Hello, my medication was switched to Teva, I’ve never really taken notice before of what brand, but I’ve been taking for 5 days and feel like all my symptoms of having an under active thyroid have returned. The only change I’ve made is the different tablets. Could it be the brand? I’m on exactly the same strength (125mg) and 10 mg thyronine but I am so tired, feel a bit dazed, eyes are blurry, and my skin has been itching, and my stomach is so bloated.
Teva levothyroxine: Hello, my medication was... - Thyroid UK
Teva levothyroxine
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Lukelou
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helvellaAdministrator
A short while ago, I wrote a blog about Teva levothyroxine.
Some people find the negative impact of Teva has been very quick and significant. Others have only slowly got worse.
I had some 12.5 Teva (alongside 100 of another make) and couldn't make it past a week. Primarily an uncomfortable stomach.
Is there any way you could revert to what you had before? Even if just temporarily while you try to get this sorted with a replacement?
helvella - Teva versus the rest
A discussion of the issues surrounding Teva levothyroxine.
Last updated 03/11/2024
helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...
thankyou
I think you will find yourself being more aware of the various products available in future. Here is some information about the possibilities.
helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines
helvella has created, and tries to maintain, documents containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines licensed 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 liothyronine available in the UK. Includes injectables and descriptions of tablet markings which allow identification. Latest updates include all declared ingredients for all UK-licensed products and links to Patient Information Leaflets, Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), British National Formulary, NHS Drug Tariff, etc. PLUS how to write prescriptions in Appendix F.
Also includes links for anti-thyroid medicines (but not product details).
📄 dropbox.com/s/bo2jzxucgp9hl...
helvella - Excipients
Details of excipients are in my Excipients document. This includes all excipients identified in UK-licensed thyroid hormone medicines.
📄 dropbox.com/scl/fi/tud6r8f5...
helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...
If the last updated date of a copy your have downloaded isn’t very recent, please download a new copy!
Blog last updated 11/11/2024 - documents are regularly updated
helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...
I don't understand what are you trying to say, can you pls simplify? Thanks
Some people get on with Teva levothyroxine. Some don't. And they can start to feel adverse effects even from the first dose - or it might take a while.
My UK medicines document lists all UK thyroid hormone medicines - so you can see them all. Not just the one or two your pharmacy might mention to you. Therefore you go round pharmacies asking for what you want/need and not be forced to take what your current pharmacy offers.
Many thanks. I have been reading related posts for hours now and decided to seriously rethink what to do next; ask my gp to refer me to endo to review my medications since I am taking levothyroxine for 20 years now. Actually I have accepted the fact that I feel tired and didn't expect that I can feel better. But reading the posts of other people I see that difference might be expected depending on medication and I have to say that I was not following in last years all the new developments in this field. Need to rethink if I need to go privatly to endo and take some tests....
When I started taking levothyroxine, I took a positive decision to assume all makes were the same and equivalent. I don't have any known allergy or similar issues.
Within months, I found out that I couldn't do that. I was hit by the recall in 2012 and then realised I felt different on Accord (under its then name) and Mercury Pharma. Although I've mostly had Accord since then, I've tried quite a number of makes (some UK, some "foreign"). I now take Aristo Vencamil.
Each of us is different. And your choice might be any of the available products.
But sticking to the same product can be important.
Many thanks. HAving read few other posts and yours I will now ask pharmacist and GP if I can try Vencamil to check if I will feel any better. Over 20 year period there are times when I don't chalange thyroid med, taking whatever given, but when another medical issue creeps in than I rethink if it could be related to levothyroxine....Will leave feedback about Vencamil after allowing it to work with my body!
Hi helvella I have found packaging and I was on mercury pharma but I can’t seem to get any anywhere. My doctor has given me a new prescription. I read from one of the other comments that it may have been rebranded to Eltroxin but my pharmacy have refused to order this as it’s too expensive. Can they refuse? Many Thanks
There is ongoing confusion.
Mercury Pharma can produce generic levothyroxine or branded Eltroxin. The tablets are absolutely identical. The only physical difference is the ink on the box!
What we patients always find difficult to know is whether at any particular time Mercury Pharma are supplying generic levothyroxine, branded Eltroxin, or both. It is not a conventional "rebranding".
