My surgery pharmacist recently explained that my usual and favourite brand of levo (wokhardt) was proving difficult well impossible to get hold of and she can only give me Teva , I react badly to teva and explained this as the gp has written it in my notes stressing how it causes me to feel very ill, she walked away chatting to another woman and I distinctly heard her say "heads up another TEVA DIVA moaning about the teva brand " I was beyond embarrassed and very upset I took the prescription and basically rang 8 chemists in total searching for either wokhardt or mercury pharma or anything except teva , 7 of the 8 could only get teva but 1 said they can source north star and that it was definitely NOT teva , I drove 43 miles for this north star levo and checked the box ... next day I started the blister pack , 5 days later I was bed bound, legs were so swollen and couldn't even bare a sheet on my legs , raging headache , tummy cramps , afib episodes for which I needed an ambulance, something felt wrong , I remember feeling like that on teva maybe north star was also on my no no list ? Checked the blister pack and there it was ... TEVA . I was mortified, I wasn't imagining it, the fillas make me so very ill, iv had to call around 15 chemists today in Cornwall and couldn't find any that stocked anything but teva so I tried devon . Tomorrow I have to drive for 4.5 hours to get wokhardt... but the journey will be worth it, but I'm dreading it in 4 weeks time as il have to do it all again, sorry to ramble on but my point is never take what a pharmacist says as fact do your own investigation I wish I had I'd never have accepted north star if I knew it was teva ... teva diva indeed ....
North star : My surgery pharmacist recently... - Thyroid UK
North star
I have northstar, it says activas, I certainly didn't think it was Teva.
On the box it says north star but it wasn't until a week later I checked the actual pink blister pack and its definitely teva , I took them to the chemist today to show her she was shocked too but checked online its 100% teva , I'm so ill now and I'm so annoyed with myself for not being thorough
Very annoying! I've rejected Teva twice from my pharmacy as it has such negative feedback, they said they would put a note that I didn't want that type, but still tried to give it to me after that. It seems to be the brand most in stock, probably because none of us want it. What a cheek saying "Teva diva", they need to be told it makes people ill, so wind their neck in!
Jodiedebs55, Can you check the side of the Northstar box to see what manufacturer/brand details are written on there? It should be the same brand as the blister pack, but it would be good to be sure 
Omg your right its north star on the front of box but on the side in small type it says MA Holder TEVA UK limited Eastbourne BN22 9AG
Thanks for confirmation. That is really bad news for the many. many who rely on it being Actavis 
What does it say on the long edge of the outer card packaging? It should say the maker/Product Licence holder there.
See page 11 of this link:
dropbox.com/s/7tte490umnz6s...
And, did you notice, was the outer sealed when you received it?
Sealed box on side in small type it says MA Holder TEVA
How is it possible for that link to show north star being activis on that pack but on mine its MA Holder teva ? Have teva taken over activis ? It's so worrying, I tried to buy my own T4 from my T3 supplier but they were mostly teva so it looks like I have a problem
The answer is simple but grossly unsatisfactory.
Northstar (and the Walgreen Boots Alliance brand Almus) are simply reseller labels. Just like the washing up liquid or baked beans you buy under a supermarket label, the supplier could change at the drop of a hat.
It is your responsibility to decide whether or not to accept the product - including checking what it says on the packaging, the product licence, the ingredients.
They have been doing this for many years and the manufacturer has frequently been changed for other medicines - but, to my knowledge, this is the first time that a levothyroxine product has changed like this.
I am concerned that the same could happen to Almus.
Obviously, we don't know why the change. Are Teva offering a better deal? Do Northstar want to be able to supply 25 microrgam tablets?
It's very worrying iv just posted a new thread with a pic of my north star levo , even my chemist wasn't aware it was teva
Check side of box small print MA Holder teva in Eastbourne, its teva
The pharmacist should not be talking about patients like that. If I were you, I would write a formal letter of complaint to the practice manager. Such bad manners!
I was too upset and very embarrassed when I get teva out of my system il be back sorting her out .
Good for you!
Hello I take Wockhardt as well long story short if you contact the company at Wrexham they will speak to the chemist and arrange for a supply to be sent .... I had lots of trouble before I knew this information... even the last time I had to fill a script the dear sweet chemist !!! Despite knowing I could not tolerate Teva issued it.. talk about stressful.. still please contact the company the customer service is very friendly and helpful...
Take care
Every chemist I call say wokhardt is impossible to get as it's short supply but il definitely try myself thanks for that
Hi yes I know I had all that as well all they want to supply is Teva makes you think there is a handout to supply ... your very welcome... I contacted the company and my script was filled the next day... look up the details of contact on the Wockhardt site... let me know how you get on ... will save you driving all around Devon and Cornwall...
Thanks so much I just looked it up and emailed the head office in Wrexham and il also call them tomorrow, I didn't know we could do this . I was told by my surgery I had to leave it to them . Thanks for your help
Jodiedebs55
What name is on the foil backing of the blister pack? I expect it says Teva.
As Actavis/Almus/Northstar don't do a 25mcg tablet it makes you wonder why there is a 25mcg Northstar box when it's Teva tablets.
Its north star on front of box MA Holder teva on side and also on the actual foil pink blister pack , i honestly didn't think north star was teva so I stupidly didn't even look at the blister pack, iv been so very ill lately to the point I had to 999 an ambulance sunday morning as my afib came back with a vengeance and also I was dizzy , nauseous and had extreme muscle cramping across my chest and knees . It all makes sense now as I 100% believe it's down to Teva
So it says Teva on the blister pack?
The MA license holder and the manufacturer aren't always the same so it can be confusing.
Yes i posted a new thread with a pic unfortunately I could only post 1 pic so I posted the side panel of the box that shows its teva
No it's the 25mcg packs that are teva the bigger dose are activis
Teva Diva? she certainly didnt make that that up on the spot did she! Complete lack of understanding.
Yes I guessed they had branded the patients that long before I over heard her . Never felt so hurt , shocking
I had a similar comment by pharmacist when I asked for Mercury Pharma after I’d been given TEVA which I’m allergic to. The assistance said sorry we’ve got your notes wrong on our system. We’ve got that TEVA is what you want. The then pharmacist said in front of a whole shop full of people. “here’s your preferred brand”. I said “no it’s not my preferred brand, it’s the only brand which I am not allergic to, I’ve yellow carded all the others!” Sarcastic so and so.
Oh wow , disrespectful and cruel is what it is , they obviously think all patients that complain are hypochondriac they should swap with us for just a day feel what we feel like after taking teva then they would understand
What I don’t understand is this, if most people who try Teva are being made so ill and yellow cards are being filled in about the brand, why on earth is nothing being done about their formulation?
Are yellow cards even worth filling in if nothing comes from it?
The pharmacist that called you another Teva-Diva should be reported or you should have said “I can hear you” so why don’t you just do your job because Im not paying you for your snarky comment! I have allergy to it if you knew how to read!
Can you arrange for mail order pharmacy from them so you don’t have to drive 4.5 hours?
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