I just got an email with a petition to sign. It concerns Levothyrox by Merck. It seems it was reformulated a couple of years ago and has since caused users to go downhill, with the return of many hypo symptoms, incl heart problems. The new formula is even said to have caused deaths.
Does anyone know more about this? I’m esp anxious to know if this is in fact Euthyrox (same formula,different brand names)?
You're ok, it's not Euthyrox, it's Teva who are under the spotlight. If you search the site, you'll find a lot of previous posts about it.
In a nutshell: Teva changed the binders in their T4 meds, and it seems that that has made a difference in how people absorb it, and many ended up really poorly as a result.
I think if you were new to thyroid disease and went straight on Teva, you'd probably not be affected, but those who were switched to Teva whilst already being treated, were badly affected. Although the dose stayed the same (e.g.25mcg), the binders make a big difference - if someone's body doesn't cope well with a certain binder, it might not manage to extract the full 25mcg. Medicine also has a half life, which is affected by the binders. It could be that the old formulation had a half life of 6 months, so if you got it 3 months after manufacture, you'd be getting 19mcg/tablet, but if the new formulation has a half life of 3 months, you'd only be getting 12.5mcg/tablet, so your dose has been decreased.
Thanks, I was a bit worried as it’s the same mfg and only Euthyrox is available where I live.
"Medicine also has a half life, which is affected by the binders. It could be that the old formulation had a half life of 6 months, so if you got it 3 months after manufacture, you'd be getting 19mcg/tablet, but if the new formulation has a half life of 3 months, you'd only be getting 12.5mcg/tablet, so your dose has been decreased." That's not the case, I think you're misunderstanding what a drug's half life is; and confusing it with shelf life - which in any case, in terms of Levothyroxine in standard tablet form, would be years beyond 6 or 3 months. The half life of the active ingredient within the medication is the time required for the concentration of that ingredient in the body, to fall to half of its initial concentration after reaching its peak; and having a tablet 3 or 6 months after manufacture will not affect that. Not all excipients have the purpose of being binders, but I've not read that excipients may have the effect of changing the half life of a drug; although excipients might be included to for instance, delay a drug's release or absorption from its medicinal form, but that not its half life.
From what I understand, the new forumulation of Levothyrox was lactose free and they used Mannitol instead, same as the new formulation Teva here in the UK which has caused problems for so many people.
From sciencemag.org/news/2017/09...
The new version contains mannitol and citric acid—both innocuous and widely used as excipients—instead of lactose.
Apparently the French Health Minister was forced to make the old formula available again. From connexionfrance.com/French-...
In September 2017, health minister Agnès Buzyn was forced to make the old formula available pending investigation, and almost half of the 130,000 boxes sold out within two days.
I can't find an up to date patient information leaflet online for Euthyrox to find out the ingredients.
Thanks a lot!
Last year, they were still going ahead with changing Euthryox across 21 countries...
merckgroup.com/en/news/euth...
I do not know whether this is going ahead still - but I have heard nothing to say it is not.
Thanks! I will try to add some T4 to a reduced dose of NDT. My doctor prescribed 75 mcg of Euthyrox. Date of expiry 03/20 so not sure which version but guess I’ll know soon enough if it works or not...
Do you not get a Patient Information Leaflet (or equivalent)?
Yes. Not sure what to look for exactly though...?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannitol
Mannitol has its problems too look and dry eyes, heart problems are listed. Its a minefield with all these fillers in medication which we depend on to stay alive and healthy.
Thing is, the significant side effects of mannitol are reported at relatively high doses - for example, that Wiki link refers to a dose of 20 grams.
In Teva, or Levothyrox/Euthryox, we are probably talking about a few milligrams. Vastly lower amounts.
I am not saying I know why these products seem to be so problematical. And, whilst it does seem obvious that it is the mannitol, I am not sure how much solid evidence we have for that. Bear in mind, mannitol is present in an awful lot of things we consume (as a constituent of many plants, for example, not meaning added mannitol).
Update of Levothyrox
When is the best time to take Levothyrox ?
Prescription Woes Again (French Cynomel)
