Levothyroxine ingredients allergy

[thelady2003uk]

Can anybody tell me a Levothyroxine that does not contain lactose OR corn starch please? I have found out that I am allergic to corn starch and alot of the meds I cannot tolerate (not thyroid related) contain lactose. I have tried all sorts of Levothyroxine to date and cannot tolerate them, help please!

[helvella Administrator]

There are now only three UK formulations of levothyroxine as tablets. See here:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

You can also get Eltroxin liquid which is free of both lactose and corn. But it is expensive so it might be difficult to persuade your doctor.

The USA product Tirosint might work - a gel. But it is expensive and you might not be able to get it prescribed.

The USA tablets Levoxyl might be OK but it is not clear what their source of croscarmellose might be. It is also both expensive and very difficult, even impossible, to obtain with a prescription.

Rod

[thelady2003uk]

Hi Rod, Thanks for the speedy reply. Reading your reply has reminded me, I have tried Elxtroxin the Doctor gave it to me a few weeks ago, I couldn't tolerate this either, I thought it was only lactose free obviously I'm wrong. Any idea why I am struggling to find one that really suits me? My endo says that because my TSH goes up and down between 4.2 and 8.5 she is not sure that my problems are thyroid related - could this be why I can't tolerate Levothyroxine - because my body doesn't need it? Thanks alot. Sharon

[LouiseRoberts in reply to thelady2003uk]

Hi Sharon

Just a pointer. If you want to reply to someone directly, you have to click on 'reply to this', otherwise they will not get an email telling them that you have responded.

There are other ingredients which may not be agreeing with you, drop me an email and I can send you info about a compounded levo - it only contains one filler.

Have you got T4/T3/antibody results too?

Personally, I think your endo is barmy! A lot of people on treatment do not feel well until their TSH is towards the bottom end of the range (around 1) or even lower.

Ask me for the Pulse Article too on the same email....

[e-mail]

Louise

x

[thelady2003uk in reply to LouiseRoberts]

Thanks alot Louise, I will email now.

[sassicat in reply to LouiseRoberts]

Louise you you PM the details if the compounding pharmacy you mention please .... Thanks xxx

[helvella Administrator in reply to thelady2003uk]

Eltroxin is identical to Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine and Forley Generics Levothyroxine. None is lactose free. No UK levothyroxine tablet is lactose free. I imagine the doctor didn't know that.

If your TSH bears any relation to your thyroid hormone levels, then it should be much lower. Maybe 1 or lower? Certainly under 2. So I agree with Louise!

If you have a problem with corn and lactose then that could be why you are unable to tolerate any of them.

Ask to try the Eltroxin liquid - even for a short time. It would at least tease out whether it is corn/lactose or levothyroxine itself.

[thelady2003uk in reply to helvella]

Is the eltroxin liquid corn and lactose free please?

[helvella Administrator in reply to thelady2003uk]

All this information is on the link to the main Thyroid UK web site I mentioned in my first response.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Scroll to the bottom and click on the products you want to know about.

Eltroxin® Oral Solution (Lactose Free)

Marketing Authorisation Holder: Mercury Pharmaceuticals Ltd.,

No. 1 Croydon, 12 - 16 Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 0XT, UK

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

mercurypharma.com

Medical Information Direct Line: 08700 70 30 33

Medical Information e-mail: [e-mail]

Customer Care direct line: [phone]

Ingredients:

For the 25mcg dose: Each 5ml of oral solution contains 25microgramsLevothyroxine Sodium

For the 50mcg dose: Each 5ml of oral solution contains 50micrograms Levothyroxine Sodium

Other Ingredients:

Glycerol

Citric acid, Monohydrate

Sodium Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate (E219)

Sodium Hydroxide

Purified Water

NB: It is advised that patients switching from the oral solution to the tablet form or from the tablet form to the oral solution should be monitored closely.

[thelady2003uk in reply to helvella]

Thanks for this info, I will have a read tonight.

