Levo brands

[Jillycee]

I always have the same brand of Levo and have been fine for a while (accord orange label) but today I have been given another brand called hill test but the pharmacist says it is the same brand as it say MA Holder Accord on the side of the box. Could anyone clarify if this is new packaging please or whether it is different? Thanks

[Jillycee]

this is the brand they have given me today

Hillcrest levo

[gojo1 in reply to Jillycee]

Same happened to me if you look at the actual foil it also says Accord. The pharmacy tried to give me Teva even though my notes say to avoid. Now I am hoping they can order the ones I can take as I need 150 plus liothyronine.

[helvella Administrator]

Yes - it is the same.

Check my UK medicines document.

If the PL number is the same, the product really is the same.

BUT

Before you relax, Hillcross 25 microgram levothyroxine is actually Teva product. This might not affect you, but I need to make it super-clear for anyone else reading.

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...

[Jillycee in reply to helvella]

Oh that’s great thank you. I wasn’t aware of the PL number. I was thinking of returning them to the pharmacy so that’s good that I can use them instead. Thank you for your help

[Boatin in reply to helvella]

This is great - ill take a look at this later on my PC. I've always had Mercury Pharma brand and asked the Dr a while ago to put on my prescription NOT TEVA, as I found I didn't get on with it if the MP brand was not in stock. 3 months ago the pharmacy started giving me Accord and again, didn't feel it was working well, so they've had to source MP for me again.

Will be interesting to see if the ingredients are different between those brands - or whether it was all in my head 🤣🤷🏻

[VSHchocolate]

Hi I am now prescribed Eltroxin by endocrinologist this is the branded name for Mercury Pharma and it means I can’t be given anything else. My GP surgery order it in for me. Prior to that they kept saying they could only get Teva brand which makes me ill. The difference in cost is not much apparently. You could ask your GP if they would prescribe it.

[Sama96]

can someone enlighten which brands of levothyroxine 12.5 mcg available in Uk?

I have been prescribed 12.5 mcg in addition to 50 mcg levothyroxie. I take accord brand of 50 mcg. Teva never agreed with me. Now levo 12.5 mcg only available in Teva brand as per my pharmacist. Can anyone clarify?

Thanks

[helvella Administrator in reply to Sama96]

Have a look at my UK medicines document linked earlier in this thread. It lists every licensed UK thyroid hormone product.

However, the answer is simple: Teva.

We think that Aristo Vencamil might do one in future but likely not until next year.

12.5 microgram tablets are vastly more expensive than any others - over £14 for 28 tablets. Most levothyroxine tablets are under £1.

It would save money to supply you with 25 microgram tablets and you split them even if you threw half of each tablet away.

[Pandora70]

A real “pick ‘n’ mix!

My GP blood test in January showed the need to increase to 125mcg of Levo. Pharmacy dispensed 56 x 100mcg Aristo plus 56 x 25mcg Wockhardt. I had been on Accord 100mcg for 12 months so gradually, over the course of 28 days, with forum advice in mind, weaned myself on to Aristo brand at the same time as gradually building up to 125mcg daily. Ironically, the next 56 day prescription was back to Accord 100mcg plus the 25mcg Wockhardt! So, I gradually swapped back. April blood test showed TSH to be at a sweet spot which I’d predicted as I had certainly felt the benefit of the increased dosage. I realised last Autumn I had dipped in wellbeing (symptoms returned) and should probably have asked to be tested then. At least the GP has now agreed to a 6-monthly blood test rather than leave it a whole year. Happy days!

Imagine my bemusement then, when collecting the next 2 month repeat prescription, the bag contained a range of boxes: 25 x Aristo 100mcg (3 tabs cut from the strip), 3 x Accord 100mcg (cut from someone else’s strip?), 28 x Vencamil 100mcg (I realise that’s Aristo too - thanks Helvella) and 56 x 25mcg Wockhardt. The pharmacist was very laid back about the mix, explaining there is a general shortage of Levo. They do at least respect the “No Teva” on my prescription.

My adjusting journey continues on an Accord/Aristo seesaw!