Articles Index

Armour Thyroid's Spring 2009 Reformulation Causing Problems
During the Spring of 2009, the natural desiccated thyroid drug, Armour Thyroid, apparently underwent a reformulation of fillers, including a decrease in the amount of dextrose, increase in cellulose, and the addition of cornstarch to the tablets. Since that time, some patients have been reporting a variety of problems with this new Armour formula, and some are choosing to switch to other drugs, including Nature-Throid and Westhroid.

Could You Be Overmedicated?
Thyroid hormone replacements drugs generally have few side effects, and for those who are hypothyroid due to disease, surgery or radioactive iodine, there are generally few risks to taking thyroid hormone replacement drugs -- levothyroxine drugs like Synthroid, one of the combination drugs like Thyrolar, or a natural desiccated thyroid drug like Armour. The most common risk or side effects of these drugs, however, is overmedication, which is discussed in this article.

Treatments for Thyroid Diseases and Conditions
A review of key thyroid treatments, including treatments for hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's disease, hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease, nodules, goiter, thyroiditis, thyroid storm, and thyroid cancer.

When Patients Won't Take Their Thyroid Medication
People who have thyroid conditions -- including hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism / Graves' disease -- sometimes choose to not take their prescription medications for various reasons. Patient advocate Mary Shomon looks at their reasons, along with the health implications that go along with failing to take prescribed thyroid medications.

Thyroid Drug Potency is Being Tightened: FDA Changes Specs for Levothyroxine
The FDA is narrowing the potency specifications for levothyroxine drugs like Synthroid and Levoxyl, used to treat hypothyroidism and other thyroid conditions. The move to narrow thyroid drug potency specifications is due to concerns about the degradation of the potency over the shelf life of these drugs, which are taken by millions of Americans.

Warning: Hot Temperatures May be Hazardous to Your Drugs
One casualty of heat waves and summer power outages that you may not realize is your prescription medication. If you take any prescription drug, you need to be aware that storage at high temperatures can quickly degrade the potency and stability of many medications. Find out how to avoid heat-related medication problems, and what to do if your medications have been affected.

Recuperating After Thyroid Surgery
A look at what thyroid patients can expect in the recuperation period after thyroid surgery / thyroidectomy, from thyroid patient advocate Mary Shomon.

Thyroid Surgery and Thyroidectomy
Thyroid patient advocate Mary Shomon takes a comprehensive look at the various facets of thyroid surgery / thyroidectomy, including the types of surgery, and what the surgery involves.

Complications After Thyroid Surgery
This article looks at complications that can occur after thyroid sugery, including hypoparathyroidism, hypocalcemia, and laryngeal nerve damage.

Finding a Top Thyroid Surgeon
An experienced thyroid surgeon can reduce your risk of complications, and ensure a better outcome for your health. This article looks at how to find a top thyroid surgeon to perform your thyroidectomy or other thyroid surgery.

Should You Take Your Thyroid Medication at Night?
Thyroid patients have always been told to take their medication in the morning, on an empty stomach, before breakfast. Now research is showing that taking medication at bedtime may help improve absorption of thyroid medication and ease symptoms. Thyroid patient advocate Mary Shomon takes a look.

What to Do When Your Thyroid Drug Has Been Discontinued
What should you do if a doctor or pharmacist tells you that Armour Thyroid has been discontinued? Patient advocate Mary Shomon has some eye-opening advice.

Thyroid Organizations Take On Generic Levothyroxine
A consortium of three organizations involved in thyroid treatment -- the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), American Thyroid Association (ATA) and The Endocrine Society -- are concerned that current FDA standards for levothyroxine bioequivalence and substitution may lead to negative health effects in some patients. What do these concerns mean, and what should thyroid patients do to protect their own health?

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Thyroid Drugs?
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Understanding the Armour Thyroid Recall of Spring 2005
Understanding the Armour Thyroid Recall of Spring 2005: What Patients Need to Know

Study Finds Patients Prefer Combination T4/T3 Treatment
Research featured in the May 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism has demonstrated that hypothyroidism patients prefer a combination T4/T3 treatment to T4-only treatment. The researchers also found that combination treatment is associated with weight loss, while T4-only treatment is not. This is the largest study to date to show evidence of patient preference for T4/T3 treatment.

New Study Comparing T4 to T4/T3 Treatment Published
The results of a double-blind study crossover trial of thyroid drugs were published in the March 2005 Archives of Internal Medicine. The study, conducted in Spain, compared levothyroxine/T4 treatment for hypothyroidism, versus 2 different combinations of levothyroxine plus synthetic T3 (known as liothyronine), and concluded that T4 only is sufficient. Patient advocate Mary Shomon analyzes the study and finds flaws with its methodology and conclusions.

Warning Regarding Levoxyl
U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Jones Pharma Inc. (the subsidiary of King Pharmaceuticals that makes the thyroid drug Levoxyl) have issued a warning letter to healthcare providers, indicating that there are reports of patients having choking, gagging, tablets stuck in the throat, and difficulty swallowing after when taking Levoxyl, primarily without water.

The Generics are Coming, The Generics are Coming!!!
The Generics are Coming, The Generics are Coming!!! Generic Levothyroxine Drugs -- Lower-Cost Versions of Synthroid and Levoxyl -- rom Lannett, Mylan and Sandoz Approved for Sale by FDA