ANYONE SUDDENLY FEELING BAD ON LEVOTHYROXINE?
levothyroxine recall in USA - we all switching by prescription to Naturethroid. I am on Naturethroid (by prescription) and felt fantastic!
LEVOTHYROXINE RECALL in USA: ANYONE SUDDENLY... - Thyroid UK
LEVOTHYROXINE RECALL in USA
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thegemprincess
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There are lots of different brands of levothyroxine in the US, so surely they haven't ALL been recalled?
No, but I can speak for my friends and by my doctor's response, many are switching at this time. Perhaps we are all overly concerned state side... I had automated call from doctor's office stating if you have this prescription please call to discuss options...
What did they mean by "this prescription"? What precise words did they use?
helvellaAdministrator
Can you provide any further information about the levothyroxine recall in the USA?
Of the last 150 drugs recalls reported by the FDA, only one mentions "levothyroxine" and that is actually the desiccated thyroid product from Westminster which has already been discussed here.
The specific Westminster recall:
fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm6...
All recalls:
fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/defa...
• in reply tohelvella
Just saw your post and the discrepancy between the names-Westminster and Winchester. Not sure if my pharmacy got the name wrong or if the name is different in our respective countries. I will check both. irina
• in reply tohelvella
I just sent my endo a note thru my patient portal about this recall. I also called my long time pharmacist who I trust. Both gave me the same information. It is NOT all levothyroxine; just any levo made by a generic company called "Winchester Pharmaceuticals." I have never had this brand nor have several friends I called who also take levo. My next move is to look up this company and then be aware of not accepting any prescriptions that come from this company. No one knows why the meds were recalled. Will pass on info as it comes my way. irina1975 PS Someone just sent me an email of the latest copy of 'Recalls, MarketWithdrawals, and Alerts' bulletin put out by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Haven't read it yet-wanted to send the info first about the bulletin. Hope this helps. irina
It is not LEVOTHYROXINE!
The product recall is:
Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP) Due to Risk of Adulteration
That is a desiccated thyroid product. It is NOT "levothyroxine".
The description is because it is based on the active compounds in the product.
Thyroid USP is the powder made from animal (porcine) thyroids, blended and standardised.
It has got NOTHING to do with any standard Levothyroxine sodium product such as Synthroid, Levoxyl, Eltroxin, etc.
I have already provided a highly specific link to the FDA recall notice.
• in reply tohelvella
Thanks. With everyone who jumped on this we probably have more info than some of our docs at this point.
The recall by the FDA was dated 9 August 2018. Almost a full calendar month ago.
I do not know why this has suddenly resurfaced as an issue. Did some doctors in the USA wake up?
• in reply tohelvella
I just read the FDA bulletin and saw the date. My guess is the information has been languishing in someone's inbox. Thank goodness for us (ThyroidUK). I will be interested to talk to my endo's nurse practitioner tomorrow and will ask why there was such a long time lapse. I only had one other medical recall alert several months ago. Boston Scientific who made my pacemaker had to recall several pacer batteries. Fortunately my model was not affected but I got a registered overnight letter right away. I was impressed. Not too impressed with this Westminster situation.
• in reply tohelvella
I think the problem is the product name, which says Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP), and that people are assuming it is two meds, named Levothyroxine and Liothyronine. But yes, if you read the article properly, it is clear what the product is.
Just saw this post and contacted my endo through my patient portal. I will post any info I get-probably tomorrow as office is about to close. I take brand Synthroid. Let's all share info as soon as we hear anything. Where was this info seen? I'm in Atlanta (US). I hope we're all ok. This may be a blessing in disguise if doctors stop believing levothyroxine is the Holy Grail of thyroid meds! I'm doing well since seeing new endo in april and adding T3 Many symptoms are much better but I still have daily stomach issues that I can't trace to any specific root cause. I believe they might be related to the levo. I've had them several years. They are worse in the morning when I get up-usually about 1-2 hours after taking my thyroid meds. And they get better as the day goes on. Does this sound familiar to anyone. My doc suggested seeing a Gastroenterologist but I'd rather focus on thyroid first as the GI guy will probably want to do invasive expensive tests and add some meds for good measure. I'm not going down that road. Just when you think it's safe to get back in the water... Take care all. irina
I think it vanishingly unlikely that I would be able to do searches with different search engines and not find one single report of a levothyroxine recall in the USA.
