Guest guest Posted February 22, 2001 Report Share Posted February 22, 2001 In a message dated 2/22/01 3:05:39 PM Pacific Standard Time, writes: > Test him for what? > > > > > Test 's thyroid med to make sure he is not getting too much, since his behaviors are bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2001 Report Share Posted February 22, 2001 Test him for what? > > > > Have they tested him to make sure he's not on too > high a dose of Synthroid? > > I'll tell you if it was'n't for the fact that the > hypothyroidism was adding > > to his chronic constipation, I might have > considered NOT medicating the > > > > You know, Terry, I was thinking the same thing > myself! We have another appt. > with the endo. spec. on March 5th, and before we see > him, has a blood > work order to get blood drawn beforehand, so that > they will get the results > before I go in for the appt. They said he's gotta > be on it at least one > month in order to check the levels.... started > taking it around Feb. > 4th.... > > Ironically, never exhibited ANY signs of > hypothyroidism...quite the > opposite in fact.....I would've thought he had an > OVER active one! Endo's > explanation for this is that it's not that > bad....yet...but, if left > untreated, would've started to become sluggish > and gain weight...not a > bad thing right now! > > I also had asked the endo. guy if this Synthroid > would affect his other med > for hyperactivity, and he said that it was such a > low dose (50mcg) that it > shouldn't! Yeah, right!! > > So, we will see when the blood work is drawn and we > go back on the 5th of > March. > > Thanks for the suggestions.....great minds think > alike! > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 Sharon, > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles about that you can find > so much research on the net showing that Armour is superior to anything > else that he should agree. I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to the Armour thyroid. I copied (off the internet) alot of research backing Armour. I thought " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I handed him the info and he layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the synthroid with cytomel. He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the synthetic meds. I was very angry when I left, although I am presently taking both meds I will be on the search for a new Dr that will at least let me try the Armour. Its my body... the choice should be mine. > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid glandular, which is > made by many companies these days, though if you can get Standard > Process, I've read about some other thyroid support, homeo/herbal supplements but was told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't work. Can't supplement something thats not there " . I really like S.P. and have used other supplements from them. I'll have to inquire about SP thyroid. > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new thyroid book, >> The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A lot of good info. Terri L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 Sharon, > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles about that you can find > so much research on the net showing that Armour is superior to anything > else that he should agree. I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to the Armour thyroid. I copied (off the internet) alot of research backing Armour. I thought " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I handed him the info and he layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the synthroid with cytomel. He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the synthetic meds. I was very angry when I left, although I am presently taking both meds I will be on the search for a new Dr that will at least let me try the Armour. Its my body... the choice should be mine. > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid glandular, which is > made by many companies these days, though if you can get Standard > Process, I've read about some other thyroid support, homeo/herbal supplements but was told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't work. Can't supplement something thats not there " . I really like S.P. and have used other supplements from them. I'll have to inquire about SP thyroid. > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new thyroid book, >> The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A lot of good info. Terri L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 What is that 'Armour thyriod'? Thanks annhope1@... wrote: > Sharon, > > > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles about that you can find > > so much research on the net showing that Armour is superior to anything > > else that he should agree. > > I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to the Armour thyroid. I > copied (off the internet) alot of research backing Armour. I thought > " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I handed him the info and he > layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the synthroid with cytomel. > He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the synthetic meds. > I was very angry when I left, although I am presently taking both meds I > will be on the search for a new Dr that will at least let me try the Armour. > Its my body... the choice should be mine. > > > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid glandular, which is > > made by many companies these days, though if you can get Standard > > Process, > > I've read about some other thyroid support, homeo/herbal supplements but was > told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't work. Can't supplement > something thats not there " . > I really like S.P. and have used other supplements from them. I'll have to > inquire about SP thyroid. > > > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new thyroid book, >> > > The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A lot of good info. > Terri L. