Thyroid Medication? Levoxyl Discontinued

[MissUrka]

  On 5/13/2013 at 1:48 PM, kareng said:

I take Synthroid. It is gluten free.

The manufacturer of Synthroid (Abbott) DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE GLUTEN FREE STATUS OF ITS PRODUCT ANY LONGER. I believe this includes all dosages. Please check glutenfreedrugs.com

[MissUrka]

  On 6/9/2013 at 3:25 AM, psawyer said:

Of course, you will have a source for this claim, and I expect that you will be sharing it with us promptly.

Please check the Alpha List at GlutenFreeDrugs.com

Open Original Shared Link

This is what they say about Synthriod:

Synthroid (all strengths)-can no longer guarantee gluten-free status

The new wording was put there sometime between October 2012 and March 2013

Regarding the glutefreedrugs website:

The Gluten Free Drugs website is authored and maintained by a clinical pharmacist as a public service, receiving no compensation whatsoever for providing this information. Information for this website is obtained from a number of sources, including personal contact with the manufacturers and input from other individuals who contact manufacturers. The information is continually updated as it is obtained.

This site is for informational purposes only. Please note that a reasonable attempt is made to provide accurate information. The webmaster is not responsible for any error contained within. All persons should interpret the information with caution and should seek medical advice when necessary. This descipifion is from Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

  On 9/2/2013 at 12:17 AM, MissUrka said:

Please check the Alpha List at GlutenFreeDrugs.comOpen Original Shared Link

This is what they say about Synthriod:

Synthroid (all strengths)-can no longer guarantee gluten-free status

The new wording was put there sometime between October 2012 and March 2013

Regarding the glutefreedrugs website:

The Gluten Free Drugs website is authored and maintained by a clinical pharmacist as a public service, receiving no compensation whatsoever for providing this information. Information for this website is obtained from a number of sources, including personal contact with the manufacturers and input from other individuals who contact manufacturers. The information is continually updated as it is obtained.

This site is for informational purposes only. Please note that a reasonable attempt is made to provide accurate information. The webmaster is not responsible for any error contained within. All persons should interpret the information with caution and should seek medical advice when necessary. This descipifion is from Open Original Shared Link

There is a difference between " yes. Our drug contains gluten" and "we don't knowingly use gluten "but, because we don't test for gluten, we will no longer say officially " gluten free". I choose to read the ingredients. You may decide to use it or not. That would be your choice.

[MissUrka]

Thanks for your reply! I just wanted to remind that, yes you can read the ingredients but you can never rule out cross contamination. If a company does not specifically TEST for gluten, it is highly unlikely that they will state without qualification that a product is gluten-free. Companies may not be able to guarantee that the raw materials they purchased to make the drug have not suffered cross-contamination. Even though their ingredient list does not include gluten for Synthroid, they have had some doses that supposedly included a gluten ingredient in the past and doses that did not. So, without knowing their manufacturing process it's hard to say about cross contamination. Myself, at least where food is concerned, I only consume food that is tested guaranteed gluten-free. I myself would not take a chance with a company who will not guarantee it through testing. Thanks!

[kareng]

  On 9/2/2013 at 2:04 AM, MissUrka said:

Thanks for your reply! I just wanted to remind that, yes you can read the ingredients but you can never rule out cross contamination. If a company does not specifically TEST for gluten, it is highly unlikely that they will state without qualification that a product is gluten-free. Companies may not be able to guarantee that the raw materials they purchased to make the drug have not suffered cross-contamination. Even though their ingredient list does not include gluten for Synthroid, they have had some doses that supposedly included a gluten ingredient in the past and doses that did not. So, without knowing their manufacturing process it's hard to say about cross contamination. Myself, at least where food is concerned, I only consume food that is tested guaranteed gluten-free. I myself would not take a chance with a company who will not guarantee it through testing. Thanks!

So you never eat frozen veggies? Fresh fruits? Canned pineapple? Dried beans? Meats?

It's your choice but hard to eat healthy that way. As far as meds, very few have gluten in them, so I'm not sure about cc. I wonder how many drug companies say gluten-free but haven't tested them. I guess you could call every food or drug company and quiz them about why they say gluten-free.

Where do you get the info that Synthroid's company "they have had some doses that supposedly included a gluten ingredient in the past and doses that did not"? Did the company post that? Or are you just guessing?

[LauraTX]

I take Mylan brand levothyroxine.  Some times people don't do well with a certain brand, but what matters is that you find one that works for you and stick with it.  If you change manufacturers, follow up with a blood test, since when things are measured in micrograms, the teeny differences in active ingredients between manufacturers can be enough to make you need a different strength.  A lot of physicians will write brand name Synthroid as medically necessary to avoid these problems.

 

I work in a hospital pharmacy, and we carry 4 different brands of levothyroxine, all strengths, plus the alternatives, and they try to keep the patient on the brand/manufacturer they were already on, or use the meds they bring from home, as to not adversely affect their blood levels. 

 

If you are nerdy like me and would like to read into this further, here is a good article from University of Illinois Pharmacy School:

Open Original Shared Link

 

I hope you have good luck settling into another brand.  Usually at a singular retail pharmacy, they will only carry one brand of generic levothyroxine as to not cause mix ups, but they can order your preferred brand as well.  That way you can keep all your medications safely filled at one place.  

[kitgordon]

Lannett brand generic levothyroxine is gluten free.

[melisc312]

  On 6/9/2013 at 2:46 AM, TerraNeu said:

I Had To Get Off Of Synthroid Since It Was No Longer Gluten-Free. I Am Also Not On Amour Because It Is Not Gluten-Free. I Have Been On Levothyroxine And It Has Made Me Bloat Up.

So what do you take then?

[cyclinglady]

  On 9/17/2013 at 4:26 AM, melisc312 said:

So what do you take then?

Read the rest of the earlier posts.    I can speak only for Armour Thyroid (been on it since 1997) and it's gluten free.  There are plenty of gluten free choices.  I also recommend doing more research on thyroid meds outside of this site (we're really into Celiac Disease!)

[cyclinglady]

  On 12/16/2013 at 7:02 AM, Daddyzgirl said:

So glad I found this thread. I'm jumping through hoops getting my HMO to get/order gluten-free thyroid meds for me. I brought a copy of glutenfreedrugs.com list to show my Endo and the Pharmacist. I've been gluten-free because of celiac disease for a year and apparently my meds aren't "clean".

 

I get my prescription from Costco (Armour Thyroid) and I DO NOT use my insurance.  If my doc writes the script for 100 tablets, it's actually cheaper than paying the monthly co-pay.  I don't have to order each month or go through a mail-house pharmacy either!  Shop around your local pharmacys and ask for the cash price.  Then get whatever thyroid med you want as long as it's gluten free!  

[cahill]

  On 9/17/2013 at 4:46 AM, cyclinglady said:

Read the rest of the earlier posts.    I can speak only for Armour Thyroid (been on it since 1997) and it's gluten free.  There are plenty of gluten free choices.  I also recommend doing more research on thyroid meds outside of this site (we're really into Celiac Disease!)

I for one can multi  task . I am "into" celiacs that is true but since other autoimmune diseases ( such as hashimotos ) go hand and hand with celiacs many of us have  learn to multi task .

I can not recommend any of the "thyroid " sites for information . They are just plain scary .