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Alternatives to levoxyl
Can somebody who has been on levoxyl for a long time and had to switch to something else because of the recall and stop of production share their experience.? I tried Synthroid but it is not working for me at all: anxiety, palpitations, sleeplessness! I was fine on levoxyll! What other drug would be the closest to Levoxyl? Any experiences with Tirosint? What is the difference between Tirosint and all the other levothyroxine meds? I am exploring different options, even generic, as long as it works! Any advice appreciated
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm not sure that only a week on Synthroid was enough... It's not unusual for symptoms to worsen or new ones to appear, when changing meds or dosages.
It's good that you're getting FT3 and FT4 tested. T3 uptake is considered obsolete and of little value, since it's a "round about" way of testing FT4.
What other thyroid related tests are you having done? It's good to know ferritin levels, since iron is needed to metabolize thyroid hormones. If your doctor is only doing a one time cortisol test, that's rather a waste. In order to determine adrenal function, you need to have cortisol tested over the course, of a day, to be sure it's rising/falling adequately. It should be higher in the morning, as you wake and prepare for your day, then begin dropping in order to allow for sleep at night. 24 hr saliva or urine tests are much better, but many doctors don't/won't order them and insurance may not pay for them.
I had your symptoms (palpitations, anxiety, sleeplessness) when I was very hypo, so it's possible that you actually need an increase in med.
Not sure what you're referring to as "natural". If you're referring to desiccated, which is often called Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) and is derived from pigs; pigs produce a lot more T3 than humans do. Many of us don't need that much T3; HOWEVER, there are those that really do NEED the desiccated hormones, so all options should be left open and considered.
While the active ingredient (levothyroxine) is the same with all T4 meds, each manufacturer uses different fillers/binders. Inactive ingredients in Synthroid are: acacia, confectioner's sugar (contains corn starch), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, and talc, plus each dosage is a different color, so they contain dyes, as well.
http://www.rxlist.com/synthroid-drug.htm
Inactive ingredients in Levoxyl are: Microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, calcium sulfate dihydrate and sodium bicarbonate, plus the dyes for each dosage. Same source.
Tirosint, on the other hand contains only levothyroxine, water, gelatin, glycerin.
When you get your blood test results, please post them here, and be sure to include the reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. Once we see your actual levels, we can better recommend a course of action.
It's good that you're getting FT3 and FT4 tested. T3 uptake is considered obsolete and of little value, since it's a "round about" way of testing FT4.
What other thyroid related tests are you having done? It's good to know ferritin levels, since iron is needed to metabolize thyroid hormones. If your doctor is only doing a one time cortisol test, that's rather a waste. In order to determine adrenal function, you need to have cortisol tested over the course, of a day, to be sure it's rising/falling adequately. It should be higher in the morning, as you wake and prepare for your day, then begin dropping in order to allow for sleep at night. 24 hr saliva or urine tests are much better, but many doctors don't/won't order them and insurance may not pay for them.
I had your symptoms (palpitations, anxiety, sleeplessness) when I was very hypo, so it's possible that you actually need an increase in med.
Not sure what you're referring to as "natural". If you're referring to desiccated, which is often called Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) and is derived from pigs; pigs produce a lot more T3 than humans do. Many of us don't need that much T3; HOWEVER, there are those that really do NEED the desiccated hormones, so all options should be left open and considered.
While the active ingredient (levothyroxine) is the same with all T4 meds, each manufacturer uses different fillers/binders. Inactive ingredients in Synthroid are: acacia, confectioner's sugar (contains corn starch), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, and talc, plus each dosage is a different color, so they contain dyes, as well.
http://www.rxlist.com/synthroid-drug.htm
Inactive ingredients in Levoxyl are: Microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, calcium sulfate dihydrate and sodium bicarbonate, plus the dyes for each dosage. Same source.
Tirosint, on the other hand contains only levothyroxine, water, gelatin, glycerin.
When you get your blood test results, please post them here, and be sure to include the reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. Once we see your actual levels, we can better recommend a course of action.
Barb,
I am glad you are doing well on Tirosint, which means there might be light in the tunnel for me as well, hopefully:)
Thank you for this very thorough explanation! I am currently back on the leftover levoxyl I had from before and I am taking half a pill on Sundays! There is some relief, but it's still not a 100%, so I am trying to be patient! :)
Meanwhile, I requested that my endocrinologist gives me a script for both Free T4 and Free T3, as well as T3 uptake and a whole bunch of other thyroid related tests that were suggested by others! She agreed and is also checking my ferritin levels and cortisol, so as I hope to have some answers and solutions soon! I feel like the real issues need to be treated and not the symptoms! Thanks again! BTW, Tirosint is something I will be giving a try when I run out of Levoxyl! It is expensive:( but if it works I might give it a try again! I am still not a 100% sold on the natural thyroid medication, but who knows, never try, never know! I went as far as ordering pills from Europe: one is called Euothyrox and the other one is L-thuroxine- same active ingredient of course, but both have fillers such as corn, lactose, gelatine and some other stuff, so I am really not sure about that! I hope all is well!
