Guest guest Posted November 18, 2000 Report Share Posted November 18, 2000 Hi Chuck, I don't think we have ever talked but your post about your wife's age and a transplant puzzled me. I know they take in consideration the age of the person but did not know they said no to any body. If I may ask what is her age? Do you live in Denver? The reason I ask is in some countries after a certain age they won't put you on the transplant list but if you live in the United States I didn't think that mattered. Please enlighten me on this subject. Take care and God bless, Genny/Jodi's Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2000 Report Share Posted November 18, 2000 Genny, my wife is 73 and because of her age and general poor health is not considered to be a transplant candidate. Even if she were to be put on the list she would be a low priority and subject to being " bumped " for a higher priority subject. She has PBC which has caused runaway diabetes. I have never known anyone who has more courage and zest for life. She is an incredible woman. As an experiment, she is receiving 100cc of albumin as a transfusion once a week. So far, it gives her more energy and makes her generally feel better. Thank you for your inquiry. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2000 Report Share Posted November 18, 2000 Chuck, I now understand and am very sorry. Tell her to hang in there we never know what new treatments will be discovered. Thank you for your response. Genny/Jodi's Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 Hi Tina, You wrote: About my question: >> " OTOH, does anyone know of foods that affect T4-T3 conversion or >> other aspects of the process? Are there any that accelerate breakdown >> or removal by the liver? " > >I've been meaning to look into this> by any chance have you found >anything yet--this was a good question. tina > Not a thing. And most of the dietary recommendations that have been shared here recently do not seem to me to be related specifically to hypothyroidism. They may be good but not just for us. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 But Chuck, a friend was just telling me her 3 month Rx for $ynthroid was $48, and that is the co-pay with insurance! I spend $24 for 3 months of Armour. Gracia > Tina, > > You quoted: > > > ... While there are other manufacturers of levothyroxine sodium, doctors > > seem to insist on prescribing Synthroid which is much more costly. ... > > For the newbies on the list, the alleged high cost of Synthroid is > rather dated information. We did a price comparison here several months > ago and found that Synthroid is only slightly more expensive than the > generic versions, whether you buy it locally or not. Before the patent > ran out, this was not the case, and it was probably worth the cost of > additional blood tests to switch. Now it is definitely not. > > Chuck > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 my co pay for levoxyl is more than that!!! it's apalling. Do you spend 24 for the co pay or just outright? ----Original Message Follows---- From: " Gracia " <circe@...> Reply-hypothyroidism <hypothyroidism > Subject: Re: Chuck Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 20:54:30 -0400 But Chuck, a friend was just telling me her 3 month Rx for $ynthroid was $48, and that is the co-pay with insurance! I spend $24 for 3 months of Armour. Gracia _________________________________________________________________ From ‘will you?’ to ‘I do,’ MSN Life Events is your resource for Getting Married. http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=married Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 $8/month co-pay. I think it's $18 without insurance. Gracia > my co pay for levoxyl is more than that!!! it's apalling. Do you spend 24 > for the co pay or just outright? > > > > > ----Original Message Follows---- > From: " Gracia " <circe@...> > Reply-hypothyroidism > <hypothyroidism > > Subject: Re: Chuck > Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 20:54:30 -0400 > > > But Chuck, a friend was just telling me her 3 month Rx for $ynthroid was > $48, and that is the co-pay with insurance! I spend $24 for 3 months of > Armour. > Gracia > > _________________________________________________________________ > From 'will you?' to 'I do,' MSN Life Events is your resource for Getting > Married. http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=married > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 I understand that prices vary, but don't HMOs also " push " certain drugs, that they might have a financial interest in? (stocks in certain pharmaceuticals, agreements for price breaks etc.) Gracia > I hate to sound like the voice of reason, but... > A comparison of what one person pays for Armour at one pharmacy with his/her insurance compared to what another person pays at another pharmacy in another part of the country with his/her insurance is a pretty meaningless comparison. To have a valid comparison, you'd have to compare what each pharmacy charges for Armour and Synthroid, and what each insurance company is willing to pay as a copay for Armour and Synthroid. One pharmacy may charge more. One medication may cost more/less in a particular area. One insurance company's formulary may allow more/less for different medications AND this can vary among different plans within the same insurance company. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 HI - WOULD YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON HOW I CAN UNSUBSCRIBE TO THIS WEB SITE? I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE SITE THAT I SIGNED UP WITH - I HAVE TRIED TO CLICK TO THE " UNSUBSCRIBE LINK " SEVERAL TIMES - BUT I AM STILL GETTING ABOUT 50 NEW MESSAGES A DAY . HELP ME IF YOU CAN!! THANK YOU SO MUCH TERESA. Gracia <circe@...