[thelady2003uk in reply to helvella]

I have tried Eltroxin solution, I only put a tiny amount on my tongue and I had my usual bad reaction almost immediately. Confused by this I consulted my list of corn Allergens (a very long list 4 x A4 pages long) and I found that Glycerol is a derivative of corn, which is why I could not tolerate it. I am now taking WP Thyroid which I get from a pharmacy in the USA and I've had no reactions to it at all because it contains absolutely no corn or derivatives of corn. Thank the Lord for WP Thyroid I say, just a shame I can't get in in thsi country on the NHS as most Hypothyroid sufferers can. Take Care. Sharon

[Numberone1]

What are your symptoms indicating that your allergic? Have you thought it might not be that but that your body can't convert the T4?

[thelady2003uk in reply to Numberone1]

I have had allergy tests that indicate I have a corn starch allergy. When I have a reaction to tablets (a large number of them) I always get asthma type breathing problems, I sometimes get the shakes, stomach pain and headaches depending on which tablet I take. I have thought about my body not been able to convert the T4 but how do I find out ifd this is the problem please? Thanks alot, Sharon

[Glynisrose]

I too have a problem with maize an immunologist told me I am VERY intolerant to it. So I went on to liquid thyroxine for a while. Its a pain as its shelf life is 3 weeks only. I got on to NDT as soon as IT could as most forms don't contain maize.

Let me trash a fallacy here it is NOT expensive and is available from most chemists.

[thelady2003uk in reply to Glynisrose]

Hi, Glynisrose, Thanks for this info. please could you tell me if you got on alright with the liquid form because I have tried the tablet form of Elxtroxin I am now going to try the liquid form of it. Many thanks Sharon

[sassicat in reply to Glynisrose]

Hi, do you mind me asking are you allergic to all forms of maize i.e. sweetcorn as well .... or just maize as a tablet ingredient?

[Glynisrose in reply to sassicat]

Yes highly intolerant to all forms of maize including sweetcorn, popcorn etc!! Not allergic, Immunologist said I would never be able to eat cornflakes but I could build up resistance. I never have because it makes me so ill I lose days!! I did tell him I'd got an UAT but he ignored it....

[Glynisrose]

Yes I was fine with it but was so much better on NDT.

[thelady2003uk in reply to Glynisrose]

Thanks for letting me know. I have been to a new GP today and he won't do anything until he sees my thyroid results for himself, so I'm back at square one with no meds. Take Care, Sharon

[thelady2003uk]

I can eat sweetcon, in fact I can eat everything with corn and its derivatives, my problem is purely with corn and its derivatives in tablets/liquid medications. I was taking the T3 Cynomel from Belgium that I have posted about, but found that my tsh was normal but my t3 was going through the roof, so after having a chat with a very knowledgable friend that I met on here she suggested that I try WP Thyroid from a pharmacy in the USA (she told me all the details), it only contains 3 ingredients T3, T4 and something else that I can't remember the name of but it is not a corn derivative. I ordered some and it arrived on Monday 4.11.13 I have been taking 1/4 of a tablet twice a day at 12 hour intervals and I feel great, I have had no side effects whatsoever. Have you had a proper skin prick allergy test done at the hospital If not I would suggest that you get this first of all as it may not be corn that you are allergic to, but something more common that is easier to treat. If you want to try the WP Thyroid let me know and I will tell you the pharmacy that I got it from in America. Take Care Sharon X

[edysia2 in reply to thelady2003uk]

May I ask who tested you for allergies Sharon? I have new GP but it is even worse than the previous one. I feel like I am dying and being stuck with NHS doesn't increases my chances for survival. I have ordered erfa from Springfield pharmacy in uk but 3 weeks are gone and I still have no parcel. I keep phoning and they are apologetic but still no parcel... I am exhausted with all this.. E xx

[SSE106 in reply to edysia2]

why not try <an internet pharmacy> in USA, I received the parcel fairly quickly for armour thyroid.

[Edited by admin because post mentioned a named source of prescription-only medicine.]

