ALMUS Levothyroxine

[Health4I]

Hi there, I need to increase my medication by 25mg having been taking 50mg of Almus Levothyroxine for a while. The pharmacist provided me with the additional medication but the 25mg was TEVA brand which made me quite unwell with headaches and sickness. GP has re-prescribed and asked for ALMUS but they don't do the medication in that dose?

I would like to continue taking Almus as I havent had too many side effects. Are their other brands I should try that in effect are Almus but named differently please

[Hibs1]

Activas and north star but they don't do 25's either. I'm in same boat. Break 50 in half or a different brand 25 is only answer I think.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Almus, Activis and North Star are all the same brand of Levothyroxine and don't make a 25mcg tablet

See list here

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

No one apart from Teva make 75mcg tablet. Teva upsets many many people

You could just cut Almus 50mcg tablets in half

[dusty2]

Hi, My 25s are Mercury Pharma that I take with 100 Almus. I do not know if they have another name.

[helvella Administrator in reply to dusty2]

Mercury Pharma (brand owned by Advanz) package their levothyroxine tablets as Levothyroxine and, occasionally, Eltroxin. They are identical to each other.

[beh1]

I use wockhardt 25s. I take with Almus 50s and Mercury liothyronine. No Teva for me!

[Health4I]

Is it too much of a jump to go from 50mg to 100mg? I would like to stick with the brand I use as having tried TEVA it made me very unwell. Other brands may too? I could cut the tabs but that is a real pain and they aren't exactly big tablets with a line to cut along?

[helvella Administrator in reply to Health4I]

I'd say it was probably too much of a jump. Indeed, I have increased by 12.5 micrograms at a time but many raise by 25 micrograms.

It really isn't that bad splitting tablets. But at present I take 100 microrgams of Actavis (or Almus or Northstar) and 25 micrograms of Mercury Pharma.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Health4I]

They are easy to cut using a sharp craft scalpel

Levothyroxine is a storage hormone

So in theory it's fine to take 100mcg one day and 50mcg the next day to average out at 75mcg daily .

Some people notice if dose is different on different days ....other people are fine with this

[Lora7again in reply to SlowDragon]

I used a pill cutter when on Thyroid S which has very small tablets.

[Health4I in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon. Just realised I have asked the question that you have already answered.

[Treepie]

I think so .

[Autumn_1]

I have had the same problem & now take 100 mcg & 50 mcg alternate days. Activas/ Almus have always agreed with me, where as other brands cause problems. I’m due back to check my TSH this month to make sure the change hasn’t caused an increase, but I feel fine at the moment.🤞🏻I bought a pill cutter first off, not that successful really, I would get one good half & a crumbly mess the other half. Hope you find a solution to your problem which suits you very soon.

[Health4I in reply to Autumn_1]

Thanks Autumn. I wondered about taking 100 one day and then 50 the next. I thought pill cutting might be a tad difficult to do too. Have you felt OK doing it the 100/50 way? I must say I would like to stick with one brand because I hate taking medication anyway let alone taking different brands for the same treatment. Surely must be something that can be worked on in the future by the powers above 1/2 brands with different dose tablets available so you don't have to chop and change.

[Autumn_1 in reply to Health4I]

I have been fine nearly two months in, I do appreciate we are all unique with our side effects from different meds. Like yourself I was never one for tablets until I suffered with Hashimotos.

I had changed chemists four times after being assured they would keep my specific brand of 25’s in stock. Unfortunately, the dispensary staff couldn’t comprehend how different fillers in the tablets can upset the seemingly delicate balance we annoyingly have to tolerate.

I decided to ask my Doctor if I could do the 100/50 alternate days with Activas/ Almus, I’m nearly two months into it but haven’t yet had my TSH checked to see if it has altered. I am not feeling any different than before & I would have gone back to my Doctor by now for my blood test if I had.

For me it was far more stressful worrying about the brand & only being given part of my prescription, always having to go back again when they had ordered more in to complete the months supply was worrying, especially if I was going away. So trying the split dose felt like an option for me.

Wishing you luck Health 41, I hope you feel more settled in whatever choice you decide to make.🙂