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New Fomula Levothyroxine( Tevo)

Posted , 5 users are following.

libralady13
libralady13

Hello I have been hypothyroid since my mid 40's I am now 69.  For most of this time I have been on a dose of 125mmg daily with no trouble and yearly blood tests ok.  Lat year we moved house and my new gp sent me for heart scans to see if I had angina because I had been experiencing some shortness of breath and tighness when walking in the cold or up hill.  During my wait for the results I happened to have some blood tests and it was found that my TSH was was outside the range and I had my thyroxine reduced to 100 mmg.  The symptoms disappeared and I got the all clear from the hospital.  I should mention that I sufffer from anxiety and asthma so they both may have played a part.  Fast forward I had been wondering for some time whether I should change my morning dose to the evening having read it is better absorbed.  This I did after telling my gp.  I think it was 2/3 months ago.  When I picked up my latest prescription I noticed the levothyroxine pack had a new formormulation written on the back.  I did not take much notice at the time as I had a lot of other things going on in my life.  I had taken one packet and have just started my second one.  I started googling new formulation on thyroxine and found a lot of people were talking about it.  I wonder if anyone has changed to this new one and if they suffered any side effects.  I have had a virus which I assumed I had caught from grandchildren. My asthma had been playing up and my rhinitis and I have been tight chested, although I am much better it has been a month and the cough gets me down.  I have seen my gp and she found that my chest was clear but has prescribed nyastatin for a oral thrush which I have been plagued with for year despite rinsing out mouth after inhalers.  I just wondered if this has anything to do with or whether the evening levo is being b etter absorbed and I need another reduction. I have made an appointment to see my gp in 2 weeks.  Thanks for reading this post.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • annie78444
    annie78444 libralady13

    Posted

    hi, re the first part of your mail, being slighly out of breath is a sign, as far as i understand (and it is for me) of having more levo than you need, so i am not surprised you were advised to reduce. you are not much older than me and i have had to reduce my levo massively - i have been told by a general consultant that this is not unusual . over the last years i have had to reduce levo in steps to very little -  going for tests in a couple of weeks. confused re rest of your post, if the hosp tests ok, why are you needing to alter dose/times etc and worry re absorbtion as you actually may still be dropping in needs for levo, my then GP was out of his depth and i had to go to a consultant who stopped all levo for months to see where i was - i , like you, had thought symptoms were all my old asthma back, but it was just too much levo, this is bad for bones, heart, etc before any alterations of dose have blood tests and if still show need less, have less, and be aware of future reductions possibly needed.  take your pulse regularly, record it, etc   get more blood tests if consistent changes.
  • MtViewCatherine
    MtViewCatherine libralady13

    Posted

    Hello Libralady, I stopped taking thyroid meds altogether because of the constant formulation changes, which were not disclosed. The repeated formulation changes was only one of many factors that resulted in the meds being more harmful than helpful for me.   So fed up! So you aren't the only one.

    If you read through the many posts here, many people post questions about flu-like symptoms at the onset of meds. 

    Keep in mind, we're in a global economy, and manufacturing is often done in remote third world countries to reduce costs. 

    • libralady13
      libralady13 MtViewCatherine

      Posted

      Sorry I pressed the wrong reply.  This post is for Annie78444.  Sorry if I confused you.  As I mentioned before the reduction  my dose of levothyroxine the TSH was very low.  At my last blood test it was 2. something.  Now for year my levels were around 2.8 however I had read that optimum levels are around 1.  After breaking my wrist I was found to be low on vitamin D3.  I was prescribed D3 and my TSH levels gradually reduced to 1. somthing down to 0,9.  When we moved here I had a routine Dexa scan and my bone density ( was diagnosed with osteopenia back in 2012 hence the higher dose of vitamin D3 on GPS recommendation) was much the same possibly a little improved.  My new gp was not happy about the dose of vitamin D3 (2.200 iu daily) and wanted to reduce it to a chewable tablet 400iu D3/and calcium.  She said this was the recommended guidelines for osteopenia.  I have read on many occasions that low vitamin D3 is connected to low thyroid function hence why my readings improved on the large dose of VitD3.  I did not start the new chewable tablet until a couple of months ago so I did wonder if the lower dose might make the tsh reading higher.  Now because I take a water tablet and fibre drink in the morning which have to be taken 30mins before breakfast I wondered about whether it might be better to take my levothryoxine at night for better absorbsion.  I am not really due for blood tests until October but I have made an appointment for 2 weeks time to see my gp.  I would be interested to know not only the TSH level but VitD3 and calcium levels as well.  I have other health issues and what wth the anxiety it is often hard to know if any symptoms I have are side effects of any medication or my anxiety.  Hope this makes sense.  
    • libralady13
      libralady13 MtViewCatherine

