ARISTO LEVOTHYROXIN

[turkeydinner]

ARISTO LEVOTHYROXIN

Hi everyone, I've been taking ARISTO levo for 3 weeks 100mg and Im feeling too tired to get up in the morning. I've been on levo for 9 years with ups and downs. Anyone experiencing adverse effects with this brand.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Which brand of levothyroxine do you normally get

Request new prescription from GP and get previous brand

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks later

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

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

But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)

Teva, Aristo and Glenmark are the only lactose free tablets

Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord

Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but doesn’t make 25mcg tablets

beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva

List of different brands available in U.K.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

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.

New guidelines for GP if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

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

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

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)

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

REMEMBER.....very important....stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results - eg vitamin B complex

[turkeydinner in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi slow Dragon, I get on with mercury pharma or accord.I'll request a new script from GP.

Fed up when they change make.

Thank you for the advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to turkeydinner]

Get note added to all future prescriptions

Mercury Pharma or Accord brand only

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets but Mercury Pharma do

Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots or Northstar via Lloyds

Beware Northstar 25mcg is Teva

[turkeydinner in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slow Dragon will msg GP tomorrow.Thanks for your help

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

There have been quite a number of posts which refer to Aristo - with varying opinions.

This search will find many of them:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[turkeydinner in reply to helvella]

Thanks helvella I'll check other posts.

[Boon79]

Hi there. I too have been taking Aristo for a few weeks and I have felt awful so now back on the Wockhardt brand.I had terrible water weight, bloating, anxiousness, tiredness etc.

Won’t be allowing the pharmacy to dispense them to me again.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I encourage you to report ALL side effects and bad experiences with ALL medicines including vaccines and diagnostic testing kits. In the UK, use the Yellow Card reporting system to inform the MHRA about any medicine issue you experience - or even suspect.

If in doubt, shout!

This post says more.

🟨 Making Yellow Card Reports 🟨

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

There are other routes outside the UK. For example the USA's FDA has a reporting mechanism. Within the EU, the European Medicines Agency handles reports for centrally licensed products - each country handles its own for nationally licensed products.