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 What is that 'Armour thyriod'? Thanks annhope1@... wrote: > Sharon, > > > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles about that you can find > > so much research on the net showing that Armour is superior to anything > > else that he should agree. > > I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to the Armour thyroid. I > copied (off the internet) alot of research backing Armour. I thought > " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I handed him the info and he > layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the synthroid with cytomel. > He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the synthetic meds. > I was very angry when I left, although I am presently taking both meds I > will be on the search for a new Dr that will at least let me try the Armour. > Its my body... the choice should be mine. > > > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid glandular, which is > > made by many companies these days, though if you can get Standard > > Process, > > I've read about some other thyroid support, homeo/herbal supplements but was > told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't work. Can't supplement > something thats not there " . > I really like S.P. and have used other supplements from them. I'll have to > inquire about SP thyroid. > > > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new thyroid book, >> > > The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A lot of good info. > Terri L. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 What is that 'Armour thyriod'? Thanks annhope1@... wrote: > Sharon, > > > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles about that you can find > > so much research on the net showing that Armour is superior to anything > > else that he should agree. > > I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to the Armour thyroid. I > copied (off the internet) alot of research backing Armour. I thought > " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I handed him the info and he > layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the synthroid with cytomel. > He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the synthetic meds. > I was very angry when I left, although I am presently taking both meds I > will be on the search for a new Dr that will at least let me try the Armour. > Its my body... the choice should be mine. > > > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid glandular, which is > > made by many companies these days, though if you can get Standard > > Process, > > I've read about some other thyroid support, homeo/herbal supplements but was > told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't work. Can't supplement > something thats not there " . > I really like S.P. and have used other supplements from them. I'll have to > inquire about SP thyroid. > > > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new thyroid book, >> > > The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A lot of good info. > Terri L. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 I asked my doctor to place me on Armour once. He looked in this little black book he always carries around and the book said Armour was " obsolete. " He said he couldn't justify switching me to an obsolete medication when the Synthoid was working. I am also on cytomel(50 mcg a day), which was prescribed by another doctor. My Synthroid dosage is 0.l5 mg. Joy --- annhope1@... wrote: > Sharon, > > > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles > about that you can find > > so much research on the net showing that Armour is > superior to anything > > else that he should agree. > > I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to > the Armour thyroid. I > copied (off the internet) alot of research backing > Armour. I thought > " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I > handed him the info and he > layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the > synthroid with cytomel. > He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the > synthetic meds. > I was very angry when I left, although I am > presently taking both meds I > will be on the search for a new Dr that will at > least let me try the Armour. > Its my body... the choice should be mine. > > > > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid > glandular, which is > > made by many companies these days, though if you > can get Standard > > Process, > > I've read about some other thyroid support, > homeo/herbal supplements but was > told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't > work. Can't supplement > something thats not there " . > I really like S.P. and have used other supplements > from them. I'll have to > inquire about SP thyroid. > > > > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new > thyroid book, >> > > The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A > lot of good info. > Terri L. