Levothyroxine and dairy allergy

[cat_alli]

Firstly, thank you everyone who answered my queries at the end of last year, unfortunately I was feeling very unwell, shaky & very low and wasn’t up to replying to your various help and advice, but it was very much appreciated and it helped a lot.

The good news is I’m much better at the moment. One reason is I had food allergy tests though Smartblood, whom I read about on the Thyroid UK website. I discovered that as well as gluten, I’m allergic to cow dairy (not goat or sheep diary), egg, yeast and Brazil nuts, so I’ve cut all these foods out completely.

I see that Levothyroxine contains lactose. I once read on this forum how to get non- lactose thyroxine, I would be most grateful if you could post the info again as I’m seeing my GP later this week and am going to need all the strong arguments and methology to get her and/or the pharmacist to change what she is currently prescribing.

Is there anything adverse I might expect in changing from Levothyroxine to a non-lactose thyroxine? It’s the only thyroxine I’ve taken. I have Hashimotos and am on 100mcg a day.

Thank you.

[Hidden]

You can buy lactose free levo from an online pharmacist in Germany called Bennewitz. There is another one as well but I forget its name. You get a private prescription from your GP that states L Thyroxin Henning and your dose. You order off the website, they ask for your prescription which you send in the post (I scanned mine to them first) then you receive them a couple of days later Its really easy.

Any change of brand though you can react badly too so even if its lactose free doesnt mean it will be right for you I didnt do good on it at first but am now feeling a lot better. It contains corn if that is of any issue to you.

Good luck

[JumpJiving]

Teva levothyroxine is currently lactose-free. I am allergic to lactose, so was prescribed Teva. Be aware though that according to other threads on the forum, that some people do not tolerate Teva.

[cazzaleo]

I get lactose free Teva levothyroxine from my pharmacy. As already mentioned, many people don’t get on with it. I’m not sure if I do to be honest! I’m still struggling very much with fatigue as I haven’t got to optimal dosing yet but don’t think that’s necessarily because of Teva.

I also get lactose free liothyronine by private prescription from the German pharmacy already mentioned, Bennewitz.

Hope you feel better soon!

[cat_alli]

Thank you for the above advice. However think I I remember a post which said your GP could write on your prescription that you have a dairy / lactose intolerance and then the pharmacist HAD to supply a lactose free medicine. But I’m not sure which brand, although I think it had to be ordered in from abroad. This advice might have come from an Administrator?

I’m hoping not to have to buy on a private prescription for the rest of my life.

What kind of unpleasant symptoms occur with the lactose free medicine? Continuing tiredness?

[Suziemary]

I am Lactose intolerant and for some time I have been taking a lactase enzyme table available from health food stores at the same time as my Levo . It seems to work for me. Good luck, I couldn’t tolerate Teva at all

[muddledme]

I am intolerant of cows milk but not lactose. I had Drug induced Lupus ( to Oxytetracycline ) and since then often have side effects with medicines. I had headaches with the Levothyroxine and also eventually with the Teva oral solution. There is a list of all the different thyroid replacement medication on the Thyroid UK website. I took the list along when I visited the GP. The oral solution did lower the TSH so that at the moment I do not need medication. Hope you find one that suits you.