Different Brands of Medication

[djane]

I am on 125mcg of Levothyroxine at the moment.

The pharmacy has given me a new brand two new brands -

Accord 100mcg

Wockhurst 25mcg

Will it matter if the brands of medication are different? Quite frustrating as the brands I get are changed constantly.

Many thanks and stay safe!

[helvella Administrator]

I'd probably be able to help more if you told us what you usually get!

Accord is the new name for Actavis. (The company Accord acquired the rights to the Actavis product many months ago but have only just changed the branding.)

Wockhardt only do 25 microgram tablets. Accord only do 50 and 100 microgram tablets. To get 125 you have to either mix, change to another make, split tablets, or alternate day dose.

Note, please, that Accord is also supplied under "own label supplier" branding.

I get a paper prescription and go round the pharmacies in the area to get what I am happy with. I do not accept whatever they want to supply.

UK Levothyroxine Tablets

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Last updated 24/03/2020.

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 “Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine” and “Mercury Pharma 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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[Banjogirl in reply to helvella]

Thanks Helvella. Great info. 👍.

[djane in reply to helvella]

Thanks for all the information. That’s a great tip to get the paper prescription as mine gets electronically transferred straight to the one pharmacy.

[helvella Administrator in reply to djane]

Might not be possible at the moment! I don't know what is happening.

[djane in reply to helvella]

Yes so true, unpredictable times.

[Daisydoo2]

Hi

I am taking mixed brands at the moment - Almus and Mercury Pharma. No ill effects touch wood altho I was sceptical to start.

[djane in reply to Daisydoo2]

Thanks for getting back to me. I am the same just worried but I guess I can check to what ingredients are in both.

[ShonaGreen]

Hi @djane, this has happened to me too. I started taking Levothyroxine last April. Pharmacy gave me Teva brand and I was fine.

Then a few months ago they gave me Mercury, I didn’t realise until a few days later. I went back to the pharmacy and asked for it to be changed to Teva, they said they would have to throw the Mercury in the bin if I returned it, they also had no Teva in stock, so I took the Mercury with no problems.

I collected my new prescription last week with lots of other items. Pharmacy was very busy with folks keeping their distance. I was pleased to get out of there, but now they’ve given me Actavis! I asked for a note to be put on my file to ask that they give me the same brand, so I guess they must be out of stock of Mercury now,

I’d have to send my husband to the pharmacy to change it now and the queue is out of the door! So I’m just going to take the Actavis and hope for the best! I hope it’s OK for you too!

[djane in reply to ShonaGreen]

Thanks I guess they get in the least expensive ones and what is available? I will speak with them too and see if they can keep the same brands in my file. Will see how these new ones go. Thanks for your reply.

[Buzcat]

There is plenty Mercury pharma Levothyroxine it’s the government that has put it out to source cheaper brands and as for Teva I thought I had been poisoned with that brand and it’s lactose free it doesn’t state that on the pack.

[Lindsayf in reply to Buzcat]

I’ve been given 20mcg of Teva T3 to take.... I’m really worried to start as a lot of people say Teva is a bad brand.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Lindsayf]

The issues with Teva that are discussed in this forum are mostly to do with their levothyroxine, not their liothyronine.

It isn't that Teva levothyroxine is an awful product, it is that some people find they simply cannot tolerate it while others consider it the best levothyroxine available in the UK - for them.

There is a poll with many comments here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Obviously it is awkward and deeply unsatisfactory if a significant proportion of people who are prescribed levothyroxine cannot take one of the most available products.

Extending issues with Teva levothyroxine to liothyronine seems inappropriate. It is a different product with a very different formulation.

If you wish to discuss Teva T3, I suggest you write a new post?

[djane in reply to Buzcat]

Oh I just thought that it would be cheaper. I will ask for Mercury Pharma next time or visit and ask about it closer to when I need to refill. Thanks for getting back to me, appreciate it.

[crimple]

I can only tolerate Actavis/ Almus brand levo and because my scrip went to our local Boots I always got the 100mcgm levo without problem. Then NHS agreed to let me have some liothyronine , 15 mcgm and because of intolerance to acacia powder and previous issues with TEVA my liothyronine comes from Sigma Pharma (3 x 5mcgm per day)and I have been really well with that.

However Boots couldn't fulfil my last scrip so I now use online pharmacy, Springfield and they have sent my Sigma Pharma no problem, but last week I received Teva levothyroxine, so I sent it straight back and emailed them.

They admitted they had made a mistake and I am now waiting for Actavis/Almus/ Accord levo tabs.

My scrip clearly names the brands for each medicine and my GP surgery were happy to do that and the wording is there with every repeat.

[djane in reply to crimple]

Really the surgery puts on your prescription. That’s handy to know and maybe the way forward. I will request that from the surgery and fingers crossed, it will keep me on the same brands. Thanks for getting back to me and the handy info.

[crimple in reply to djane]

pleased to report that my Actavis levo arrived in the post this morning. I had returned the Teva to them

[joey82]

Hi,

I have mixed activas with wochardt to give me a 75mg dose daily and it made me feel sick & neaseous. Stuck to wockhardt and it made me feel a bit better.

Probably affects different people in different ways though.

[djane in reply to joey82]

Thanks for getting back to me. That’s interesting will keep an eye out for that.

[migfu216]

I was on 100mcg of Levothyroxine made by Mercury Pharma. The pharmacy changed (reason unknown) to 100mcg made by Accord. It wasn't long until I started to feel pretty lousy (that would be the polite word). It's hard to describe exactly how I felt other than lousy. I called my GP and said the different "fillers" may be the cause. He instructed the pharmacy to give me the Mercury Pharma brand and after a few days it was all systems back to normal.

[djane]

Yes I was on Mercury as well. Hopefully I don’t start to feel unwell, it’s good to know what to keep an eye out for. Thanks