| mehitabel
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Suzzi - I just googled on "levothyroxine sodium recall" and a whole load of reports came up: try this one:
http://thyroid.about.com/b/a/076545.htm |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:14 am |
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| joesuzzi
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Hi mehitabel,
Yes, that site is one that I read (I really like "About.com" it is a good site for almost everything !!)
I also had found a site that listed numerous recalls for the drug....going back many years. Also that there was a class action lawsuit about the problems with that drug. I know I kept reading about the recalls until my eyes started crossing !
I can not help but believe (HOPE) that if any of us got the "bad" drug we would have been contacted???????????????????????????????
It says they drug was sold nationwide...........but with the records that pharmacies keep you would think they would let you know???
I do not know if this is what stopped my meds from working...............
Maybe my condition just got worse?
Mabe is was the brussels that I was devouring???
Maybe my system just became immune to the drug???
Could be alot of things..............but it has made me read up on the condition and I will never again just take my medication for granted and assume it will continue to work properly !
Also........My Dr. said I could take my thyroid meds anytime of the day...or night.....provided I take it at the same time each day...and that I take it on an empty stomach as well. She said alot of her patients take it during the night (set an alarm to be woken up so they can take it????)
I am taking them at night now...but I am not going to set an alarm !!! |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:36 am |
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| lisalc98
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| I've been taking Levothroid for years now....so does this mean the drug still is "bad"? Or just affected 14,207 100-count bottles? |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:58 pm |
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| mehitabel
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Lisalc - the drug's not bad. As I understand it, there were separate issues with certain batches from certain manufacturers as regards long-term potency - some batches apparently lost their strength before their sell-by date. Follow the links from about.com - they should give you the right information.
Don't stop taking any medication. If you're worried, ask your doctor, and if you don't get a convincing answer, ask for a test to check your levels.
Suzzi - the point about taking meds consistently is that the dose that actually makes it into your system should be consistent. This is most easily done if you take it on an empty stomach and 30 minutes before breakfast. If you take it before or after lunch, you lose some of the dose because of other things in your stomach that prevent absorption. These can be allowed for by upping your dosage by a certain amount. But because you will never eat exactly the same things for lunch, the absorption will be different every day. Your doctor will allow for this. Personally, I'd rather take as low a dose as possible, so I take it first thing in the morning. But I don't have a lot of conflicting meds, so it's easier for me.
We don't seem to have had any of these scares in the UK. I hope my friendly local pharmacist would let me know if there was a recall. It would be more difficult if I were travelling or had moved, of course. |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:19 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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Hi mehitabel .
..I think you are right.....and now (after taking the meds for a week at night) I want to start taking them 1st thing in the A.M (main reason is that I weigh in the mornings.....since the hypo-T meds contain sodium...I show heavier in the A. M. now....I DON'T LIKE THAT !!
Tonight I WILL set my alarm for 2 a.m. to take the pill.............then Sunday morning take it first thing when I get up.
Do you think this is OK? Should I stretch it out a bit longer??
So far, I have not noticed any side-effects from the Amour.......so thats good !
Lisa.........I agree...the meds were not "bad"..they just grew weak for some reason. Don't let that scare you....there are recalls on tons of stuff everyday............when is your next blood work-up ??
mehitabel : Do you exercise each day??? If so, what type of exercise have you felt helps you ? Do you find you wear out easily?? |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:44 pm |
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| lisalc98
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| My next check-up should be within the next couple of months, I could look on my prescription bottle tonight to find out. I've had two different docs since being diagnosed with a goiter (and hypothyroidism) and they've both told me to take it before I go to bed at night. I asked the pharmicist and he agrees with that too. Am I really supposed to be taking it later? |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:56 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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Lisa: There is so much conflicting info out there......lots of theories as to why to take it at such and such time. Everyone agrees that it best to take it at the same time everyday.
I read (somewhere on the web) that the largest demand on the thyroid is at 2 a.m...................I don't know if that is true or not !
I have also read that some people crush thier thyro meds and let them dislove under the tongue.........I have never done that either....but I do know meds absorb under the tongue alot quicker.
I think the main thing to note is that you request a FREE T3 and FREE T4 test along with the thyroid panel...........(The Dr. may think you are nuts..but OH WELL !!)
