If you were ill on generic levothyroxine in the UK between 2008 and 2013, particularly if you were switched between TEVA and other formulations and if you fluctuated between hypothyroid and hyperthyroid, you might want to check out your bone density if you were menopausal, or are post menopausal now. This might particularly be relevant to people with hypothyroidism as a result of thyroid cancer. In addition, it appears that SSRI's can disrupt bone regeneration so if you were prescribed SSRI's as a result of ill health caused by the poor quality meds you recieved, you might want to double check your bone health now.
It's possible that poor quality levothyroxine has affected bone health. Ask your GP to send you for a DEXA scan if you had a history of uncontrolled hypothyroidism on NHS prescribed levothyroxine, particularly if you have any bone or joint pain.
Show your GP the MHRA 2013 Review on Levothyroxine to emphasise that it may have affected you adversely. Since the NHS doesn't test FT3, people may have had low or high FT3 without being aware and this could affect bone health. If you pick up any problem early, you can do something about it. For example, weight bearing exercise can increase bone density if you have osteopenia, the precurser to osteoporosis.
Nice work Nanaedake. I bet that's the osteoporosis that is observed and attributed to low TSH. Just one question though, what's an SSRI? It's also a good idea to look up the "normal" curve for bone loss as we age, I'm not sure what it is but it's on my "job list", I'll post it when I find out - tomorrow though, it's late here, bedtime.
SSRIs are antidepressants - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors including (Prozac) fluoxetine, citalopram and seratraline
They are commonly prescribed when GPs don't know what to do with hypothyroid (or any patient with a long term condition) who we tend to find on here actually is under/not medicated, nutrient deficient, has another issue and/or not on the right hormone replacement.
I have osteoporosis now and I was given ssri’s for anxiety years ago and have tried to come off them so many times, the withdrawal effects of the ones I’m on are horrible, I am nearly there now, but it’s take me are year of slow dose reduction. I had an endo appointment who ranted at me because my TSH is suppressed with regards to osteoporosis etc. The second visit with him he wanted to see if I even needed to take Levo at all, reduce me right down, and if necessary he would treat me with beta blockers and antidepressants ( this was to help my osteoporosis! ) with a maximum dose of 25 to 50 mcg thyroxine. I told him that it won’t happen. Thankfully I have a good gp who was horrified. I despair! The trouble with getting dexa scans is once you are diagnosed with osteoporosis you are then expected take their bone building drugs with all those side effects, rightly or wrongly I refused. As individuals we have to make our own choices and at least there are ways now that we can source infomation, so thanks Nanadrake for the info.
Great info. Very interesting. Can you say where this research has come from. I was classed as on the edge of Ostepenia when I had this scan. But I seem to remember that there is a risk of some sort with the Dexa scan? Probably the same as any X-ray.
Have a look at my previous post for the link to NICE comment on SSRI's. For the MHRI report just GOOGLE MHRI 2013 review, Clinical and Quality Considerations for Levothyroxine. I will post links tonight if I remember.
Thanks for this. I have just found out that I have some osteoporosis. It is hard to know if it down to the levothyroxine I took for 10 years, low vit D or the T3 I am on now!
We'll probably never know, the important thing is to check and do something about it asap. Change diet and exercise if caught early enough. Teach our children good habits.
I went through an early menopause at 41 years of age, and I have been on Levothyroxine since (as this is when my hypothyroidism was diagnosed )for over 20 years. Two years ago I was sent for a bone scan and my results were excellent.
10 years ago my son and I each had a DEXA scan and all was well. This last year my son has had another one and has Osteopenia. He has an appointment with a Rheumatologist on 23 March. Neither of us have been very good thyroid-wise since our change from Goldshield El;troxin to Mercury Pharma Generic Levothyroxine in 2010. Thank you for posting this Nanaedake . This has been my worse time for 'Arthritis' since before my treatment for Hypothyroidism began in 1997. I was not treated for 19 years before that after a sub-total thyroidectomy in 1978.
Goldshield Eltroxin was the reference drug. I'm not sure what has happened now and who holds the reference drug today? Is it Mercury Pharma now? I think they bought out Eltroxin. This is the trouble, patients have no control over what the pharmaceutical industry do and market competition tends to drive down quality while lack of competition drives up prices.
Mercury Pharma, as you know, is generic and if you switched in 2010 then it was before the MHRA investigation into levothyroxine so manufacturers did not have to comply with the standards they do now (enforced since 2015 I believe). Levothyroxine was reclassified after the MHRA investigation in 2013 meaning that manufacturers now have to comply with more stringent manufacturing methods and testing due to the unstable nature of the drug.
I believe it is still Mercury Pharma who hold the reference drug as they still make Eltroxin and it can still be got. It is, however, nothing like the old Goldshield Eltroxin. I suspect the excipients are of a much inferior quality and do believe there was a real problem with Acacia Powder in 2010. However, whatever T4 I now take affects me in some detrimental way. I do wish MHRA would look into what fillers and binders are used. Many of these are not good for us.
I am most interested in the post regarding bone health. I have very painful joints, have had hip replaced and my knees, wrists, elbows and shoulders cause a lot of pain. I noticed when I met my cousins that they were taller than me and that wasn’t the case previously so I told my GP. I had the DEXA and been told I have osteopenia. I have been prescribed calcium and vitamin D tablets.
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Long term Thyroid Health
