Refresh memory on Tablet Brands

[Tallbird-Sammi]

Hiya.

I seem to have lost my notes on the different Brands of Thyroid Tablets, so if anyone can please refresh my brain that would be great. Because my local Pharmacy keeps giving me different ones.

So I know I am better on Actavis and that Northstar is the brand name so when I get a Northstar box I know that's fine.

But what about Mercury Pharma??? I know they use to be Goldshield but have they got anything to do with Teva?

Does Teva come under any other names?

Thanks for your help and information.

[kysharia]

Teva acquired Activis brand in 2016. So I have to avoid all 3 brands as I have severe side effects when taking these.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to kysharia]

kysharia

There is a misconception that Teva still owns Actavis.

helvella frequently replies when this comes up, from his reply in this thread last week:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

For a brief period, Teva owned the company we knew as Actavis - the bit in Devon that makes Actavis levothyroxine. One of the conditions of the deal was that Teva dispose of that bit of Actavis - which they did. They were taken over by Accord.

There is suspicion that Actavis levothyroxine will be, or is being, re-branded.

Do remember that Northstar (from Lloyds) and Almus (from Boots) are also the exact same product just with a different card outer.

Teva levothyroxine is entirely different and separate from Actavis levothyroxine.

[Tallbird-Sammi in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm having a really hard time getting the brands I want all of a sudden??

So Actavis and Northstar are the same?

And Teva is completely different?

I feel like I'm going round and round in circles?!?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tallbird-Sammi]

As explained in Helvella's post

So Actavis and Northstar are the same?

Yes, and so is Almus. They're all made by the same manufacturer and Northstar and Almus are rebranded for the different pharmacies, the box will have Actavis printed on it somewhere as well as the other brand name, and the foil back of the blister packs will have Actavis printed on it.

And Teva is completely different?

Yes

And I gave you a link to the document on ThyroidUK's website in a reply below which lists all the brands, who the licence holder is and who the manufacturer is. Did you check it?

[Tallbird-Sammi in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie. And sorry to be a pain. I'm not feeling great at the mo and not sure if it's a bug or the tablet brand?

I've been given Mercury pharma for two strips now and feel weird, wondering if it's that??

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tallbird-Sammi]

Anything is possible if you've been given a different brand and you've not had it before.

If you know that there is a brand you get on well with you should stick to it. If you don't get on with certain brands then you should tell your pharmacist that you have an adverse reaction to it and need to stick to the one brand. If necessary discuss with your GP and ask for the brand to be named on our prescription.

[Sususulio]

What is it about teva that makes them the first choice for pharmacies - I suspect cost but am I wrong? I have mercury Pharma noted on my records by GP it is on the prescription and I add it to notes. Over the last 4 months I have never had what Has been requested, it makes a mockery of the whole thing and our attempts to manage our condition successfully.

It is beyond frustrating

[carnation in reply to Sususulio]

I have asked in a couple of pharmacies why they only stock Teva and they made it clear it was down to cost.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Tallbird-Sammi

ThyroidUK have a list of thyroid treatments where you will see all available Levothyroxine brands and details of who the license holder and manufacturer are:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment...

You will see that Teva only produce Teva branded Levothyroxine.

[Clare0116]

I'm allowed Teva brand Levothyroxine now because I am lactose intolerant and every day I was getting miserable digestive tract. I'm much better now.