[Kimberly]

#1175817

@mariaboo – Someone who is hypo and chooses not to take their prescribed dose of replacement hormone can sooner or later expect all of the symptoms that come with untreated hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, joint pain, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, cold intolerance, and slow pulse. Even more serious complications are noted here in this link from the Mayo Clinic:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353/DSECTION=complications

Also, to clarify, this particular recall was related to the packaging of the meds, not the medication itself. Since the storage instructions for Synthroid require that it be protected from excessive light, heat, cold, and moisture, my guess is that the manufacturers felt that the defective packaging did not provide adequate protection from normal storage conditions.

In 2007, the FDA tightened up potency requirements through the drug’s entire shelf life for all replacement hormone products, with manufacturers given two years to meet the new rules. The drugs that you are prescribed today should have tighter standards than those that were manufactured just a few years ago. Here is some additional info from the FDA:

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm161259.htm

For those who are interested, this is the link that had the original recall information. It’s a lengthy document, but you can do a search for “Synthroid” to get to the right spot.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/enforcement/enforce_rpt-Product-Tabs.cfm?action=Expand+Index&w=10032012&lang=eng

EDIT: I’m having issues with the above link…it looks like after you click on the link, you will need to select the Enforcement Report for October 3, 2012 to get the full info.

[gatorgirly]

#1175818

mariaboo wrote:

…if you go online, you can read that Synthroid has always had a potency issue. And it’s like Russian roulette, ok I start my Syntrhoid next week and will my batch be recalled at some point?

I am cautious of anything I put in my body – food, medications, tap water, etc. – but I think writing something like that without any data to back up your statement could actually A. cause unnecessary panic in others who may read it and B. get you in some legal trouble if Abbott or their lawyers ever read these posts.

Food, cars, toiletries, toys, and appliances get recalled all the time. I worked at the service desk at Target for a few years and every few weeks I’d have to hang recall notices about a pair of little kids’ shoes, or a toaster oven, or a package of cookies. I am in no way downgrading your anxiety about being on medication for the rest of your life – that’s a reality for many of us on here – but to live in fear of a recall about a medication after one instance doesn’t seem justified unless you also live in fear of driving in a car and turning on the dishwasher.

[Kimberly]

#1175819

@gatorgirly – Yep, recalls are definitely all too common, both in the medical world and elsewhere. The above link (which was just *one* week’s worth of recalls), has everything on there from drugs to medical devices to donated blood/plasma to German chocolate cake!

[snelsen]

#1175820

catstuart7 wrote:

mariaboo wrote:

Why would I want to take anything at this point? If you have your thyroid removed after RAI, do you still have to take meds?

YES! You need thyroid hormone to live. You won’t die right away if you don’t take it but in time you would become increasingly ill. Do an internet search on people who’ve tried going without – their stories will convince you. I don’t know anything about this recall but hopefully your doc should.

Mariboo, YES, YES and yes. As the above post states. We have to have thyroid hormone in order to live. Everything you read in the other posts is accurate. If you did not take it at all, you would die, but not for a while, but when you died, it would be for that reason, unless you had something else going on.
It is highly the docs won’t know a thing about it!

If anyone is interested in checking their Synthroid, record the stock #’2 provided in Kimberly’s post, call your pharmacy, and they can check to see if they have those stock numbers in their supply. It is very likely the pharmacy/and or pharmacist does not know about it, either. Mine didn’t.
Shirley

[mariaboo]

#1175821

Gatorgirly – The articles I read caused panic in me! This is a site to share ones concerns. The info I have shared is fact – not fiction. I don’t care about toys or cars or appliances that are being recalled at this time. I care about me – a human being. I am worried about something that has been recalled (yes I understand only certain batches) that I have to take for the rest of my life. I will always do my research on any medication that I have to take and that includes, why the Synthroid was recalled. Everyone has the right to ask and receive answers and not be threatened that I will be legal trouble for asking questions about a newsletter article that was put out in the GDATF Newsletter.

[mariaboo]

#1175822

Thank you everyone for your feedback on my concerns. I see the pros, cons and understand things much better. Here’s to all of us fighting this Disease and taking it day by day.

[mariaboo]

#1175823

Thank you Kimberly.

[mariaboo]

#1175824

I thought I had read somewhere that you can ask for Synthroid without the dye??? Maybe someone can answer this question. I have not started my Synthroid but will on Thursday and I was going to ask the Doctor if he could prescribe the Synthroid without the dye.

[snelsen]

#1175825

Not sure. But offhand, I’d say that it is out of the pharmacist’s hands.
The drug companies generally make different doses different colors,a nd I actually like that. Recently, three of my meds have been reverted to all white. They are all tiny, all the same size, shape, and the markings are so faint on the tablets, that I worry all the time about this situation. I load my pill containers for three weeks at a time, AM and PM, cause I take quite a few meds for my heart and breast cancer. It is the heart and breast cancer meds that are almos exactly alike.
I do appreciate concerns about dyes, but I have had dyes all my life, in Kool Aid, frosting on cookies, and jello. Not that any of these are very good for us, but I had them. So I kinda welcome the different colors of Synthroid. Just a personal anecdote.
But the meds are manufactured by the drug companies, and the pharmacies simply receive them, but it sure is worth asking the question.Shirley

[Kimberly]

#1175826

@mariaboo – I would check with your pharmacist on the dye issue. Normally, I would have said that there is usually *one* dose that is completely white and contains no dyes…and you can potentially have the doc prescribe that specific dosage in the correct amount to meet your daily needs. (For example, you might need two pills, three pills, 1/2 pill, etc. of the dye-free dose to get the daily dose you really need).

But after reading Shirley’s comments, it seems that some manufacturers might be removing all dyes from their varying dosages. This is certainly worth a discussion with your pharmacist.

As for doing research on the web, definitely be careful where you get your information. For just about any product out there, there are “hater” web sites that spread inflammatory information that may or may not be true — and thyroid hormone replacement drugs are no exception.

[mariaboo]

#1175827

Thank you so much for the information !

[jaqeinquotation]

#1175828

This new information is reason for concern. Some said they wish they never did the RAI due to post struggles-I am in line for a TT. I have a couple months to think because the surgeon is very good and therefore very busy. My surgery is scheduled for March.
Lately I have been so scared to do any kind of procedure and to be really honest, the main reason I am doing it is because of the effect graves has had on my eyes. I have been assured that I will get relief and this will help with the eye surgeries coming up after.:rolleyes:
It sounds like the Synthroid dosage is just as much a guessing game as is Tapazole.
Sometimes I wonder where we get the strength from to deal with all of this-Thank God it’s not terminal but I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy! I have lost my way completely since this disease and from what I hear I will probably never live a normal life again. Noone really knows right?
I pray they find a cure

[Kimberly]

#1175829

Hello – There isn’t a lot of research that I am aware of indicating that surgery provides better protection from the eye disease than anti-thyroid drugs. However, one presenter at our 2012 conference did note from personal experience that patients whose levels were swinging high/low/high/low on anti-thyroid drugs tended to have more eye complications.

As for living a normal life again, many, *many* Graves’ patients choose a treatment option and move on with their lives…some even forget about having Graves’, other than the fact that they have to take a pill every day! But for the most part, those folks are not posting on this (or any other) forum!

In fact, if you go through our board for the last few years, you will see a history of many individuals who posted here while they were severely ill, got better, and then dropped off the boards. A few folks do stick around to offer encouragement to others, which we *love*, but most of them drop out of sight and get back to their lives.

It takes a ton of patience to get through the worst that Graves’ has to offer…but you *can* do this!

Take care!

[Author]

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