Brand of Thyroxine

[Wob58]

I have been on Teva for years but want to go back to a previous brand that I used to be on but cannot remember the brand name. I want one that does not have too many fillers like Teva has. I am currently on 75mg daily. Any recommendations. Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Teva is (currently ) 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

However unless you are extremely petite 75mcg is low dose

What were your most recent thyroid and vitamin results

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 

But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)

Vencamil (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free. 25mcg and 50mcg tablets will be available from summer 2024

March 2023 - Aristo now called Vencamil

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Helpful post about different brands

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

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post re extremely low B12 and deficient folate

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

Presumably you are still taking B12 and vitamin B complex daily

You need to retest full thyroid and vitamin levels at least annually

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12

[Wob58 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yep still on B12 and all co factors. 9 months in now. Not due repeat bloods yet. Last TSH was 1.11 which was tested back in Nov 23. Under a Functional Dr now who has done some tests and I am low in Magnesium, B1 and B9 and B3. She has prescribed magnesium and an alternative B complex which includes folic acid and iron. They don't come cheap but if they work I won't be complaining.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Wob58]

Retest vitamin levels

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

The number of excipients doesn't actually vary much - most have five. It is what they are and whether you tolerate them that is important.

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. There is now a specific world desiccated thyroid document.

I highly recommend viewing on a computer screen, or a decent sized tablet, rather than a phone. Even I find it less than satisfactory trying to view them on my phone.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines - UK

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrixes for levothyroxine tablets, oral solutions and also liothyronine available in the UK. Includes descriptions of tablet markings which allow identification. Latest updates include all declared ingredients for all UK products and links to Patient Information Leaflets, etc.

dropbox.com/s/bo2jzxucgp9hl...

helvella - World Desiccated Thyroid

Contains details of all known desiccated thyroid products.

dropbox.com/scl/fi/gx6dmz5i...

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines - RotW

Contains details of all levothyroxine, liothyronine and combination products - excluding desiccated thyroid products. Details available vary by country and manufacturer.

The link below takes you to a blog page which has direct links to the documents from Dropbox and QR codes to make it easy to access from phones. You will have to scroll down or up to find the link to the document you want.

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