Is it my imagination. Since my pharmacy has changed to these I'm a changed person. I'm constantly down, my works suffering and I'm a nightmare to live with.All I want to do is cry.
Teva thyroxine : Is it my imagination. Since my... - Thyroid UK
Teva thyroxine
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sueanddave
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Lots of people have had problems with TEVA on here, do a keyword search on the forum and you'll see all the comments.
Ask your pharmacy if they can supply your old formulation and if not, take your prescription to an independent pharmacy. Ring around first and find one that is not tied into a supplier contract and can supply you with the formulation you want.
If your misery clears up going back to your old formulation then do a yellow card report to the MHRA.
Agreed about Yellow Card report - which can be done here:
Just be careful when looking that quite a lot of people have talked about Teva Liothyronine (as well as Teva Levothyroxine) - just so sueanddave doesn't get confused. 
Thank you for the information
I had teva for 10 weeks and felt terrible, chest pains, very dry eyes and a general feeling of being unwell. My tablets were changed and had more blood tests - all "normal" - I'm fine now but I have to check every prescription at the counter as they still give me teva every time.
Yes I was fine on Teva until they changed the formula
Get another brand from your pharmacy, if they dont have another brand go take your prescription to another pharmacy u dont have to accept the brand they give u, do u know what brand u was on before?? Go back to it....
I went through hell on teva!!!
The last four weeks or so have felt like torture to me. I went to Las Vegas on March 5th to get married and instead of having the time of my life ,I felt like I wanted to die.
Hi I wonder if they have changed it due to cost? They are doing that a lot these days. Why not tell your doctor how you are feeling and say you must have the med you had before. x
I'm going to
No Actavis and Wockhardt brand are cheap too. I work in a pharmacy and order the brands I want for myself, which is NOT Teva.
The pharmacy I have my prescription sent to never get it right. They don’t stock Actavis so I have to force them to order it.
Actually the doctor prints on the prescription ‘must have Actavis’, but it seems to cut no ice with them and they get it wrong all the time. Last week they tried to palm me off with Teva and I didn’t think to look what I’d been given until the next day when I called them to rip their throats out. I then had to wait a further few days while they ordered what I had requested.
That has taught me to re-order early, I just hope I remember to do it. That pharmacy is more convenient than any of the others else I’d change them.
Always stick with your original product especially suited you and never Teva...
It made my life upside down too. I was told we can't promise you next time so I said I would be happy to go else where. The nerve he had.
Is all about money Tuesday people's lives don't matter
This is the reason I prefer to get the prescription and take it to a pharmacy of my choosing - I always ask what brand they have before putting in the prescription and so far all the ones I've asked have been only too happy to help.
Teva gave me strange intermittent pains in my upper arms last time it was given to me and I have made sure to not get that brand since and things have been fine.
I’m allergic to others that contain Acacia so I order so that no chances are taken.
Thanks for that Teacherspet, my Pharmacy told me they wont be able to order Mercury Pharma for me as they cannot ask for specific brands and it was just luck that they had my brand in stock. I will get my prescription and take it elsewhere in future.
Hi Teachers pet.
I have been given Teva for the past months, and I also feel absolutely awful. I didn't give it a thought that it was the brand, causing it. Like you I have pains in my arms, in fact pains everywhere, and headache which I normally never have, and I feel constantly washed out. I changed my pharmacy, and it's the new one that's giving me Teva. I've just been given two months supply😫
On the point.your health is not that important but the money is
I stated Teva Levothyroxine for the first time 14 days ago, never been on thyroid medication before, I’m on 50mcg a day, and I’m really angry on it, ratty etc.
Do you think it could be Teva?, I asked for that one as lactose free.
Due to go back for further bloods and have an increase.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Thank you ...im ratty too
in reply to Peanut31
YES. It very well could be the Teva. Ask for another brand. This forum has many posts from members who have "Teva problems."
Oh dear, thanks for the heads up, I've just collected my prescription and they've given me Teva, the box has a banner across the corner stating New Formulation! I'll look out for any changes in my mood.
This new formulation is because they had their licence withdrawn at the end of 2015. However I don't think it's made much difference for those of us who can't take this brand. I've had this given to me twice........... once just before it was withdrawn and once recently. Both times it hasn't agreed with me so it's one to avoid as I don't like the side-effects. None of the other brands cause me any issues.
Not 2015 - the MHRA report was published in 2013.
Perhaps this is why i've become such an evil cow!I'm on 75mcg and both sizes are now Teva.theres sposed to be a note on my records not to give me TEva but,i always forget to open the bag and check them and once you've left the premises they won't take them back.What's worse is the 25mcg tablet is exactly the same size as the 50mcg.