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 I asked my doctor to place me on Armour once. He looked in this little black book he always carries around and the book said Armour was " obsolete. " He said he couldn't justify switching me to an obsolete medication when the Synthoid was working. I am also on cytomel(50 mcg a day), which was prescribed by another doctor. My Synthroid dosage is 0.l5 mg. Joy --- annhope1@... wrote: > Sharon, > > > Armour thyroid, now porcine sourced > > will be your best friend! If your doc quibbles > about that you can find > > so much research on the net showing that Armour is > superior to anything > > else that he should agree. > > I have been asking my Dr for years about changing to > the Armour thyroid. I > copied (off the internet) alot of research backing > Armour. I thought > " finally he'll make the change in my meds " . I > handed him the info and he > layed in on my folder and decided to supplement the > synthroid with cytomel. > He won't budge on the Armour...he toots the > synthetic meds. > I was very angry when I left, although I am > presently taking both meds I > will be on the search for a new Dr that will at > least let me try the Armour. > Its my body... the choice should be mine. > > > > Also you should take a natural whole raw thyroid > glandular, which is > > made by many companies these days, though if you > can get Standard > > Process, > > I've read about some other thyroid support, > homeo/herbal supplements but was > told " if you don't have a thyroid, these won't > work. Can't supplement > something thats not there " . > I really like S.P. and have used other supplements > from them. I'll have to > inquire about SP thyroid. > > > > I would also suggest you get Slomon's new > thyroid book, >> > > The title is " Living Well with Hypothyroidsim " . A > lot of good info. > Terri L. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 Doedens wrote: > > What is that 'Armour thyriod'? , " Armour " is the name of the meat packing company that first put bovine thyroid into pill form so that hypothyroid patients could be treated. It was the first and only supplement available for many years. However, the pharmaceutical companies couldn't make enough profit as a natural supplement can not be patented, so they went to work in their laboratories to devise a synthetic form so that they then could own the patent on a prescription drug. They convinced the doctors that this form was more reliable as they could guarantee the exact amount of the effective factor, which they thought was T-4, i.e., Synthroid for example. The Armour thyroid is now owned and produced by another company, and the source is pig instead of cow since it is believed to be more like the human thyroid. Time and again, it has been proven, in vivo, to be more effective that any synthetic. There still may be a need in some people for a pure T-3 factor, such as Cytomel. My feeling is that it should be given WITH the animal/Armour product for a complete gland. We STILL can't fool Mother Nature! Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 Doedens wrote: > > What is that 'Armour thyriod'? , " Armour " is the name of the meat packing company that first put bovine thyroid into pill form so that hypothyroid patients could be treated. It was the first and only supplement available for many years. However, the pharmaceutical companies couldn't make enough profit as a natural supplement can not be patented, so they went to work in their laboratories to devise a synthetic form so that they then could own the patent on a prescription drug. They convinced the doctors that this form was more reliable as they could guarantee the exact amount of the effective factor, which they thought was T-4, i.e., Synthroid for example. The Armour thyroid is now owned and produced by another company, and the source is pig instead of cow since it is believed to be more like the human thyroid. Time and again, it has been proven, in vivo, to be more effective that any synthetic. There still may be a need in some people for a pure T-3 factor, such as Cytomel. My feeling is that it should be given WITH the animal/Armour product for a complete gland. We STILL can't fool Mother Nature! Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 2, 2001 Report Share Posted July 2, 2001 Dear Oxy list members, I thought you might want to take a look at these articles about Synthroid and Armour thyroid. Both are from http://www.mercola.com He has a wonderful newsletter, by the way, and anyone can subscribe to it. Regards, Nina Silver, Ph.D. dedicated to world healing and social change visit my website http://www.Heart-of-Healing.com *****************1st article***************** NEJM Study Proves Armour Thyroid Better Than Synthroid Patients with hypothyroidism show greater improvements in mood and brain function if they receive treatment Armour thyroid rather than Synthroid (thyroxiine). Hypothyroidism, where the gland has ceased to function or been removed, is usually treated with daily doses of Synthroid. But the researchers found that substituting Armour thyroid led to improvements in mood and in neuropsychological functioning. Not all tissues that need thyroid hormone are equally able to convert thyroxine to triiodothyronine, the active form of the hormone. But most patients with hypothyroidism (reduced thyroid function) are treated only with thyroxine. On 6 of 17 measures of mood and cognition -- a catchall term that refers to language, learning and memory -- the