Hi
Am new to the forum. Was diagnosed in February with hypothyroidism level TSH 12. Started on Levo 50 mg and it has come down to 5.1 and recently 4.7. GP has now put me up to 75 mg but collected today and they have given me totally different brands. Was taking mercury before and felt ok (ish) now have 50 mg accord and 25 mg wockhardt. Bit worried about taking the different brands. Any advice appreciated.
welcome to the forum
Try them …..you may be fine
The problem with changing dose and brand is, if you get issues, it’s difficult to ascertain if it’s the change in dose or brand
Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord or Wockhardt
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)
Vencamil (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free.
25mcg and 50mcg tablets hopefully 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...
Thank you so much, such helpful responses. Have to say, I have learnt such a lot from this forum. The Pharmacist was very snappy with me yesterday when I politely mentioned they were different brands and said “it makes no difference whatsoever and we get what we get.” Not very helpful. Anyway will try them and see how I go. Thanks again for the advice.
helvella - Mixing Levothyroxine Formulations
A discussion about mixing (and switching) formulations of levothyroxine.
Three months ago, I was moved from 100 daily to 100/75 alternate. Pharmacist gave me TEVA 75 and ACCORD 100. but I was not liking the idea of mixing brands. So my pharmacy moved all my doses to Mercury brand as they do 25,50 and 100 (so I take 25+50 on days I have to take 75 and 100 otherwise). So one solution could be that you ask your pharmacist to source you Mercury 25 and 50 as they are definitely available.
Brand change help
Help with whether leg pain is side effect of brand of levo prescribed
Levothyroxine brands?
Brand change of levothyroxine 
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