synthorid vs levothyroxine question

[ErinBeth]

Originally Posted by jenn3

erinbeth,
i wonder if that is why i was feeling good for the first month and now come to think of it when i renewed my prescription is when i started feeling crappy again and now it is 2 weeks into new bottle and i am feeling better. I wonder if i am adjusting to new one????
What do you think??
Jennifer

It could be, yes.

Levothyroxine is the generic name of the T4 hormone. The four brands I know about in the U.S. are: Synthroid (the one your doctor prescribed), Levoxyl (Amy takes that), Levothroid (I take that) and Unithroid (I believe Meep said he takes that).

Every 75 mcg Synthroid tablet will be very consistent with another 75 mcg Synthroid tablet. Every 75 mcg Levoxyl tablet will be very consistent with another 75 mcg Levoxyl tablet. Same for Levothroid. Same for Unithroid. Same for Brand A generic levothyroxine. Same for Brand B generic levothyroxine. And Brands C-X.

However, a 75 mcg Synthroid tablet will probably differ enough with a 75 mcg tablet of any other brand, generic or not, to make a difference to you if you get leveled and then get switched. If a 75 mcg Synthroid tablet contains more levothyroxine hormone than the Brand F generic levothyroxine your pharmacy switched to, you could very well have felt that difference.

[jenn3]

wow, thanks both amy and erinbeth for the info on that. I cannot believe this. Dr. called me back today but i wasn't home and missed the call unfortunately because i wanted to ask him if i should switch. I know he sent me a prescription in the mail for a bigger dose of synthroid. I am currently on .75 and he had said if i wanted to go to .88 i could, but now i am not sure if i should up and switch the brand at the same time. I won't know which is giving me the side effects if i do get any. I think i will get a prescription for the .75 mcg (which i am on), but get it in synthroid and then retest in another 6 weeks and see if i need to be up'd.
This is confusing now! I am just so afraid to feel crappy again.
Jennifer

[vickie45]

i started out on the levothyroxine 25mcg from my old dr who wouldnt check my thyriods my psychiatrist found it so i switched drs went to gyn and i stayed on the genearic brand for 6 weeks now i was put on the 50mcg of the name brand synthorid 50mcg i have had no side effects at all with either i only been on mine for 7 weeks and i feel great i finally have my life back i suffered a whole yr drom this but my co pay for genaric was 10.00 the name brand is 25 .00 but who cares if it works and as long as it makes me feel like me again i will take it.i nolonger see my old gp because of what he done i have a new dr im going to march 23rd hes a internal medicine dr. hope you start feeling as good as i feel and its only been 7 weeks for me but once he put me on the 50 mcg i started feeling great........

[jenn3]

vickie
i wonder if you feel better from upping your dose to 50 or because you changed to the synthroid instead of generic.
I was going to up and change to synthroid, but then i won't know if i feel different from upping or changing to the name brand.
what do you think???
jennifer

[ErinBeth]

Originally Posted by jenn3

vickie
I was going to up and change to synthroid, but then i won't know if i feel different from upping or changing to the name brand.
what do you think???
jennifer

If, after switching to the Synthroid you then stay with the Synthroid, it won't matter whether feeling better is due to the Synthroid or an increased dose. The goal is to feel better, even really good, and to stay with the same brand whether a refill is an increase or the same dose.