How to deal with different brands of generic synthroid?

My levo will not be sold anymore in Pharmacies around me. They changed manufacturer. Scared! How have you managed that situation? Thank you in advance.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Where are you? (It helps to put your country into your profile.)

What make of levothyroxine do you currently take?

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

I am in USA. It changed from Sandoz to Alvagen. Thanks.

[cmt1121 in reply to Hidden]

I take Mylan

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You can look up most USA medicines here:

dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

Alvogen's (actually manufactured by LLOYD, Inc. Shenandoah, IA 51601 USA) are here:

dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

And Sandoz' are here:

dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

They are distinctly different formulations.

If you are going to try Alvogen, I suggest you try while you still have some Sandoz. If you do not get on with them, you can switch back - at east temporarily.

Afraid I do not know much about getting prescriptions dispensed in the USA. Perhaps others can help?

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Thank you. I have 15 sandoz that I kept just in case. The pharmacist tried to find the sandoz but, she could not. They only had the euthyrox and the Alvogen and she told me the Alvogen was more similar. Last time, I was transfered from Sandoz to a brand one I had a very bad experience. I was finally feeling better, not cold, losing at least a pound in three or four weeks, etc. I could not believe it yesterday. I hope they do not mess up with my system. By the way, what do you mean by "distinctly". Thanks.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

From DailyMed entries, I grabbed these ingredient lists:

Alvogen:

Magnesium Stearate, NF; Microcrystalline Cellulose, NF; Colloidal Silicone Dioxide, NF; and Sodium Starch Glycolate, NF.

Sandoz:

butylatedhydroxy toluene, calcium phosphate dibasic dihydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, sodium starch glycolate, and color additive(s).

Sometimes makes are extremely close with only a very small difference in one or two ingredients. But, as you can see, there are several differences.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Thank you, so much.

[jrbarnes]

I was about to ask if you were on the Sandoz generic until I read further below and confirmed the answer to my question. I took the Sandoz generic for years until it was switched to Euthyrox due to a distribution issue. You can find more info on Sandoz's website. It's created a lot of issues for thyroid patients including myself. It's something that my health care provider is tackling with her patients currently. The issue for me is that the Sandoz generic is more potent than brand names. If you're a person that needs higher T4 levels then you may have to adjust your dose if switching to a brand. I'm currently on Levoxyl, which I can recommend. If you want to stay on generics then you'll just have to try them out for 6 weeks at a time. If one generic doesn't work for you then you may have to call all pharmacies near you to find out what generic they carry and have them transfer your prescription. However, I would suggest you get on a brand like Levoxyl so you don't have to go through this each time a pharmacy decides to switch due to cost savings. This forum is also located in the UK so not many here will have answers to questions specific to the US, such as the generics or brands we use.

[Hidden in reply to jrbarnes]

Thank you. I always used synthroid until it got too much expensive. Last year, they changed my dose and I started having problems. They put me in one of the new ones, I dont remember the name. (Tirosint, I think) It was expensive and it did not work for me to the point that the doctor said he thought I was not taking it.

[jrbarnes in reply to Hidden]

I'm paying the extra price for a name brand because I can't go through this again. If your levels change and you feel unwell it's hard to know if it's your thyroid or a change in generic. Generics and brands are not close at all when it comes to potency or absorption. I have to be stable for the next 40 years not 5 or 10.

[Hidden in reply to jrbarnes]

I think I shall have to do the same. Thank you, again!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to jrbarnes]

Though Levoxyl was so awful at one time, it had to be taken off the market for total reformulation. And I have interacted with quite a few who find Synthroid intolerable.

[jrbarnes in reply to helvella]

I read about Levoxyl's past history. I don't know what it was like previously but the reformulation has been kind to me so far. No unpleasant side effects from inactive ingredients so I find it a good T4 base to build on. I tried Synthroid once and never again.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to jrbarnes]

I think they went to town on the reformulation intending to avoid all the criticism they received for the old version!

[Hidden in reply to jrbarnes]

Thanks.

[Hidden in reply to jrbarnes]

Thanks.

[RMFrum]

I take Amneal also in the US, never an issue..

[Hidden in reply to RMFrum]

Never heard of it. Thanks.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

Amneal have an agreement to supply what is also known as Unithroid under their own branding.

investors.amneal.com/news/p...

(Lannet used to supply this but either have, or will soon, switch to another product.)

[Batty1]

I switch from Synthroid to L-thyroxine about 5 months ago and I haven’t felt better or worse.

[Hidden in reply to Batty1]

Just make sure they keep you with the same manufacturer. I had a modern doctor, that did not take his eyes out of the computer, put me in a brand one because of bla, bla, bla and it did not work for me at all. On the contrary, my tsh went higher than ever and, living in South Florida, I wore a cardigan in Summer. Thank you.