patients scored better after receiving Armour thyroid than after receiving Synthroid. No score was better after Synthroid than after combination treatment. The authors also detected biochemical evidence that thyroid hormone action was greater after treatment with Armour thyroid. The patients who were on Armour thyroid had significantly higher serum concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin The New England Journal of Medicine 1999;340:424-429, 469-470. COMMENT: Extracts of animal thyroid tissue, first used in 1892, contained both thyroxine and triiodothyronine (Armour thyroid) and were the only available treatment for hypothyroidism for some 50 years. Because of concern about their variable potency, these extracts have been considered obsolete for some time by all but a few natural prescribers. This is a MAJOR article. I did not realize that natural therapies would penetrate this far this quickly. I am very surprised that this was published in NEJM. If one reads the editorial, you will find that it recommends that patient NOT switch from Synthroid to Armour thyroid because more research needs to be done and " the majority of patients taking Synthroid " have no complaints about their medication. " If your doctor or endocrinologist refuses to give you Armour thyroid instead of Synthroid, you can use this article to show him that it is indeed better. Synthroid (thryoxine) is RARELY ever the best choice for hypothyroid patients. *********************2nd article******************** If Synthroid is Safe and Effective, Why Won't It Apply for FDA Approval Like its Competitors? by J. Shomon Apparently, my article from February 15, 2001, titled " Synthroid Still Lacks Approval Necessary to Remain Legally on the Market After August 14, 2001 " raised concern among the management of Knoll Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Synthroid. Thanks to a friendly reader and her pharmacist, I received a copy of the following letter, dated February 22, 2001, which according to the pharmacist, was being aggressively distributed by Knoll to doctors and pharmacists around the country, as a response to my article. First, read the actual letter being sent by the Synthroid manufacturer, then let's take a look at some of the concerns it raises. February 22, 2001 Dear Dr. ___________: As you know, millions of patients rely on SYNTHROIDR (levothyroxine sodium tablets, USP) every day to control hypothyroidism. As the makers of SYNTHROID, we are grateful for your support and proud of the role we play in maintaining your patients' good health. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that inaccurate and misleading information has been circulating about SYNTHROID. We are writing today to set the record straight. Here are the facts: SYNTHROID has been recognized as safe and effective for more than 40 years To ensure product quality, we manufacture SYNTHROID in strict accordance with all FDA rules and regulations and subject to FDA inspection. We are pleased to note that SYNTHROID continues to meet those regulations and our manufacturing facility routinely passes inspection, including meeting all standards for stability and potency Because of the long history of use, Knoll Pharmaceutical Company was able to petition the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recognize SYNTHROID as " generally recognized as safe and effective. " This action complies with the FDA August 1997 Federal Register Notice regarding oral levothyroxine products and is an acceptable alternative to filing an NDA We do not foresee any circumstances under which SYNTHROID will fail to be available for hypothyroid patients. We will continue to support SYNTHROID for physicians and the more than 9 million patients who rely on it. We hope this reassures you of our continuing commitment to you and your patients. Many people depend on SYNTHROID. We work hard to remain worthy of their trust. Sincerely, R. Hathaway, MD VP, Medical Affairs D. Dolch, PhD VP, Quality Assurance The Real Facts About Synthroid and the New Drug Application The above letter is an example of the lengths to which the marketing department of Knoll Pharmaceutical will go to maintain market share for their product. Now, let's take a look at the actual facts. Synthroid has never gone through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. It was grandfathered in under the FDA's recognition of the safety and effectiveness of the natural desiccated thyroid drug, Armour Thyroid, which is made from the gland of pigs, and contains two forms of thyroid hormone, T4 and T3. Synthroid, however, is a synthetic drug that contains the synthetically manufacturered form of only one hormone, T4. While the manufacturer states that " Synthroid has been recognized as safe and effective for more than 40 years, " in 1997, the FDA said otherwise when they issued a very unusual requirement that levothyroxine drugs -- including Synthroid -- be required to go through a new drug application (NDA) process, as if they were a new drug that had never been on the market before. In issuing its requirement for an NDA, the FDA stated: " ...no currently marketed orally administered levothyroxine sodium product has been shown to demonstrate consistent potency and stability and, thus, no currently marketed orally administered levothyroxine sodium product is generally recognized as safe and effective. " -- U.S. FDA The FDA itself, therefore, contradicts Synthroid's statement. The letter claims that " ...our manufacturing facility