Yes, pharmacies can refuse to supply if the prescription is written for generic levothyroxine. But if it is written specifically for Eltroxin, they cannot refuse. But, at the same time, they can charge the NHS the official price for Eltroxin.
Many people do not get on with the TEVA brand of levothyroxine, even though it is lactose free, some people react to the excipients in the medicine. It is always recommended to get the same brand which you know you will tolerate, as this is a recognised problem.
If you can, contact your GP surgery and say that you are having symptoms and reactions to this medicine and if they could issue another prescription with a different brand of levothyroxine. For some patients, brands are not interchangeable, this is even documented in the prescribing information for levothyroxine, which can be found below and which you can quote, if they get funny at the surgery:
gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...
Thankyou
yes ... if i take Teva levothyroxine instead of most other brands, my life can go from " oh good, a day off, where shall i go " .... to "oh god, can i go home and lie down yet" within about 10 days.
It did take me few yrs to figure out what it was though.. cos i don't get any startling changes or obvious symptoms .... but to me they just feel a bit 'slower' somehow.
I have since managed to find a helpful chemist that is happy to put a note on their computer to not dispense TEVA, but i always check the contents before leaving the counter , just in case they forget. not all chemists are prepared to be helpful though ...lots of them will come out with .."it makes no difference . all levo is the same " which is cobblers, and any decent pharmacist should be aware of this document which explains what they should be doing about it : gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l... gov.uk/drug-safety-update/levothyroxine-new-prescribing-advice-for-patients-who-experience-symptoms-on-switching-between-different-levothyroxine-products
Hi do you mind me asking which brand you now take?
so far i'm fine with anything but teva. i can feel slight differences between some other brands ,but nothing that causes a problem.
Lukelou I discovered my issues with Teva about 12 years ago. It,s the acacia powder filler that caused me and others awful gut issues.Ever since then I was prescribed Accord and now Vencamil levothyroxine. With respect to Liothyronine, I take Sigma Pharma. My scrips specifically state the brands. Springfield Pharmacy in Richmond have been very good in always supplying the correct brands by post.
Thankyou, did you have issues with accord?
Sorryit's confusing; is Sigma farma manufacteror of levotyroxin or alternative to levothyroxine? Or you are taking now LT made by Accord? Thanks
Scrip; you mean prescription?
Vbroska, Sigma Pharma is Liothyronine =T3 and Vencamil is Levothyroxine=T4. I take 100 mcgm Vencamil and 15 mcgm SigmaPharma.
Many thanks. From what I know, GP wouldn’t prescribe T3 without endo, so did you get this formula; 100 mcgm Vencamil and 15 mcgm SigmaPharma from endo, privately? Your Springfield pharmacy is nearby, so I will have a word with them.
Vbroska I had to see an NHS endo who agreed I needed T3 and eventually got NHS scrip. I use Springfield as they never try to fob me off with other brands. I cannot tolerate acacia powder which is in Teva.
Thank you very much. My GP never wanted to reffer me to NHS endo, I had to see endo privately. And GP asked for blood test for 6 month prescription review with ONLY TSH result which is 1.18, so it's confirmed to stay on 75 mcg. That is how far I get with my GP, so now I am thinking if I should see endo or just try Vencamil... thanks anyway.
Yes it definitely could be the brand. The same thing happened to me. Over the course of a week of being on Teva I felt like I wasn’t on any medication at all. The GPs and pharmacy now have on record that o can’t take Teva
Hi Helbo123 what brand do you take now , I’m curious as this is exactly how I’m feeling and I can’t seem to get mercury pharmacy anywhere
Teva to me is like taking poison! After two weeks was bed bound with terrible headaches and after three weeks couldn’t urinate. Had wonderful Doctor who changed brand and within three days was up and showered and living again 😀
Which brand did they switch you to? I think my last ones we’re accord or pharma mercury
Eltroxin x
Is that a new brand?
No it is Mercury known as Advanz or Eltroxin. Saw it here on Health Unlocked and asked my Doctor for it after first checking Pharmacy 2U where I get my pills could provide it x
Many thanks. This is so, so difficult to try to find your best choice trying on your own. Thanks God for this forum and self help.