Not 100% sure but I think it may be the only lactose free brand. You may have a tough choice to make. But as you have only been taking levo for such a short time you may need to take it for a bit longer to see if things settle down once your body gets used to having the extra T4 in your system.
SlowDragonAdministrator
Many, many people on here reported terrible problems with Teva
healthunlocked.com/search/t...
Always stick to same brand of Levothyroxine
Thank you
Thanks for quick reply SlowDragon
When you say always stick to the same brand of level, are you advising to stick to Teva for my increase.
It’s like PMT but, 100% worse.
That appears to be the only symptom I have on it at the moment, but, I’m so angry on it.
My husband and other family members pointed this out to me and I know I’m so angry, I’m trying to kerb this but, it’s hard.😡👹
Best wishes
Peanut31
No I mean find the one that suits you best (trial and error) and then stick to it absolutely
Different brands are not bio equivalent.
Hi SlowDragon
Thanks for the clarification on that.
Can you point me in the right direction of which seems to be the better brand of Levothyroxine.
Best wishes
Peanut31
I don't believe that the differences we feel from the various products represent one being better than another - just one suits one person, another suits another person.
The four UK tablets are identified here:
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...
(Actavis is also repackaged as Almus and Northstar.)
Personally I use to have Eltroxin, then discontinued. Now Mercury Pharma
Many however say they hate Mercury Pharma
Wockhart seems popular
Wockhardt is only available in 25 microgram tablets. That can cause problems in getting larger doses dispensed. After all, even a dose of 100 micrograms would require four tablets - and 25 microgram tablets are more expensive than 50 or 100 micrograms tablets! Doesn't usually make you popular with doctor or pharmacist!
Your link doesn't work for me. Says it has timed out. I suspect it might be a link personal to you/your login.
What a terrible shame to spoil your wedding feeling awful. It's really not fair, what they put us through.
I started Levothyroxine with Wockhart brand, 25mcg. I didn't feel great because I was just starting out, but I felt OK. When I went for my refill prescription I was given Teva. I had no idea different brands would affect me differently. I felt terrible from the first morning on Teva. Massive nose bleed. Depression, exhaustion, crying. 5 days later I felt so awful I said I would not take any over the weekend and come the Monday morning I went to the pharmacy and begged them to get me more Wockhart. They struggled to track it down, but they did it. I just sat there slumped and looking terrible until they sourced it. I had to have 1 week of Mercury Pharma to tide me over whilst we waited for the Wockhart to arrive. I left the pharmacy, dragged myself into my workplace, took the 25mcg Mercury and within half an hour I had come back to life, was moving about faster, concentrating and getting work done. I went home and laughed and chatted. I was a new woman. That wore off a bit through the rest of the week, but it could have been the upset to the system. I am sticking to Wockhart for as long as I can now, but it took a long time to get that upset under control again. Now I'm taking 2 tablets at a time to get a 50mcg dose. I dread being told I can't have it if they insist I have a bigger tablet.
At Helvella's recommendation, I filled in a yellow card last week and reported it. It was obviously the brand that caused such difficulty for me.
I've had so many problems in the past with Teva "anything" I refuse to accept any meds made by Teva. The two meds I take that were once filled by Teva are levothyroxine and alprazolam. I knew I didn't feel well at times when I picked up Rx. Finally figured out the common denominator was Teva brand. My pharmacist knows not to fill my rx with Teva but before I leave the pharmacy counter I physically check my bottles to be sure it's not Teva. Here (US) the pharmaceutical company is always printed on the bottle.
It's me again. I'm assuming you might be in the US (Las Vegas wedding clue). If so , I've had good luck with the generic brand Lannett. Currently have some hypo sx which I believe are because I'm undermedicated (seeing a new endo fri 4/13.) But I have none of the strange symptoms I had with Teva. I fill my meds at Costco and I understand from my pharmacist who I've used for a long time that they carry several brands of generics for quite a few drugs. They have on my profile what brand I prefer for several different meds. Not plugging a specific store but I appreciate having a choice of generics.
I can’t take Teva brand. It gives me headache. My pharmacy always sources a different brand for me.
My meds got changed to TEVA and it wasn't great. I felt low and not quite myself. I now always request that I do not have TEVA. It just didn't seem to be working as well as my regular brand.
Oh my goodness, get your Dr to give you a new script and inform pharmacy you cannot tolerate the Teva brand. I have it on my records at pharmacy and I do not get that brand from them. I was very unwell on Teva after taking it for 6 weeks and am just starting to feel better after a month back on my old brand of Levo. I also filled in a yellow card on line.
Teva levothyroxine made me feel poisoned!
Hi firtunata. How? I have had a pain in my lower abdomen for 5 weeks. All day every day.
I can't believe I've only just found this out.
