Hi..this is ongoing..the above brands tend to give me stomach/intestinal pain.
I informed my GP, filled in a yellow card and charnged my pharmacist, all in order to get hold of Wockhardt brand that seems to be 'mild' on my stomach (no stearic acid ingredient added?..seems to be the difference in tablet composition).
I went for my prescription today and was given Accord 100mcg...???
I said to the shop assistant...these give me stomach ache..have you got a note on your system to supply wockhardt ?
He replied.. yes...but Wockhardt only come in 25mcg so we'd have to give you 4 x packets and that would cost us 4 x as much as the 1 packet of 100mcg (Accord brand). So that can not happen!
But..I said..These Accord give me 5 hours of stomach ache after I've taken them.
He said the main pharmacist is on Monday.
Is this price/ packet correct? Or a load of rubbish?
Seems odd..bit like walking into a pie shop and asking for a veg pasty and getting a meat one...but I'm allegic to meat!..I'll be sick!..tough..it's meat or nothing!
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Helvella that document is fantastic and full of info. You have an eye for detail. My T3 deprived brain melted a few pages in, but it's a great resource.
I think the initial conversation I had was possibly miss interpreted. I rang to ask if it would be possible to supply wockhardt. I explained that their 25mcg did not seem to create problems compared to other brands and asked if it was possible to request a specific brand. But something "got lost in translation" with regards to dose size..so when I arrived to pick up my prescribed I only then was informed of the pricing problem of 4 packets x 25mcg of Wockhardt compared to 1 packet x 100mcg of Accord/northstar....and therefore A unwillingness to supply Wockhardt
There is plenty of pressure on patients to take the blame in many directions - and, in this case, I am convinced it was their duty to read your prescription, listen to your request, and put the two togther with knowledge and sense. They failed. to do that and left you in the lurch.
I have always taken a split dose of levothyroxine so my GP writes my prescription for 2 X 50mcg per day. You could ask your GP to prescribe 4 X 25 per day if this would satisfy the pharmacy.
I will try that route with the GP.I will also call the head pharmacist at the pharmacy on Monday to discuss.
...I've never tried Teva brand..I'm aware others have problems with it due to mannitol but (similar to wockhardt) it doesn't have stearic acid as an ingredient and seems to be available in 100mcg tablet size.
I know the usual advice is to take thyroid hormones away from food. However when I saw Dr Peatfield he said to take them with food because it is better for the stomach. You might find that this works better for you and your stomach.
Taking thyroid hormones with food is also recommended by Dr Myhill (medical advisor to ThyroidUK) and Dr Kenneth Blanchard (author of 'The Functional Approach to Hypothyroidism'). Dr Peatfield is the author of 'Your Thyroid and how to keep it healthy'.
Go down to the section headed Timing of Dosing where she says "Thyroid hormones should be taken with food"
I've been taking them with food for 4 or 5 years. It's so much easier than trying to do all that timing etc. I take it just before breakfast and just before lunch.
In Dr Blanchard's book he says that he has a theory that 'thyroid hormone contacting the stomach wall has never occurred in the evolution of the human race until we started taking oral thyroid'.
Every single brand effects my stomach and make me poorly, doctors won’t prescribe anything else. So been left with no meds for two years. Doctors don’t give a puff
Pretty much all UK medicines are regarded as gluten-free - at least as far as Coeliac UK are concerned.
• The vast majority of medicines prescribed by your GP are gluten-free
• A very small number of medicines contain wheat starch which contains low levels of gluten. Wheat starch is one of many ingredients so even when wheat starch is used, the overall gluten content of the medicine is very low.
• For medicines which contain wheat starch in almost all cases, an alternative medicinal product can be prescribed, containing the same active ingredient, and which does not contain wheat starch.
• Sometimes medications can cause side effects that are similar to symptoms that occur after eating gluten. Speak to your GP if you have any unexpected side effects.
• Where wheat starch has not been used in a medicinal product, the product can be regarded as gluten-free
Not lactose or gluten. It’s the fillers, doctor won’t prescribe liquid as local pharmacy don’t supply it. Doctors never supported me before thyroid or this rubbish going on in the world atm. Can’t change doctors eithet. House bound for 16 years before thyroid, I’ll just do without
As I understand, all pharmacies must supply all standard medicines as a condition of their NHS contracts.
Whether or not they have previously supplied it to anyone is irrelevant.
There are some medicines - e.g. those which require special storage - which are not available everywhere. But levothyroxine oral solutions are just ordinary glass bottles with nothing special regarding storage, etc.
Both brands have Lactose..but the differing ingredient seems to be stearic acid added to Accord/northstar brand. .so I am assuming this is what is causing the problem. Teva seems to be lactose AND stearic acid free..and cones in 100mcg..so hoping that the pharmacist can supply so I can try and see if it's a solution.
I had the same problem with Northstar. I now get Wockhardt named by my GP on my prescription. Perhaps he hasn’t realised it’s costing four times as much 🤔
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Actavis merged with Accord
Actavis v Accord levothyroxine
Side effects of Northstar/Accord Levothyroxine. 
Actavis to Accord change 