The recall I referred to earlier was reported as:
Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP) Due to Risk of Adulteration
Anyone not listening carefully and recognising what the recall is actually about could misinterpret the recall.
thegemprincess• in reply to
Synthroid is NOT part of current FDA ban. See what the doctor message I got
Hi Irina: I am in New York. As I mentioned I received this automated call.....My endo wanted me from the start to take Naturethroid. I don't feel as jumpy and my upset stomach issues disappeared. I was told that people react differently to the binders/fillers they use. However, it is true that FDA has so far revoked the brand Westminister but as you know here they will look for safety of all the companies that make it. I truly don't know why the Westminister brand is being pulled. I think our U.K. friends could tell us more
• in reply tothegemprincess
Thanks. I am going to ask to try naturethroid to see if it resolves the stomach issues. Worth a try. Thanks again. irina😊
Geniler• in reply to
For stomach issues try drinking freshly juiced celery every morning on an empty stomach. Then wait 30 minutes before eating. It helps to repair the gut lining and resolves leaky gut.
• in reply toGeniler
Will do. I'm already eating a couple of celery stalks in the evening but it makes sense to juice them and eat in the morning. Thanks. xx irina
just saw helvella link. Thank you. I will repost the link's headline
Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP) Due to Risk of Adulteration
Hi Irina: I don't have further information and glad you are checking with your Endo to hear what he says...my doctors lines were too busy with probably people calling to get info.
• in reply tothegemprincess
I am able to communicate online with my docs. Will probably hear from them tomorrow as it's closing time here. Take care. irina
I just called to write down the automated message:
If you have been taking Levothyroxine and feel recently unusual symptoms please call and we can change your prescription to a natural dessicated thyroid substitute. Our concern is strictly with our patients taking Levothyroxine by Westminister. We will be issuing a substitute since that has been currently recalled by the FDA . The levothyroxine currently produced by other companies are not part of the recall. However should you wish at this time to switch prescriptions please call our office during our office hours which are.....
This is making no sense. A doctor would not change someone from a T4 only product to a combined T4 and T3 product.
I think even your doctors office is confusing the situation. If it was a *levothyroxine only* product, the obvious thing to do would be to change to another brand of levothyroxine.
The recall is for a desiccated thyroid product (NDT made by Westminster), and so you have been changed to a different desiccated thyroid product (made by RLC labs).
See post from Geniler. Some people have trouble with Levothyroxine. I am sure their physicians who are qualified to write the appropriate prescription would tweak their prescriptions. Many other doctors in America do like the natural T3 addition that is afforded by Naturethroid than relying on the T4 to T3 conversion. I am only guessing my doctor is of that belief.
i hope again nobody feels I am advocating what they should do in their situation. Only a physician that knows your history should do so. I can tell you my experience was positive with Naturethroid .
thegemprincess
My point was that no doctor would change a patient from a levothyroxine (T4) medication to a desiccated thyroid (T4 + T3) medication *on the basis of one levothyroxine product recall*.
Our office was also closed since it is after 5pm here.
Naturethroid changed my life! Never going back to synthetic thyroxine.
helvellaAdministrator
I'll make one more point:
RLC's Nature-Throid is already in relatively short supply. There must already be people worried about large numbers of other people suddenly switching from levothyroxine to Nature-Throid and that short supply ending up as effectively no supply.
Please - no-one should swap products on the basis of the original post here. The only swapping should be from the specific Westminster Pharmaceuticals Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP)
I don't think either you or I should instruct people what they should do with their health. I merely am reporting my own findings NOT SUGGESTING people MUST swap medications . I believe there must be a protocol in place because of tainted WESTMINISTER. If you got that idea it is incorrect.
T4 is the inactive thyroid hormone, and must be converted into the active thyroid hormone T3 – triiodothyronine — in order to deliver oxygen and energy to cells, and resolve hypothyroidism. The conventional belief is that the levothyroxine will adequately and effectively convert in the body to T3.
I can say accurately that Naturethroid never had a recall of any kind ever and therefore many doctors in USA are feeling comfortable writing prescriptions for that brand when the doctor thinks its advisable for their patient to switch to a combo t4/t3/t2/t1.
I am just reporting that my doctor like others in USA are making that switch. I can't profess to guess or know why. Again, I am reiterating I do not suggest if you are doing well on your medication to switch with the exception of Westminister which your doctor probably reached out to you about already.
Yes the shortage of Naturethroid RLC Labs is of some concern. Personally I had to wait 3 extra days for refill.
Does that not justify the post by Helvella that you took issue with?
RedAppleAdministrator
Post is now closed to further comments due to the ongoing confusion being caused by muddled information.
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