Levothyroxine dissolves?

Has anyone noticed that their levothyroxine tablets dissolve on your tongue now? I've been taking levothyroxine for 30yrs and never experienced this before. I'm using the Almus/accord brand.

[RedApple Administrator]

AbbyCadabby, What brand of levothyroxine are you experiencing this with?

[Hidden in reply to RedApple]

As mentioned in my post, Almus/accord brand.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Sorry, obviously not paying attention at the time 😉

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I've been using Accord for years and haven't noticed any difference, but they're not on my tongue long enough to start dissolving, they're popped in my mouth swiftly followed by gulps of water, down immediately, no time to start dissolving.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes, I do that too, that's why I'm surprised that they immediately start to dissolve. My concern is that they have changed the ingredients, and from past experience with another brand, it caused me problems and that's why I changed brands to Accord.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

I'm not actually using my most recently dispensed tablets, I've built up a stock over time and use them in order of expiry date. I'm probaby using some dispensed about 6 months ago. Have you got a batch number and expiry date and I can check to see if I've got any of those and can try them.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Hidden]

I seem to recall there have been sporadic batches that have been more 'crumbly' over the years.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

If they had changed the ingredients, the Patient Information Leaflet would say so.

(At least, it would if they want to keep their product licence!)

[TaraJR]

I've been given Aristo levo for the past year, and they dissolve very fast - not like any I've had before in over 30 years!

[Batty1]

Yes, Im experiencing this too with Alvogen 50mg … I can’t seem to swallow it before it disintegrates.

[Hidden in reply to Batty1]

I'm hoping someone can pinpoint what the reason for this is. Change of ingredients perhaps? Some of the fillers have caused me problems in the past.

[Batty1 in reply to Hidden]

I just opened a new batch of my pills and these ones don’t seem to melt in my mouth…. Maybe it was a defective batch.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Is this starting to dissolve a problem? Or are you simply wanting to discuss it?

Something like twenty or so years ago, one specific USA product was so bad at dissolving/disintegrating that patients were getting seriously under-dosed.

It was reformulated using a large amount of croscarmellose which meant that it was incredibly fast at reacting to moisture. Indeed, the USA's FDA had to issue specific instructions to take with a glass of water to ensure the tablets didn't get stuck in patients' throats.

I guess, so long as they didn't choke, they at least were now getting the full dose!

(The product was Pfizer's Levoxyl.)

Failure of a tablet to deliver its claimed dosage seems to have become a much more widely appreciated issue.

Fast dissolving might very well be a real positive.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

It's not causing a problem at the moment. But from past experience it can take months for any adverse affects to show up. It's usually the fillers that cause the problems for me.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

But, on the basis that the excipients have not changed, why do you expect any adverse effects?

Could be as simple as a tiny reduction in pressure applied when compressing tablets.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I want to emphasise that if anyone does think the tablets are different, please put in a Yellow Card report.

It was Yellow Card reports that uncovered the issues with OLD Teva levothyroxine back in 2012.