TEVA V’s Accord

[MsWhistledown]

I have read quite a few posts about Accord being better tolerated by most than TEVA brand levothyroxine. I was on TEVA 25mcg and then went up to 50mcg finished the remaining TEVA as I was splitting the dose. I have now been on Accord 50mcg for about 5-6 days and I feel like my symptoms are returning.

I’m starting to feel constipated again and my legs, ankles and feet are starting to hurt again. While on TEVA I had no stomach issues and some of my symptoms had started to improve such as the constipation and leg pain. Anyone else experience this with these brands? Typical I would be different from most others 😅

I want to go to my pharmacy tomorrow and ask to be changed back to TEVA. Does anyone know if they will do this or will I have to go back to my GP first?

Thank you as always for your advice 😊

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Imagine 25% of people tolerate Teva well.

And 50% tolerate Accord well.

That could be said to mean that Accord is better tolerated than Teva.

But that is only in terms of population statistics.

It says next to nothing about an individual and whether that individual will (or will not) tolerate Teva - or Accord!

One of the reasons put forward for using mannitol in levothyroxine is that it appears to result in better absorption of the levothyroxine. (Again, for one person it could be so slight that it makes next to no difference, while for someone else it could be significant.)

Therefore, switching from Teva to Accord could end up reducing what you are absorbing.

However, you mustn't fall into the trap of assuming this has been proved to be the case. Where you are in your treatment could be an important element. You might have got to the limit with 50 micrograms and need an increment in dose.

[MsWhistledown in reply to helvella]

Thanks helvella, I have considered that I might be at the stage for the next increase in dose. However, I am waiting for my next blood test with GP and think I’ll give changing back to TEVA a try in the meantime. Will be an interesting experiment if nothing else.

[Regenallotment]

I went from Teva to Accord and it didn’t suit me but I’ve since discovered I’m lactose intolerant. I got my Accord from my local Asda Pharmacy, they couldn’t help me as they can’t order or control their stocks.

They did however accept me returning the Accord and somehow pressed a magic button that released my prescription back to the GP.

I switched my nominated pharmacy to the one at the doctors surgery. They took all the info told me to email pharmacists@ email address for surgery and within 48 hours a replacement prescription was waiting for me, they also checked I had enough stocks to manage while I waited.

So yes it’s possible to do it but easier with a non chain pharmacy who can communicate with the GP. 🌱

[MsWhistledown in reply to Regenallotment]

Thanks Regenallotment. That’s really good to know. Hopefully my local pharmacy will be able to do something similar.

[HealthStarDust in reply to MsWhistledown]

Have your GP prescribe the brand you need. This is also mentioned in the NICE Guidelines. It shouldn’t be too much of an issue except where low stocks or other supply chains are concerned, which is sadly common these days.

But as  helvella mentioned, it could also be your dose. If you search on here, you’ll see many mentions of people getting worse before getting better with each dose increase.

[Paws21]

I’m unable to take the Teva brand because I can’t tolerate the mannitol it contains. My GP requests ‘avoid Teva brand’ on my prescription now and the pharmacy always make sure they have an alternative for me. If you speak to your GP and use the same pharmacy every time as I do, I’m sure they too will be accommodating.

[Sluggishandtired]

Hi there,

Just to share - I cannot tolerate any other brand than TEVA and my GP has requested that my Levo be TEVA. I think there are a lot of people who have the same issue - my chemist's staff call us all TEVA Divas! This goes for other meds for me as well.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Sluggishandtired]

I am pleased we have had replies in both directions on this thread!

There is a lid for every pot.

[MsWhistledown in reply to Sluggishandtired]

Haha maybe I’m a TEVA Diva now lol 🤭

[Sluggishandtired in reply to MsWhistledown]

Absolutely!😍

[Alanna012]

I was on Teva for quite a few years and now am taking Accord.

One thing to note is that it isn't unusual to feel pretty awful when switching suddenly from one levo brand to another. During Covid, the pharmacies in my area ran out of TEVA for a brief period and the only choice was Mercury Pharma and I felt absolutely dreadful. After a week I ran back to the pharmacy who simply took back all the boxes of MP he had given, including the one I had opened, and then replaced with TEVA as soon as it came back in. I had to buy it privately in the meantime.

I've had no initial problems changing to to a different brand of levo (Accord) years later because I had been on NDT and so had TEVA out of my system for a significant time. My experience is the Accord seems to aggravate my preexisting gut problems less....possibly.

So in a nutshell, perhaps the change was too abrupt and you would still have had some TEVA in your system. So don't be quick to assume that it's the brand which doesn't suit you. But by all means stick to the TEVA going forward.