routinely passes inspection. " Patients, however, should ask what this has to do with ensuring product quality and safety, given that the FDA has called for the drug -- and not a facility -- to go through the NDA process in order to ensure product quality, safety and effectiveness for patients. While the letter indicates that Knoll has filed a petition with the US FDA to recognize Synthroid as " generally recognized as safe and effective, " such status has not been granted by the FDA to Synthroid to date. Again, the FDA's justification for the nearly unprecedented act of calling for new drug application on a drug that had been on the market for more than 40 years was that " No currently marketed orally administered levothyroxine sodium product is generally recognized as safe and effective. " The letter states that " We do not foresee any circumstances under which SYNTHROID will fail to be available for hypothyroid patients. " This seems to be an optimistic statement, given that, as indicated above, the FDA clearly stated that " No levothyroxine sodium product is generally recognized as safe and effective, " and has so far failed to approve Knoll's application for such status, yet has reviewed and approved Unithroid, the levothyroxine product manufactured by Jerome s Pharmaceuticals, in August of 2000. In the meantime, as of March 2001, Knoll has still not filed an NDA for Synthroid, but has managed to force the FDA to extend its original deadline of August 2000 to the new deadline of August 2001, mainly to accommodate a variety of bureaucratic requests made by Knoll. What's Legal? What's Approved? And By When? As of March 30, 2001, Unithroid is the only FDA-approved levothyroxine product on the market, and recently, the FDA has made Unithroid the " Reference Drug Listing " for levothyroxine. Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid and the other competitors are still legal to sell, because the FDA deemed them necessary drugs that should remain legal to sell while the NDA process was completed. They are NOT, however, products that have gone through the FDA approval process. If your doctor or pharmacist tells you otherwise, they are misinformed. In order to remain legally available after August of 2001, Synthroid and the other levothyroxine products besides Unithroid will either need to receive an approved NDA, or will have to successfully argue, as Synthroid is attempting, that these NDA requirements do not apply to their product, and they should be exempt from the application process, instead receiving what's known as " Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRAS/E) " status. This status would allow them to bypass the NDA testing and approval process. It is not likely that the deadline will be further extended, as seen in a recent letter from the FDA's Association Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Dennis E.Baker, to representatives of Jerome s Pharmaceuticals, in which he states " At present, the August 14, 2001, deadline remains in place, and FDA has no plans to extend the date by which levothyroxine sodium products must have approved applications. " Benefits to Patients of the Drugs Going Through the New Drug Application Process Full Information About Safety, Effectiveness, Doses and Side Effects-- The New Drug Application process is a detailed process in which a drug manufacturer must scientifically demonstrate to the FDA that the drug being submitted is safe and effective, at what doses it works best, and what side effects it causes. This is important -- potentially even life-saving -- information that is essential for health professionals to properly prescribe, pharmacists to properly dispense, and patients to safely take levothyroxine. Information About Side Effects -- Because levothyroxine sodium products are prescription drugs currently marketed without approved NDAs, manufacturers until now have been required to report only those adverse drug experiences that are unexpected and serious. They are not required to report all adverse drug experiences, including expected or less serious events. Once approved via NDA, however, all adverse drug experiences, including expected or less serious events, are periodically required to be filed with the FDA. This sort of information on side effects and problems is information that is essential for patient safety. Ensured Stability, Potency and Safety for Patients -- In approving Unithroid last August, the FDA wrote: Although oral levothyroxine drugs products have been marketed in the United States since the 1950's, the approval of Unithroid represents the first time that a single ingredient oral levothryoxine product has been approved by the FDA. The unapproved thyroid hormone replacement products that have been on the market have been associated with stability and potency problems. These problems have resulted in product recalls and have the potential to cause serious health consequences to the public. With the approval of the NDA for Unithroid, patients and physicians now have available to them an oral levothryroxine sodium drug product that has been determined to be safe and effective by the FDA and that also meets FDA standards for manufacturing processes, purity, potency, and stability. -- US FDA Questions Patients Should Ask Ask yourself why the FDA would have taken the unusual step of calling for a new drug application on a drug that had been available for decades unless there were, as they stated, safety and effectiveness concerns that posed a clear risk