Now I know why I have felt so suicidal. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I will be at my doctors asap. Good Luck with your health. X
Prior to the recall years ago my TSH rocketed on TEVA and I was ill. Changed manufacturer and I improved. Fast forward to a year ago and I was once again feeling awful. My doctor ordered my thyroid check again and yes my TSH had skyrocketed again but we couldn't think why. I picked up a repeat prescription and lo and behold it was TEVA thyroxine again. I now have it on my records to never give me that brand again and I asked the doc/pharmacist to yellow card it as they mentioned they had another customer who 'can't take TEVA' I have already reported it.
Tell your dr. I know they say they are the same but they are not. I’ve had tables that they say are the same but I’ve had trouble with them.
The medicine is the same but the fillers aren't
As Alma1956 says - the medication may be the same but it's the binders and fillers that are different and it could be one of them that is causing the problems.
I had a similar sort of thing in January- I was diagnosed 2 years ago and have always been on Actavis 50 mg -have done really well on them- lot more energy, not so tired no aches and pains etc etc. I had read in the past where people had to switch brands for whatever reason and they were ill again. The Chemist that our Doctors surgery send the prescriptions too suddenly said in January that they couldn’t get Actavis so gave me Mercury Pharma- after a couple of weeks of taking them I felt so I’ll, I didn’t twig it was the tablets at first, I was tired, achy, couldn’t think straight and my feet were sweating! I could hardly get out of bed each morning! I finished the pack and next time I asked the Chemist for Actavis again- they said no we can’t get them and so they gave me Teva, after a week or so of taking them I still didn’t feel better so I phoned my dr’s surgery- they gave me another prescription which I took to a different chemist ( high street chain) and they were so helpful- they said of course we can get you Actavis! They ordered me in a few packs which they keep by with my name on and said if they are suiting me, not to switch! The Doctors now issue me with a green prescription each time which is much easier for me rather than having to deal with unhelpful chemists! Like I said, I had read about people having probs when they are on the wrong brand of Levothyroxine but I hadn’t realised how Ill it can actually make you feel! I really hope you get the issue sorted and find a chemist that can help you - when I looked at the ingredients of Teva and Mercury it seems that there are maybe more ‘fillers’ in there and the tablets themselves are a lot larger than the usual ones I take- maybe I was just sensitive to the fillers I’m not sure! Good luck though! 😊 x
Edited to add that once I was back on my usual brand of Levo I felt better within a couple of days (no aches and pains and could think straight) within a week or so I was back to full energy!
I know that feeling as it happened to me. However I only notice a problem with Teva and the other brands are all ok for me.
I too have problems with medications by TEVA.
The pharmacy have made a note not to dispense Teva, but may still dispense it on occasions BUT if your prescription states not TEVA you will always get another brand. My GP now does this for me. I'm in the UK.
This is slightly off-subject, but only slightly! I have always taken Zentiva hydroxycholoroquine for APS. Now my local CCG is insisting on Teva brand. I haven't tried it yet as I still have plenty Zentiva, and I don't trust it. Does anyone on here take hydroxycholoroquine for APS, and have they found a problem with Teva? (I'll also ask on the APS forum.) Thanks.
in reply to Coppernob
Why is your CCG 'insisting' on Teva brand. What you do or don't put in your body is your choice. And you have the right to refuse a brand. You might be told it is just the levo that is problematic but no one knows for sure. I tried 2 different medications by Teva and both were problematic. Could it be that someone doesn't stock another brand and doesn't want to go to extra trouble? Could they have a supplier's contract with Teva? Whatever the reason don't walk away from the pharmacy before checking the brand. If it's Teva refuse it. If you're not accommodated go elsewhere. The squeakest wheel gets the grease. Be the squeaky wheel! After this, there is some good advice in these posts. Have your doc write No Teva. Then no one can argue with that.
I only take Zentiva Hydroxychloroquine since the branded Plaquenil stopped.
in reply to LH44
I did some research not to long ago and tripped over this piece of info which I posted somewhere here. In the US (don't know about other countries) generic medications are allowed by law to have a margin of 20% either way re containing the same amount of active medication as the Brand-name med. A 40 point margin-of-error spread in med amts can make for a large difference between pharma companies in my opinion.
You have been through the mill, so sorry. Tablets also have fillers in them and itsxoften the fillers that can cause the problem. We need the fillers to fill the bulk and also to stabilise the medication. But each brand has a selection that can overlap with another so you may have to try more than one brand to solve it for you. Then get your doctor to name it on your prescription and then ask the pharmacy to put it not there notes.
Interesting. I changed to Teva due to lactose intolerance. Aching joints, tiredness, anxiety and IBS worse. It didn't occur to me that Teva could be a factor. Does anyone know of an alternative lactose-free thyroxine?
