Is it the real deal? : Looking for a little help... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,135 members160,809 posts

Is it the real deal?

leaf1 profile image
15 Replies

Looking for a little help, I have recently moved to Sweden and have just renewed my first T4 prescription. The chemist says, this is a new one, I have a suspicion she meant the type of drug is new, so having read the ingredients this is what is written "tablets contain levothyroxine sodium levothyroxine equivalent, lactose monohydrate, 133 mg and other ingredients."

My last uk tablets where marked as levothyroxine sodium... so what am I actually getting now? And the biggie question, is it any use? I don't tolerate T4 well as it is, quite low in my free T4 tests, so I have T3 as well... and I a, terrified I won't be able to get that. Here.

One hundred tablets of 75mcg tabs cost the equivalent of £7.00 so this stuff is super cheap....

Thanks for reading 😳

Written by
leaf1 profile image
leaf1
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
15 Replies
Learner1 profile image
Learner1

Does the drug have a name or a manufacturer?

leaf1 profile image
leaf1 in reply to Learner1

yes it does , Takeda Pharma AB,

It's is a Swedish address, but, I guess that won't mean much.

Learner1 profile image
Learner1 in reply to leaf1

Most levothyroxine products contain a variety of inert ingredients, so it can be advantageous to choose one over the other, particularly if you have allergies to any of the ingredients.

The Takeda product does seem to be a new formulation. There was a recent study in Belgium to see if any dose adjustments were needed with it on patients who'd gone through total thytoidectomy. Couldn't find any published results, though, but it may mean your dose might be slightly different.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

Leaf1,

That price is very similar to UK levothyroxine (£2.02 to £3.03 per 28 tablets).

So far as I am aware, all levothyroxine tablets contain levothyroxine sodium. That is also called levothyroxine or thyroxine. Looks as if they are hammering home that "levothyroxine sodium" is equivalent to "levothyroxine".

Treepie profile image
Treepie

There is at least one other poster inSweden perhaps you canstart a new post to get her attention..

Lina13 profile image
Lina13

Hi I am one of them but I don't really get what you are asking...?

I suspect you got Levaxin from Takeda Pharma which is the most widely used t4 here. Getting t3 is harder but not impossible.

Summer64 profile image
Summer64

Interesting that they do a 75mcg tablet there as here it's 25 50 or 100.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to Summer64

Summer64,

Teva, recently reintroduced to the UK, also do 12.5mcg and 75mcg.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Summer64 profile image
Summer64

Thanks for that. I didn't like Teva though and they had a recall which well and truly put me off them.

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83

Lactose monohydrate is milk sugar. Are you sure that you body tolerates lactose? Any pharmacist who says "this is a new one" is, in my judgment, extraordinarily inexperienced. I wouldn't be terrified about T3, if you can't get it, just ask someone here how to order off the web.

leaf1 profile image
leaf1 in reply to Eddie83

It's looked upon as an abused drug here, so getting stuff threw customs could be hit and miss...🙁

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to leaf1

If here is the United Kingdom, we are at liberty to bring our own in through customs for the use of ourselves and our household.

Eddie83 profile image
Eddie83

Do Norway, Finland, and Denmark also regard it as a drug of abuse?

leaf1 profile image
leaf1

I thought T4 was converted in the liver into T3? It is dangerous, if you take to much, but then so is paracetamol, beta blockers.... sleeping tablets.. dang talk about the dark ages!!!! 😳

Levothyroxine sodium is levothyroxine

You may also like...

Results back - now need real deal advice (that I can then feed back to the doc)

Welcome to the real world

thyroiditis I couldn't get back to health on levothyroxine. I had great support from my GP and got...

Are thyroid issues the real problem here?

thyroidectomy in July 2009 and I also have CFS. I am on Levothyroxine 50mcg daily, Liothyronine...

Is t3 resistance real?

I was researching cytomel as I have some at hand and was planning on adding a bit to my synthroid...

Are the risks of stroke or atrial fibrillation real?

This is the letter he’s written to my GP (quote of risks pasted above) I have seen [me] today on...