to public health. Synthroid is the top-selling thyroid drug on the market, and one of the top five drugs sold in the United States. Its manufacturer, Knoll, was a division of one huge multinational company BASF, until it was recently sold to another huge multinational drug company, Abbott Labs. One would think that Synthroid would be easy to obtain approval for, especially vis a vis an unknown product of a small family-owned drug manufacturer, which, while it was making levothyroxine products for ten years, has never had a well-known brand name, marketing clout, or any influence with the FDA. Yet the Jerome s company was able to apply for and receive approval for its levothyroxine product, within the FDA's original deadline of August of 2000. One needs to ask how a " little guy " like Jerome s was able to obtain approval within the three-year deadline, when the uncontested industry giant has yet to even apply, more than 3 1/2 years after the FDA called for new drug applications. Given that the FDA, in approving a levothyroxine product, continued to discuss the stability and potency problems and serious health consequences of the other products, it seems that it's in the public's best interest for all levothyroxine products to go through the approval process. Ask why and how, at this late point, the FDA would possibly reverse this concern and grant " generally recognized as safe and effective " status to Synthroid or any other levothyroxine product while still claiming to protect public health. If you want to take Unithroid, and your pharmacist tells you that they cannot get Unithroid for you, ask them why they are not carrying the only FDA-approved levothyroxine product? Are they financially benefitting by offering only competitors' product? Are they receiving financial incentives for promoting one particular levothyroxine? And if they refuse to get Unithroid -- which is being marketed through Pharmaceuticals, and is easily available to all US pharmacies -- then ask your pharmacy if they would like you to take your business elsewhere, to another pharmacy that is not unduly influenced by drug company marketing, and will make the only FDA-approved levothyroxine available to patients. Ask yourself why is Knoll Pharmaceutical attempting to bypass the NDA process for Synthroid, therefore effectively bypassing important safety measures for patients? It would seem that it can only benefit the more than 9 million patients taking levothyroxine products that all the competing drugs available -- including Synthroid -- be required to go through this same evaluation process, in order to ensure product safety and effectiveness. In Knoll's letter, they state, " Many people depend on SYNTHROID. We work hard to remain worthy of their trust. " Ask yourself if the more than 9 million thyroid patients taking levothyroxine products should ultimately trust a product that has not gone through FDA approval. Ask yourself if the more than 9 million patients taking levothyroxine should be able to take their drugs each day, secure in the knowledge that all levothyroxine products on the market have met the same stringent safety and effectiveness standards. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: I am no fan of Synthroid and rarely recommend it. However, if for any reason you need to be on it, the least you can do is switch your brand to Unithroid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2001 Report Share Posted July 3, 2001 Hello - Have you seen a cardiologist? SOunds like you need to get an EKG, Sonar, and monitor to find out what is going on. I have MVP as well as hypothyroid, and I stopped the flutters by taking 50mg of beta blocker (metoprolol) per day. Good luck - Jennie __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2001 Report Share Posted July 3, 2001 Hi Luck, This sounds like pure coincidence. Doubtful your crash had anything to do with your thyroid, or type of medication for same. I'd point the finger at the beer before the thyroid<G> Sharon luckower@... wrote: > > prior to my becoming ill with chronic fatigue i was on levothroid .025 > milligrams. i felt amazing for about 3 months. and then after drinking beer > one night crashed to the point of chrnic illness. has anyone ever heard of > this happening before with this medication? would armour thyoid have > prevented this from happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2001 Report Share Posted July 3, 2001 Hi Luck, This sounds like pure coincidence. Doubtful your crash had anything to do with your thyroid, or type of medication for same. I'd point the finger at the beer before the thyroid<G> Sharon luckower@... wrote: > > prior to my becoming ill with chronic fatigue i was on levothroid .025 > milligrams. i felt amazing for about 3 months. and then after drinking beer > one night crashed to the point of chrnic illness. has anyone ever heard of > this happening before with this medication? would armour thyoid have > prevented this from happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 Hi ls and Terry (and Jan): Jan-- Glad to see I could help. Take the below info with you to the doctor, ok? And, find a good Endocrinologist (thyroid/diabetes specialist). I'm just now discovering things about my thyroid disease that I didn't know. For instance, just what are the 'normal' ranges for testing the Thyroid? A friend (who also suffers w/ hypothyroidism) wrote me back with the following info: " Usually, physicians do not take all of the blood work that