I saw the concern about Teva adding mannitol to levothyroxine on this site 5 yrs ago. My new medication from Lloyds direct has been changed to Teva without being informed. I have also recently been informed I have ibs. I am not prepared to accept E-numbers or risk being ill due to the change. Has anyone recently had the same and can you offer any help.
many thanks
look at the fillers in Teva, mannitol, you can check online. Boots the chemist has it on my records no Teva. Also noted at the Doctors. Ended up doing a yellow card report. Went back to my old make and had no problems. Hope this might help.
You cannot avoid "E-numbers" in levothyroxine products. All of them contain at least one substance that has an E-number assigned. (All UK tablets contain E470b - Magnesium stearate or E460 - Microcrystalline Cellulose. All UK oral solutions contain E422 - Glycerol.)
The problem with Teva is that some members cannot tolerate it. While other members prefer it to any other that they have tried.
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 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...
Thanks, it’s the Mannitol I don’t need, 1 less to worry about👍
What dose do you need? Vencamil possibly has the least 'extras' but only comes in 100mcg at the moment
Thanks for the info, 100/125 twice a week but don’t think I need this extra as they are keeping me at top end of normal. Will ask the Gp to change as due review few months.
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
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.
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
But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)
Aristo (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free.
March 2023 - Aristo now called Vencamil
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
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.
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).
And here
pharmacymagazine.co.uk/clin...
Discussed here too
I'm on a low dose 25mg, around 3 months ago I started using an online company to save queuing at Boots. Fortnight ago I started developing pains in my upper arm as if I'd pulled a muscle. After several weeks of it worsening I decided to check my meds. Noticed the change from Mercury to Teva. I checked the ingredients and noticed some differences in the formulars, I then decided to use up an old supply of Mercury. Within 3 days I was beginning to have less 'pulled muscle' pains in my upper arms. I was surprised because thyroxine usually takes 7 weeks to have an effect on me. Anyway now 1 week later the pains have disappeared.
The online company only supply Teva so it's back to queuing at Boots but I really don't care about that now. I must say I was surprised of the difference between the brands and my internet search for answers led me to this group; so that's a plus. I have no idea what was causing the 'pulled muscle' problems and now that I think of it I have also been feeling as though I had not taken my meds for some time. So something doesn't agree with me but I don't know what.
Likely you're on too lower dose. 25mcgs is just a starter dose, usually one would retest blood levels after 6-8 weeks on a dose, increase by 25mcgs, rinse, repeat until TSH is at or below 1.
Suggest you start your own post with your latest blood results for TSH, FT4 & FT3 plus key vitamin levels if you have then - ferritin, folate, B12 & D3.
Basically you're probably under replaced at the moment.
Teva Liothyronine shortage?
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