I am new, please help! Issues with Teva meds

[Chi1]

Hi All, I started to suffer with panic attacks in December 2006 for which I was put on paroxetine. In April 2007 I was diagnosed in my home country, Italy, with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis and put initially on Eutirox. I later changed to the generic levothyroxine. The pharmacy changed the brand several times, but it was not until I was put on Teva in around October 2017 that I started to have big problems. My dosage was increased to 125mgr at the beginning after I kept complaining with fatigue despite my TSH levels being fine. I started to feel very ill since the end of January 2018 with a relapse in anxiety and my TSH level having gone down a lot: from 29.09.2017 when they were 2.85 mu/L (normal range 0.27 - 4.2mu/L) to 07.02.2018 when they changed to 0.28 mu/L (normal range: 0.27-4.2mu/L). The GP who only looked at the latest blood test, said it is 'not significant' but a friend who is a doctor and who checked my previous levels too, said this is not good and this gap happened too quickly and can explain my being unwell. I was also explained that both antidepressant and thyroxine should not change in brand, the pharmacy should prescribe always the same ones because of an issue of different excipients used and a tolerance of 20% active ingredients more or less allowed in the production by each different manufacturer. Has anyone had a problem like this with Teva? I don't want to take them anymore, I would like to go back to Eutirox, but I have not checked yet if it is available in the UK. I am suffering really badly, the GPs keep messing around with me and don't refer me to an endocrinologist. I am considering flying to my country where private consultancy is a lot more affordable. But in the meantime I need to do something, I feel too unwell even to fly. I have started to decrease the tablet from 125 to 112.50 on 28.02 and down to 100 from today, but this was my decision using common sense... Maybe Teva have a higher content of active ingredient or some excipients who I don't agree with...I feel really lost!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Many members have had problems when they've been given Teva. You should change to another brand. UK brands listed here thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment... (check the purple bars).

Do a yellow card report for the Teva ones yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk

[Chi1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you very much SeasideSusie! I will definitely do a yellow card report for Teva. GPs should be aware of what can happen by changing manufacturer of a medication, but those I spoke to sounded totally oblivious! When I explained to one of them, the answer was initially a moment of puzzlement followed by: 'actually I heard of many patient complaining about the same issue'. Why don't they do something about it then, consult each other, research online?! I am SO ill, I have been unable to go to work for over a month now. I feel so let down and disappointed! I am so glad that I have found this website though, we learn more from each other sharing knowledge and experience than from the general medical industry...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Chi1]

I have given up trying to understand doctors now, my experiences leave a lot to be desired A conversation with my GP last week ended with him saying "We are here to rule out anything serious, that's all". Very sad for someone who remembers proper family doctors who actually cared

I hope you find a brand that suits you and start to improve.

[Chi1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I miss those days too! It has become really scary to be unwell... thank you very much!