These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Synthroid vs. Levoxyl (generic)
Question: I am currently taking Synthroid 175mg, and the pharmacist offered to give me Levoxyl 175mg. The pharmacy assured me that they are equivalent and levoxyl costs half as much. Is it truly equivalent?
Answer: Generics are generally equivalent to brand name drugs; however, there are exceptions. One’s thyroid dose is optimally achieved by testing the blood levels of a hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. If this hormone level is normal the level of thyroid replacement is deemed sufficient. Consequently, if one uses generic or brand name thyroid the blood test is the best way to determine efficacy. I have had patients who have required slightly different doses of thyroid replacement on generic versus brand name. However, it is usually clinically equivalent. I would recommend at least yearly testing of thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) to ensure your levels are optimized. Also, I would be reluctant to switch the companies which manufacture your thyroid excessively.
