Joint pain

[Dawny08]

Hi is anyone else getting joint pain while taking activis for under active Thyroid,also I’m having a lot of pain in my left side under my ribs

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Dawny08

I have taken Actavis for many years and it's never caused me joint pain, of course that doesn't mean that it wont for someone else.

However, have you checked Vit D - low level can cause muscle and joint aches and pains.

[Dawny08 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Oh thank you I will ask my Dr to check my bloods

[Caroline888]

Hi Dawny08

Actavis definitely caused me joint pain. The pains came on after about a week of taking Actavis and were severe enough to make walking really difficult. The pain was mainly in my hips and knees. I changed my brand of levo and it gradually went away until I was totally pain free after 8 days on the new brand.

Hope you get sorted soon.

Best wishes

Caroline

[Dawny08 in reply to Caroline888]

Oh thank you I will ask the pharmacist to give me Levo

[Caroline888 in reply to Dawny08]

Actavis is a brand of levothyroxine. If you feel it’s the likely cause of your joint pains, i.e. have you not been taking it long and did the pains arise soon after starting to take it, then trying a different brand of levothyroxine would seem to be a good idea. The only brand I would particularly avoid if I were you is Teva since I hear a lot of people say on the forum that they don’t get on well with it. Of course if you are lactose intolerant I understand it’s the only one you can take.

Hope you find a brand that suits you.

As regards the pain you have on the left hand side under your ribs I used to have that too. Mine went after several months of being on levo. I now wonder if it was caused by constipation, this obviously being one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

All the best

Caroline

[helvella Administrator in reply to Caroline888]

Not no more!

Aristo is also lactose-free. There again, it is new to the market in the UK so not many know of it.

Some people love Teva! (Not me. )

UK Levothyroxine Tablets

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Last updated 09/03/2020.

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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🔹 Aristo (manufacturer)

100

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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.

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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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[Caroline888 in reply to helvella]

Thanks helvella. Very useful😊

[Dawny08 in reply to Caroline888]

Thank you Caroline I can’t take Tiva but I have always been okay on Activis ,the pain is in my knee and hip I will have to see Dr but at the moment I don’t want to go to the Doctor with the Corona Virus being so bad.

[Caroline888 in reply to Dawny08]

I find massaging Olbas Oil into knees and hips is helpful for occasional pains. Also great for back pain. Just don’t touch your eyes with your fingers afterwards. Ouch🙁

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking?

When were thyroid and vitamin 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 regularly 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

[Dawny08 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi I am on 50 dose of Thyroxine and I had my TFT done about eight months ago vitamin D was low

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dawny08]

50mcg is only a starter dose

Blood should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Aim of levo is to increase the dose up slowly in 25mcg steps, retesting after each dose increase

Majority of patients need around 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight

Get full testing including vitamin D, folate, ferritin, B12

Low vitamin levels extremely common when left on starter dose too long

Thyroid testing should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking any thing apart from water and last dose levo 24 hours prior to blood test

[Dawny08]

Hi I’ve been on the 50mcg since I was started on it about 15 years ago , I have bloods done every 12 months but know body has ever changed the dose