> wrote: I understand that prices vary, but don't HMOs also " push " certain drugs, that they might have a financial interest in? (stocks in certain pharmaceuticals, agreements for price breaks etc.) Gracia > I hate to sound like the voice of reason, but... > A comparison of what one person pays for Armour at one pharmacy with his/her insurance compared to what another person pays at another pharmacy in another part of the country with his/her insurance is a pretty meaningless comparison. To have a valid comparison, you'd have to compare what each pharmacy charges for Armour and Synthroid, and what each insurance company is willing to pay as a copay for Armour and Synthroid. One pharmacy may charge more. One medication may cost more/less in a particular area. One insurance company's formulary may allow more/less for different medications AND this can vary among different plans within the same insurance company. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Gracia, You wrote: > I understand that prices vary, but don't HMOs also " push " certain drugs, > that they might have a financial interest in? (stocks in certain > pharmaceuticals, agreements for price breaks etc.) Not legally. They can push generics when they are much cheaper than brand names, but the price break applies to the entire market, not just one company. This is why they charge a smaller co-pay on generics; to get us to choose a cheaper path for the HMO. However, to promote a more expensive drug because of the sort of interest or back door agreements you describe would be a practice in " restraint of free trade. " It would violate the monopoly statutes. Not that such things never happen, but they carry rather severe penalties if they do. I am sure medical insurers of all stripes keep a staff of lawyers busy working keep them free from such entanglements, even if there was possible profit involved. If you know of any going on, please advise the Justice Department. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 I agree with Chuck. HMO's really only have an interest in what makes them more money. Violating anti-trust laws would eventually make them *less* money. You know, it would be easier, maybe, if there were some kind of global conspiracy to keep thyroid patients down. I don't buy it, though. I have some experience with the way a profession works from being a licensed clinician myself (though not an MD, though I think the worlds are similar for professionals). The fact is that Synthroid is made by a bigger company and is marketed better than is Armour. When Synthroid was made, it was an improvement because there *were* potency problems with Armour. Doctors don't like to go backward when they think there has been progress. They have to worry about their licenses, and they have to practice in a way they believe is the best and most expedient way, in order to avoid malpractice. In general, usually a newer medicine is favored over something 50 or more years old, and in most cases, the newer medicine is better. Thyroid illness is viewed as a " test and prescribe " sort of illness, and it isn't studied or researched the way other illnesses are. Until lately, there was not a good thyroid patient lobby, because, probably because of the nature of the disease, thyroid patients tend to be kind of passive and not have a lot of energy for lobbying the medical community. A lot of us don't even take what we are prescribed, or practice habits that are good for the immune system. How often does someone join this group who was diagnosed years ago and hasn't taken their medication since the first six months after diagnosis? Then, you have the " kook factor, " which scares off professionals. True, a lot of alternative treatment ideas are worthwhile, but anyone who has read around the thyroid information available has to admit about 75% of it is promoted by some snake-oil seller, with copy that reads worse than the stuff in the National Enquirer. Armour may indeed be the best thing going, but if the information about it is on a page with stuff about coconut oil curing cancer, you can bet a reputable doctor isn't going to give it any credence. And, trust me, you would not want to be treated by a doctor that would. Gracia <circe@...> wrote: I understand that prices vary, but don't HMOs also " push " certain drugs, that they might have a financial interest in? (stocks in certain pharmaceuticals, agreements for price breaks etc.) Gracia > I hate to sound like the voice of reason, but... > A comparison of what one person pays for Armour at one pharmacy with his/her insurance compared to what another person pays at another pharmacy in another part of the country with his/her insurance is a pretty meaningless comparison. To have a valid comparison, you'd have to compare what each pharmacy charges for Armour and Synthroid, and what each insurance company is willing to pay as a copay for Armour and Synthroid. One pharmacy may charge more. One medication may cost more/less in a particular area. One insurance company's formulary may allow more/less for different medications AND this can vary among different plans within the same insurance company. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 - right at the bottom of each email message is the unsubscribe info --- it is: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 When I was in an HMO (Aetna) they wouldn't pay for cheaper bio-identical compounded hormones, but they would pay for expensive synthetic hormones. They would pay for expensive procedures but not preventive care. Seemed to me that they were involved in every aspect of for profit medical system. HMOs must be heavily invested in pharmaceuticals. Gracia > I agree with Chuck. HMO's really only have an interest in what makes them more money. Violating anti-trust laws would eventually make them *less* money. