Does anybody take Oral Levothyroxine Brill Pharma?

[Bellthyroid]

Worried about dose inconsistency.

[RedApple Administrator]

Bellthyroid, Is this a liquid levo? What makes you worried about dose inconsistency?

[Bellthyroid in reply to RedApple]

Yes, it is liquid levo. I have complicated health issues and when I take levo I have tightening in my body which when I take this medication seems to vary in strength from day to day. I have noticed as I get nearer the end of the bottle the product seems stronger. It also tastes different. My T4 is also decreasing. I was previously taking Mercury Oral Levo and my T4 was higher.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Bellthyroid]

Do you happen to know if the excipients are different in Brill Pharma compared to Mercury liquid? That might give a clue as to why it's affecting you differently.

Calling helvella the meds guru for this info

If you're reasonably sure the Brill Pharma one is problematic, consider putting in a yellow card report. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk

[Bellthyroid in reply to RedApple]

Yes I am pretty sure its the Brill Pharma I have been taking it for 12 weeks and the last batch I received seems to be doing nothing - then I took my normal dose a few days ago and it felt like I had taken the whole bottle in one go!

[Bellthyroid in reply to Bellthyroid]

Brill Pharma ingredients are the same except it doesn't have Sodium Hydroxide. I was originally taking 50mcg per 100ml and there was a supply issue and now I am taking 75mcg per 100ml.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Bellthyroid]

Ok, two thoughts (you probably already checked them, but just in case ).

Is the dose in this bottle the same as previous dose? e.g. 75mcg per 5ml or whatever.

Are you supposed to shake the bottle before pouring out the liquid?

Both of the above are easily missed, forgotten etc.

[Bellthyroid in reply to RedApple]

Yes the dose in the bottle is the same. On the instructions, it doesn't say to shake the bottle. I have been shaking the bottle as have always shaken with oral levo in the past.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Bellthyroid]

I would definitely put in a yellow card report then. If there is a substantial change in your TSH, that does suggest something isn't right.

Involve your GP in this by explaining the situation and asking for a new prescription so that you can try to obtain the one you were on before. Or at least a different brand from the Brill Pharma.

[Bellthyroid in reply to RedApple]

Thank you you have been very helpful. I am very grateful for you taking the time to answer, you make such a difference to all of us! I will definitely put in yellow card as I don't want others to suffer on this medication.

[helvella Administrator in reply to RedApple]

Have checked and pasted below - then copied from a reply I made on a previous thread:

6.1 List of excipients

Sodium methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E219)

Citric acid monohydrate

Glycerol

Purified water

medicines.org.uk/emc/produc...

Manufacturer:

LM Manufacturing Limited

Sandretto Building,

Cavalry Hill Industrial Park, Weedon,

Northampton, NN7 4PP, United Kingdom

medicines.org.uk/emc/files/...

Teva levothyroxine oral solution contains:

Glycerol

Citric acid, Monohydrate

Sodium Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate (E219)

Sodium Hydroxide

Purified Water

products.tevauk.com/mediafi...

And is manufactured by Delpharm Bladel BV in Netherlands.

Teva levothyroxine tablets are manufactured by PLIVA (a subsidiary of Teva) in Croatia.

I am aware that some who take levothyroxine oral solution find there are differences which make some makes tolerable when others are not.

Mercury Pharma levothyroxine oral solution contains:

It also contains the following inactive ingredients:

glycerol, citric acid monohydrate, sodium methyl

parahydroxybenzoate (E219), sodium hydroxide and

purified water

medicines.org.uk/emc/files/...

And is manufactured by:

FAMAR NETHERLANDS BV,

Bladel Production Site, Industrieweg 1, 5531 AD

BLADEL, The Netherlands

medicines.org.uk/emc/files/...

Delpharm and Famar announce the acquisition by Delpharm of five Famar sites in France, Canada and the Netherlands

famar-group.com/new/delphar...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...