Armour Thyroid

    For those of us who do have a problem with our thyroid many people like me have run into a few problems with our pharmacies in the last few years.  Anyone taking Armour Thyroid within the last couple of years has probably been told that Armour Thyroid medication would no longer be on the market.  Armour Thyroid is an FDA Approved natural form of thyroid medication  As I was reasearching this topic I came across a very helpful article written by Mary Shomon.  In it she says:
    
   "As confirmed on June 24, 2009 by the Forest Pharmaceuticals Customer Service line (866-927-3260), there are availability shortages of the following three dosages of Armour Thyroid:

• 1/4 grain (also known as 15 mg) -- full availability is expected early August
• 1/2 grain (also known as 30 mg) -- full availability is expected the week of June 29th
• 1 1/2 grain (also known as 90 mg) -- full availability is expected the week of June 29th

All other strengths are available."

     I found this news to be very different than what I had been told a year ago when I was trying to get my prescription filled.  I was basically told that I was out of luck and that Armour thyroid was going to be discontinued.  I was encouraged to get on a synthetic drug which was not something I was looking forward to.  As I read this article I wondered why I was told such an obviously blatant lie.  In a second article on this subject Mary Shomon gave me some answers:

     "Why then, do rumors surface regularly, like clockwork, that Armour Thyroid is going off the market?"
 
     First, Synthroid is the the top-selling levothyroxine drug. Synthroid is a highly profitable product for manufacturer Abbott Laboratories. 44,056,176 prescriptions were written for Synthroid in 2004. (RxList.com). Protecting that market share has to be an important objective for the sales force. To that end, pharmacists and physicians regularly report to me that drug representatives for Synthroid periodically tell them that "Armour is going off the market." So, your pharmacist or doctor may be honestly reporting something they have heard from a drug rep, without actually knowing whether or not this is true.
     Second, many doctors financially benefit from their relationship with Synthroid, and some have a vested interest in seeing the downfall of its competitors. It may be as simple as the doctor getting a regular supply of free drug samples, brochures, lunches, goody baskets, and other giveaways. Or, your doctor may be one of the thousands who receives free, all-expenses-paid trips to medical meetings, hefty honoraria and speaking fees, unrestricted research money, and more from the drug companies. But if your doctor says that Armour is going off the market, you should question his or her motives.
    Third, Armour Thyroid is almost always far less expensive than the levothyroxine drugs, and in particular, Synthroid. Since Armour does not typically get involved in drugstore "incentive programs" that offer bonuses and rebates to drug distributors and pharmacists, it's often in your pharmacy's best interests to steer you away from Armour and toward Synthroid, for their own financial benefit. For example, as of February 2007, 30 tablets of Armour, 60mg, 30 tablets is $7.99 at Drugstore.com, compared to 30 tablets of an equivalent dose of Synthroid, 100mcg,which would cost $14.70, almost double the cost of the Armour. So if your drugstore or pharmacist tells you that Armour is going off the market, you should question his or her motives."

      I wish I would have found these article much sooner because I was told Armour Thyroid was going off the market a year ago and ever since then I haven't been taking anything.  My energy levels have been effected the most by this, but now I feel realy hopeful in being able to get back on it again. I've created two direct links at the very bottom of my blog page that you can go to to read these articles.  Also there is a link on the right for this particular blog that you can click on to get even more information about how to get back on your Amour Thyroid.  Go to thyroid.about.com
     I talked to someone who was much smarter than I am and when she was told that her medication would be discontinued at Walgreens she got busy doing research to find a place that would give her the medicine she required.  I've asked her to post her experience on here for us so that we can have an idea of what she did to get back on her medication.  So Taylor whenever you get the opportunity to share your experience the floor is yours.  Thanks for the help girlfriend.