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2004 Report Share Posted July 1, 2004 Go to hypothyroidism and click " Leave Group " . You will have to log in with your password. Or send email to hypothyroidism-unsubscribe@... Jan Bristol wrote: >HI - WOULD YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON HOW I CAN UNSUBSCRIBE TO THIS WEB SITE? I FORGOT THE NAME OF THE SITE THAT I SIGNED UP WITH - I HAVE TRIED TO CLICK TO THE " UNSUBSCRIBE LINK " SEVERAL TIMES - BUT I AM STILL GETTING ABOUT 50 NEW MESSAGES A DAY . HELP ME IF YOU CAN!! THANK YOU SO MUCH TERESA. > >Gracia <circe@...> wrote: >I understand that prices vary, but don't HMOs also " push " certain drugs, >that they might have a financial interest in? (stocks in certain >pharmaceuticals, agreements for price breaks etc.) >Gracia > > > >>I hate to sound like the voice of reason, but... >>A comparison of what one person pays for Armour at one pharmacy with >> >> >his/her insurance compared to what another person pays at another pharmacy >in another part of the country with his/her insurance is a pretty >meaningless comparison. To have a valid comparison, you'd have to compare >what each pharmacy charges for Armour and Synthroid, and what each insurance >company is willing to pay as a copay for Armour and Synthroid. One pharmacy >may charge more. One medication may cost more/less in a particular area. >One insurance company's formulary may allow more/less for different >medications AND this can vary among different plans within the same >insurance company. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Hey Chuck, I love that you are a " highly educated woggle-bug " (something I remember from Oz books). My father graduated from MIT at the age of 20 with 2 engineering degrees. English was his second laguage. Actually he " started " me on the day he graduated. But I want to recomend a book to you, Schwarzbein Principle. She is an endocrinologist and has a lot to say about cholesterol etc. She doesn't recommend cholesterol meds. Gracia > For the record, and at the risk of boring everyone, I do not work for > any pharmaceutical company, nor do I own any stock nor have any other > interest in one. I do, however, hold a Ph.D. in nuclear and particle > physics, which perhaps only shows that I do have some understanding > about how half-lives work. I did my thesis research at the MIT-Bates > LINAC in Massachusetts. I am currently Chair of two departments, > Chemistry and Physics at Pittsburg State University. > > I would be happy to provide a complete curriculum vitae to anyone with a > legitimate interest in such things on a discussion list. Since this > information is available on a University (State supported) web site, not > a link to it, it would be unlikely that anyone would risk posting false > records, as this would make fraud charges an eventual near certainty. > > Chuck > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Hi Gracia, Thanks. I can't help but respect someone who can complete any degree program outside their native language. We have a fair number of international students here, and I allow them to use a dictionary when taking my tests. It still looks like a major struggle. You wrote: > ... But I want to recomend a book to you, > Schwarzbein Principle. She is an endocrinologist and has a lot to say > about cholesterol etc. She doesn't recommend cholesterol meds. I saw her interviewed once. I couldn't tell the difference between what she was recommending and South Beach. The logic was the same as for Sugar Busters, which made me more attentive to glycemic indexes. I know she has taken a lot of heat for pushing a type of hormone replacement therapy for women and the fact that Suzanne Sommers gained weight on her diet. What's her beef with cholesterol meds? They were just in the news as being even more recommended. Must be another pharmaceutical industry conspiracy. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Hi Gracia & Chuck, I have to comment on this one. One of you wrote the following (sorry, it was a long post that lost me)-- > What's her beef with cholesterol meds? They were just in the news as being even more recommended. After watching my mother and her deceased brother deal with these, I am hesitant to endorse or take them. They have terrible side effects that the pharma companies won't acknowledge. Or it is writen off as rare, when they do occur and are not looked into. Muscle spasms, muscle weakness, headache, and heart palpitations are common on these drugs. But the doc's write it off as another source. When my mother discontinues the med, the problem goes away. Sherry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Hi Chuck, my father speaks English better than I do. He is a brilliant Zorba the Greek type guy, who is infamous in Panama more for his amorous exploits than his engineering career. He never married my mother or anyone else but he has 4 children. Swarzbein thinks too many people are put on thyroid meds who don't need them! Seems to me that many who need thyroid meds don't get them. Where I work there is a 52 yr old guy--I am sure he is mentally retarded from congenital hypothyroidism and doctor refuses to treat him. Swarzbein makes a very good case against current cholesterol hysteria and treatment. She says that following the low fat, high carb diet wreaks havoc on cholesterol/insulin levels, especially when artificial or damaged fats are substituted for real ones. Also where I work the only fats allowed are margarine and