Amour Thyroid

[julianne07]

Why are so many doctors against Rxing Amour Thyroid for hypothyroid. If there is even a slight possibility it may help me to feel better I want to try it. What loss is it to them to just let someone do a trial run....I bet if they felt half of what I feel like with the same condition they would exhaust every option.

It obviously works for some people...

Has anyone had trouble with their doctors and eventually convinced them?

[stella5349]

So are you saying your sending a letter is good - or not good?

[Dnarose]

Writing letters is how I found two of the doctors I had.  I basically write about my condition and what treatment has worked well for me and ask if they are willing to work with me on the same protocol.  There are too many doctors who do not like Armour and this way I find upfront if they will keep me on it. I don't waste my time or theirs

[stella5349]

I have a templete letter you can use if you wish also.

Many have found that if you write a letter to the doctor directly with your concerns and show the information on why you are thinking about this - the doctor will look at it in a kinder light -

like you are trying to express yourself instead of hammering them with a ton of paperwork.

Just a thought

[Dnarose]

Good luck on Monday.  Some doctors don't mind when you bring info in, others get mad about it. I had some doctors think I was a great patient caring so much about my condition and my health and I've had others give me the line...."Whose the doctor here."  I believe we have to work with our doctor in partnership. If that cannot be achieved, then its time to move on.

[julianne07]

Well, my new family doctor of 7 months said in one of our first appointments together she would give me "dessicated thyroid" if I didn't respond well to synthroid, which I am not. However, I asked her a few times to switch over and she almost acted like she didn't  even hear me. Hmmm..?

I'm going in with ammunition on Monday, documents supporting the switch to Amour and even a conversion chart!!! Less work for her might actually get me the switch.

I

[stella5349]

It pretty much starts in medical training schools. Upcoming doctors are taught that patients with thyroid conditions only need a T4 replacement drug to control hypothyroidism.  Many colleges have a connection with the research from drug companies and feel assured that what information they are given to them is the most updated information for treating hypothyroidism. They are also taught that a TSH range is what tells them if the patient has responded well to the T4 medication and rarely are the Free T3 and Free T4 levels considered when a TSH is within normal ranges.

Most cases if the TSH is within a range of normalism - the patient is left at their dose of Thyroid replacement and sent on their way as being fine.

The problem is - I believe - is that new medicine is now obsessively absorbed in lab numbers and considers the patients complaints as second hand. I can't blame them to a degree -  

Due to the ability of greedy lawyers and the way our society is always looking at suit liabilities against their doctors - These doctors now feel that they are forced to base there sole decisions on a piece of paper with a lab value instead of symptoms.

Patients with any condition - if things don't go right - will sue these physicians for malpractice and can destroy a doctors life. So for protection on the doctors part - they prefer to protect themselves with labs in case something totally unrelated to treatment happens to the patient and find themselves fighting in court over a med that is looked at as outdated non - consistant - and outdated treatment for hypothyroidism. I got that information from the ENT I had about 2 years ago.

When taking Armour medicine the TSH and Free levels of hormones differs - for some
greatly and can be looked at as not normal (hyper) on lab tests - but the patient is completely symptom free. That could potentially put the doctor in a position down the road if the patient has something happen to them - they blame the physician for what happened - and now the doctor is forced to explain why he kept that patient at those levels of hormones when they were not within the ranges that have been enforced. Would you risked that if you were them?

Many years ago = prior to labs even exsisting - patients went to their doctors as we do - complaining of all the same symptoms we do today. Doctors then - had no advanced testing of blood testing invented yet - so they based their treatment on the patient and individual  reponse to the only thyroid medication available which was Armour Thyroid.

The patient would return after 2 weeks and convert with their doctor on how they responded - Depending on the reponse of the patient - the doctor would increase - decrease - or stabilize the meds - to see if their next visit was more positive.  It was - in my mind - a very positive approach to helping the suffer of symptoms get well again and move on with their life. If you felt bad - they listened and adjusted according to you.

How wonderful it would be if we could go back to those times - AND ALSO- use the modern tests now available to blend the two approaches and "really" benefit a patients well being. Few doctors use this approach. Finding them is key!

I am not going to go into the strong influence pharmacutical companies have on current doctors and there tactics on how to promote there "product" to physicians to buy into their ideas that their drug is better than others.  

I did that recently and found it too controversial for me to continue.  But - I will say Armour Thyroid reps seem to be out there alot less in the community as others are.

Forest pharmacuticals stay strong and solid within their company to continue processing their medication with the same regulations as any other pharmacutical company has to follow and have been doing it for over 50 yrs.

Despite rumors of it being a non consistant and "tanted" drug  - which is totally untrue - they continue production and are still very strong keeping up with the demands of patients wanting this medication and finding great benefits taking this replacement hormone.

Being on Synthroid - for me - was not a positive experience for many years. I stumbled onto Armour medication over the internet and wanted to try it -  

Some patients greatly benefit being on Synthroid. It just didn't help me.

I went through 4 doctors in less the 4 mths because of my request to try it and was told blantly no. I kept looking for someone to let me "try."

Finally I found a regular MD who let me try and to this day - very thankful to him for listening to me.  I can't imagine my life if I wouldn't have pushed to get on it.