist until I have tried all the thyroxine the pharmacy has. As you can tell I am totally underwhelmed by his understanding and compassion! What a *******! He also barely glanced at my notes re NDT which I really want to try. Decided to look for a private GP but running into brick walls there too! I will persevere! The one thing I will not do is keep taking tablets that have such a nasty effect! One way or another this will be resolved even if we need to emigrate!
I really do think we need to start reporting this on the yellow card system. If the levo mercury pharma are producing under their own name is not up to standard then it needs to be highlighted as not everyone is a member of this site, or as clued up as some on here, so will be suffering in silence.
Moggie x
I am interested in this thread as I had an odd reaction recently. I had been on T3 only since Feb, but decided to add back in a little T4 and cut the T3 slightly. For the first 4 weeks I used some Eltroxin that I had left over of 25mcg. I felt basically OK during this time.
Then I ran out of Eltroxin and asked the GP for some new T4 at 25mcg and I got the Mercury Pharma instead. For the next few weeks my digestive issues got much much worse to the point that I had 4 migraines in 2 weeks. I was so unwell I didn't notice much else as these symptoms affect my ME symptoms considerably.
I had been trying for several years to improve the huge amount of food sensitivities and this had improved but I didn't realise how much better I had been on T3 until this happened. Anyway, though i could have tried some old Eltroxin (I have some 100mcg tabs left) I decided to go back to T3 only. Since then all the digestive issues and migraine have stopped again.
I don't know if this issue is maybe related to different fillers in the tablets, but in my case it was pretty crucial to my health.
Only just seen your helpful contribution to this thread - I have told my GP and endo that it is the fillers in these tablets they are causing me problems but have been ignored (most probably due to cost issues as giving me anything that has less or no fillers in will cost a lot more than run of the mill levo or Eltroxin) but a friend (who is big on gut health) only today emailed me (she is helping me prepare for my first appt with gastro) and said she through my reaction to the different T4 was most probably due to my bad gut health (cant clean it up yet due to pending tests), so for me to find your post saying exactly the same thing is spooky.
Moggie x
NEVER NEW IT CONTAINED LACTOSE ...SOME CONTAIN LACTOSE AND SUCROSE ONE LOT OF MINE DOES !!!! DEPENDS ON MAKERS OF THE MEDS
.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine
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