is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. In addition, with thyroid sometimes, one just has to go on symptoms. Necessary lab values are TSH, T4, Free T4, T 3 and Free T3. For many with hypothyroidism, there is a T3 switchback to T4. This takes meds that have T4 and T3. The third most sold med in the U.S. is Synthroid which does not have T3. So, one is out of luck if the doctor does not test the T3 and only prescribs a T4 thyroid med. " This friend was on Synthroid of 30 years -- and felt like a zombie most of the time. She finally switched to 'Armour' brand. I didn't even know there was something ELSE for thyroid!! I've been so caught up in figuring out what's going on with (and other family members) I've decided to take a TIME OUT and work on MYSELF and MY condition! Lately, like you ls, I'm not getting the relief from Synthroid. I've been feeling sluggish again (another sign of thyroid problems), unexplained weight gain AGAIN (I'm eating like a bird! ugh!) and my gland ACHES all the time. It's actually throbbing in my neck. So, I know something is NOT RIGHT. I plan to call my doc too--- TODAY. I don't really think this is off-topic. Thyroid problems can mimic mental illness, so I think it's important. I was EXTREMELY depressed before I discovered that I had an enlarged gland with nodules all over it. Although, the news of THAT wasn't so great either. They might have to remove my gland all together if it doesn't start shrinking on Synthroid.... And, yes... apparently it's genetic, but I can't find any family members w/ thyroid problems. My grandmother, however, used to complain of a 'tightness in her neck/throat' for many years, though... and she CHOKED constantly. Joni > > Ditto to that Joni! > > I have hypothyroidism een removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 I have been hypothyroid for about 6 years now, but it took me about 3 years before I finally leveled out on the right dosage. I now only have a TSH done about every 6 months. If I begin to have symptoms again or more trouble, then they would do a complete thyroid panel on me. I take Levoxyl and have had no trouble with it. One lesson I learned the hard way, is - DON'T TAKE YOUR THYROID MEDICATION WITH VITAMINS CONTAINING IRON!!! It significantly reduces the ability of the thyroid medication to be absorbed into your system. I found this out first-hand - I was anemic and was put on mega doses of iron - 3X a day. I took my first iron pill in the morning with my levoxyl and in about 3 weeks was so tired I thought I had mono or something - it turned out to be the iron/levoxyl combo and one week after stopping, I was feeling much better. Now I take the levoxyl in the am and my vitamins before bed. And Joni is sooooo right - thyroid problems can mimic mental health issues big time! My father was convinced he had " lost " my mother for good, mentally speaking, by the time the dr's finally figured out what was going on - though I didn't get as bad, my husband was quite concerned that I was suffering - or beginning to suffer from a mental illness.....another symptom of hypothyroidism....carpel tunnel syndrome! That is actually why I went to the dr in the first place - my wrists were killing me and I couldn't figure out why. When I asked a dr friend of mine what can cause carpel tunnel, amongst other things in her list, she mentioned hypothyroidism - that combined with my mom's experiences triggered a red flag for me and I asked to be tested. Terry > > Ditto to that Joni! > > I have hypothyroidism een removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 1, 2002 Report Share Posted January 1, 2002 An enlarged thyroid can be a sign of an underactive thyroid... but only if you know it's enlarged, not just large (the difference being that it has changed in size over time)... mine is enlarged, I was born with a minimally functioning thyroid. As a teenager I was switched from natural thyroid supplements to synthetic ones (synthroid) and very slowly, but steadily, weight crept on and problems developed. In my twenties my thyroid slowly grew and grew until I was put back onto natural thyroid. It was attempting to compensate. I call it " the little thyroid that could... " ... actually, it couldn't, but it sure did try! Hope that makes sense. Goldmeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2002 Report Share Posted January 2, 2002 And I wouldn't put much stock in it all! See the homeopath. Sheri At 06:55 PM 01/01/2002 -0700, you wrote: >An enlarged thyroid can be a sign of an underactive thyroid... but only if >you know it's enlarged, not just large (the difference being that it has >changed in size over time)... mine is enlarged, I was born with a minimally >functioning thyroid. As a teenager I was switched from natural thyroid >supplements to synthetic ones (synthroid) and very slowly, but steadily, >weight crept on and problems developed. In my twenties my thyroid slowly >grew and grew until I was put back onto natural thyroid. It was attempting >to compensate. I call it " the little thyroid that could... " ... actually, it >couldn't, but it sure did try! > >Hope that makes sense. > > Goldmeer > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2002 Report Share Posted January 2, 2002 For most people that would make perfect sense, but I do not have a disease or an injury (which 99% of the cases do... they would respond beautifully to homeopathy)... I have a birth defect. RE: thyroid And I wouldn't put much stock in it all! See the homeopath. Sheri At 06:55 PM 01/01/2002 -0700, you