Side effects

[MissSusan]

How long does it usually take for side effects to show?

My dose of levo was increased on 25th September from 50mcg to 75mcg. I was prescribed a box of 25mcg (Teva) to take alongside my 50mcg (Actavis). I started the next day so have had 8 days of taking both. However, I've ran out of 50's and won't be able to get to the chemist until Saturday so will have to take 3 x 25mcg from today until then.

On Sunday I noticed the back of my lower thighs were aching like I'd done an intensive workout,I did stack a lot of logs into the log shed on Saturday, but I would have thought the aching would have gone by now.

If it is a side effect of TEVA how long should it take for them to get worse as I've tripled the dose? Or doesn't it work like that?

I've requested a repeat of 25mcg to collect on Sat and am considering requesting no TEVA, I've had Wockhardt before and don't recall having any issues.

TIA

[shaws Administrator]

There has been problems with Teva recently, so I'd ask GP to give you a prescription for other than Teva. Or tell pharmacist you don't want Teva if levothyroxine alone is state on the prescription.

These are some past posts re Teva:

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Always stick to same brand of Levothyroxine, especially when changing dose. Otherwise you don't know if it's the brand or the dose upsetting you

As a Teva upsets many, best get old brand back asap

[MissSusan]

Dads picked my prescriptions up for me. 50mcg are northstar and 25mcg wockhardt. I’ve never had mercury (Eltroxin) dispensed to me, which is a shame as they do 25 and 50’s and it’d be nice to have just one brand.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MissSusan]

which brand do you normally have for the 50mcg?

You can just use the 50mcg tablets

Either just alternate taking 50mcg one day and 100mcg the next.

Or cut a 50mcg in half using sharp craft scalpel or a pill cutter

Best to get weekly pill dispenser too

Incredibly easy to forget which day you are on if doing alternate days. Or is cutting you need to have pill dispenser too.

[MissSusan in reply to SlowDragon]

Northstar or Actavis, which I believe is the same thing. I never had problems with wockhardt when I was taking 25mcg per day.

Are issues likely to arise because I'm mixing brands?

I like the sound of the alternate days, I have a mon-sun pill box which I prepare every Sunday evening so forgetting which dose I should be taking won't be a problem.

I cut my packets up so I don't have to pop each pill out in advance as I've heard they lose their "potency" if they're exposed to air for too long.

I'm just concerned that the GP won't prescribe me enough.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MissSusan]

Getting vitamins optimal and being very careful to always take Levothyroxine on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

All helps the dose you are taking be it's most effective. Then, if you need higher dose FT3 and FT4 should be tested......not just TSH (as we see far, far too often on here)

[LAHs]

As has been said above, don't mix brands! If you have become used to Levo then increase your dose of Levo. You will have enough trouble getting a new dose of Levo optimal, to introduce a second brand will result in months and months of fiddling around with trying to optimize your dose. I had to change brands when Forest stopped making Levo. I tried brand after brand for at least a year and just didn't solve the problem, not the cheapest and not the most very expensive (I was desperate - willing to pay anything to feel well.). There is actually no need to get another brand just to make up a dose, you can cut a pill or take one dose one day than another dose the next day to "average down" to the correct dose (of the same med, Levo). Get back to the pharmacist and tell him/her you want a suitable combination of Levo that will get you to the dose your doc has prescribed - or the one you feel well on.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also as you have Hashimoto's, have you tried strictly gluten free diet yet?

Many, many people find it helps, sometimes significantly

Trying for 3-6 months. Sometimes it's immediate obvious improvements, sometime more subtle.

If no improvements at all, reintroduce gluten after 3-6 months and see if symptoms get worse