Teva 25 strange side effects

[BlueKeith]

I take 75 mcg of levothyroxine daily since feb 21 . One 50mcg and a 25mcg of all different brands.Been doing fine for quite a while since recently. I take my dose early morning about 4 o clock a couple of hours before breakfast. Recently half hour after taking them I feel a started feeling hyperactive and nervous. Ive started splitting the dose one before bed and one in morning and ive realized its the 25mcg of teva brand causing it. Anyone else noticed different feeling from different brands?

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Hi Tigershull, many members (including myself)have problems with Teva, with various adverse symptoms noted.

I spoke with my GP about Teva issues and now have it clearly written on my prescription ‘No Teva, patient tolerates only Mercury Pharma/Accord’ so I would recommend you ask for a similar request, naming the brands you find acceptable.

[Buzcat in reply to Buddy195]

I was really ill when pharmacy switched my mercury Pharma toTeva went to GP she said it’s your age three times I went to GPs kept saying it was my age my daughter had been switched at the same time she became very ill on Teva the GP now writes Mercury Pharma on prescription now but trying to get it is a nightmare having to phone round all different pharmacies to see witch one has it the government was supposed to have put out guidance about keeping you on a certain brand if you do well on it yet no pharmacies in Scotland seemed to have got this not that it would make any difference as they say the suppliers won’t get it yet there is no shortage of Mercury Pharma it’s a couple of pence dearer I think this might be the reason I emailed Humza Yousaf and asked him to put the guidance out to pharmacies in Scotland and also for suppliers to supply Mercury Pharma as it’s not cost effective changing brands when you end up in A&E no wonder our hospitals are overwhelmed.

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to Buzcat]

I really feel for you Buzcat; I hadn’t realised MP was so hard to get hold of in Scotland. The other thing that might help is to buy a pill cutter to split a tablet that you can tolerate. I bought one cheaply on Amazon.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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)

Glenmark or Aristo (100mcg only) are lactose free and mannitol free. May be difficult to track down Glenmark, not been available very long 

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

Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets 

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets 

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

beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva

Wockhardt only make 25mcg tablets

List of different brands available in U.K.

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

Posts that mention Teva

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Teva poll

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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 

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...

If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient. If symptoms or poor control of thyroid function persist (despite adhering to a specific product), consider prescribing levothyroxine in an oral solution formulation.

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

Similarly if normally splitting your levothyroxine, take whole daily dose 24 hours before 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

Noticed on previous post….you take metaformin

Metaformin lowers TSH

Always test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

So it’s ESSENTIAL To test Ft4 and Ft3

cureus.com/articles/50564-e...

[BlueKeith]

wow. Thanks all of you. Was partly thinking it was in my head . Also didnt know Metformin lowers tsh. Id have thought the doctor would take that into consideration but after a year and half of being diagnosed hypothyroidism im not sure anymore. Thanks slowdragon

[RedApple Administrator in reply to BlueKeith]

Tigershull, 'Id have thought the doctor would take that into consideration'

That requires 'joining the dots', something doctors are frequently not good at! If you are able to print off the paper that @slowdragon linked to ( cureus.com/articles/50564-e... ), you could give it to your GP, with a polite request that your thyroid medication not be reduced on the grounds of TSH reading alone.

[thyroidnodules]

i would just use another 50mcg cut in half to make up the 75mcg. Should be fine with a good pill cutter from amazon. Teva does not seem to agree with a lot of people

[Poppyfaery]

im in amess dont feel well ever no help from my docs, keep getting drunk in a bid to escape my misery, ridiculous i know im deppressed sorry im no help.

[BlueKeith]

maybe you need to change doctors. Could be the dose making you depressed