Wellness

[sophiamarie]

I have been on levothyroxine for about 20 years with absolutely no side or adverse effects.  I take two different doses on different days of the week.

My pharmacist told me that there are three medications that should always stay the same (same name, drug mfr, etc)  One is thyroid - the other is anti-seizure and I can't remember what the third one is.  But mine always comes from Mylan.  The Mfr you start with should always stay the same.

My monthly cost for both bottles is $7.34........

[highmaintenancejan]

Yes, I was told it doesn't matter if you take brand or a generic, just stick with the  brand or the same generic supplier and  do not switch back and forth between generics or brand name...stay consistent.  Also, take on an empty stomach and first thing in the a.m.

[Laura14]

Thyroid medications are known to be very difficult to interchange.  Replicating hormones are not the easiest type of chemistry to pull off.

There are two types of generics:  therapeutic equivalents and pharmaceutical equvalents.

Therapeutic have the same effect but different active ingredient.  Pharmaceuticals have the exact same active ingredient.

As others have said, it really depends on what your body will respond to.  It's the same as aspirin vs. NSAIDs vs Tylenol.  They are all therapeutic equivalents for pain relief and most of us respond best to one of the three but not all of us can even tolerate all three.  Your body makes that decision for you and you do it through trial and error. 

A pharmaceutical equivalent would be Bayer aspirin vs. Goody's vs. St Joseph.  All aspirin just made different ways.

I am NOT a medical professional but I will tell you that most pharmacies will not switch out thyroid meds.  Most people are too sensitive to the formula and strength.  Once you find what works and most people are checked every few months to really monitor it by their doctors, you don't want to rock the boat or you may have to start the whole process over again and that's expensive and time consuming which is why doctors stick with what they know usually works. 

There are many, many kinds of strengths of levothyroxin because one person's hormonal needs are very different from someone with a completely different body size and make up.  Like most hormones, it's a very difficult balance to attain so you don't mess with it too much after you've got it.   

Bottom line, thyroid meds are usually not crazy expensive even without insurance so go with what your doctor recommends.  This is one medication you don't want to play around with too much.  It's too difficult to get the balance back if you lose it.   

[Bird mama]

@coffee drinker

What strength of Synthroid are you on?  My doctor told me about Synthroid Direct which is an abbott labs or abbvie labs (can't remember which name is used for pill production and which for research) program.

Mail order pharmacy in Florida.

I pay $75 for a 90 day supply.

[coffee drinker]

@Bird mama 

I take 100 mcg tablet daily.  Get them locally from a CVS in CT. We have a drug plan from United Healthcare through AARP.  Thanks for the info on Synthroid Direct.  I'll check them out.

[mam2fourboys]

A few years ago, a new doctor insisted that I switch from Armour to Synthroid. It actually made me MORE sick and tired. I switched doctors to an integrative MD and he explained why it made me more sick,  based off the many labs he did. Put me back on Armour and I felt much better.  A new company bought the manufacturer of Armour about two years ago amd jacked up the price to a dollar a pill. I then switched to Naturethroid, which is 1/3 of the price of Armour and works just as well. 

Also going gluten free and addressing my adrenals helped me too. 

[sidsmom]

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@sidsmomwrote:

For those reading, Armour® is made from pig thyroid glands,

not cow tissues.  Decades ago, it was both but today it’s solely Pig.

The active ingredient (desiccated natural thyroid) in Armour® Thyroid (thyroid tablets, USP) is derived from porcine (pig) thyroid glands of pigs processed for human food consumption and is produced at a facility that also handles bovine (cow) tissues from animals processed for human food consumption. As a result, a potential risk of product contamination with porcine and bovine viral or other adventitious agents cannot be ruled out. 

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@cherry

Is this the post for which you are referrring?

Clearly, for some reason, this is upsetting you & want to make it right.

The 2nd paragraph is straight copy/paste from the Armour.com 

website.   What ‘warning’ is there?

[cherry]

It is one of your subtle ways ,to put a dig into people that use animals products. It was a gotcha moment for you

You do this stuff all the time. This is what Carmie was trying to tell you.   This is why people get disgusted

[sidsmom]

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@cherrywrote:

It is one of your subtle ways ,to put a dig into people that use animals products. It was a gotcha moment for you

You do this stuff all the time. This is what Carmie was trying to tell you.   This is why people get disgusted

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@cherry

Wow.

I have no idea how you got that from my few words.

And my words are just that...words.  

I can’t control how you understand them, but I would greatly

appreciate asking me questions before assuming anything. 

If this was a such a concern, I would’ve researched, or politely asked me,

if Vegans/Plant Based eaters can take Armour thyroid medication.

And the answer is ...... Yes.

It’s a topic which comes up in our PB forums, but everyone agrees

this is one application where using animal is good for our health.

Many Vegans are troubled by it, but they give Thanks and Gratitude

to the animal every morning as they take their medication

which saves their life.

To refer back to the original ‘offset’, Armour is made with pigs only.

Used to be cows, but it was discontinued many decades ago

and today Armour thyroid medication is from pigs only.

To be used by everyone in the World.

Even Vegans.

[cherry]

It is still used by many people, because we can't take the other stuff. We need it to survive

No one has ever died from taking it, and many of use it because we cant  that can't take the other stuff ,would rather be dead ,that feel like we do without it.

I have been on it 6 years.   I will take it until I die. I know you think meat is terrible ,and that is your right. Some of us feel differently ,and that is our right.. We don't lecture you ,and would rather you don't lecture us

I will never be a whole plant  person ,and you will never be anything else. All of us understand that, but you seem to feel it's your mission in life to make us over

We don't want to be made over, we like things just like they are

Why not look for common ground when you post with other people and save your  theories for your like minded friends?

Have a good evening