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Month: September 2015

Armour and a lot of unhappy thyroid patients…all over again!

CORNER TAB

On July 1st, 2014, the pharmaceutical Actavis completed the acquisition of Forest Laboratories, the makers of Armour which is the oldest desiccated thyroid product on the market today. They then changed their name to Allergan.

And the poop hit the fan

By early 2015 and onward, more and more patients were reporting being quite unhappy with Armour. The price has risen substantially and often, and patients were also reporting a return of hypothyroid symptoms. It’s not all patients, but a substantial amount.

And this is not the first time we’ve been unhappy about Armour!

First, in 2007, patients were reporting that the two grain size tablet seemed to not be working at all. Then in 2008, patients had to endure seeing Armour disappear on the shelves. When they finally returned by 2009, all heck broke loose. Hypothyroid symptoms were returning with a vengeance. Turns out they “reformulated” it, increasing the cellulose and decreasing the sucrose. Not only could we not do it sublingually anymore–a method we preferred and which did in fact work—it also was causing a return of our hypothyroid symptoms in the worst way. We had to move to other brands. By 2012, the tablets were now softer, and complaints were down. But here we are in 2015 with a new pharmaceutical maker…and complaints have risen all over again.

The price has risen!

In September 2015, I sought out patient feedback in a few groups from those who had been on Armour before the July 1st, 2014 final acquisition, but were still on it in 2015. The first exasperation was about price. Here are some of the comments I got when I asked about a price change:

  • $20 before/$78 now. (forced to change insurance from my low copay to a high deductible plan)
  • Last year was paying £52 pounds x100 now paying £74.00
  • With co-pay, from $5 to $25-30 now
  • Over $20 increase for 90 mcg, 30 pills
  • With co-pay, $20 for 90 day supply in February 2015, $25 for 30 day supply in August 2015.
  • Last year cost $7-9, getting refill now-$33
  • $5 up to $24
  • Went up to $55 for a month’s dose of 120s (with insurance)
  • Went up about $15 dollars
  • Since last year, went from $5.80 to $10.80 to $12.80 and now $18.60.
  • For 180 tablets, from $22 to $160
  • I paid $47.30 before. When I ordered last week, its $71.91, same quantity and mcg.
  • $20 increase in cost.
  • $10 to $32
  • From 43.00 to 63.00
  • Tripled
  • From $25 to $60
  • My armour started off at $23/mo, in July 2014 and it just started climbing every month. In November 2014 it was $47/mo. Naturethroid is $39 for 90 days.
  • $29 to $44 for 30 of the 90mg.
  • Went from about $20/month to $92/month.
  • $6 in 2007/$30 now
  • From $15 to $55 per month (with insurance)
  • From 70.00 to 118.00
  • 3-month supply 57.00 a year ago to 85.00 now out of my own pocket at Costco!
  • Went up $20
  • Went up $30
  • Up $25

There were more answers, but you get the drift. Note that the differences in cost represent different insurance coverages and different amounts. But it’s clear: Activas/Allergan substantially raised the price! Patients are NOT pleased.

The change in the pill itself

Though a small minority felt the pill hadn’t changed, and a couple said it was softer, 80% said it was definitely harder–exactly what went on in 2008.

One gal stated: “Not as uniform. Some softer than others; some harder to dissolve ; some seem to contain more filler”. That makes one wonder if her bottle had a mix of the 2014 and 2015 pills. Another gal stated: “Harder, different taste, smell and texture. Breaks clean.”

Most who responded either tried an increase or moved to a different brand

The answers broke out like this:

  • A very small percentage have stayed with the same amount as 2014 and feel they are doing fine
  • Another very small percentage raised and are doing fine.
  • A larger percentage are still on the same amount as 2014, or have tried a raise, but state they are not doing well and/or their labs are now wonky.
  • A large percentage have or are moving over to a different brand.

Symptoms reported as returning

For those who noticed their symptoms of hypothyroidism have returned since Activas bought out Forest, some are described as follows:

  • I now get tireder
  • Feels like symptoms are slowly returning…fatigue and intolerance to heat/cold particularly
  • Severe itching on sides of bridge of nose, hair falling out has worsened, feet have severely dried out-tops and bottoms, more unexplained weight gain 80%
  • My hair has started falling out all over again. Very unhappy.
  • Feel worse, more tired, but could be because of new baby
  • Have felt worse. It seems less effective.
  • Felt worse. Free T3 and free T4 plummeted.
  • My TSH has climbed!
  • Fluctuations
  • Problems and raising didn’t help.
  • Labs changed quite a bit.
  • Eye sight problems, loss of energy sooner in day; dr will not increase dosage..
  • My weight has gone up since January. Not happy.
  • I now have depression that I didn’t have before.
  • My weight has been creeping up and I have no changed my diet.
  • I don’t feel as well.
  • More tired. Have to nap now.

