HypoThyroid Almus Levothyroxine

[Peakymoose]

Hello

I know i am new here but i have some questions..

I have been on Almus levothyroxine for about 3 years.. i have always had problems with it but never as bad as the last 2 years i have constant skin crwling sppots everyone tremor/shaking all over my body headaches nauseas and vomiting and really bad anxiety...

The first day i start taking it it is ok but as i got up in days it gets worse and wrose and im wondering if this is a normal thing to be happening or has anyone else experianced this? i have been arguing with my doctor for this amount of time that the pill is causing this as when i dont take it i have no problems at all but i am also a diabetic and they keep constanly want to go through my diabetic docotor and wont do anything and he wont do anything either! I may jsut start some formal complaint soon as nothing is getting sorted.

I just dont know what to do anymore.

Just seeking advice

Thank you and sorry for the rant ^^

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Peakymouse

If you think it's Almus brand that is the problem then you need to try a different brand of Levo,

Be aware that Alums, NorthStar and Actavis are all the same brand, they are made by Accord (Almus is rebranded for Boots and NorthStar is rebranded for Lloyds Pharmacy). It would seem that a change of brand name to Accord may be imminent.

You can check out other brands here:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/treatment...

Compare ingredients, you may be reacting to one of the excipients rather than the actual levothyroxine itself.

Also be aware that Teva is a brand that many members don't get on with, it is lactose free and thought that the Mannitol they use instead of lactose may cause problems for some people.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SeasideSusie]

Don't forget that the recently-introduced 25 microgram dosage in Northstar is actually Teva!

UK Levothyroxine Tablets

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Last updated 24/02/2020.

This is a list of currently marketed levothyroxine tablets in the UK.

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🔹 Accord – formerly Actavis (manufacturer)

50

100

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🔸 Almus (an ‘own label supplier’ brand owned by Walgreen Boots Alliance – Boots pharmacies and Alliance distributor)

50 – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis.

100 – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis.

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🔹 Mercury Pharma (manufacturer – part of Advanz) includes both “Levothyroxine” and “Eltroxin” which are identical.

25

50

100

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🔹 Teva (manufacturer)

12.5

25

50

75

100

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🔸 Northstar (an ‘own label supplier’ brand owned by McKesson – Lloyds pharmacies and AAH distributor)

25 – This is repackaged Teva. ❗

50 – This is repackaged Accord - formerly Actavis. ❗

100 – This is repackaged Accord - formerly Actavis. ❗

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🔹 Wockhardt (manufacturer)

25

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🔹 – identifies manufacturers.

🔸 – identifies ‘own label supplier’ products.

❗ – Take particular note of the actual product which varies by dosage.

—————————————————————

Numbers refer to tablet dosages in micrograms.

If there is anything inaccurate in this information, please let me know by Private Message:

healthunlocked.com/user/hel...

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[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to helvella]

Yes, in my excitement that my PC will now allow me to link to PDFs I forgot about that. (Little things make me happy )

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking?

When were levels last tested?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 is in top third of range and FT3 at least half way through range

NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.

nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...

Also what foods to avoid (eg recommended to avoid calcium rich foods at least four hours from taking Levo)

All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels

Add results and ranges if you have any

Or come back with new post once you get results

[Peakymoose]

Hello

Thank you for all the replys.. We are pretty sure that it is the corn in the pills that is making me so unwell, everything with corn(Maize) in is making me unwell...

I have had the blood tests done but because i was not taking the pills at the time the results are useless... but if the pill are making everything 100x worse i'm not going to take them.

And as for vitamins i had bloods done for it in December other than folic acid and vitamin d everything is fine. And i am on 75mg was 100 but they reduced it after 2 years cause my levels went to high.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Peakymoose]

If you really do need thyroid hormone, then not taking any will have severe consequences.

I think all makes of levothyoxine tablet available in the UK contain corn in some form or another.

You will need the support of your doctor(s) to switch to something else - possibly an oral solution, possibly a "special" (compunded or imported).

Please don't just ignore and try to do without.

[Peakymoose in reply to helvella]

I know, that is where my problem is e have 2 doctors at our GP, they are both just contacting my diabetic doctor all the time and and he is doing nothing either its like they can't do there job without going via him first and he is doing absolute nothing at all...

I REALLY don't want to do without but i have no choice i am housebound when i take it from the side effects that i am having and none of my GPs care to do anything even after constant complaints its even in my file that i am having symptoms from them but still nothing!