[kathstone in reply to thelady2003uk]

Hello. I have Hashimoto's and take thyroxine. I've been very ill with bloating, vomiting and weight loss. I have discovered a corn intolerance. Eating any corn derivative brings on symptoms. I am horrified to discover my thyroxine contains corn starch. Where did you get WP thyroid from? Many thanks

[thelady2003uk in reply to kathstone]

Hello, I posted this note a very long time ago and to be honest I can't remember where I got the WP from. BUT what I can tell you is that even though I have posted on here that it worked for me it didn't! Although I seemed to be fine at first it turned out that I reacted badly again after a few weeks. I was only taking 1/2 a tablet daily the medication built up in my system and I was back to square one with difficulty breathing and exhaustion which were my main reactions to all meds containing corn derivatives. The good news is that I found a new endo who straight away sent me to Southampton hospital for a placebo allergy test, they tested me with 5 different brands of thyroxine, I was there all day but it was worth it. They found that I had got an intolerance to thyroxine of all types but they found that one of them didn't react as badly as the others that was actavis. They wrote to my GP and told him to issue a prescription for actavis and saying that I must start off with 1/4 of a tablet for 2 weeks then 1/2 a tablet for 2 weeks and build it up to 1 tablet per day, then if I could tolerate it I should go up to 2 per day as my TSH was very high at 42.0. My local boots chemist told me that they would have to order it and I received it two days later. I started on it with a positive attitude thinking I know it's going to be ok because the allergy test didn't affect me too badly and I knew that I must try hard to take it because I felt so awful due to my high TSH levels and High Thyroid antibodies. I followed the hospitals instructions and now finally after all the years of frustration and feeling very poorly I am on 2 tablets a day and have been on it for a couple of years now with no side effects at all, my TSH is 2.0 and my antibodies are normal. I know exactly how you are feeling and can definitely empathise with you, I don't know where you live but I suggest that you ask you endo to send you for a placebo allergy test on the NHS as I had. That one day changed my life and I will be grateful to my endo for suggesting it until my dying day. I know that all endo's are not very understanding or kind and I went to 5 different ones (Private and NHS) before I found one that really listened and was willing to help me. I hope that you can get sorted soon because I can honestly say I know how you feel and it is awful. If you need any further help or just want a chat feel free to PM me. Good Luck and Take Care. Sharon

[thelady2003uk]

I was going to see a private ENT doctor because I had a frontal headache that wouldn't go away. He was a very thorough doctor and very caring, he knew that I was self funding so he arranged for me to have a brain scan and allergy tests done on the NHS. He added me to his list of NHS patients and that way he could get the tests done for me on the NHS. There is absolutely no way that I could get such specific tests done via my GP, even when I offered to pay for them, so I had no choice but to go private. It was worth every penny because he has now added the fact that I have a corn starch allergy to my NHS notes and everybody can see that I have an allergy and cannot tolerate generic medication, so they take their time and try to prescribe corn free meds, although sometimes it's not possible. I have had untreated Hypothyroidism for 5 years because I could not find any levo that I could tolerate, a few weeks ago I was told by a very helpful administrator on here, to try WP Thyroid from a pharmacy in the USA (no corn derivatives at all), It cost me about £12 for a months supply (actually it will be two months as I am only taking half a tablet until I get used to it) so you can say its £12 for 2 months supply. I received it on Monday already I feel so much better, no bad reactions at all. It took me years fo realise that there are lots of derivatives of corn and every single levo and T3 that I have tried has has some sort of corn or corn derivative in it. I would be lost without my Corn Allergen list, its 4 x A4 pages long and I downloaded it off a website, just type in Corn Allergens and you will see just how many derivatives there are. By the way I am only allegic to corn/derivatives in medication, I can tolerate it in food no problem. Hope this helps if you need anymore info feel free to PM me. Good Luck

[RedApple Administrator in reply to thelady2003uk]

Very interesting, thanks for posting about your experience. I think this may be the website that you are referring to

cornallergens.com/list/corn...

[edysia2 in reply to thelady2003uk]

Thank you. E xx