Brands levothyroxine

[janet65]

Hi everyone, I've been taking Mercury Pharma levothyroxine for a long time but my pharmacy can't obtain it so have given me Teva. My last experience of that was not good.

I know Teva wasn't well tolerated by some members so is there another brand I could try?

Thanks for any help.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Mercury Pharma and Eltroxin are identical…..both listed as Advanz on pharmaceutical data base

Request GP specify Mercury Pharma on your prescription

Government guidelines for GP in support of patients 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.

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).

Discussed here too

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

How to specify brand of levothyroxine on prescription

[janet65 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks Slow Dragon,

My prescription is for Mercury Pharma but the pharmacy don't seem to have much say in what is delivered to them from the supplier.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you taking

Not all brands available in all tablet sizes

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

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

Mercury Pharma also boxed as Eltroxin. Both often listed by company name on pharmacy database - Advanz

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets. Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, 

Wockhardt is very well tolerated, but only available in 25mcg tablets. Some people remain on Wockhardt, taking their daily dose as a number of tablets 

Lactose free brands - currently Teva or Vencamil only

Teva makes 25mcg, 50mcg, 75mcg and 100mcg

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant), Teva is by far the best option

Teva is lactose free.But Teva contains mannitol as a filler instead of lactose, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Mannitol seems to upset many people, it changes gut biome 

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

Aristo (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free.

March 2023 - Aristo now called Vencamil

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

List of different brands available in U.K.

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

[janet65 in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm taking 75mg = 3x25mg tablets.

My pharmacy is also having difficulty obtaining regular brand for my other meds. They say it's a nightmare trying to get what people want.

I did ring a few other pharmacies to see if they had MP but no joy.

I'm off on holiday on Tuesday so maybe I'll have to give the Teva a try.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to janet65]

You could have 50mcg and 25mcg

You need to call it Advanz these days

[helvella Administrator]

If you have already tried Teva levothyroxine and found it not good, do not accept it again.

You have not said what dosage(s) you require and some products are only available in one or two dosages.

I list all UK products in my document and it includes a matrix chart showing which dosages are available under which branding.

helvella's medicines documents (UK and Rest of the World) can be found here:

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

helvella has created, and tries to maintain, documents containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

This link takes you to a page which has direct links to the documents from Dropbox and Google Drive, and QR codes to make it easy to access from phones.

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrix for tablets, oral solutions and liothyronine available in the UK.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[janet65]

Thankfully, panic over (for now!) My pharmacy has some Mercury Pharma for me!!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Please consider signing this petition for much needed funding for helping to get better testing, treatment and understanding of thyroid disease

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Kristina60]

Hi Janet

I tried the TEVA brand and it made me feel bloated and my wrists swelled up! I have been on ACCORD brand for over 30 years with no problems .

[janet65 in reply to Kristina60]

Thanks Kristina, I had seen Accord recommended and actually rang the pharmacy to see if they had any, only to be told my Mercury Pharma meds were in now.

I'm glad you've done well on Accord brand.