teva brand question. : I’ve been taking teva... - Thyroid UK

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teva brand question.

Bookworm90 profile image
22 Replies

I’ve been taking teva since being diagnosed few years ago and I was wondering can one of the symptoms

You don’t get on with the brand constipation? Or will I be like with any of the brands that makeup 75 dose. do take 100 in accord on alternate days & my bowels are fine when I take them

So just got me thinking?

Also I was thinking of getting pill cutter & asking my doctor to change me to having just accord so I’m on the same brand of both does. Just wondered if anyone can recommend a good pill cutter

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Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90
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22 Replies
Regenallotment profile image
RegenallotmentAmbassador

hi there,

Staying with one brand is definitely better. So if you can get your GP to prescribe for you that’s definitely a good idea.

I’ve not heard of a tablet causing constipation but it might. What might be more common is being under replaced and perhaps not absorbing one brand so well as another which makes you more hypo and therefore constipation shows as a symptom.

Have you done a recent blood test of FT4 and FT3? It would be good to do a before and after so you know what’s what.

Teva gave me gurgling tum, tingly itchy skin. But otherwise was well tolerated, the ingredient that some don’t get on with is mannitol.

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply toRegenallotment

Hi Regenallotment

no recent t4 or T3 yet, my last one was nearly year ago

Will be having updated full thyroid test from medicheck on Monday when it my day off

From Work. Will post my results then.

My doctor only checks TSH. Even though I ask about t3 and T4

I did have blood test last Friday morning at 8am before taking meds & for various things, one being my TSH and ferrin

Result was

Serum ferritin level 106 ug/L [30.0 - 150.0]

My TSH was 0.20 ( 027- 4.2 ) my doctor wants me to do mon - fri 75mcg & then 100mcg

On the Saturday & sunday. She wants my TSH near to 0.5 to 1 range. No higher than that.

Teva I’ve notice lately, but it not all the time give me an itchy leg & can’t help but having to scratch till it red. Which is strange,

So I just wondered if being on accord for both dose be better.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator

There are multiple makes not just Teva and Accord. Including some makes which produce a 75 microgram dosage.

helvella's medicines documents (UK) can be found here:

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...

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply tohelvella

Hi there Helvella

thank you for the links & I will give them a read.

All the pharmacy in my area only do teva or Accord or hillcross ( which is teva also )

And won’t get another brand in. I do have Boots Chemist

But depending who I speak to there. One colleague is more helpful than the other

My TSH this past Friday results was 0.20 ( 0.27 - 4.2)

My doctors wants me to take 75 mon to Friday & 100 Saturday & Sunday

She wants my TSH in the 0.5 - 1 range no higher than that. Retest in 8 weeks

They won’t test T3 or T4

Will be going for medicheck full thyroid check on Monday morning as it my next day off work & post the results .

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toBookworm90

If you look at my document, you'll see that AAH Hillcross 25 is Teva but AAH Hillcross 50 and 100 are Accord!

Of course, that comes back to the same place!

One member said the other day that their Boots were now stocking Crescent and I got the impression that is now their default product. But this might not apply everywhere.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAmbassador

Have you had new blood test yet

Test day after taking 75mcg dose, not after taking 100mcg

Previous post 11 months ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Showed poor conversion and low vitamin D, folate and B12

Have you retested recently

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply toSlowDragon

Hi slowdragon

My vitamin d and folate hasn’t been recently tested. I do take supplements for them

Although I did stop for a while, because I was worried I go over range.

Because my doctors surgery won’t test my Vitamin D or folate anymore

Although my b12 has been tested & it was over the range. Can’t remember what the result was

As it not on my test result record anymore. When I questioned it with the doctor

They get said they weren’t worried about it being over.

I did take b12 drops put stop for a while because of the range being over.

Will be going for full thyroid test from medicheck on Monday & will post my results

tallulah100 profile image
tallulah100

Teva causes a lot of people problems, including stomach issues and constipation, I suffered terribly when given Teva, it took Me a few weeks to work out what was wrong and a few more weeks to recover once I stopped taking it. I couldn't get my gp to change it, so I didn't take it, and sent all the boxes back to gp, they soon changed it after that. I would certainly get a different brand. Good luck

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply totallulah100

Thank you tallulah

I’ve heard about Teva giving people headaches & but not about stomach issues & constipation. I do have a bit of traditional Greek yogurt. With fruit on top,. On morning as that help.with the bowels . Just think it strange. That when I take my 100, in accord I’m okay & I do get bowel movement & feel better.