Once you get the results there are several sites on the web that can tell you exactly how your thyroid is functioning...........as long as you have those numbers.
My Doctor said she did not care when I took it.PROVIDED it was on an empty stomach. I was having trouble REMEMBERING to take it at night...several night I would be laying there...going over the day..and think "OOPPS !! I forgot my pill again !"
How are you feeling???? If all of the symptoms are being controlled I would stick with what your Dr. said............I don't really know that it mattters that much anyway.
Question about the goiter: Did the swelling go down once you started meds? (assuming you had swelling). What took you to the Doctor when you found out about the goiter? |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:51 pm |
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| lisalc98
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My mom noticed the goiter and said I should go and see if that's what it was. The swelling did go down a lot, but it's not all the way gone. If I skip a day or two, the goiter swells back up immediately. My sister also has a goiter, she takes Synthroid for it.
Since taking Levothroid, I haven't noticed any difference in how I feel, just the my goiter shrinks when I take it. When I was diagnosed with the goiter, no one ever told me that that also means I have hypothyroidism, I discovered that in research years later. But I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I'm not a question-asker when I go to the doctor, I've always just figure "they know best". But next time I go, I'm going to ask a lot of questions. |
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Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:08 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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Hi Lisa................I was surprised to hear your Doctor did not even bother to tell you that you were hypo-T................YEESH !!
According to everything I am reading about it....many..many Dr.s don't know a whole lot about it............I guess they can't be experts on everything, right?
I really now believe we have to be our own advocate when seeing a Dr. because they only seem to tell us as little as possible.................I want to know it all ! Good for You for researching it and understanding your condition !!
I REALLY want to see your numbers when you get your thyroid tests done at your next visit !
Is it the same Dr. that told you it was a goiter (and never mentioned hypo-T ????)
If so, are you going to ASK him/her why they did not mentioned hypo-T ?
I go in with a list of questions to ask....if I don't write them down I end of forgetting 1/2 of them !
Do you now suffer from any other hypo-T symptoms???
How have you been doing on the beach?? (Sorry...I can't read your ticker when I am typing a response..........if you have a ticker !!)
How do you handle wheat products??? Do they seem to put you in a stall...or cause a gain??? |
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Sat Mar 19, 2005 4:49 am |
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| lisalc98
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The doc who diagnosed my goiter has since retired, and my new doc never disclosed it to me either. He actually never even really visits with me. He just has his nurse take my blood and then send me on my way. I'm actually going to be visiting a new doc for my next visit, and I'll ask him all my questions.
I'll get back to you on my experience with SB...my DH is yelling at me to get into bed!! |
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Sat Mar 19, 2005 5:58 am |
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| lisalc98
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| I haven't notice much stalling when I eat wheat products. Since Dec 1. I've lost 20 pounds, and I attribute that to mostly no more sugar (I was ADDICTED before) and my increase in cardio and weight training. I have been told that the medication used for thyroid diseases cause osteoporosis (might have spelled that wrong), so I'm making sure I get enough calcium and do my weight training now. |
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Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:36 pm |
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| Sarabear
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Hey all!! I am 20 yrs old and was FINALLY diagnosed with hypothyroidism in february after two years of going to different doctors telling them I didnt feel well...they always sent me home saying i was fine and to stop worrying. FINALLY i got a doc to listen to me and really HEAR what i was saying. I was losing hair, exhausted, gaining weight (and not losing when i should have been), sore, cold, mildly depressed, whacked out menstrual cycles, the whole nine yards. He finally decided to test my tsh after telling him hypo runs in my family. Well, it came back at about 4. Not bad, within the "norm" range of .2-5. However endocrinologists are now saying over 3 is too high. (BTW, the reason i had so many symptoms with only borderline hypo is because my body is EXTREMELY sensitive to hormones!! i can't take birth control pills or patches because it throws my whole body out of whack). So he put me on .025 mg of synthroid and after 8 weeks, my TSH levels were at .8!!! I feel a LOT better and have already lost 2 pounds!!! Before the hypo i was 5'7" 130 lbs. and very active. I am currently 147 and trying to lose that last 15-20lbs. I am hoping that now that i have my tsh under control I will be ablet o drop the extra weight!! Good luck to all of you!!!
-Sara |
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Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:54 pm |
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