TEVA

[buddha1]

I want to let others know that Teva which is the cheapest Thyroid supplement for chemists to stock, and Lloyds stock this brand over all others because of that.

WARNING if you take Thyroxine and feel suddenly dizzy and sick. Are you taking the brand manufactured by Teva? They add the substance MANNITOL. They tell you it's an inert substance - it's not! LLOYDS stock TEVA because it's cheaper. In France MERCK added it to their products and lots of people suffered side effects!

Every time I need Thyroxine I am given the Teva brand and I have to return it, where it gets thrown away and a new batch ordered in - madness.

See below

rxlist.com/mannitol-iv-side...

home drugs a-z list Mannitol IV(Mannitol Injection) side effects drug center

Mannitol IV Side Effects Center

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

Last reviewed on RxList 5/22/2015

Mannitol I.V. (mannitol injection) is a diuretic used to increase urine production, and to treat or prevent medical conditions that are caused by an increase in body fluids/water (e.g., cerebral edema, glaucoma, kidney failure). Mannitol I.V. is available in generic form. Common side effects of Mannitol I.V. include headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, dry mouth, thirst, dehydration, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, runny nose, arm pain, chills, dizziness, low blood pressure (hypotension), hives, irregular heart beat, electrolyte imbalance, and irritation/pain/swelling at the injection site.

The usual adult dosage of Mannitol ranges from 50 to 200 g in a 24-hour period, but in most instances an adequate response will be achieved at a dosage of approximately 100 g/24 hours. Mannitol may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy, Mannitol should be used only if prescribed. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Our Mannitol I.V. (mannitol injection) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Mannitol is also used in some chocolate as a sweetener, and chewing gum.

[helvella]

Isn't it curious how things vary? My local Lloyds supplies their own repackaged Actavis - branded as Northstar. (At least, for 100 and 50 microgram tablets.)

It surprises me that this is not true at all branches, after all most companies like to supply their "own brand" when possible.

Not sure that evidence of the possible effects of taking 50 to 200 grams of mannitol intravenously says very much about the possible or probable effects of, maybe, a few tens of micrograms taken orally.

Yes, the issues in France are relevant. Yes, Teva has been reported to be inolerable by quite a number of patients.

[buddha1 in reply to helvella]

Mt Pharmacist at Lloyds told me they stock Teva as it's cheaper. I was prescribed 75mcg and Teva are the only brand I am told that do a 75mcg. I was on 100 mcg before. Teva's licence for making 100mcg has been revoked. I do not know why though but it's on the internet. I now take 25mcg x 3 per day.

[helvella in reply to buddha1]

If you are prescribed 75 and want something other than Teva, I suggest you get the prescription written as 50 plus 25.

[buddha1 in reply to helvella]

Yes I have and I did it immediately. Except that I have 25 x 3 it's easier. Thanks

[Nanaedake in reply to buddha1]

TEVA's license for 100mcg's was revoked in 2013 but has since been reformulated and licensed I believe. The reason it was withdrawn was due to manufacturing quality and lack of bioequivalence to the control drug. In fact, all levothyroxine in the UK was wrongly classified as a stable drug until after the 2013 MHRA review of levothyroxine when it was reclassified in the British Pharmacopeia. Also, the dissolution tests were inadequate for the type of drug. Now manufacturers must comply with manufacturing regulations and dissolution tests that apply to the new classification.

Although the report states that UK levothyroxine should now all be bioequivalent, it states that this will be kept under review. There could still be other factors such as excipients that affect individual patients or other factors as yet undiscovered.

[MaisieGray]

You can't in any sensible way, extrapolate from the reactions arrived at from injecting 50-200 gram of a substance, that the relatively tiny amount within a tablet of Levothyroxine will produce the same or any, reaction.

[MaisieGray]

I'm not aware of anything more recent, but the license for 100mcg tablets was suspended in 2012, not revoked; and the suspension itself withdrawn in 2016.

The MHRA states, via Gov.uk:

In February 2012 the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advised the suspension of the marketing authorisation for levothyroxine 100 microgram tablets manufactured by Teva, following reports of reduced efficacy when patients switched to Teva levothyroxine from other levothyroxine products. There were also manufacturing issues.

Suspension now lifted

Teva has followed the CHM’s advice in full, including recommendations following a wider CHM review of levothyroxine tablets, published in January 2013. Teva has undertaken an extensive reformulation of the 50 and 100 microgram tablets, along with manufacturing process improvements that provide assurance of product consistency. In February 2016, CHM reviewed information about the reformulated products and advised that they have an acceptable level of efficacy and safety and could now be re-introduced to the market.

New tablet strengths introduced

Teva has also introduced three additional tablet strengths of 12.5, 25 and 75 micrograms, two of which are new to the UK market. The new tablet strengths will assist dose adjustment for individual patients, which is an important component of optimal thyroid hormone replacement therapy, whilst avoiding the need to split individual tablets.

A total of five tablet strengths will be available from week commencing 17 October, 2016: 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100 micrograms

This is dated October 2016 with no indication that it has since been updated or subsequently changed.

[Suzie88]

Hi I’ve been on the same brand for about 10 years now Levothyroxine sodium 150mg and I am never given any other brand, although the dose may change on the odd occasion after blood test. Not much help other than that.sorry

[Supernovae]

I take Teva levo because it’s lactose free, In fact all my current meds are Teva presumably because it’s the cheapest brand!

[silverfox7]

I have never taken TEVA but during most of my Levo time I was advised to choose one I was happy with, in my case what is now Mercury Pharma as I was good on it so it's best to get you GP to put the type on the prescription and it the pharmacy hasn't any then take back the prescription and take it elsewhere. Pharmacies should be getting what we want and not what they can because it's cheaper. We need to fight our corner.

I also feel for TEVA as I feel their previous hiccup has tainted their reputation but yes it doesn't suit every one but I also see mentions of other companies that have that reputation as well. We never shout from the hilltops what is good for us but we tend to take note of others saying things don't suit plus there is a huge different from trying it and getting symptoms and not trying it because there have been complaints. Some have recently posted on here that the have tried it and were fine. They is also a huge difference between saying some have tried it and were not suited to it and others advising not to try it because it causes problems. I just think we need to be careful what we say and how we say it.

[Hidden in reply to silverfox7]

I started on Mercury, and was offered TEVA a few times recently and had to ask for Mercury instead. Mercury doesn't seem to have side effects so didn't want to risk changing.

[silverfox7 in reply to Hidden]

I've always advocated if you find something that works for you ask to have that all the time then you aren't caught out with fillers that upset you. Potency may be slightly different as well with chopping and changing.

[helvella]

I think that buddha1 was simply copying and pasting some text that happened to contain USA contact details. Not that those details are applicable to Teva levothyroxine in the UK.

TEVA levothyroxine has also been reported as being the best for them by a number of people.

[IvanK]

I would only add that since being switched to TEVA, my TSH has gone up. Substandard junk that should be avoided. I shall seek other pharmacists until I find the previous brand. Tesco pharmacy also give you TEVA as do LLOYDS.

[Jefner]

I have been given Teva in the past but after reading reviews on here I didn't want to chance it and sent it back to my chemist as I normally have Actavis. I normally have Mercury Pharma T3 but they are having problems getting it and I have been given Teva on that too. Had a couple of doses but not sure whether it is causing me problems or not because I have anxiety and nausea anyway every morning