wrote: >An enlarged thyroid can be a sign of an underactive thyroid... but only if >you know it's enlarged, not just large (the difference being that it has >changed in size over time)... mine is enlarged, I was born with a minimally >functioning thyroid. As a teenager I was switched from natural thyroid >supplements to synthetic ones (synthroid) and very slowly, but steadily, >weight crept on and problems developed. In my twenties my thyroid slowly >grew and grew until I was put back onto natural thyroid. It was attempting >to compensate. I call it " the little thyroid that could... " ... actually, it >couldn't, but it sure did try! > >Hope that makes sense. > > Goldmeer > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2002 Report Share Posted January 2, 2002 , When you say " natural thyroid " instead of synthroid..can you tell me which supplement you use? My husband is on synthroid and wants to make the swich to something more natural. He tried seeing a homeopath for it, but his blood levels were still way off and he went back towards the way he was before he was on synthroid....cold, lethargic,weight gain, slower mental functions etc... Also, someone mentioned kelp...but from what I've noticed that only helps those with a minor imbalance. le > For most people that would make perfect sense, but I do not have a disease > or an injury (which 99% of the cases do... they would respond beautifully to > homeopathy)... I have a birth defect. > > > And I wouldn't put much stock in it all! See the homeopath. > Sheri > > At 06:55 PM 01/01/2002 -0700, you wrote: > >An enlarged thyroid can be a sign of an underactive thyroid... but only if > >you know it's enlarged, not just large (the difference being that it has > >changed in size over time)... mine is enlarged, I was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2002 Report Share Posted January 2, 2002 <<When you say " natural thyroid " instead of synthroid..can you tell me which supplement you use? My husband is on synthroid and wants to make the swich to something more natural. >> I use Armour thyroid. It's dessicated pig and cow thyroid. I heartily recommend doing everything the homeopath says, as well as taking all of the herbal/plant supplements like kelp and sea vegetables. They make a big difference. It takes a few weeks to straighten out the dosages, because there is no " synthroid=armour " conversion chart. Every person reacts to it differently. And good luck finding a doctor to prescribe it. They LOVE synthroid, get big bucks and lots of convention goodies from the creeps who make it. ly, you might as well just dump the whole bottle in the toilet and flush it, because thats about as much good as it does most people. Goldmeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2002 Report Share Posted January 2, 2002 > Marcia, > underactive thyroids are often helped by increasing iodine in your diet. > you can take 1 tsp of powdered kelp daily. Maine Coast has one or check > your local hfs. > Kathy Thanks for that info! HM I think the Literal maine Coast is closer than my local health food store! I'll have to put that on my list of things to find wheni go next! I'm making a big list! it just keeps growing! LOL Hm wonder how hard it would be to make my own powder from the kelp? My kids always want to bring tons of it home whaen we go to the beach! we only live like 20 miles from the maine coast! Thanks again for the info! marcia I'm getting the results of my last blood work today so I'll find out that Synthroid really didn't work for me! lol Going to the homeopath tomorrow and I'l mention this and see wat he thinks! Marcia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2002 Report Share Posted March 26, 2002 , I believe that the free T3 is the most important thyroid hormone in terms of potency and availability to the cells, so having a low value for that does seem to be significant to me. You might also consider measuring your armpit temperature when you first awaken. If it's low, that would be another clue that thyroid hormone may help. The procedure is to shake a thermometer down below 95 F, and put in on your nightstand before going to sleep. When you awaken, hold it in your armpit with your arm clamped gently onto it, and try not to move much for ten minutes. Do this for three days, and average it. If it's below about 97.6 F, this suggests that your basal metabolic rate is low, and that thyroid hormone may help. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2002 Report Share Posted March 26, 2002 Hi jonathan, If you have the symptoms of hypothyroidism then you may benefit from thyroid supplementation, even if your test results are near the mean of the range. Your levels seem to be at the lower end of the acceptable range, so if you have the symptoms, it may well be worth a try. But beware, start on a very low dose and build up gradually. B > There has been some talk of thyroid problems and cfs lately. I just > had my thyroid checked and the results are as follows: > > T4 Thyroxine 5.8 (v.5-12.5) > TSH 1.440 (0.4-4.O) > Free T3 by dialysis L 101 Normal: (104 to 206) > T3 78 Normal :(65 to 164) > > My question is concerning the low Free T3. Is this enough of a > problem to warrant my doctor putting me on a very low dose Armour > thyroid? I've just begun to research thyroid issues (I am not > familiar with them) and would appreciate any informative feedback > concerning this. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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