thank you for all help to date. I have a query regarding liquid Levo. I am due a prescription for a trial of liquid, but Teva brand has been mentioned. I had a terrible reaction to the tablets and won’t ever take them again so wondering if the liquid is the same?
I know helvella has a drop box link. I’ve been to the document, but it won’t upload for me. I have no idea what it was in the Teva that gave me a spinning head sensation but had no repeat of this with Accord or Mercury. Maybe mannitol? I’m alcohol intolerant as well so no idea if this impacted.
If Teva is the only one supplied by the lab they have said they compound but I’m already going to be paying a huge amount so thinking compound would be even more expensive.
Thank you in advance if you know anything to help. It’s only one pharmacy via the private Endo so I may have no choice but to try??
There is no reason to think that intolerance of a levothyroxine tablet from one company means you would also be intolerant of a levothyroxine oral solution from the same company.
(Nor, for that matter, another tablet such as liothyronine, from the same company.)
The link below is to the MHRA's database of documents and should include all Patient Information Leaflets for all levothyroxine oral solutions. It is repetitive because each dosage will be listed separately. And it probably diverges onto other products after a few pages! But you should be able to find all the excipients by working your way through the various products.
Thank you so much helvella! I’ve managed to access your doc via Google now 👍. I’ll cross check and it is looking like the Teva liquid will be ok. Thank you for the reassurance. (I’d had such an awful time and felt poisoned on their tablets so needed to check. ) I’ll do some reading this eve before ordering.
It would have been the mannitol in the Teva tablets that affected you. I can't take them nor anything with lactose, so some years ago bought the liquid on private prescription. My GP was then shamed into prescribing it for me and has done so ever since.
I do have a bottle of the Teva liquid here and there's no mannitol or lactose in it. Unfortunately I don't have the leaflet anymore but on the bottle it says it contains E219 Sodium Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate.
Liquid meds contain very different exipients to tablets or capsules so even the same brand will look different in a liquid. You should be fine with Teva liquid, as I am.
Thank you Jaydee1507 That makes a lot of sense and as long as no mannitol I’m sure I’ll be ok. I’ve googled the sodium methyl and it’s coming up as a food additive/ preservative. It looks like Advanz Mercury also has this in so may not be able to avoid. I think I should try it before going down a compounded route as I can’t see me being able to do that forever. If it works, I’ll be pushing for an NHS prescription anyway and I’ll likely get what I’m given, if lucky enough to get a script!
Thanks for checking- I really appreciate it. Great news it’s working for you 😁
I've been on liquid levo for about 4 or 5 years now and never had a problem with additives. GP did almost force me to try the Teva stuff when that came out and I dodged it. I'm only surprised that there are now other lactose free brands around and they haven't made me try them. I would love to save the NHS some money but the availability of any brand is very patchy so I wouldn't like to try even which is a shame.
It took me a few years of complete misery to persuade them to prescribe it as they wouldn't believe such a tiny amount of lactose could affect anyone. Me paying for the private prescription clinched it in the end. Good luck!
Thank you Jaydee I’m glad you finally persuaded them to prescribe and it’s great news you are doing well. If only some doctors would listen as we really do know our own bodies best!
Hi There are other brands of Levothyroxine oral solution available through the NHS - have you asked your GP for an NHS prescription? - my GP was happy to prescribe this for me and i can tolerate this better than the Levothyroxine pills, however I did have to try several brands before finding one that suits me.
Hi I did ask my GP and she flatly refused saying she’d get in trouble as it’s so expensive! I was seriously unwell at the time too. So I’ve asked my private Endo for a trial first. Thank goodness you have an understanding GP and it’s great to hear you’re doing well on it! Good to hear success stories 😁
Do you mind my asking what difference did you notice? I know you mentioned not tolerating (tablet form)- did you have what you felt were side effects rather than hypo symptoms?
Hi If you read my bio I have documented my journey. My symptoms are related to the medication not hypothyroidism. Since taking oral Levothyroxine the worse of my symptoms have gone including my atrial fibrillation as I haven't had any attacks since switching to the oral solution. However i still have some side effects but my health is so much better now.
Hi crimple Thank you for letting me know. I’m going to have a thorough read through ingredients. I can’t say what caused the feeling terrible on Teva tablets. I know it wasn’t the hypo as it felt quite different and stopped when I switch brands (although very hypo for a good while longer) so it could be Mannitol or the acacia?
Hope you’ve found something that works well for you and keeping well 🤞
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