Comments by patients

  • I started on it for the first time in my life Feb. 2014. By May I had lost 20#. By Jan. I gained my weight back and wondered what in the world is going on. 
  • Started on Armour in March of 2014 but was also being treated for breast cancer so my results were probably a little skewed. Now on a higher dose and feeling better but not happy about the tremendous price hike!
  • Just got back from Endo. My labs are awful. Have been on same dose of Armour for a year. Even increase it a tad. T3 and T4 dropped. TSH went from 0.53 to 2.9. No wonder I feel like crap. She switched me to Naturethroid.
  • I’ve been on Armour for 3 years after my thyroid was removed and have done well until April or May of 2015. My hair started falling out, my body ached, I’ve put on weight, I started feeling depression and I’m more fatigued. I have no doubt that changes in the negative have been made to Armour and I’m ticked. I am changing brands.  
  • I have felt fine all this time, but I’m not happy with the swift price increase.

Bottom line is up to you

It’s a fact that Armour has gone up substantially since 2014’s acquisition of Forest by Actavis/Allergan. And it’s a fact that many other brands are much cheaper. So that would be up to each individual as to what they want to pay–more for Armour, less for other brands. The Options page on STTM lists all your brands.

As far as problems on the current Armour, it does appear that for too many, hypothyroid symptoms have returned and/or labs are now off. So even though there are definitely some that still remain happy, you will have to decide.

JanieSignature SEIZE THE WISDOM

** You can read how Janie felt about Armour in 2009 here.

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** Have you read the STTM II book? All chapters written by doctors from their unique perspectives. The patient-to-patient revised STTM book here.  Hashimoto’s: Taming the Beast is also available!

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10 Gray Areas about Thyroid Treatment and related issues: The Anomalies

Screen Shot 2015-09-01 at 2.34.02 PMEver heard of the word “anomaly“? It means that which deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. You could also call it the “gray areas”.

And when you’ve observed and compiled thyroid patient experiences and wisdom as long as I have, one thing certainly stands out: though something may be true for the majority of thyroid patients, it may not be true for others.

Here are 10 of those anomalies when it comes to thyroid treatment and issues related – – all based on repeated observations: 

 

  1. HASHIMOTOS and GLUTEN:

    Though the majority of Hashimoto’s patients seem to need to be off gluten to control their antibodies and improve nutrient absorption, there have always been a small percentage of those who have never had problems with consuming gluten….ever.

    i.e. though their once-high antibodies revealed their Hashimotos state, eating gluten didn’t make them worse, nor did gluten consumption bring their antibodies back up after they had gotten them down due to a better thyroid treatment or use of iodine. (Yes, iodine use has helped many Hashi’s patients bring their antibodies down).

  2. SYNTHROID OR OTHER T4-ONLY MEDS:

    Though we’ve observed that the biggest body of Synthroid or T4-only users see the failure of their treatment either from the beginning or within the first few years (in their own degree and kind), there is a small percentage who may not see the failure for 15, 20 years or more, and an even smaller body who feel they never have problems from it (though they usually do and don’t recognize them as problems related to being forced to live for conversion alone).  

    Informed thyroid patients have observed that in fact, some T4-users convert to T3 (the active hormone), better than others…for awhile.  Other T4 users may never have needed treatment at all. My sister-in-law is an example. Her doctor once found her TSH was high, so he put her on Synthroid. She seemed to do fabulously for about 4 years. Then she stopped and was fine. Looking back, there’s a good possibility that chronic stress was pushing her cortisol high, which promotes a hypothyroid state and higher TSH…thus the appearance of thyroid disease. When the chronic stress is resolved, the “hypothyroid state” goes away.

  3. ADRENAL ISSUES:

    Though we’ve observed that at least 50% or more of thyroid patients end up with an adrenal problem due to being on the inadequate T4-only or other stressors to their adrenals, there is another body of patients who never seem to acquire adrenal problems yet had every stressful reason to. 