      Posted

      I see you have stopped taking thyroid tablets all together.  How do you feel and what are your test results?  I hear what you say about people posting questions about flu-like symptoms and manufacturing in third world countries but not sure if after all these years it would be safe to come off this medication.
    • annie78444
      annie78444 libralady13

      Posted

      if you google or ask your GP you will see that for our age a low TSH is not good and bad for the bones, and if it speeds the pulse and afects your heart,  serious.  It appears best for older women to be around 3 - or , as far as i can see, up to 4.5 or 5.0, which is in the ok ref range uk,  things change with age, i use Teva, no probs for me, the prob is only getting a tiny dose right
    • libralady13
      libralady13 annie78444

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply.  I will certainly bear that in mind when I see my gp.  Maybe then the 2.8 was about right for me.  I will see what the result is at the next blood test.  I hope I can get it done earlier than October.  Either it will be ok or need reducing or the dose changing back to mornings.  I admit I have let things slide a bit this last few months.  Both my husband and myself have had various hospital tests and procedures which have alll turned out ok.  Unfortunately my husband is waiting for the results of a prostate biopsy which according to the nurse and the results of the MPMRI scan  are likely to show cancer.  Of course we are hoping this won't be the case but must be prepared for bad news.  He has been monitored since 2002 and had got used to negative scans or biopsies.  So you can see that we are focused on that at the moment.  Going back to thyroid problems it seems to me that the average GP has limited knowledge of hypothyroidism other than making sure sure that your blood tests are in the range which as you know is not always reliable.

    • annie78444
      annie78444 libralady13

      Posted

      re the thyroid meds, wrist break could suggest too much levo, i have broken toes, now know - did not before -  that levels may look ok on random blood test but can change back and forth and important not to have anytime in day of too low , now take pulse regularly - if goes higher than my normal when at rest i reduce dose for day or two, ok as its a long acting med.  Sorry to hear of other probs,  worry maybe could - ask your GP to confirm this - speed your metabolism a bit, at any rate best not to combine with the anxiety which is a common side effect of too much levo, best wishes
    • libralady13
      libralady13 annie78444

      Posted

      Thank you.  I broke my wrist because I missed a kerb outside a railway station and fell forward on to the pavement.  The hospital kept asking if I had put my arm out to stop myself  falling as they seemed to think this would be connected to the type of fracture.  Actually I did not I was wearing a long cardigan and it was a bit windy so I was actually holding the cardigan together with my hand and fell on top if it.  It was underneath me not outstretched.  Will see what my gp says in two weeks hopefully we will have my husbands results by then and whether he needs treatment.  He also has other health problems.
    • MtViewCatherine
      MtViewCatherine libralady13

      Posted

      Yeah, dropped something on my foot and was down for nearly two years due to multiple fractures... had never before had a broken bone. The meds can cause bones to become brittle.
  • patricia28253
    patricia28253 libralady13

    Posted

    This post is a revelation and a vindication. I am 74 and for the last 5 months have been suffering from tachicardia, breathlessness , weight gain, far more joint pain than usual with my acute osteoarthritis. A two day hospital stay in hospital was necessary the symptoms were so bad ....doctors admitted they could not pinpoint problem and discharged me with 'aggravated asthma'. My GP called for a blood test which showed I have gone from under to over active thyroid so meds reduced from 175mg to 75mg a day. I am STILL struggling with symptoms. I am outgoing and have a great group of friends who are contnually saying 'you are not you anymore'. My right eye was removed in August last year cos a more virulent form of the original melanoma ... successfully treated 18 years ago ..had returned. Rare form so now Cancer Research regularly call me for blood tests and scans. In amongst all this I have asked at least two doctors and other medical personnel "are my ongoing symptoms anything to do with medication despite reduction" Was told no. NOW remember at least 6 months ago my 50mg box of tabs had "new formula" written across the corner and still has!!My life has changed dramatically. I usually bounce back from anything life throws at me but am constantly tired even after a good night's sleep and generally feel below par. A recent chest infection with Amoxycillin and steroids prescribed literally had me man down.Incidentally I also have Lichen Sclerosus which is now linked to thyroid problems. So you can see why I really need to get back to my old self to battle along with my other health issues. Will ask GP next week and post again. Thanks so much for your post and good luck to everyone in the same boat. Lets hope at leastone of us can get some answers.

  • patricia28253
    patricia28253 libralady13

    Posted

    Hi there. After my last post when I said I was going to Doctor for Thyroid problem check up ...I asked the question re the Levothyroxine Tablet w

    hich was marked "New Formula". The answer was that I should speak to a Pharmacist! My Chemist was so helpful .. explained that the only difference was that the New Formulation tab has the Lactose removed which could not cause problems. In fact some lactose intolerant people prefer this tab. So the possibility of women posting reactions is probably some link with dosage or other tablet interaction. Shame ..poor us ... I was really hoping we had found a cause for our misery. We will have to persevere. I have blood tests again tomorrow so will only know by end of week.Cheers

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