I am glad you are doing well on Tirosint, which means there might be light in the tunnel for me as well, hopefully:)
Thank you for this very thorough explanation! I am currently back on the leftover levoxyl I had from before and I am taking half a pill on Sundays! There is some relief, but it's still not a 100%, so I am trying to be patient! :)
Meanwhile, I requested that my endocrinologist gives me a script for both Free T4 and Free T3, as well as T3 uptake and a whole bunch of other thyroid related tests that were suggested by others! She agreed and is also checking my ferritin levels and cortisol, so as I hope to have some answers and solutions soon! I feel like the real issues need to be treated and not the symptoms! Thanks again! BTW, Tirosint is something I will be giving a try when I run out of Levoxyl! It is expensive:( but if it works I might give it a try again! I am still not a 100% sold on the natural thyroid medication, but who knows, never try, never know! I went as far as ordering pills from Europe: one is called Euothyrox and the other one is L-thuroxine- same active ingredient of course, but both have fillers such as corn, lactose, gelatine and some other stuff, so I am really not sure about that! I hope all is well!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Have you tried generic levothyroxine? I did much better on that, than I did on Synthroid. I was never on Levoxyl.
You should get tested for Free T3 every time you have blood work (be sure to specify "free" because simply T3 indicates total, which is obsolete and of little value -- same goes for T4; if Free isn't specified, we assume it to be total). FT3 is the hormone that's actually used by the individual cells, while FT4 is a storage hormone and must be converted to FT3. Not all of us convert adequately, so we have to add a source of T3.
Your FT4 is right at the top of the range, but without an FT3, we don't know if your symptoms are from being over medicated or if they're from lack of conversion.
I had palpitations, anxiety and wakefulness when I was very hypo. Since some symptoms can apply to both over and under medicated, we can't simply assume that you're over medicated. I, too, had to rely on anti-anxiety med for a while, in order to tolerate the palps, anxiety, wakefulness, etc... I'd wake up feeling like like my heart was literally leaving my body. You're right, anti-anxiety meds aren't a long term solution, but, for me, it was certainly worth having them, because I had some very stressful things going on in my life and added to the thyroid issue, quite frankly, it was more than I could tolerate. My roughest time was during the night, as well. I was on the anti-anxiety med for a couple years and have been off them for almost a year. You must wean off them, very slowly...
"I think I might try Tirosint at a lower dose, 100mcg was too high!" Did you try Tirosint at 100 mcg? If you're on 88 mcg Synthroid/Levoxyl, now, you might ask your doctor about starting Tirosint at 75 mcg, since your FT4 is so high in the range, then be sure you get FT3 tested next time (and every subsequent time) you have blood work so we can see if you convert properly.
When I started on Tirosint, I was on 88 mcg levo, but needed an increase, so I started Tirosint at 100 mcg... don't ever make 2 changes at once, because you don't know which one causes/resolves the issues...lol Because of the better absorption, I did have to drop back to 88 mcg Tirosint, after a couple months and haven't looked back. There was no "change over" period... I simply went from levo, one day to Tirosint the next. Last time I saw my endo, he said he can no longer even feel my thyroid, which means it's "dead" - equivalent to not having one.
My only caution regarding Tirosint, now, is the price, since it's recently doubled. Be sure to check with your insurance to see if they will cover it - mine won't. There is a coupon you can download from the Tirosint web site, for $10 off a prescription, but even at that, my script is still going to be $160 for 3 months, when I can get levo for < $10 for 3 months. I'll probably stay with the Tirosint, until I seen my endo in Feb, then get a script to go back to levo.
You should get tested for Free T3 every time you have blood work (be sure to specify "free" because simply T3 indicates total, which is obsolete and of little value -- same goes for T4; if Free isn't specified, we assume it to be total). FT3 is the hormone that's actually used by the individual cells, while FT4 is a storage hormone and must be converted to FT3. Not all of us convert adequately, so we have to add a source of T3.
Your FT4 is right at the top of the range, but without an FT3, we don't know if your symptoms are from being over medicated or if they're from lack of conversion.
I had palpitations, anxiety and wakefulness when I was very hypo. Since some symptoms can apply to both over and under medicated, we can't simply assume that you're over medicated. I, too, had to rely on anti-anxiety med for a while, in order to tolerate the palps, anxiety, wakefulness, etc... I'd wake up feeling like like my heart was literally leaving my body. You're right, anti-anxiety meds aren't a long term solution, but, for me, it was certainly worth having them, because I had some very stressful things going on in my life and added to the thyroid issue, quite frankly, it was more than I could tolerate. My roughest time was during the night, as well. I was on the anti-anxiety med for a couple years and have been off them for almost a year. You must wean off them, very slowly...
