New lactose free formulation for Teva

[EbonyEvans]

This may be old news but I was at my local pharmacy today. I noticed a box of Teva Levothyroxine on the counter that had a big blue stripe with 'New Formulation' The pharmacist advised that it had a no lactose in any of the ingredients. They were the 50mcg packs. She gave me: medicines.org.uk/emc/ to check the list of the ingredients for the old formula. Just an FYI but with 80% of us Hashi - you'd think this would have been sooner. On a positive note thank you to all that lobbied to get lactqose removed. And lastly I hope the fillers agree with more people than previously. Be well

[sal77]

Thankyou for that info, yes I have a packet with that written on it. I wondered what the changes were, so good to know it doesn't have lactose in it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Many many people have posted over last 2-3 months about having poor or terrible reaction to Teva.

Obviously only the ones that don't get on with it post here. So no idea what % don't like it.

[EbonyEvans in reply to SlowDragon]

The old formula?

She had about 20 boxes of it in a bundle. I've never tried it. Nor seen an actual box of Mercury Pharma. I thought the latter most people didn't get on with as they kept changing hands and possibly ingredients.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Personally I only ever use Mercury Pharma (previously Eltroxin )

We are all different

Main thing is to stick to one that suits you best. (Or should I say least worst!)

[Hyburn in reply to SlowDragon]

Same here with Eltroxin/Mercury Pharma. Endo agreed with me best to have named brand for consistency.

[Teddy71]

I am in this new formulation of Teva and have no problems at all with it.

[EbonyEvans in reply to Teddy71]

That's good news. Good for you. Finally some good news for us in the UK. Fingers crossed they've filtered out all the bad ingredients for the majority.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

EbonyEvans,

Thank goodness for pharmacists with their encyclopaedic knowledge of UK thyroid medicines.

In 2012 Teva 100 microgram levothyroxine had its licence revoked by the MHRA because the product was failing to deliver the claimed dose. Teva also withdrew their 50 microgram product. Further, they also withdrew the 25 microgram product despite that actually being repackaged Mercury Pharma.

Until October 2016, there was no Teva levothyroxine on the UK market. However, Teva did distribute Mercury Pharma levothyroxine over this period.

At that point, Teva applied for and received approval for their new products which include 12.5 and 75 as well as 25, 50 and 100 microgram products. These are all formulated with exactly the same list of ingredients. They are lactose-free. They are emblazoned New Formulation.

MHRA announcement here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Teva did not get their Patient Information Leaflets posted on EMC (old or new) so having a link to that site is of no help whatsoever.

This is a link to the PIL of the OLD FORMULATION product:

tevauk.com/mediafile/id/912...

There should be NO old formulation Teva levothyroxine available anywhere. All products were withdrawn. Anyway, they would all be well past expiry. If a pharmacy has any old formulation, just what are they intending to do with them?

There is no suggestion that Mercury Pharma (or before them Goldshield, or now as part of Concordia International) changed the listed ingredients of their levothyroxine products.

Five years ago people in their droves posted about the old Teva and problems with it.

In the past eleven months people have posted in droves about problems with new formulation Teva and many bad side-effects they have suffered.

SlowDragon

[EbonyEvans in reply to helvella]

Hello Helvella,

I don't take it. But observed while I was at my pharmacy today. So thought I'd ask a few questions as it was staring at me. Albeit upside down. White box with a blue stripe with 'new formula' written in white across the stripe. But I noticed it was 50mcg before she took the box off of the counter.

The pharmacist told me it was Teva after I asked what the different ingredients were. Which she didn't know but said "all the lactose products had been removed" then promptly said she could give me the website address as above to check.

Very interesting points and details you have added. I will be intrigued to read the links you have added. Thank you.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to EbonyEvans]

EbonyEvans,

Current, new formulation Teva levothyroxine Patient Information Leaflets (and pictures of packets) available here:

tevauk.com/p/levothyroxine-...

She's a poorly informed pharmacist.

[EbonyEvans in reply to helvella]

I'll print that out and take to her. There were about 20 boxes of them and it's a large pharmacy connected to a specialist health care centre. Hopefully she'll read it and be more informed.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to EbonyEvans]

Details of UK and some non-UK products are available on the Thyroid UK website:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment...

[SheNew]

As a committed vegan I am thrilled that the new Teva formulation of Levo is lactose free. My GP is aware that I'm vegan and always stipulates on my repeat prescriptions that I'm only to be given Teva by the pharmacy 😀

[oldheavylegs]

I was given Teva 50mg New formulation, found it great, felt better less muscle pain, since moving to Scotland I havebeen given Actavis again and back to not sleeping at night, waking with night sweats, muscle pain like nothing before, tried to get Tevo from lloyds pharmacy, was told they didn't stock it and just try Actavis, but after 4years of being hypothyroidism I know that Actavis for me are crap, Tevo works the best, can I try another pharmacist?

[EbonyEvans in reply to oldheavylegs]

Hi Oldheavylegs,

You might be better off posting your own message as this is four months old and may not be seen by others.

You can try any pharmacy. I’d suggest you ask them to order it in for you as many pharmacies order the cheapest brand. I think you can also ask your Gp to put the brand name you prefer on your prescription. If you do request it from the pharmacy and they fail to deliver you can ask for your prescription back and go elsewhere. You also don’t need to explain why you prefer Teva, but stand your ground and get what suits you best.

[MrsM78 in reply to oldheavylegs]

Hi my repeat prescription of liothyronine (t3) is teva and I got it from boots I'm delighted that there is no lactose in them and I'm going to ask for my levothyroxine from teva as well, I'm presuming that if boots have the liothyronine they also have the levothyroxine from teva hope this helps

[EbonyEvans in reply to MrsM78]

Hi @Mrsm78,

A lot of people have not gotten on with the new formula. Might I suggest you try it out first then request it if you’re okay on it. I have a few intolerances and although my T3 has lactose its so minor it does not seem to upset my delicate system.

As for T4, I’d stick with what you know and works for you. Just my suggestion but I wouldn’t want you to suffer unnecessarily. Good luck

[oldheavylegs]

Thank you.