THYROLAR: DOES IT *NEED* TO BE REFRIGERATED?

[Ngok]

Hello,
My name is Ngoc and I am a refugee from the Pol Pot regime.  I am being treated for unspecified-type hypothyroidism.  I want to look into Thyrolar.  I don't want to get into a big discussion on whether or not it is available.  I just want to know if it NEEDS to be refrigerated.  Does it?  What if you don't keep it cool?  I don't want to get into taking a med that needs this kind of special treatment because it opens the door for lessened potency, of course.
Could someone get to the bottom of this refrigerate or not Thyrolar issue?
I must say that respondents to posts can be slower than creeping Jesus and I really wish you'd hurry it up.
THANKS
Ngoc.

[medicmommy]

I applaud you on your professional response to this post. Even though I and others here go out of our way to help others find answers, I'm not sure I would have done more for this poster other then give them a hyperlink to educate themselves. The rudeness and the entitled attitude of this person got my hackles up. Kudos to your response! :) ~MM

[gimel]

Sorry if you think we are slow to respond.  Members here are all volunteers, who are dedicated to trying to help other members with thyroid problems.  As such we do have a life, and demands on our time,  other than this Forum.  Sometimes members will not answer immediately, due to waiting to see if anyone with direct experience and knowledge answers.  When that doesn't happen, then members will try to answer as best possible, such as now.  

I spent some time looking around the 'net, much like you could have done also, and found this bit of information.

"Refrigerating Thyrolar?
While I had Angela (a rep. of the manufacturer) on the phone, I also asked why, a while back, my previously unrefrigerated Thyrolar started carrying a label that said it required refrigeration. Angela said that new stability and potency tests had been done with the product refrigerated. This keeps it fresher and more potent longer.

I asked about traveling with the drug. She said that if you're traveling for up to a week, you can probably use it unrefrigerated without too much potency loss, but after that, it's not guaranteed. Even if you can refrigerate only part of the time, that's better."


I'm not exactly sure of how to interpret that.  It could be that the manufacturer is just covering themselves against any claim about low potency for Thyrolar.  At any rate, since their product previously did not state that it needed to be refrigerated, I think I would do whichever was most convenient for me.