Can anyone tell me about Activist

[Kathy21]

I am about to change from Eltroxin and Levo as I am not feeling as good as I used to and the pharmacy can't get Eltroxin in the near future as MP say they are not making it at the moment. So they said to do a two month trial with Activist. Would be greatful for any info, can't seem to find any any where else. Many thanks, Kathy.

[bantam12]

Activis is still Levothyroxine, just a different brand.

[Kathy21 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks, yes I know it is Levo. but wondered how it compared?

[bantam12 in reply to Kathy21]

I have always taken Actavis and never had a problem.

[Kathy21 in reply to bantam12]

Ahh thank you, hope it's the same for me. I was on Eltroxin for 27 years and was fine till Merc. Farma took them over. I should start on them in the next couple of days.

[bantam12 in reply to Kathy21]

There are many many people who are having problems with MercPharma levo and are having to change brands. Do give yourself time to settle and get used to the Actavis tablets as changing brands can sometimes make us feel a bit odd to start with.

[tweed in reply to bantam12]

Mp was even worse than all the other makes for me within 12 days I had lost 5 pounds and already underweight!!!! All my joints were painful and got flushes all the time!!!! I have found a doctor at last who has listened to me and taken me off my medication for 3 months just to see what is happening.! It's either my thyroid is producing some thyroxine or what the hell are they putting in our medication!? This has been going on for over a year now but I found Mp horrendous!!!!

[Kathy21 in reply to tweed]

You must be struggling losing weight and I struggle because I can't loose it. Lol MP seems to give most people side effect to varying degrees, I have got a friend who has been on it for years and although she would like to loose weight on the whole she is fine. Hope you get sorted. Best wishes. x

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Kathy21]

Mercury Pharma didn't "take over" anyone.

Goldshield (who sold three levothyroxine products including Eltroxin) simply renamed themselves as Mercury Pharma in 2012.

In 2013, the company Cinven, who owned both Mercury Pharma and another pharmaceutical company, decided to merge them into one company, AMCO.

Rod

[Kathy21 in reply to helvella]

Sorry that's what I was led to believe. But it amounts to the same outcome for me, after 27 years on Eltroxin I have symptoms that I wasn't getting before they merged. I stand corrected. Thank you.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Kathy21]

There is absolutely no guarantee that Eltroxin would not also have changed (had they continued to make it).

It seems to me that it is entirely possible that at least some of the issues are related to the new dissolution standards being imposed since the Teva fiasco.

[Kathy21 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for that Rod you could well be right, it may not be there fault, Eltroxin did change months back before I knew any thing about this site. I started researching because I started to get Hypo symptoms,so many people are suffering with it.I just want to feel better. I was changed to thyroxin years ago before it was Levothyroxin and it didn't suit me then either and my GP changed me back to Eltroxin. So I will see if Actavis is any different, I really hope so, I really hate changing meds. I am also type 1 diabetic and take other besides that so I need to get balanced. Best wishes.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Kathy21]

For clarity, the change from "thyroxine" to "levothyroxine" was a matter of labelling only. (Simply to preclude the remote possibility of confusion with dextrothyroxine. However as that substance often had serious side effects,it is almost unavailable and probably nowadays only ever used in extreme cases and research.)

[ianessex]

hi Kathy,, did you see the link I sent you yesterday? can look up all the ingredients (for want of better word) in all thyroid meds,,

[Kathy21 in reply to ianessex]

Hi Ian, yes I did look at it but Actavis for some reason wasn't on the list but one or two people have said they are fine on it so hopefully I will be. We are off to Australia next week to see our family, so hope I will be ok on my new medication. Fingers crossed. Thanks for your input. Best wishes.

[ianessex in reply to Kathy21]

its def on the list,, lists all fillers etc but as you say, most people are on actavis,, the prob comes if you need 25s as part of your dosage then youll have to have wockhardt or mercury p,, wow australia !! how do you feel about starting new brand before that trip ?