I'm finding pains as a side effect each time I increase the dose but maybe for a month. If you find any other lactose free Levothyroxine I'd be interested to know!
I have a problem with Acacia Powder which is a filler ingredient in Teva and Mercury. I have posted about my difficulties in the past. After some problems persuading the grumpy pharmacist that this really WAS a problem for me my pharmacy now has a note of this and they only dispense Wockhart and Actavis for me.
I’m sorry to hear about everyone’s problem, particularly because it had such a horrible effect on your wedding Sueanddave. I’m also taking Teva and have a permanent headache, it didn’t occur to me it was the change of brand. I also take Teva Tamoxifen, which I request as it’s lactose free. How can I find out about the fillers?
in reply to Supernovae
Try this site" tevauk.com Hope this helps. Take care irina
The ingredients are listed on the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL).
You should get a PIL with each prescription/pack/pot. If you do not, ask for one. It is your right.
Thanks, was just being a bit dim! Acacia is in Teva levothyroxine but not in Tamoxifen.
Thank you for posting this, I wouldn't have known how very different people can feel just because of a brand change, and I realised my Levo brand changed sometime at the end of last year when my health got worse, however it's more likely related to start of menopause; depressions hitting, horrendous brain fog, low energy, tearful and irritable verging on rage at times like teenage PMT I'd not felt for 30 years! I started HRT (patch) a month ago and brain fog and tearfulness has improved. My current Levo is 100 mg Northstar, but I've no idea what I was on before just noticed the pack colour is different, would my pharmacy have a record?
I reduced my Levo to 75mg two weeks ago, and started 1/2 tablet Tiromel L-T3 but not noticed much difference yet.
Any issues with UK Northstar Levothyroxine, I haven't seen it mentioned?
EDIT DOH just searched site and realised Northstar is Actavis and just a change of branding, but i will check with pharmacy that my prescription was also previously an Actavis brand.
Ask your harmacy to give you another product by another company I also had problem with that which you have mentioned and since then I have not been feeling too great actually I've changed the company completely so before I order mine I asked the pharmacies I don't want TEVA I don't mind any other company...this company has ruin many lives so I wouldn't trust them with there tablets.
I hope your feeling well...x
Hi there I have just been through 2 months of refusing to accept different make of meds finally my pharmacy has given me the make I have taken for years and agreed to supply same in the future ,its not whats in our pills as much as what is in the coating that affects us so badly if you find one you feel good on insist on it.
Teva levothyroxine made my life hell. My body and joint pain got so bad that I could not even sleep properly. I could hardly walk and even getting up from a chair and sitting down got too painful. The pain stopped two days after I stopped taking it.
I think I must be the only person who feels better taking Teva! I am only on a 50mcg dose so maybe that’s why.
Can this be possible or am I just being contrary?
Hi SusanLaR
I started that way only into my 13th day now, my neck stiffness disappeared when I started it and I felt great.
I thought at last some light at the end of the dark black tunnel.
Then I started to notice EVERYTHING and EVERYONE was getting on my nerves and I was ratty and short with people and angry, I feel tired, jittery and I can’t make sense of things, Brain fog.
It was my hubby that was brave enough to point this out to me. Off course I bite his head off (again) when he pointed that out. 👹😇
I just feel so angry about everything, it’s got to be Teva.
In my free time I’ve been popping to chemist to see what manufacturer of Levothyroxine they supply, as when my dose is increased no way do I want to have Teva.
Best wishes
Peanut31
I did a lot of research on TEVA Levothyroxine, against Mercury Levothyroxine, you will find my comments about it under TEVA. I was extremely poorly on TEVA, itching all over, depression, insomnia, I couldn't even string a sentence together, and lots of other symptoms. By doing a research, I found that TEVA, and Actavis both have a filler/ingredient in them called Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mercury do not. Since coming off of the them and starting Mercury Eltroxin Levothyroxine, my symptoms that I had with Teva have stopped.
I think you'll find Actavis does not have microcrystalline cellulose:
Ingredients:
Anhydrous Levothyroxine Sodium
Lactose, Magnesium Stearate, Maize Starch, Stearic Acid, Pregelatinised Maize Starch
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...
Hi Helvella
My sincere apologies, of course you are correct, Actavis Levothyroxine does not contain Microcrystalline Cellulose, and i'm sorry for giving the wrong information. I got mixed up with a diuretic I was taking called Spironolactone, which is supplied by Actavis, and does contain the said ingredient/filler. It was also in a prescribed anti histamine I was also taking, but have had to stop taking both of them now.
Hi I was the same could not tolerate teva, so I told pharmacy how it was not suitable and went back to actavis, just check that you get same every month.
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