Synthroid vs Levothyroxine

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Has anyone ever taken both and noticed a difference between them & how you feel?
I have been taken Levothyroxine and this last time I went to the Dr. she said she didn't realize I was on the generic, but, she wanted me on the name brand . She said some drugs are fine as a generic, but, not synthroid .
At the time I didn't think much about it, but, when I sent my order in to mail order it cost me $60 bucks vs. 10 bucks .
Just wondering if its worth the extra money unless its REALLY going to make a difference.

 

[LuvOrlando]

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[Christine]

Here's the deal.

Thyroid hormone pills have a very narrow window regarding dosing. They can vary a lot between brands. While the dosage in each brand or generic is the same, the fillers and the way they are dissolved in your body can be very different.

When you stick with one name brand, you can be assured that every time you fill that prescription at the pharmacy that every pill of, say, 100 mg of Synthroid is going to be the same.

If you go generic, you may get a different generic each month. Many manufacturers make levothyroxine and the pharmacy is going to buy whatever it gets the best deal on. So, one month your levothyroxine might come from Forrest Pharmaceuticals and the next month it could come from Sandoz Pharmaceuticals. Each time you get a different pill "style" of hormone and it could make a difference in your levels month-to-month--something you don't want to do.

Now, Synthroid is the most expensive "brand" name. There are other brand names that you can take that are cheaper. I know take the brand name Levoxyl because I became allergic to one of Synthroid's filler ingredients. Levoxyl doesn't have it and it works for me. It is also cheaper. Levothroid is another brand name that works well and is usually charged a lesser copay that Synthroid. It's really going to be up to your insurance company.

But I agree with your doctor. It is even more important to use a brand if you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. You do not want your TSH flucuating, rising, and then stimulating any leftover thyroid cancer cells.

 

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Here's the deal.

Thyroid hormone pills have a very narrow window regarding dosing. They can vary a lot between brands. While the dosage in each brand or generic is the same, the fillers and the way they are dissolved in your body can be very different.

When you stick with one name brand, you can be assured that every time you fill that prescription at the pharmacy that every pill of, say, 100 mg of Synthroid is going to be the same.

If you go generic, you may get a different generic each month. Many manufacturers make levothyroxine and the pharmacy is going to buy whatever it gets the best deal on. So, one month your levothyroxine might come from Forrest Pharmaceuticals and the next month it could come from Sandoz Pharmaceuticals. Each time you get a different pill "style" of hormone and it could make a difference in your levels month-to-month--something you don't want to do.

Now, Synthroid is the most expensive "brand" name. There are other brand names that you can take that are cheaper. I know take the brand name Levoxyl because I became allergic to one of Synthroid's filler ingredients. Levoxyl doesn't have it and it works for me. It is also cheaper. Levothroid is another brand name that works well and is usually charged a lesser copay that Synthroid. It's really going to be up to your insurance company.

But I agree with your doctor. It is even more important to use a brand if you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. You do not want your TSH flucuating, rising, and then stimulating any leftover thyroid cancer cells.

What symptoms did you have that made you aware you were allergic to it?

 

[Disney Doll]

I have often heard that the generic is not as effective as the brand name.

Synthroid is pretty inexpensive as drugs go, so if there's any doubt, go with the brand.

 

[englishteacha]

I guess I'm the one with a differing opinion. I've been on generic for 2.5 years and feel pretty good. I am on a very low dosage, though, so that may make a difference. In the time I've been taking it, the only time I had different pills was when I had to change pharmacies. I haven't noticed any change in how I feel.

 

[Disfan1]

I tried to switch to the generic but I started feeling depressed & cold all the time so my Doctor put me back on Synthroid. I feel so much better now it is worth the little bit extra I pay each month.

 

[Christine]

What symptoms did you have that made you aware you were allergic to it?

I am allergic to povidone. It wasn't the Synthroid that gave me a particular reaction (because the amount was so small) however, I started having reactions to things like Motrin, Advil, Extra-Strength Tylenol, Feosol, and some others. I was shocked. About 20-40 minutes after taking any of the above medications, I would get a single, nickel sized hive on my chest in the center. Or sometimes it would be on my back. At first I thought I was allergic to Ibuprofen, but then I concluded it was a filler because I truly couldn't be allergic to ALL of these things. I had to do a whole spreadsheet to narrow it down and concluded it was povidone. What threw me for awhile is that my Synthroid had it and I didn't seem to react to that; although, I always had a constant acne-like rash and was flushed red on my chest and could no longer wear V-necks. I thought I had rosacea.

So, after stopping all those other meds I finally stop the Synthroid and my chest cleared up.

