# Interesting!



## my3gr8girls (Mar 18, 2016)

I was just on the Synthroid website looking around because I recently found out that Synthroid works 100% better for me than generic levothyroxine, and it baffles me a bit. So I found this blurb on the Synthroid site.

"The Food and Drug Administration has determined that certain levothyroxine products are interchangeable. The FDA has determined that drugs that are classified as interchangeable can be substituted at the pharmacy. A levothyroxine product that is not interchangeable with Synthroid might not have the exact same effect on your TSH as Synthroid."

Then it shows pictures of four different brands of levothyroxine which I'm guessing are the ones that have been determined to be "interchangeable." So, I wonder if the brand of levo that I was taking previously was not one of these four. They are: Levo-T, Levoxyl, LT4, and Levothroid. I'll have to look at the old bottle when I go home. It most certainly did not work like Synthroid does, and I feel like this could be causing many of the problems people are having with getting their hypothyroidism under control! I mean, my labs looked fine on that generic stuff but I felt like crap. Humph.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

It's very possible. I know my endo feel strongly that I should stick with the brand name for the purposes of consistency. I've never tried a generic...


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I take Brand "Unithroid", which is actually considered generic.

It is SO important to check your pills upon refilling and confirm they are exactly the same

I've had absolutely no issue using Unithroid over what everyone considers Brand "Synthroid" and have alot more $$ in the bank.


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## Alya (Sep 24, 2014)

wait.. i'm on levothyroxine only (Euthyrox) and not doing that good, been thinking of adding T3 but really fear the side effects and idea that the HF is 6 hours and then its gone

does this mean if i took Synthroid i (may) feel better? and not need to resort to adding t3?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Alya said:


> wait.. i'm on levothyroxine only (Euthyrox) and not doing that good, been thinking of adding T3 but really fear the side effects and idea that the HF is 6 hours and then its gone
> 
> does this mean if i took Synthroid i (may) feel better? and not need to resort to adding t3?


Levothyroxine is the ingredient in all of the T4 replacement medications. Different fillers affect how it is absorbed by a person's body.

Key point - if you change "brand" of manufacturer you absolutely MUST lab 6 weeks after to see how your body absorbs it.

Absorption and Conversion are 2 different things. My thoughts are... if you do not convert well on one, it is likely you will not convert well on another or different one.

If you are properly dosed on T3 hormone there not alot of side effects. SOme , including me will feel some side effects when adding but that is usually because of being hypo for awhile. I take 12.5mcg daily which is 2 1/2 pills. The first 2 are spaced out 6-7 hours and the 3rd dose of 1/2 pill is about 2 hours after my 2nd dose. Rarely I feel a boost from the 2nd dose. I usually take my 1st dose at 5am and go back to sleep for 2 hours.


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

I have an RX for Levothyroxine - how do I know which one (brand) I'm taking?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Sabrina said:


> I have an RX for Levothyroxine - how do I know which one (brand) I'm taking?


The manufacturer will be on the prescription tag.


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## my3gr8girls (Mar 18, 2016)

> Alya said:
> 
> 
> > wait.. i'm on levothyroxine only (Euthyrox) and not doing that good, been thinking of adding T3 but really fear the side effects and idea that the HF is 6 hours and then its gone
> ...


For me, switching from generic levothyroxine (not sure which brand it was) to Synthroid made a huge difference.

My labs when taking generic levothyroxine (88 mcg) were:

TSH - 1.06, FT4 - 1.05, FT3 - 2.2

On the same dose of Synthroid (88 mcg)

TSH - 1.28, FT4 - 1.22, FT3 - 2.7

Isn't it strange how my TSH was higher with the Synthroid but both FT4 and FT3 were better and I felt 100% better? When I was taking Cytomel and my FT3 was as high as 3.3, I still felt worse than I do on just 88 mcg of Synthroid with an FT3 of 2.7. Weird.


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

my3gr8girls said:


> Then it shows pictures of four different brands of levothyroxine which I'm guessing are the ones that have been determined to be "interchangeable." So, I wonder if the brand of levo that I was taking previously was not one of these four. They are: Levo-T, Levoxyl, LT4, and Levothroid. I'll have to look at the old bottle when I go home. It most certainly did not work like Synthroid does, and I feel like this could be causing many of the problems people are having with getting their hypothyroidism under control! I mean, my labs looked fine on that generic stuff but I felt like crap. Humph.


Hey mine isn't one of those either! It's Mylan or something. Does that mean it's not going to work as well as one of these four or the brand name?

Oh great...first thing on google search... https://www.verywell.com/mylan-drugs-scandal-thyroid-3976217


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

Well this is a whole thread of people saying exactly the same thing, many others must have the brand name too or they have side effects. I am learning so much here!

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/07/21/trouble-switching-between-generic-levothyroxine-brands/


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## Isthmus123 (May 19, 2016)

1 comparison doesn't necessarily mean anything since tsh (and the rest) can fluctuate daily though correct? Maybe it's more about the body's reaction to fillers?


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## Tori64 (Mar 7, 2017)

thank you for this post, it is helpful to me. 
i am encouraged to see you are doing much better with only the synthroid after trying so many other things.

I have been down many paths with different thyroid meds, and trying to unlearn all the years of paying attention at the sttm.

i started with a new endo in January and he got me off NDT and onto 100 t4 generic 10 t3.. after 5 weeks i did labs and follow up.. he then have me synthroid samples at 112 and told me to drop the t3 down to 5, i have been "nervous" as i can't afford to have any less energy or stamina, as i am barley functioning as it is.

reading your posts is giving me some courage..maybe i will try to drop the 10 down to 5. How did you know when it was time for you to get off the T3?

also i think i have noticed the synthroid may be making me a bit sleepy, groggy during the day and then i wake up at nite. which i didn't experience with the generic. so some of this is still confusing and i have alot to learn..and after going through so many dr's it is really hard to put my trust in one especially after not feeling well for so dang long, i want to feel better and have some hope.

I called my endos office to see if they want me to stay on synthroid since they have not yet called in an RX but gave me 6 week samples and they said call us when you are close to running out of your medication and let us know how you feel. oddly he didnt order any labs for the follow up in 3 months. i guess they will give me some suggestions on dosage in another 5 weeks. i thought this was a bit odd.. ? am i just being paranoid?

thanks.


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