Comments on: Major Pharm told to stop making thyroid–more to this story

By: Kathleen Rabalais

Kathleen Rabalais — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:29:06 +0000

I have been on natural thyroid for seven yrs. and my husband has also. The differences that we have had have been phenomenal. United Health Care has notified me that Medicare will not pay for natural thyroid anymore and I must take the synthetic. Now I have to fight Medicare for medications that will make me feel better. I refuse to take the synthetic because I won’t feel better. My pharmacist told me that she could get Armour Thyroid, but I have to pay for it whereas Medicare was paying for the generic. The FDA has far too much control but Medicare has more!

By: liz

liz — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:26:04 +0000

(From Janie: Your doctor is uninformed. Read my blog posts. It will help you. It’s simply backordered for a couple of months. Also read this: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/options-for-thyroid-treatment)

I recently got diagnosed with hypothyroid and had my doctor (after much convincing) finally prescribe Nature Throid after reading all of the info on this site. I went to my pharmacist today and he said there is no more Nature Throid, it’s back ordered for months and most likely it will be pulled off the market! So as of today I am not taking anything and my doctor wants to put me on Synthroid – which I have flat out refused!! What are my options – I need to give my doctor an alternative to Synthroid?

By: Cathy

Cathy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:20:23 +0000

I have encountered the same problem today. Currently, I live in the Atlanta area and CVS, Kroger, and all other pharmacies claim they do not have any Armour Thyroid medication. This is absoultely insane to me!! After, finding your website about a year ago, I switched from Synthroid to Armour. It was like night and day! There’s no comparison between desicated thyroid and synthetic thyroid. Nothing ever got better for me when I was on Synthroid. Now I feel like I’m back to square one, hopeless!! How am I supposed to get my prescription for Armour filled?? Please, help, I don’t know what else to do??

(from Janie: because there is a shortage of all desiccated thyroid, use this page for alternatives until this passes: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/options-for-thyroid-treatment)

By: LauraK

LauraK — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:27:19 +0000

I just found out about this today. I’ve been on Armour for 7 yrs, a combo of 90 mg and 15 mg to get 120 5 days and 105 2 days. This is what works perfectly for me. I went to fill my 15 mg today and was told there wasn’t any and probably wouldn’t be any. To call some other pharmacies. I did and they had none either! I’m agahst! Not one word of this had been uttered to me by my pharmacist or my Endo (whom I just saw last month!) and I’m livid! WHY would Forest do this? I’m missing something I’m sure as I haven’t read up on all of this yet but I’m at a loss here. I guess I have to call my doctor and hope he’ll have an answer, but I won’t be holding my breath.

(from Janie: read my latest posts. It explains a lot.)

By: Melody

Melody — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:21:06 +0000

I too am beginning to panic, I’ve been on Armour for a year and have felt better too. I think I could use a little larger dose as I still have some symptoms. My pharmacist at Rite Aid said that he was told RLC labs would not be allowed to make dessicated hormone either.
He said the medication Medco substituted was the same but synthetic Armour. It’s made by Time-Cap. He of course said there’s little difference with synthroid,and I wouldn’t notice much change. I’ve thought I was abnormal for years because I get little relief from the anti-depressants I’m prescribed and I thought finally a normal life. I hope our pleas are heard.

By: Linda Grimm

Linda Grimm — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:38:17 +0000

I am new to all of this. I was just put on Armour about 2 months ago and am panicking big time abut what I’m reading.
My adrenals are a mess, I just started on Hydrocortisone about 2 weeks ago. My doctor is very stingy with the Armour but I talked her into letting me work up to 3 grains. I hope and pray this is not true about the thyroid meds. I hav been trying to get diagnosed for over 4 years and traditional doctors always say they can’t find anything. Thanks for listening.

(From Janie: do understand that all the panic you are reading about is purely speculation, not fact. Yes, it’s harder to get desiccated thyroid, but you do have Canadian Thyroid and Thyroid-S. Hang in there.)

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:24:17 +0000

Actually, according to my understanding even without the reformulation the FDA can go after Armour etc, on the grounds that it still needs to be proven that it is:
1. Safe or 2. It’s effective. They seem to be using the latter to go after dessicated thyroid which is why it is SO important to INUNDATE them with your stories of it’s effectiveness and where you would be without it.

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:58:50 +0000

I am not understanding all of this interference from the FDA for a drug that, on my sheet from my pharmacist under side affects lists: none when used properly. Every other med that I have taken has a list an arm’s length. I have finally found Armour and I am almost where I need to be and my days are sooo much better. I will join in the fight. There has got to be someone who will understand that they are not just making some administrative decision but that they are playing with people’s and their families lives!

By: Dito

Dito — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:46:50 +0000

So, if I understood this statement correctly;

If Forest would go back to their original formula – which they really ought to anyway becuse the new version is lacking effect – THEN that version of Armour Thyroid would not be regarded as a new drug? And would therefore not require a new drug application?

That ought to be a very strong motive for Forest to switch back to the old version.

By: Gwen

Gwen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:38:31 +0000

My husband and I are up late talking about this. We sent an email and will not
stop sending emails, making phone calls, etc…whatever we have to do.
You must not give up.
Email, snail mail and ask anyone you know affected to do the same.
This is our country and we will fight for our right to stay healthy.

I have kept my hypothyroid disease in check with NDT.
For years I blamed something else for chills every afternoon and night.
That was just one symptom to go away using Armour.

Thank you Janie.
Fight the good fight!
Peace to you all.
Gwen