 

[monkey68]

Most drugs, it doesn't really matter if you take generic vs. brand name. But for thyroid drugs, and one other type of drug that is escaping me at the moment, it does make a difference. The FDA says a generic drug has to have a certain range of percentage of activity compared to the brand name drug. The thing is, for thyroid drugs, that range covers doses that will either make your numbers too low or too high at a given dose. It's not a huge range, which is why it's OK for other drugs, but thyroid meds have a small window in which they're effective, and you don't want your levels to keep fluctuating, which is why it's important to know you're getting the same drug, same brand, same dose every month.

 

[Keli]

My dr mentioned we might need to try synthoid since we're having a difficult time getting my numbers to stop fluctuating. I hope it doesn't cost me to much more!

 

[Snoozan]

I have always taken Levothroid for my thyroid med - my doctor always puts the "do not subsitute" on my prescriptions so I can't get the generic versions. Levothroid falls under the Tier 1 of my prescription plan, and is actually cheaper than the lowest co-pay for the generic. I've always been told that you should stay on the same brand as there are differences, especially in the fillers.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow! Talk about perfect timing for a topic.

I just saw my Doc on Thursday. My TSH was wicked off. I'd switched to the generic three months prior.

I'd been experiencing increased negative symptoms but never connected the two.

She put me back on Synthroid faster than you can imagine! (She never ordered the generic, my pharmacy filled it that way).

So, lesson learned. When it comes to thyroid meds, I'll stick with the brand name. (There are other brand names that have good reputations other than Synthroid, by the way).

 

[Just Jan]

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I have taken Synthroid and am now taking levothyroxine with no ill effects from either. I have been on thyroid meds for 16 years.

 

[MushyMushy]

You absolutely want to be on the name brand for your thyroid meds. Do a little research and read Mary Shomon's book Living Well with Hypothyroidism. She also runs About.com's thyroid forum, so check it out as well!

 

[yeartolate]

Has anyone ever taken both and noticed a difference between them & how you feel?
I have been taken Levothyroxine and this last time I went to the Dr. she said she didn't realize I was on the generic, but, she wanted me on the name brand . She said some drugs are fine as a generic, but, not synthroid .
At the time I didn't think much about it, but, when I sent my order in to mail order it cost me $60 bucks vs. 10 bucks .
Just wondering if its worth the extra money unless its REALLY going to make a difference.

I willtell you that our patients in the hospital are definitly on generic and we check their thyroid function on a regular basis and have no trouble with contolling their hypothyroidism.

That is my perspective.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have been on Synthroid (brand) for 15 or 20 years, switched to generic a year or so ago. My levels are tested at least twice a year, apparently no change.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Has anyone ever taken both and noticed a difference between them & how you feel?
I have been taken Levothyroxine and this last time I went to the Dr. she said she didn't realize I was on the generic, but, she wanted me on the name brand . She said some drugs are fine as a generic, but, not synthroid .
At the time I didn't think much about it, but, when I sent my order in to mail order it cost me $60 bucks vs. 10 bucks .
Just wondering if its worth the extra money unless its REALLY going to make a difference.

My dr said the same thing. I was on generic and my blood tests were always fine. But when my new DR. saw I was on generic, she told me to switch to Synthroid. My Synthroid costs me the same as the generic, my copay is $5/month. I am on it because of a partial thyroidectomy.

I was supposed to go in for the blood test after I went back on Synthroid for a couple of months, but I still haven't done it. I haven't noticed any difference, I guess my blood test will show.

 

[taximomfor4]

my endocrinologist told me that while he feels the use of generics is fine for most drugs, thyroid hormone is too specific, and needs too tightly controlled to use generics. THe dosing is so small and carefully titrated. He said the results of generic thyroid hormone replacement is "inconsistent." Therefore he allows no generic.

ETA: my labs that time came back not great, but he refused to adjust my dosage till I went back on name brand (Levoxyl), and was on it for 8 weeks (readjustment period). After that 8 weeks back on name brand, my labs came back good.

 

[taximomfor4]

I willtell you that our patients in the hospital are definitly on generic and we check their thyroid function on a regular basis and have no trouble with contolling their hypothyroidism.

That is my perspective.

Our hospital does NOT substitute generic. So many patients are on thyroid meds, they still have each patient whichever name brand they were on at home. And because TSH levels take weeks to rise/fall in response to thyroid hormone, the only way to know if someone's levels are changing from the generic is to repeat the labs after 2 months or so.

 

[Mellie2162]

Has anyone ever taken both and noticed a difference between them & how you feel?
I have been taken Levothyroxine and this last time I went to the Dr. she said she didn't realize I was on the generic, but, she wanted me on the name brand . She said some drugs are fine as a generic, but, not synthroid .
At the time I didn't think much about it, but, when I sent my order in to mail order it cost me $60 bucks vs. 10 bucks .
Just wondering if its worth the extra money unless its REALLY going to make a difference.

The endocrinologist told my DH the same thing and put him on Synthroid. His NP sent him to the endo because she couldn't get his TSH under control and he said it was because of the levo. Since he has been on Synthroid there has been no issue with his TFTs.