Discontinuation of 25 & 50mcg Levothroid?

[Brigee]

Haven't been around in a long time, because I finally managed (with the help of a wonderful endo) to get things under control.  But, as we all know, all good things must come to an end.  *Sigh*  

For the last several months, I have been on a combo of Levothroid and Cytomel, after having bad reactions to every other thyroid med out there.  So, the first hit came last week when I went to pick up my prescription for Cytomel, and I was informed my insurance company no longer covers Cytomel.  Bam!  It's either 'fess up with $190 or take the generic.  I didn't want to do that, but I didn't really have much of a choice, so I took the generic.  All was well until Day 7, and I started having some old familiar internal tremor/vibes and my ankles and feel started swelling.  When, oh when, will they learn that generics are not always the same.  

Then, just when I thought things couldn't get much worse, they did.  I called in my refill for the Levothroid 10 days ago, and the pharmacy kept telling me their shipment hadn't come in, but it should be here any day.  Luckily, I know how these people operate by now, so I had allowed for this and had enough to cover that time period.  Well, when I went to pick it up yesterday, the pharmacist informed me that Forest is no longer making the 25mcg, and he couldn't get the 50mcg either, and that may be discontinued as well.  WHAT?!  That makes no sense at all.  But he was adamant.  

I went to Forest's Levothroid site and there is nothing there about it.  So, now it appears I am well and truly screwed on all my thyroid meds. I am waiting for the other pharmacy in town (yes, I live in a very small two-pharmacy town) to open, and I'm going to call and ask them about this.  

Just wondering - Has anyone heard anything about this?  

Brenda

[Brigee]

Yes, I contacted my insurance company and got all the info on how to get authorization for the brand name.  My doctor's assistant, bless her heart, spent 45 minutes on the phone with them, completed the required form, faxed it back, and I received a denial about seven days later.  According to the insurance company, "the information provided does not meet criteria to establish medical necessity of the requested brand name product over the generic product."  

In other words, we don't give a flying fig newton what your doctor says.

I have appealed the decision and sent them a detailed history of the trial and error process my doctor and I have been going through for the last two years, in an effort to find thyroid meds I can tolerate.  (Since they have records of all meds I have taken, that will be easy for them to see, if they bother to pull my records.)  Plus, I pointed out to them that, should I be compelled to take the generic form, I will also have to take Atenolol and Amitriptyline to control the side effects I have when taking it, which is also evidenced by the records they have on me.  

Now, whether or not they care about my quality of life, heart palpitations and severe tremors when I am on the generic form, hopefully they WILL care about the additional cost of my having to take two additional medications if they force me to take the generic form.

I sent the appeal by certified mail, return receipt requested, as these things have a way of disappearing down the rabbit hole.  (I went through this same thing over a year ago with another medication.)  It has been 30 days today since I sent it, so I will be rattling their cage again next week.  Fingers crossed!

Thanks for your reply.  :)

[pharmie03]

If youre having a reaction to the generic and the only one that works well for you is the brand, the doctor can get an override through the insurance that allows it to be covered. you have to ask your doctor to get the approval for it though. Depending on the coverage/hospital that you have they will go about it differently. Or ask your pharmacy to request to your doctor that he/she calls your insurance to promptly get that resolved

v

[Brigee]

Much to my surprise, my endo asked if I wanted to try Nature Throid.  I told him I would stick with the Levothroid and Cytomel for now, because of all the problems the natural thyroid makers have been having - production problems, new recipes, the FDA.  He gave me a script for it, just in case though.  Is it any wonder I love him? :)

[foreverlostmom]

Yikes I hope this is not another Armour situation.... And I sure hope they don't do it to my Nature Throid :(

[Brigee]

What a week I'm having.  I ran all over Albuquerque on Monday, after my appointment with the endo, trying to find 25mcg Levothroid.  Felt like a drug-seeker.  Everyone says the same thing - 25mcg Levothroid is on backorder.  Forest Pharmaceuticals sent a message to the pharmacies that they will not be shipping these again until sometime in late March.  But I guess the good news is that they are not discontinuing them.  I even checked with some online (legit) pharmacies, and they are completely out also.  My endo was totally ticked!  

So, since I don't have a choice, I guess I'll be taking the 50mcg Levothroid.  I did find out that it doesn't have any dyes at all, so maybe it will work for me.  And, thankfully, they are not having "production issues" with that one.  My endo gave me a 90-day script, so that will help.  I'm starting it tonight, and we'll see soon enough.

I did have to pay a small fortune for the Cytomel, because my insurance company no longer covers it, but I tried the generic and had a bad reaction.  I was astounded to find out that the retail price difference between real Cytomel and the generic is only about $8 a month.  My insurance company has totally cheaped-out on me.  Well, I guess that's not a big surprise, is it?  {eye roll}  

Laters, kids!
Brenda

[laura1967]

One can only imagine what Forrest Labs is up to with this one! Yikes!
I would call around and stock up on what you can find with the lower dosage levo.

[Smilerdeb]

I totally agree with Redheadaussie.

[redheadaussie]

Call the Forrest Labs and ask the question. Often it turns out that pharmacies don't get given the order of the particular medication if the demand is not there. It does NOT mean the company is not making it. Just the sales guy finds out that say, 25mcgs is not popular and therefore he/she takes it off the order. The pharmacist is not the person who does the invoices so they give you some lame excuse, never knowing the real reason they don't have it on their shelves.
  

[Smilerdeb]

Boy I'm glad we dont have that problem with Thyroxin here in Australia although a lot could do with the desicated which is banned here.
I still get mine in 50mcg doses.

[LazyMoose]

So..have you ever tried Synthroid or generic Levothyroxine for your T4? Widely available.

You say you have not been around in some time......? The Forrest Labs Armour Thyroid shortage (off and on production per FDA since Aug) may be affecting their other manufacturing as well.

[Brigee]

I made some calls to other pharmacies in the area, and finally got a pharmacy tech who actually checked into this after her system wouldn't even let her order Levothroid.  She says there is a production problem at Forest Pharmaceuticals, and they have no ETA on Levothroid in ANY dosage.  

Here we go again . . .

Brenda