Hi Sunny-time Thankyou for your help. So my doctor has given me a new prescription without any issues. I have found my old packaging and it is Mercury Pharma. I’m assuming this is now Eltroxin? I asked my pharmacist if I could have this brand and they said no because it’s 10 times the price. Did you have this issue? Many Thanks
No I had no problems at all with Pharmacy 2U I get them every month no questions asked x
Definitely could be the Teva brand causing your symptoms. I've always been an advocate of Teva as it was the brand I was started on over six years ago and I knew no better. Having not felt brilliant for some time, I decided to try a different brand of levo as I had read on here how Teva can affect the gut microbiome. Oh my goodness ! I now feel so much better on vencamil. Still have some energy endurance issues and gut issues but not nearly as severe as when on Teva. As helvella points out, I have been one of the 'slowly getting worse" on Teva. Have reported using the NHS Yellow Card form by the way as I know helvella will ask !
Hello,
Can I ask you what brand you normally take that you feel well on please? My son takes Teva tablets and has the exact symptoms you are describing. Now I know it’s the Teva tablets causing his symptoms.
Hi Annie567, I am now taking vencamil which is specified on my script. As it’s now my preferred choice, the pharmacy said they will get some in stock.
Just a thought though, your son’s symptoms could be due to insufficient dosing or vitamin levels. It would be worth posting his results in a new post for further advice 😀
Timely warning. I recently switched levothyroxine brands (not listed here because I am in Aust). Anyway I switched from a generic to another brand and increased my dose from 112.50 to 125mcg hoping for some stability in my levels. Under doctor recommendations of course. There are only 4 brands available here and 3 are supposedly bioequivalent. The one that isn't tends to be under. To cut a long story short I ended up in an ambulance and emergency last Friday. I had had some symptoms of Graves disease eg tremor, palpitations etc but put it down to stress as my brother had a heart attack a couple of weeks ago. Also a feeling of pressure behind my eyes. I did notice my hair going "wierd" but again, stress. Since RAI 5 years ago I supposedly don't have a thyroid. Diagnosis from ED - overmedicated. It was only just over 8 weeks from levo change. Obviously the pharmacy was unaware as well.
I was diagnosed in the last year . I take liquid levothyroxine. Initially I was given Teva and put my horrendous symptoms of joint pain , blurry eyes and generally feeling v unwell down to my diagnosis . Then one month I was given Mercury. After a couple of weeks , apart from feeling more tired than normal, all other symptoms had gone. The following prescription I was given Teva again. Almost immediately I began to get all the horrid symptoms back and within 2/3 days I felt extremely ill. I rang the drs and the chemist who said I must be reacting to the fillers in Teva. They immediately that day allowed me to exchange my Teva for a fresh bottle of Mercury brand and the symptoms rapidly subsided. Teva is like poison for me and I am so grateful as was given Mercury by ‘accident’ initially else I could have thought the symptoms were just my hypothyroid ones! Mercury is now on my prescription and I always make sure I have some spare in case there are any supply issues . Good luck and hope you get a satisfactory resolution soon
I'm so pleased you posted this!I've been feeling off for the past month: never ending brain fog and so tired.
Its on my notes at the pharmacy to not give me Teva.
But, I'd not really noticed this last packet. Duh. Its marked up as Hillcross but its Teva. Can't understand how I've been taking it and the words haven't leapt out at me!
Beware
Hillcross = Teva
The difficulty is that the 50 and 100 microgram dosages packed as AAH Hillcross, are actually Accord product!
That sows much confusion.
OMG!I need to be far more vigilant.
Yellow card submitted
Well done. I really wish everyone would submit a Yellow Card whenever they have an issue.
#goingholiday mentioned it above. I can't take credit. Lol
But you did it - for which credit. 
🤗
SlowDragonAdministrator
ONLY TSH result which is 1.18, so it's confirmed to stay on 75 mcg. That is how far I get with my GP, so now I am thinking if I should see endo or just try Vencamil... thanks anyway.
wait 6-8 weeks minimum after changing to Vencamil
Then get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
unless extremely petite you likely need dose increase in Levothyroxine
75mcg is only one step up from starting dose
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