TEVA Levo New formulation

[AliF]

Saw my endo today. I’ve been taking 2x 5mcg T3 for 5 days plus my previous dose of 100mcg Mercury pharma levo. No benefit yet. If anything I am feeling more tired! Don’t really know how long to give it before I try and increase. Endo said it was up to me but I wanted direction so we agreed to reduce my Levo to 75 ( at my suggestion - I think some of my symptoms are side effects of the Levo) . Collected my new prescription from the hospital pharmacy and it is TEVA new formulation. I remember people on here having problems with TEVA. He has also given me Omeprazole for my weight on chest pain. Any advice on T3 increase, TEVA T4 or Omeprazole gratefully accepted!

[Peanut31]

Hi AliF

I was recently put on Levothyroxine for underactive Thyroid (I have Hashimoto’s as well)

Anyway I started on 50mcg TEVA, it made me really angry and ratty. It was only after further research on TEVA and after I made a posting, several people said they experienced the same. I was only on it for four weeks.

I’ve now upped my dosage to 75mcg and taking a different make, which has been fine.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[AliF in reply to Peanut31]

Thanks Peanut 31. Useful to know.

[AliF]

Thanks Grincho. Is there an alternative to Omeprazole ? Over the counter ? I’ll stick with the low dose T3 and avoid the TEVA I think

[knitwitty]

If you have acid reflux or heartburn it may be due to low stomach acid, It may help you if you take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a small glass of water before each meal.

Low stomach acid inhibits the sphincter between the stomach/oesophagus from working optimally so increasing your stomach acid may help it to work more efficiently.

Hypothyroid people often have low stomach acid.

Good luck

[AliF]

Thanks knitwitty i’ll give it a go. I bought some a while ago just forget it’s there!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you gluten free if you have Hashimoto's?

Low stomach acid is more common than high acid, especially with Hashimoto's

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/hypochl...

scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

pulsetoday.co.uk/clinical/m...

Other things to help heal gut lining

Bone broth

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Also fermented foods like kefir or sauerkraut

Probiotics too

Personally I wouldn't risk changing to Teva.

[AliF in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks Slowdragon. I’d read Isabella Wentz’s blog on low acid a while back. I do like spicy food and do suffer from acid reflux. Keep meaning to try and make some sauerkraut. Any probiotic recommendations ?

[Vivb56 in reply to AliF]

I understand kafir is the best way to deliver probiotics to your stomach. You can buy Kafir drinks and Yeo valley do a kafir yoghurt. Most stores sell sauerkraut (in special sections) and kimchi is good if very spicy. If you don’t like those, full fat bio live yoghurt is a second best.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Vivb56]

You might not have noticed that the thread you responded on is around two years old.

Nothing wrong with you responding, but likely to be missed by all concerned.

[AliF in reply to Vivb56]

Thanks for the tips Vivb 56. I do drink kefir but not sure if it has the full range of bugs that you get in a specialist pro-biotic mix. I really like Kim chi - discovered it on a trip to Korea. Now buy it in Waitrose sometimes! Thanks again.

[Sybilla14]

I added t3 to Levo about 3 months ago. Started with 5mcg in the mornings for a few weeks and I was feeling more tired in the evenings. I am now taking 10mcg and feel much better. Think your body needs to adjust to the change. I kept Levo at the same dose and later increasing t3 to 10mcg I was initially taking 2x5mcg a day and this made me feel much worse. I now take everything together in the middle of the night and it works great for me.

[AliF in reply to Sybilla14]

Thanks Sybilla. Are you taking 10mcg in one go ? You didn’t increase the overall dose, just took it all in one go ?

[Sybilla14 in reply to AliF]

I started at 5mcg for c. 6 weeks then increased to 2x5mcg for a few days but felt lots more tired so went back to 5mcg for a few days and then took 7.25mcg and a few days after 10mcg in one dose. This made a big difference, not so tired in the evenings and the last of my brain fog is lifting off too. I take everything at 2-3am when I wake up at night.

[AliF in reply to Sybilla14]

It’s odd isn’t it. You’d think that for something that is fast acting it would be better to take it in 2 doses but that wasn’t the case for you it seems. Thanks for the explanation. Think i’ll stick with 2x 5 for another week then maybe switch to one 10mcg dose. Trial and error I spose!

[Sybilla14 in reply to AliF]

Yes I know! It's all about trying and finding your best fit. Some people on here say they take their t3 in one dose. I seem to be very sensitive to levo, reacting to changes overnight where most people don't so I thought a single dose of t3 would be a no no for me. A friend of mine suggested trying thus and it has worked very well for me from day one. I'll leave it for a bit and increase to 15mcg to see if it may be even better. Keep trying things and allow time for your body to settle and hopefully you'll find what works best for you 🙂

[AliF in reply to Sybilla14]

Thanks Sybilla. Just my impatience in wanting it to work straight away. I should be able to wait a couple of weeks each time I alter things, I just need to learn to take it slowly.

