symptoms if TEVA doesn’t agree: hello. Can anyone... - Thyroid UK

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symptoms if TEVA doesn’t agree

Goinginsane1 profile image
20 Replies

hello. Can anyone tell me what symptoms they have had when taking TEVA brand Levothyroxine when it hasn’t agreed with you please?

I am currently having heart palpitations particularly at night/or an evening. Burning and pain under arms, across chest and breasts. A constant headache (and I don’t ever get headaches) and had a eye test on Friday due to itchy eyes affecting my vision which optician said I have extremely dry eyes which she thinks linked to thyroid.

I’m not sure if it’s the brand or the slight reduction in dose. More inclined to say the brand though. Any have any thoughts? Thanks

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20 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Which brand of levothyroxine is your 100mcg tablet

Teva is only brand that makes 75mcg tablets

Mercury Pharma make 25mcg and 50mcg tablets

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets. So would need 50mcg tablets and cut one in half to get 25mcg

Goinginsane1 profile image
Goinginsane1 in reply toSlowDragon

I have recently been taking 75 and 25s.

My dose was changed last year and given TEVA when armpit pain started and lasted for months on end and never got to the bottom of it and wasn’t aware of the potential issue with the brand then.

My does increased in the summer and no armpit pain that I recall.

Dose changed to 75/100 alternate days a couple of months ago and now the above issues. Worse than I’ve ever felt.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toGoinginsane1

so which other brands have you had previously

Goinginsane1 profile image
Goinginsane1 in reply toSlowDragon

I’m pretty sure ive had accord for years prior to this. And had accord during summer months with no issues. It’s either a complete coincidence symptoms have arisen when brand changed and dose or it is due to one of them. I have always been fine on accord. Never felt so ill as I do now.

Anthea55 profile image
Anthea55 in reply toGoinginsane1

If you get on well with Accord you can get it from Boots, but labelled as Almus as their own brand. The box is Almus, but the pills are Accord and the information leaflet is Accord, so it's exactly the same.

I hope that helps.

Goinginsane1 profile image
Goinginsane1 in reply toAnthea55

thank you

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toGoinginsane1

Well that’s why it’s important to only change one thing at a time

Change dose or change brand…..never both

Explain to GP you have reacted badly to different brand of levothyroxine. You need new prescription for just more 50mcg tablets and that you will cut in half to get 25mcg dose to take 75mcg and 100mcg on alternate days

You may of course also now be under medicated

Goinginsane1 profile image
Goinginsane1 in reply toSlowDragon

I was not aware of the potential issue with a change of brand. When they changed the dose it changed brand as the brand I had been on for years and years do not make 75s. Little did I know at the time.

Apparently my last blood showed ‘normal’. The one before that showed I was was being over medicated apparently.

I have never felt so ill though.

Goinginsane1 profile image
Goinginsane1 in reply toSlowDragon

I have taken Levothyroxine for approx 16 years so not sure what brands exactly but I’m trying to think back over the last few years and I know it’s mostly been accord. TEVA has definitely been new for me today vet the last year and it’s been different packaging to normal.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toGoinginsane1

Many, many people when adequately (and correctly) treated will have TSH below range

NEVER agree to dose reduction without getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing

All four vitamins need to be optimal for good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

Reducing dose levothyroxine inappropriately results in even lower vitamin levels resulting in worse conversion

Becomes a spiral downwards

Your ferritin level was (is?) terrible

Low ferritin levels tend to lower TSH…..resulting in GP inappropriately reducing dose levothyroxine

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator

I think the most commonly reported issue with Teva is stomach discomfort/pain/upset.

But don't take that as dismissing anything else. I suspect many who have felt stomach issues switched to something else and more or less ignored any other symptoms. There could be many other symptoms that take longer to appear. But if the person stops Teva due to stomach issues, they never get them.

Regenallotment profile image
RegenallotmentAmbassador

hi

I take Teva, it’s least worst for me so far, my gurgling tummy was off the scale with accord so I’m assuming that’s about lactose.

I would like to request Aristo on my next repeat prescription to try and compare (if my dose isn’t altered).

I have a sore tongue, mouth like with a hangover and I have a thimbleful of booze a week, very dry and itchy eyes, need reading glasses some days and not others, more allergic reactions than in ithe past. And generally itchy skin, use buckets of Cetraben. Tummy does gurgle a bit but not terrible, a bit like after eating a bowl of raspberries or something.

Do you need lactose free? If you don’t then you’ll have more options. Pharmacists have been super helpful, some are constrained by suppliers when the are part of a chain, others have more flexibility.

Be interested to hear how you get on 🦋💚🦋

RexandBoone profile image
RexandBoone in reply toRegenallotment

When trying new brands, how long do you take them for to decide whether you get along with it? I just always seem to have gut issues and fatigue.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toRexandBoone

Fatigue and gut issues could be under medicated and/or food intolerances

RexandBoone profile image
RexandBoone in reply toSlowDragon

Still exploring food issues and will be doing a monitoring blood test soon.

Regenallotment profile image
RegenallotmentAmbassador in reply toRexandBoone

When I tried Accord 100mcg the response was instant (split 50/50 night/morning), itchy mouth, sore tongue, tingly lips and then we could hear it’s progress through my digestive tract! Gurgly burpy etc. confirmed my suspicion on lactose intolerance/allergy. I took it for 48 hours before admitting defeat as my tongue was swollen and by then I had IBS symptoms too, went back to the pharmacist. Who took them back. Couldn’t swap for me (supply controlled centrally) so had to go back to GP for new prescription and change pharmacy.

Teva symptoms are low level irritation by comparison and now I’m feeling so much better (vits/nutrition) it’s slightly noticeable. Next bloods in 2 weeks and then I’ll see about tweaking. My hunch is my dose is about optimal now. 💚

RexandBoone profile image
RexandBoone in reply toRegenallotment

Blimey. Pretty conclusive

humanbean profile image
humanbean

I haven't seen any vitamin and mineral results in your previous posts.

To get private testing done without having to pay for a doctor as well, see this link :

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

It is possible, depending on the test you choose, that phlebotomy (taking blood) might or might not be included. Some tests can be done with just a tiny sample of blood from pricking your fingers.

The most popular tests that people do on the forum are found here :

medichecks.com/pages/thyroi...

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

thriva.co/blood-test-packag...

Be careful with Thriva - they automatically set people up with a subscription and charge every three months. If this doesn't interest you then remember to cancel the subscription after ordering every time. (I think this business model is awful.)

There are various things you need to know to get the most out of any test you buy. Preparation, timing, and posting are all important to get right. It is worth asking for advice before spending a single penny, and once you have a test kit, ask for advice on the best way of carrying it out.

It is worth setting up an account with any company that has tests you are interested in because they will send you emails with any special offers and sale prices.

Good luck.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tohumanbean

humanbean

vitamin results here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Dire ferritin level

NaomiMay profile image
NaomiMay

I had palpitations, headache, fatigue and mood changes on TEVA. Strangely felt worse than my hypo symptoms. I didn't realise they had switched my brand from Accord to TEVA when I had a dosage change, I assumed the different colour packet was due to different dosage.

Because I need 75mcg and Accord don't do 25mcg tablets, I take 50mcg one day and 100mcg the next. My GP was unaware you could do this, but after some advice off this forum and GP checking with endo they agreed to prescribe me Accord again different dose alternative days thank god!

Don't know what I'd do without this forum 🙏 Good luck!

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