Hypothyroidism and drugs

I have been on the normal drugs for lack of Thyroid, and the one I have been taking Levothyroxinde, has in the past year been changed a bit, not the dosage or the drug, but what its set into, so its still a little pill, well gradually I have been getting to the stage where I could not think, could not remember things, and felt achey all the time, and just fet really down, so on Monday I went and had a grumble to my DR, he then put me onto another type of the same medicine, called Synthroid Levothyroxine, (you can also get Gold Shield) and in 24 hours I am feeling lots better, no loss of memory, no aches, and so I would recommend if you are not feeling well to consider other drugs than what the DR has you on. the funny thing is that he was unable to enter into his computer the new drug, and was waffling on about what he could do, so I suggested that he print off the normal form for the Levothyroxinde, and then change the name on the script so that the chemist could give it to me, The cost is $60 for 3 months dosage, and its done in 3 repeats, so $22 each month, but what the hell, I would rather pay, and feel like a million dollars than not pay and feel like hell on wheels.

I think if you complain to a specialist that the pharmac one is causing side effects they can give you the RIGHT pill at subsidy.. there was an item on TV the other day, and of course pharmac are stating they know nuffink of side effects from the cheaper model and its binding matter being the problem.
your pharmacy would know.

Hi,
I'm another one of those affected patients and I've been on Goldshield's Eltroxin for almost a year now. There is a new forum: kiwithyroid.19.forumer.com which gives some info. Not many members (yet).

I've tried EVERYTHING to get a subsidised alternative. The specialists are just as powerless as a GP. The problem has been existing since May or June 2007 when the changeover took place and my GP lodged an 'Adverse Events Report' straight away. Up until June 2008 there were only 40something such reports and Pharmac's reaction to that was: 'Thats comparatively few compared to other changeovers'.

What got the ball rolling was an item on TV3 in June - after that the adverse events reports started to roll in by the hundreds. People don't usually associate medicines with getting sick and the symptoms could well be mistaken for menopause or getting older or having too many hangovers, poor nutrition, etc. GPs hear it all day - I'm feeling not well.

Now with an election looming Pharmac is working hard on getting an alternative drug registered in NZ - which is a hell of a job as its an 'old' drug where only 'old' documentation is available. By the middle of next month there hopefully will be a fully funded alternative.

I am on one called "Thyroid" (whole), its made in NZ and is I think a more natural one. It seems not too bad.
I have heard of some people suffering from major side effects since they changed the other one, and feel for those patients. Who needs those sort of ill effects and why did they have to change something that was fine.

Report in our local paper today about Levin folks on Eltoxin having the same problems.
It says that "Pharmac and Medsafe have agreed to fast track a fully funded alternative. New Zealand appears to be the only country where patients suffer side effects"

Sue;201958 wrote: New Zealand appears to be the only country where patients suffer side effects"

NZ is the only developed country where only one such medication is available. People all over the world suffer side effects but when they go to their GP and complain, their GP has the luxury to be able to write out a prescription for an alternative drug. Not so in NZ. And the longer people are on this faulty drug the sicker they get.

Btw - things weren't always well on the old formulation, either. I'm one of two patients my GP has who were 'batch sensitive', meaning that sometimes the Eltroxin was good, often it was bad. I've always had those side effects, even with the old formulation but they weren't nearly as severe.

Having had this problem for almost 10 years now I've always asked my pharmacist to write the batch number on the bottle. Because of this I know that the batch number did not change for almost a year after the new formulation was brought in.

There now is a different batch of Eltroxin available and it might be better than the previous one which was terrible[xx(]

I am feeling almost 95% back to normal, just got a rotten cold to shake off, and it is going slowly, but its great to have a head on my shoulders that can think. I really had to have a go at my Dr to get him to change my medication, I actually took my hubby with me so I had backup. So anyone out there with side effects please get onto your Dr even if you have to argue with them.

Eltroxin= Helltroxin according to some on the TM community boards. I can relate to some of the symptoms which for me are now abating on Whole Thyroid extract. Seems RaeM gets her synthroid way cheaper than me..was going to cost $62 per month.

Glad I saw that Closeup about it recently...I'd be mad as a hatter by now.

Simkin..have joined already, but seems a bit slow.

I deffinatly was heading down the mad path, its so good not feeling like I was walking in a fog. And this is only 4 days after changing the tablets, so each week can only get better for me.

Hi Rae,

for me it took about 3 months until it stopped getting better, but the process was slowing down as weeks passed.

As I have had an allergic reaction to a generic form of a medication that I had taken no problem before (in the barnd name version), it is often not the active ingredient causing the problem but something in the bulking agent. I would have much preferred to have found taht out some other way than a trip to hospital in an ambulance...

Diane

Its the additives in the bulking agent that is causing the Thyroid tablets to upset people, so please if you know anyone that seems to be not so well, ask them just what it is that they are taking, as I would not wish this problem on anyone.

Hi Rae,

I do disagree with the bulking agents causing the problems with the new Glaxo pills. I've always had problems with most batches of the old Glaxo pills and another of my GPs patients was in the same situation. The new ones are just much worse than the previous ones.

Also for the first year only one single batch of those new Glaxo pills was available in NZ and Glaxo was unwilling to bring in a different batch. In other countries (where other batches are being distributed (I assume)) are no problems like in NZ.

The new excipients are very widely used, for instance in the painkillers I do take at times and they don't cause me any trouble whatsoever.

If you have a look on www.keenkiwi.orconhosting.net.nz there is a heap of information there, plus a list of chemists that are carrying the new drugs, also Trademe on general there is a link there, and that is where they state exactly what the bulking agent is that is used, its got Talc and or sorts of things in it. and I have to be on these tablets for life, so I need a good life, and feel that I am so lucky that I was able to change perscriptions.

OMG, they have Talc in them??? No wonder people are feeling so bad. shocking.