[Nanaedake]

Are you taking TEVA levothyroxine or TEVA T3? They are different and may have different excipients. When I took the old formulation of TEVA levothyroxine I got a weight on my chest feeling. It was definitely NOT indigestion and I only got better when I switched to a different Levothyrxoine. I wouldn't touch Omeprazole with a bargepole either. Terrible meds, can lead to osteoporosis, vitamin B12 deficiency and other complications. If you don't have a stomach ulcer you could find a natural remedy if it's indegestion and if not then it won't help.

[AliF]

I am talking about TEVA levothyroxine although I am wondering if the T3 which I have and which came from the same Boots hospital pharmacy is also TEVA. I have got the weight on the chest feeling too, although I had this before I started the T3 so it isn’t that. Thanks for Omeprazole thoughts too.

[Stourie in reply to AliF]

If Boots put your t3 in a small brown bottle they should also give you the PIL with it. That would tell you the make of the t3. They didn't with me so I changed to a small Private Chemist and they are great. Jo xx

[AliF in reply to Stourie]

It’s a Boots inside the hospital and my T3 has to come from a hospital pharmacy sadly. The tablets are in a small white plastic tub. Has some numbers and letters on the tablets themselves but no name of manufacturer.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to AliF]

If you post the markings - whatever they are - they can readily be checked and identified.

[AliF in reply to helvella]

Thanks Helvella will do

[StillEverHopeful]

TEVA products makes me itch, like I hadn't rinsed soap off. I spoke to pharmacist who did by seem surprised. You may find your pharmacist knows more about the problem than your gp.

My GP now puts on my repeat Levo prescription ' not teva'

[AliF in reply to StillEverHopeful]

Thanks stilleverhopeful. Good point RE pharmacists. We should ask them lots more questions. They have a lot of knowledge and are under used.

[StillEverHopeful in reply to AliF]

I went with my son went to a uni open day on pharmacy as a career. It really opened my eyes as to just how much they know and how it looks as though they are going to get much more involved with prescribing in the future of an ever changing health system. Have had some really good conversations with our local team.

[AliF in reply to StillEverHopeful]

In Europe people go to their pharmacists for lots of things rather than go to their GP. It’s a pity people in the UK don’t use them more. I’ll ask in my local pharmacy tomorrow to see whether they know more about the “new formula” TEVA.

[Judithdalston]

I am on 125 mg thyroxin a day, until recently supplied as 100 and 25 Mercury, but last lot of 100 mg came as Teva 'new formula'. Took them for about 4-5 days , and have been feeling slightly strange ( slight headache, tingling in limbs etc). Today asked my local pharmacist who supplied Teva about the swop, he was quite happy to change them, and annotate prescription reorder to be Mercury in future. He had a number of patients who had made similar requests ; he said Teva a few years ago got a bad reputation as their working T4 proved to be somewhat less than the stated dose i.e. people became undermedicated. The new formula is lactose free ( the only one), and is supposed to be ok re doses now. I am on 12 weeks upping my dose slightly prior to checking bloods this week so was reluctant to change brands at this stage, but of course my minor new symptoms might have nothing to do with the Teva! I had been on omeprazole some years ago, but since read it has long term problems ( can't really remember what exactly but I think it was connected to Hashimoto's gut problems), hopefully someone else on forum will advise.

[AliF in reply to Judithdalston]

ThanksJD. I have tingling and headaches on Mercury ! Maybe I should try the TEVA. Thanks for the info.

[Auntyp62]

I love Teva, it’s the only one that stops me feeling sleepy. I think we all respond differently!

[AliF in reply to Auntyp62]

Thanks Auntyp62. First person to like TEVA. Just shows we are all different.

[AliF]

Thanks Grincho. Maybe TEVA would suit me ?!?! All trial and error. Thanks for the info. I am taking T4 and small amount of T3. Need to see what works for me I suppose.

[Hidden]

I can see a lot of you are having issues with Teva, and unhelpful pharmacies. I have named brand on my prescription which is Teva and my little local Boots always deliver, so I can recommend Boots. I want to make a plea. Please, please just change brand if you are having issues, because for those of us with lactose intolerance Teva is a life saver. It is the only affordable lactose free brand. The only alternatives for us are German or US pills that cost upwards of £400 by the time they are imported to the UK or liquids at £60/month. Both of which we can't get funded on the NHS, at least not in deficit ridden London. I was literally at war with my doctor, and feeling very desperate and depressed until Teva released the new formulation. On it I feel fab, so please find a brand that suits you and PLEASE LEAVE TEVA ALONE so it doesn't get delisted, because we, and there are lots of us, checkout the lactose free thyroxine blogs, WE NEED IT AS IT IS. Thank you!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

I can't help thinking it appropriate for each of us to report any medicine which adversely affects us.

I might report Teva.

You might report Actavis, Wockhardt and Mercury Pharma.

Otherwise we are suppressing information.

Mind, I agree that people should not automatically run away from Teva, it just might be the best for them.