I am new to the group and apologies if this has been asked repeatedly however would like some advise.
I am on 100mcg of levothyroxine and within the last 8mths the brand has changed between North Star, Teva, Accord, Mercury Pharma and Wockhardt.
My last two batches were Mercury & Accord respectively and I was feeling great.
My pharmacy has now given me Teva and I am itching all over, palpitations and slightly irritable.
Could this be due to the filler ingredients within the drugs?
I have only found this very recently (since taking the Teva) and wondered if it was connected.
I have mentioned to my Pharmacist and she advised that she can switch my pills to North Star however am I correct in thinking that North star are Teva and will have the same fillers?
Your guidance would be very much appreciated.
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nat73
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Switching between brands is not as simple as it is made out to be. Louise Roberts at TUK has some papers which discuss this. Unfortunately when changing the contents of pills, manufacturers aren't rigorous enough to justify the switch and guarantee equivalent of old and new
Published: 31 March 2020
Comment on “Levothyrox® New and Old Formulations: Are They Switchable for Millions of Patients?”
Rudolf Hoermann, John E. M. Midgley, Rolf Larisch & Johannes W. Dietrich
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap. Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking and how long have you been left on this dose?
Only one dosage of Northstar is Teva - 25 micrograms. (Just to confuse!)
Odd that you got Wockhardt as they only do 25 microgram tablets in the UK.
UK Levothyroxine Tablets
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Last updated 30/04/2020.
This is a list of currently marketed levothyroxine tablets in the UK.
Please note that re-branding (whether by a manufacturer or as an ‘own label supplier’ - which has happened with several products) does not mean any change to formulation.
🔹 Advanz – branded both “Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine” and “Mercury Pharma Eltroxin” which are identical (marketing authorisation holder)
🏭 Custom Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (manufacturer)
🥛 contains lactose
25 PL 12762/0016 5.5mm diameter
50 PL 10972/0031
100 PL 10972/0032
—————————————————————
🔸 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.
—————————————————————
🔹 Aristo – (marketing authorisation holder)
🏭 Aristo Pharma GmbH (manufacturer)
100 PL 40546-0159
—————————————————————
🔸 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. ❗
—————————————————————
🔹 Teva – (marketing authorisation holder)
🏭 PLIVA Croatia Ltd (manufacturer)
12.5 PL 00289/1971
25 PL 00289/1972
50 PL 00289/0038
75 PL 00289/1973
100 PL 00289/0039
—————————————————————
🔹 Wockhardt – (marketing authorisation holder)
🏭 CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd (manufacturer)
🥛 contains lactose
25 PL 29831/0130
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
🔹 – identifies marketing authorisation holder.
🔸 – identifies ‘own label supplier’ products.
🏭 – identifies manufacturers (where known).
❗ – Take particular note of the actual product which varies by dosage.
—————————————————————
Numbers refer to tablet dosages in micrograms.
Only products which definitely contain lactose are identified (🥛 contains lactose). Please check other products. Where products are ‘own label supplier’, check the marketing authorisation holder.
If there is anything inaccurate in this information, please let me know by Private Message:
This document is updated whenever I am aware of any changes or enhancements are needed. Please check the Last updated date. The current version is available as a PDF here:
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