"I think I might try Tirosint at a lower dose, 100mcg was too high!" Did you try Tirosint at 100 mcg? If you're on 88 mcg Synthroid/Levoxyl, now, you might ask your doctor about starting Tirosint at 75 mcg, since your FT4 is so high in the range, then be sure you get FT3 tested next time (and every subsequent time) you have blood work so we can see if you convert properly.
When I started on Tirosint, I was on 88 mcg levo, but needed an increase, so I started Tirosint at 100 mcg... don't ever make 2 changes at once, because you don't know which one causes/resolves the issues...lol Because of the better absorption, I did have to drop back to 88 mcg Tirosint, after a couple months and haven't looked back. There was no "change over" period... I simply went from levo, one day to Tirosint the next. Last time I saw my endo, he said he can no longer even feel my thyroid, which means it's "dead" - equivalent to not having one.
My only caution regarding Tirosint, now, is the price, since it's recently doubled. Be sure to check with your insurance to see if they will cover it - mine won't. There is a coupon you can download from the Tirosint web site, for $10 off a prescription, but even at that, my script is still going to be $160 for 3 months, when I can get levo for < $10 for 3 months. I'll probably stay with the Tirosint, until I seen my endo in Feb, then get a script to go back to levo.
Than k you for responding! I lasted on Synthroid for about a week, it was pretty bad even with a low dose of 88mcg! So now I am back on some leftover levoxyl I have and I am doing a little better but still not good enough! i think something was wrong with that last batch!
Years ago after my TT I started out on synthroid, didn't do well on it, got switch to Levoxyl and was doing fine for over 4 yrs up until recently!
My latest labs were done in June: TSH was .1 and T4 was 1.66 at Labcorp! i think the reference ranges are tsh: .4.5- 4.5 and T4 .82- 1.77. I didn't get tested for T3. I am not sure why! I guess I am pretty suppressed and my doc lowered the strength!
I think I might try Tirosint at a lower dose, 100mcg was too high! How long did it take you to get used to Tirosint and feel better? Palpitations and anxiety wake me up every night! Antianxiety medication helps a little, but it is not a long term solution. The funny part is- I am usually ok during the day!
Years ago after my TT I started out on synthroid, didn't do well on it, got switch to Levoxyl and was doing fine for over 4 yrs up until recently!
My latest labs were done in June: TSH was .1 and T4 was 1.66 at Labcorp! i think the reference ranges are tsh: .4.5- 4.5 and T4 .82- 1.77. I didn't get tested for T3. I am not sure why! I guess I am pretty suppressed and my doc lowered the strength!
I think I might try Tirosint at a lower dose, 100mcg was too high! How long did it take you to get used to Tirosint and feel better? Palpitations and anxiety wake me up every night! Antianxiety medication helps a little, but it is not a long term solution. The funny part is- I am usually ok during the day!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Most of your members who were on Levoxyl have gone to Synthroid. How long have you been on Synthroid? If it's not working for you, you can try generic levo, which worked better for me, than Synthroid did.
I'm on Tirosint now - have been since it came on the market in 2009; I love it. The difference between Tirosint and other thyroid replacements is that Tirosint is a gelcap, which contains only the levothyroxine sodium, water, gelatin and glycerin, which makes it virtually hypoallergenic. It's typically, more completely dissolved and absorbed better than pill type meds. The one drawback with Tirosint is that the manufacturer had doubled the price (I was paying $85 for a 3 month supply; now I'm paying $171 for the same 3 month supply); my insurance doesn't cover it, because it's not a preferred medication.
Have you looked into desiccated hormones?
If you'll post your latest thyroid hormone test results, so we can evaluate your testing/treatment, we might be able to offer more suggestions. Be sure to include reference ranges with all lab results, because ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
I'm on Tirosint now - have been since it came on the market in 2009; I love it. The difference between Tirosint and other thyroid replacements is that Tirosint is a gelcap, which contains only the levothyroxine sodium, water, gelatin and glycerin, which makes it virtually hypoallergenic. It's typically, more completely dissolved and absorbed better than pill type meds. The one drawback with Tirosint is that the manufacturer had doubled the price (I was paying $85 for a 3 month supply; now I'm paying $171 for the same 3 month supply); my insurance doesn't cover it, because it's not a preferred medication.
Have you looked into desiccated hormones?
If you'll post your latest thyroid hormone test results, so we can evaluate your testing/treatment, we might be able to offer more suggestions. Be sure to include reference ranges with all lab results, because ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
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