cool whip! They even use " no fat " salad dressing. The clients are on lots of drugs. She says the more you avoid cholesterol, the more the body will overproduce, so then drugs are required. " To lower cholesterol, eat more cholesterol, cholesterol is good for us " . I totoally agree and was quite appalled at the latest pharma recommendations. I hope it's the last gasp of a toxic industry. Check it out, see what you think. Also she doesn't like Armour, although she says natural hormones are best. Gracia > Hi Gracia, > > Thanks. > > I can't help but respect someone who can complete any degree program > outside their native language. We have a fair number of international > students here, and I allow them to use a dictionary when taking my > tests. It still looks like a major struggle. > > You wrote: > > > ... But I want to recomend a book to you, > > Schwarzbein Principle. She is an endocrinologist and has a lot to say > > about cholesterol etc. She doesn't recommend cholesterol meds. > > I saw her interviewed once. I couldn't tell the difference between what > she was recommending and South Beach. The logic was the same as for > Sugar Busters, which made me more attentive to glycemic indexes. I know > she has taken a lot of heat for pushing a type of hormone replacement > therapy for women and the fact that Suzanne Sommers gained weight on her > diet. > > What's her beef with cholesterol meds? They were just in the news as > being even more recommended. Must be another pharmaceutical industry > conspiracy. > > Chuck > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Chuck you seem to have more than the average knowledge of medical things...do you have you worked in the Med field? kathy -----Original Message----- Soft puffiness or isolated swelling around the face might be a common symptom, but this is not the same thing as angioedema, which is also different from giant urticaria (hives). The latter have lately been mentioned a lot with the thyroid. For example see: http://thyroid.about.com/library/derry/bl15.htm . I may be misunderstanding, but the kind of swelling and redness that would cause others to suspect a drinking problem seems more severe than what usually goes with hypothyroidism. I suppose since we all react differently, it is possible for this one symptom to remain after treatment, while all the others improve. However, this seems to me to indicate something else is going on in addition to the thyroid problem. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Shininglight wrote: > Chuck you seem to have more than the average knowledge of medical > things...do you have you worked in the Med field? No, but I have done research in some biomedical areas. If I seem familiar with particular issues, it is only through repeated encounters with the medical establishment by family members or from things I have picked up on lists such as this one. There are lots of conditions mentioned on this list about which I tend to remain completely silent, other than to offer sympathy. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Don't believe a word of it, I'm convinced Chuck is one of these superbrains who find one paltry field of expertise just isn't a challenge ;0) Ade Re: chuck > Chuck you seem to have more than the average knowledge of medical > things...do you have you worked in the Med field? No, but I have done research in some biomedical areas. If I seem familiar with particular issues, it is only through repeated encounters with the medical establishment by family members or from things I have picked up on lists such as this one. There are lots of conditions mentioned on this list about which I tend to remain completely silent, other than to offer sympathy. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Hi Chuck, You mentioned that Armour should be taken on a completely empty stomach and an hour before eating. Why is this? What does food do to Armour? I have hypoglycemia and need to eat first thing in the morning. So, how do I take my Armour and wait an hour? Much love, Pamela __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 you don't have to wait to eat. Just chew Armour and let it dissolve in your mouth. Also cortef and DHEA will really help the hypoglycemia. Gracia > > Hi Chuck, > > You mentioned that Armour should be taken on a completely empty stomach and an hour before eating. Why is this? What does food do to Armour? > > I have hypoglycemia and need to eat first thing in the morning. So, how do I take my Armour and wait an hour? > > Much love, > Pamela > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Gracia wrote: > > you don't have to wait to eat. Just chew Armour and let it dissolve in your > mouth. Also cortef and DHEA will really help the hypoglycemia. We've posted published studies here in the past that showed that food significantly interfered with T4 and T3 absorption, including sublingual administration. Foods that contain iron and calcium carbonate have particularly adverse effects. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2005 Report Share Posted March 16, 2005 yeah but, it seems to work great for those who use thyroid meds sublingually---no problems noted. Gracia > > Gracia wrote: > > > > > you don't have to wait to eat. Just chew Armour and let it dissolve in your > > mouth. Also cortef and DHEA will really help the hypoglycemia. > > We've posted published studies here in the past that showed that food > significantly interfered with T4 and T3 absorption, including sublingual > administration. Foods that contain iron and calcium carbonate have > particularly adverse effects. > > Chuck > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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