Change from Actavis to Accord : Is anyone else... - Thyroid UK

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Change from Actavis to Accord

Odinil profile image
9 Replies

Is anyone else having problems with Accord levo 50mg tablets, formerly Actavis, i am experiencing symptoms, headaches, dizziness, feeling sick, blurry eyes about an hour after taking it. I dont get any of the systems with Actavis as soon as i take Accord i feel awful. My pharmacist assures me that nothing has changed only the branding, i disagree. Im so worried about trying another brand as its taken me years to feel just ok being very sensitive to levo.

I am on 62.5mg daily so cut half a 25mg Wockehart tablet in half together with the 50mg tablet. Its what the hospital where i had my thyroid removed put me on so have stuck with the same brands.

Is it best to take one brand maybe Mercury Pharma?

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Odinil
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helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

I am on levothyroxine made by Accord (branded Almus). Some tablets are crumbling and that is unsatisfactory. But they otherwise seem OK.

I have filed a Yellow Card report - and I urge you to do the same:

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨

In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) operates the Yellow Card scheme for reporting issues with medicines.

They have slightly different approaches to:

  🟡 Side Effects

  🟡 Defective medicines

  🟡 Counterfeit or fake medicines

All can be accessed by following this link:

yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

It vitally important that we report issues. Although we might wish that we could rely on medical staff (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.) to make reports, the truth is they often do not. Often no-one has told them of the issues they are having. Even if you know they have made a report, your report will add to the information. You will explain it differently and might include different details.

I do not like the culture of blaming patients which seems to be far too common. But in this case, we can only blame ourselves if we do not file reports.

If in doubt, make a report. The MHRA must expect that some reports are inappropriate and will have mechanisms in place for handling them. It isn't your responsibility to make that decision. All that can reasonably be expected is that you make reports in good faith, taking care to be as accurate as you can.

Making a report is straightforward. Depending on the issue, you might be asked to photograph the medicine (or device) and upload them. Probably a good idea to take a set of photographs before you start the report.

Remember:

If you change makes and find the new one better, you might wish to report the previous make.

Retain all packaging (for example, card outer, blister packaging, Patient Information Leaflet) - even if you do not have any of the product left.

If you use some sort of daily pill dispenser, you might consider keeping any packaging for a while so it is available should you need it.

bantam12 profile image
bantam12

My prescription changed from Actavis to Accord some months ago and I've not noticed any difference at all. I split my 50s by hand and not had any crumbling either.

Teddybear131 profile image
Teddybear131

Hi I have been ill with abdominal pain after being given North Star 50 accord and 25 North Star teva 25mg after having no problems for years on actsvis it has taken me ages to realise it’s the tablets making me ill but terrible indigestion and pain I am sure they are different in some way to the acticvis x

Odinil profile image
Odinil in reply to Teddybear131

Yes as soon as i took the first 28 days of Accord i had all sorts of problems, i also had pains in my stomach, achey joints, headaches, blurry eyes had to go to a and e eye clinic straight from the opticians, sickness, i managed to get one box of Activis, i immediately felt better, now ive ran out and i am not going back to Accord, im on 62.5 mg a day so ive been taking my normal 25mg Wockehart plus another 25mg and half a tablet 12.5mg total 62.5 instead. I dont know what to do now, what brand to go on to. Im so tired of being told nothing has changed just the brand, clearly something has been changed im not imaging it.

Oatcake profile image
Oatcake

I too have Accord levo (branded Almus) 50 mcg and so far haven't noticed any difference.

Odinil profile image
Odinil in reply to Oatcake

I just have Accord on the box how do i know what brand?

Its the same packaging but instead of Activis it says Accord

Oatcake profile image
Oatcake in reply to Odinil

Almus is the name Boots puts on the box but inside the packaging and on the leaflet it all says Accord who is the manufacturer.

Helvella has done a very useful list which shows the different marketing brands and which manufacturer's tablets they use. I'll try to post a link.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Oatcake

UK Levothyroxine Tablets

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Last updated 20/09/2020.

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.

—————————————————————

🔹 Accord (marketing authorisation holder) – formerly Actavis

🏭 Accord-UK (manufacturer)

🥛 contains lactose – 39.95mg in 50 microgram tablet, 54.90mg in 100 microgram tablet

  50 microgram  PL 0142/0104

  100 microgram  PL 0142/0105

🟢 50 microgram and 100 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 50 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 100 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

—————————————————————

🔹 Advanz (marketing authorisation holder) – branded both “Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine” and “Mercury Pharma Eltroxin” which are identical

🏭 Custom Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (manufacturer)

🥛 contains lactose – 30.49mg in 25 microgram tablet, 48.86mg in 50 and 100 microgram tablets

  25 microgram  PL 12762/0016

  50 microgram  PL 10972/0031

  100 microgram  PL 10972/0032

🟢 Eltroxin 25 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟢 Eltroxin 50 & 100 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟢 Levothyroxine 25 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟢 Levothyroxine 50 & 100 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 Eltroxin and Levothyroxine 25 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 Eltroxin and Levothyroxine 50 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 Eltroxin and Levothyroxine 100 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

—————————————————————

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

  50 microgram – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis.

  100 microgram – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis.

—————————————————————

🔹 Aristo (marketing authorisation holder)

🏭 Aristo Pharma GmbH (manufacturer)

No lactose ingredient

  100 microgram  PL 40546-0159

🟢 PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

—————————————————————

🔹 Glenmark (marketing authorisation holder)

Note: This product may not currently be dispensed.

🏭 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited (manufacturer)

No lactose ingredient

  25 microgram  PL 25258/0293

  50 microgram  PL 25258/0294

  100 microgram  PL 25258/0295

🟢 PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 25 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 50 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 100 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

—————————————————————

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

  25 microgram – This is repackaged Teva. ❗

  50 microgram – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis. ❗

  100 microgram – This is repackaged Accord – formerly Actavis. ❗

—————————————————————

🔹 Teva (marketing authorisation holder)

🏭 PLIVA Croatia Ltd (manufacturer)

No lactose ingredient

  12.5 microgram  PL 00289/1971

  25 microgram  PL 00289/1972

  50 microgram  PL 00289/0038

  75 microgram  PL 00289/1973

  100 microgram  PL 00289/0039

🟢 12.5 and 50 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟢 25, 75 and 100 microgram PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 12.5 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 25 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 50 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 75 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 100 microgram SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

—————————————————————

🔹 Wockhardt (marketing authorisation holder)

🏭 CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd (manufacturer)

🥛 contains lactose

  25 microgram  PL 29831/0130

🟢 PIL: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

🟣 SPC: mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

🔹 – identifies marketing authorisation holder

🔸 – identifies ‘own label supplier’ products

🏭 – identifies manufacturers (where known)

🥛 – contains lactose

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

🟢 PIL – Patient Information Leaflet

🟣 SPC – Summary of Product Characteristics document

🟢🟣 Single document combining typical PIL and SPC information

—————————————————————

Only products which definitely contain lactose are identified (🥛 – contains lactose). Please always check other products. Where products are ‘own label supplier’, check the marketing authorisation holder for the specific product.

There are links to product information on the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) website. products.mhra.gov.uk/ These are the latest versions known.

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

healthunlocked.com/user/hel...

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

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:

dropbox.com/s/6h3h0qi4eqwi6...

The PDF version of this document has a QR code above this sentence. If your device has a camera and can interpret QR codes, this QR code should take you to the same place as the link and make it easier to download on devices, such as phones and tablets.

Oatcake profile image
Oatcake

Thanks, saved me hunting👍

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