My pharmacy did phone yesterday, about my 50 and 25 dose.

They do accord in 50 & looking into getting me 25 in another brand than teva & hillcross ( teva ) as they are the main brands they do there.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toBookworm90

Stomach issues were what I had. And, while well aware of headaches, I thought stomach was the most common!

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply tohelvella

Just hoping my pharmacy will be able to get something but teva

When my prescription for 50 & 25 is sent to them & to see how I go with them.

They did phone me about & I explain why I asked I didn’t want teva. They are trying to be helpful.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toBookworm90

Might be worth mentioning Vencamil - if they search literally for Levothyroxine, they might not see Vencamil!

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply tohelvella

I don’t know if it was me mentioning it today, to them or the person dealing with getting me alternative has ordered it yesterday & they are waiting for the delivery

They have given me the 75 in aristo vencamil.

Is it strange to be looking forward to trying it

Thank you for your suggestion.

Janetcat profile image
Janetcat

I had problems with Teva. Debilitating cluster headaches. I could not understand what the cause was until I remembered the change of levothyroxine to Teva. Had a battle to get Wockhardt, but changed pharmacy and have a really helpful one now. The constant rebranding of Levo., is very confusing too. I assume TEVA is the cheapest.

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply toJanetcat

Hi Janetcat

Yes teva is the cheaper that why they stock it, they once did Mercury pharma which I was okay with. But they stopped doing it & when I asked can they get it in, they said no

It not on thier system. Not sure if they were saying that or it change the made on the system. Never tried wockhardt.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toBookworm90

I don't know if you noticed a reply I made yesterday, in the 75 microgram dosage, Vencamil is actually cheaper than Teva! Not much - and in other dosages Teva is cheaper. :-)

And I entirely agree that looking forward to trying is an excellent attitude. :-)

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply tohelvella

I’m so glad that my pharmacy was able to get me it, as I felt I was being nuisance

Telling them why I wanted couldn’t do teva. When most customers just take what given to them, I didn’t realise it was cheaper to buy in that dose,

doingitfordad profile image
doingitfordad

I use the ‘Safe and sound’ pill cutter which is cheap and good.

Bookworm90 profile image
Bookworm90 in reply todoingitfordad

Thank you doing it for dad, glad it is good for the price. For you

They so many to chose from when I was looking at them.

doingitfordad profile image
doingitfordad

Safe + Sound Health Safety Pill Cutter

groceries.asda.com/product/...

[ Edited by admin to remove personally identifying data, etc. And added a title to give some indication what the link goes to. ]

MS03009 profile image
MS03009

Hi Bookworm 90 - Yes I too have significant issues with my bowels being hypo. I have been hypo for about 5 years and am on 75 per day at 4amish.

I had issues with Teva and Accord for 2 years and then the pharmacy just happened to change to Wockhardt for a short while and I noticed a massive difference. All side effects and bowel issues disappeared.

As Wockhardt is so expensive the pharmacy refused to continue to order it for me even though the GP specified it on the prescription. Now I go to a small independent who I pay the difference between what they get from the NHS and the cost of Wockhardt and I am on it full time and it's great. I think it has the least additives of all from memory. May be worth trying it if you can get it. I think Boots stock it sometimes but as someone mentioned not totally reliable.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toMS03009

How much do they require you pay?

I do not consider £1.76 to be "expensive" - though concede it is more than 49 or 77 pence.

Below are the NHS prices from NHS' own dm+d database which is the most up to date source we have available - a few days for updates to be applied, at most.

Eltroxin 25microgram tablets (Advanz Pharma) 28 tablet 2 x 14 tablets

254 pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 01-09-2017

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram tablets (Advanz Pharma)

305 pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 07-09-2016

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram tablets (Crescent Pharma Ltd) 28 tablet

77pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 18-09-2024

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram tablets (Teva UK Ltd) 28 tablet 4 x 7 tablets

49 pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 01-11-2024

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram tablets (Wockhardt UK Ltd) 28 tablet

176 pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 11-09-2019

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

Vencamil 25microgram tablets (Aristo Pharma Ltd) 28 tablet 2 x 14 tablets

253 pence for 28 tablets

Start date (when this price came into force) 15-07-2024

dmd-browser.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/a...

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