    Who knows why some escape it. My mother was on Synthroid her entire adult life and paid horrible prices, yet I saw no evidence of an adrenal problem. I was the same–had a million reasons to see my adrenals become sluggish, yet it didn’t happen. Something about our biological or genetic makeup in response to stress? Our way of handling stress? Supplements we took?

  4. HOW MUCH NDT CAN BE TOLERATED WITH LOW CORTISOL

    Though a large body of low cortisol patients can only tolerate “up to” 1 1/2 grains of NDT without having problems, if they go higher, they start to see either pooling of T3 or rising RT3. A smaller percentage can go much higher without noticeable issues, and another small percentage can’t even go as high as one grain without seeing those issues. But they are there.

    When one’s cortisol is a problem, especially when it’s too low, NDT at certain raises will reveal the low cortisol. i.e. NDT is not the problem; it’s revealing the problem via the raises. //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ndt-doesnt-work-for-me

  5. WEIGHT GAIN:

    Though it appears the majority of thyroid patients will either gain easy and/or have trouble losing weight, there is a smaller minority with hypothyroidism who stay thin.

    There are so many possibilities as to why some hypothyroid patients stay thin, ranging from not being one who uses food to treat emotions…to all the genetic differences in how each of us burns fat or what one craves. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/17/food-metabolism-calories-obesity-diet

  6. WOMEN VS MEN AND HYPOTHYROIDISM

    Though the majority of hypothyroid sufferers appear to be women, there are a body of men who will find themselves in a hypothyroid and/or adrenal state, as well. 

    There is speculation that because of women’s hormonal changes, it makes them more susceptible to having a thyroid problem. But men get thyroid problems, too, so the problems of toxins in our environment and/or low iodine may be other issues affecting both males and females, even if females with their hormonal issues get it more often.

  7. OPTIMAL AMOUNTS OF NATURAL DESICCATED THYROID (NDT)

    Though it appears that a large body of thyroid patients, when optimal, end up in the upper two grain area AND HIGHER…there is a much smaller body who are even higher than the 3-5 grain area, and the very minority are optimal less than 2 grains. 

    If a line is drawn with the least amount of NDT on the left, and the highest amount of NDT on the right, and with a dot representing each person on an optimal amount of NDT, the majority of dots start to fall in the upper 2 grain area and into the 3 grain area. A lesser amount of dots fall in the 4-5 grains area, and fewer dots are higher. Same with the other direction, Much lesser dots are in the lower 2 grains area, and even less in the 1-2 grain area. Of course, this observation is only true when participants understand what “optimal” really means (which many do not) and is explained on the Natural Thyroid 101 page.

  8. DOCTORS

    Though patients have reported over the years that the majority of their doctors are overtly clueless about either diagnosing or correctly treating their thyroid disease, there are a small and growing percentage of medical professionals who are bucking the trend and taking the time to listen to informed patients and Stop the Thyroid Madness, both website and books. 

    And honestly, we all play a role in strengthening that trend by politely yet confidently being your own best advocate, learning what patients have learned, and having the courage to explain it to your doctor, besides make it clear that “this” is how you want to do “that”. If a doctor will not listen, we put our money into the hands of those who will. A doctor works for YOU, not you for him or her. Here’s how to find a good doc.

  9. PROGESTERONE

    Though many (not all) females see their sex hormones mess up in conjunction with having hypothyroidism…and thus, can need progesterone supplementation to counter estrogen, there is a risk of having the progesterone convert to too much cortisol and causing miserable symptoms of high cortisol!

    In the hormonal pathway of conversions, there are some who convert progesterone to cortisol far easier than others. So each person has to figure out how much progesterone they can handle, which is probably individual. If cortisol is low, though, progesterone converting to cortisol can be a slight boon! 🙂

  10. ACID REFLUX/GERD

    Though it’s very common for doctors to prescribe acid reducers like Prilosec or over-the-counter antacids like Tums for your GERD or Acid Reflux….in reality for thyroid patients, turns out they have LOW stomach acid causing the reflux, not high. 

    Though antacids will seem to relieve the symptoms, it’s actually making the low stomach acid now worse, which in turn makes your ability to absorb nurtrients worse. Read about this issue right here: //www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/stomach-acid

JanieSignature SEIZE THE WISDOM

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