Teva brand

[Granolalovers2]

Hi, I've been started on 25mg levo for 2 weeks then up to 50mg for a few months followed by a blood test (Teva because I'm lactose intolerant).

I can see loads of reports of people struggling with this brand. How do you get on with Teva? Is there a lactose free alternative?

I'm wondering if the quantity of lactose is so small I just go ahead with the better brands.

[Judithdalston]

I think you have just been prescribed your fist levo so I wouldn’t be too worried about the Teva brand as yet. Some people get on very well with it, as lactose free, others find some of the fillers more concerning: notably the artificial sweetener mannitol or acacia powder. After being on Mercury levo for over a decade my chemist changed my prescription for a few months to Teva, and I felt ‘not quite right’ as confirmed by blood tests, so I now avoid Teva(easy as pharmacist has ‘ no Teva’ on his computer.) I then used to eat low cal mannitol mints, so I think it was the acacia my body didn’t like…. There are alternatives, like liquid levo, but try the Teva 25 then 50 mcg to blood tests.

[JumpJiving]

Granolalovers2 Everybody is different. I have been lactose-free for over 25 years as it causes all sorts of problems (skin peeling off like a snake is the most visible), so have been on Teva for years. I've been ok on it, but others have problems with it. Lactose-free options are limited - I suspect Teva is the cheapest of the lactose-free options, which is likely why that's the one we are given first. If you suspect a filler is causing a problem, I would suggest getting a liquid/syrup version and see if that is ok for you.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

The only other currently available lactose-free levothyroxine is Aristo Vencamil. (Only 100 at present. 25, 50 and 75 arriving in something like August.)

The amount of lactose in the lactose-containing products doesn't appear to explain the issue. We have seen people who regularly consume lactose in dairy produce, who seem not to tolerate lactose when combined with levothyroxine into tablets.

I do not suggest that any one brand is intrinsically better than any other. Just that we have seen numerous personal experiences and they seem to suggest certain features which cause problems to some - like containing acacia, containing lactose OR mannitol, etc.