# Unithroid/questioning what is generic levothyroxine???



## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

My TT is scheduled for tomorrow, 12-27-11. My endo has prescribed Synthroid 125 mcg. starting the day after surgery. Synthroid is a $33.00 co-pay. Going on my prescription drug insurance website, it appears that they cover Unithroid for an $8.00 co-pay! So, since I will be on this the rest of my life, I would like to migrate over to Unithroid after I finish this (rather expensive) Synthroid prescription. I am aware that I will need to re-test and make sure it is working well after 6 weeks, as I will be doing anyway since I will be thyroidless. My question is this: I remember hearing "don't use generics" for thyroid hormone replacement. I was searching the About.com site for articles which are rather dated (2001) and it appears at some point Unithroid was name-brand but is now considered generic--is that correct? Can someone give me a lesson on what is and what isn't generic levothyroxine? Thx, Roberta


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> My TT is scheduled for tomorrow, 12-27-11. My endo has prescribed Synthroid 125 mcg. starting the day after surgery. Synthroid is a $33.00 co-pay. Going on my prescription drug insurance website, it appears that they cover Unithroid for an $8.00 co-pay! So, since I will be on this the rest of my life, I would like to migrate over to Unithroid after I finish this (rather expensive) Synthroid prescription. I am aware that I will need to re-test and make sure it is working well after 6 weeks, as I will be doing anyway since I will be thyroidless. My question is this: I remember hearing "don't use generics" for thyroid hormone replacement. I was searching the About.com site for articles which are rather dated (2001) and it appears at some point Unithroid was name-brand but is now considered generic--is that correct? Can someone give me a lesson on what is and what isn't generic levothyroixine? Thx, Roberta


It would appear so..............

The three top-selling brands thyroid hormone replacement -- Synthroid, Unithroid and King Pharmaceutical's Levoxyl -- are all levothyroxine, but as endogenous hormones, the three drugs are not considered interchangeable. To date, only Mylan Laboratories Inc. has received approval for a generic version of Unithroid in 2002. This is first and only generic version of a brandname, newly approved levothyroxine to date.

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/synthroid1/a/generic.htm


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Andros said:


> It would appear so..............
> 
> The three top-selling brands thyroid hormone replacement -- Synthroid, Unithroid and King Pharmaceutical's Levoxyl -- are all levothyroxine, but as endogenous hormones, the three drugs are not considered interchangeable. To date, only Mylan Laboratories Inc. has received approval for a generic version of Unithroid in 2002. This is first and only generic version of a brandname, newly approved levothyroxine to date.
> 
> http://thyroid.about.com/cs/synthroid1/a/generic.htm


PS: Call Sam's Club and find out how much for your Synthroid. It might pay to pay out of pocket.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I was recently changed from generic to "brand name" Levoxyl. The nurse described it as a "brand name generic" meaning that it's not true Synthroid, but since it's a brand name, other generics can't be used as substitutes by the pharmacy - they HAVE to give me this brand name, as opposed to the generic levothyroxine I had been taking since May.

I should note that I was not having problems because of the generics...my problem was that my dose was slightly too high and was causing lots and lots of heart palpitations. Since my lab results were so good, the doctor didn't want to decrease my dosage too much, so I went from 150 mcg to 137.5 mcg. To ensure consistency over time, the nurse went ahead and wrote the prescription for brand name Levoxyl instead of generic.


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

I also take the brand name Levoxyl. It is generally the lowest cost of the brand names. It is so low cost that some pharmacies use it as their generic.


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

Ok, it appears that Unithroid and Levoxyl are just less well-known generics than Synthroid and because they are name brand, their potency and the way they are compounded stays the same from batch to batch. Makes sense. Thanks.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> My TT is scheduled for tomorrow, 12-27-11. My endo has prescribed Synthroid 125 mcg. starting the day after surgery. Synthroid is a $33.00 co-pay. Going on my prescription drug insurance website, it appears that they cover Unithroid for an $8.00 co-pay! So, since I will be on this the rest of my life, I would like to migrate over to Unithroid after I finish this (rather expensive) Synthroid prescription. I am aware that I will need to re-test and make sure it is working well after 6 weeks, as I will be doing anyway since I will be thyroidless. My question is this: I remember hearing "don't use generics" for thyroid hormone replacement. I was searching the About.com site for articles which are rather dated (2001) and it appears at some point Unithroid was name-brand but is now considered generic--is that correct? Can someone give me a lesson on what is and what isn't generic levothyroxine? Thx, Roberta


Thinking of you today and good luck!!! Everything is going to be okay.


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

Andros said:


> Thinking of you today and good luck!!! Everything is going to be okay.


Thank you, heading to the hospital now, everything is good!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> Thank you, heading to the hospital now, everything is good!


By now, we all hope you are resting comfortably and you are glad to have this behind you.

Many hugs,


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

Andros said:


> By now, we all hope you are resting comfortably and you are glad to have this behind you.
> 
> Many hugs,


Thx Andros, yes I'm back home and recovering well. Sore and swollen but not really in pain. Started my 125 mcg of Synthroid, and figuring out life without a thyroid, now...

Still looking to see what other NAME BRAND levothyroxine others on this board are taking other than Synthroid.


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