Re: Growth hormones

[Guest guest]

I would be happy to explain. All brands except one (which I can't

recall which one but your doctor won't prescribe it) are

biosynthetically identical. Most endocrinologists prescribe the brand

with which they have a better experience working with on the insurance

side.

See, what is great about it is that the pharmaceutical company has an

invested interest in your insurance approving you - because your child

usually uses the product for years then. SOOO.... the company will

have a dedicated person that the doctor can use to work with the

insurance company; if your insurance has problems or changes, the

pharm. company will usually provide free GH to you until the problems

are ironed out, etc. etc. So... most endos typically use 1-2 major

companies. One might have a product that is better with a pen;

another with a vial. But most people agree that no PRODUCT is better

than another. Does that make sense???

The reason the Eli Lilly website doesn't talk about SGA is because

Pharmacia was the company that got the FDA approval, which allows for

orphan drug status for a certain number of years. So even though

Pharmacia is the one with the approval, because doctors and insurance

companies know that the GH products are biosynthetically the same,

they prescribe, and pay for, all the products.

I believe Eli Lilly got the FDA approval for GH for ISS (idiopathic

short stature) in the last 2 years.

Most kids I know are on Pharmacia (which I believe is now Pfizer???)

or Eli Lilly. Both companies are great, both have supported our RSS

and SGA families in big ways by providing free GH for financially

needy families, etc. I am not as familiar with the other

manufacturers.

> Hello-

>

> Since we have been on this subject I have a couple of questions. I

> have been gathering information on the various companies/brands and

I

> was wondering if there are only certain brands prescribed for SGA

and

> are all of the brands basically the same thing? On the Humatrope

> website it only talks about GH deficiency and Syndrome..does

> this mean it isn't prescribed for Sga?

>

> Thanks-

>

> Mimi mom to:

> Isaac, RSS, hypothyroid almost 17 months

> Sofia, due 9-27-05

[Guest guest]

Hi Mimi,

As far as I know there is no difference between brands of growth

hormone. However, there is a difference in the dilutants used. Some

kids report more stinging from brand over another. Sorry, I cannot be

more specific than that.

Hope this helps.

Ken M

> Hello-

>

> Since we have been on this subject I have a couple of questions. I

> have been gathering information on the various companies/brands and I

> was wondering if there are only certain brands prescribed for SGA and

> are all of the brands basically the same thing? On the Humatrope

> website it only talks about GH deficiency and Syndrome..does

> this mean it isn't prescribed for Sga?

>

> Thanks-

>

> Mimi mom to:

> Isaac, RSS, hypothyroid almost 17 months

> Sofia, due 9-27-05

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jen and Ken for your posts.

My endocrinologist said that since Isaac is SGA we wouldn't have to do

the stim test. He told me that a bone age x-ray will be done on his

hand at 2 years old and that was all we needed. Is this a true

statement? I am wondering if we will end up having to do the test for

insurance..his nurse practitioner has a child that is smaller (she has

never said why) and told me that she refuses to make her child go

through the test so he is not on GH. That scares me ..don't they make

the kiddos fast? I thought it was dangerous for our kids to fast.

They also asked me if I wanted to start checking Isaac's blood sugar

levels with a glucometer. Does anyone do this? I had brought up the

question about checking with ketosticks and how do we know when the

ketones were being spilled (if you put a cotton ball in the diaper at

midnight cornstarch feeding and check at 7 am how do you know when

the " spilling " occured?) Does that make sense?

Thanks again-

Mimi

[Guest guest]

Hi Mimi,

Much depends on your insurance company. You should probably call them

and ask.

It is not dangereous to fast but it isn't a great thing for them.

Heck, most RSS kids do it everyday. I have heard the stim test can be

rather rough. I have also heard that it is not as reliable as many

doctors claim. These are issues you should discuss with your doctor

if the insurance company insists on a stim test. However, I suspect

they might not because it is expensive for them and the results can

often be disputed.

Regarding the blood sugar levels, I wouldn't check them until you

suspect it maybe low. Some things to look for are night sweats and

sudden onset of irritability. However, on this you must consider the

source. Like most guys, I am firmly in the camp of don't go looking

for trouble. My wife on the other hand, gets worried about

everything. Sometimes she gets worried that she isn't worried.

Hmmmmmm, some one needs therapy. But which one of us?

Hope this helps.

Ken M

> Thanks Jen and Ken for your posts.

>

> My endocrinologist said that since Isaac is SGA we wouldn't have to

do

> the stim test. He told me that a bone age x-ray will be done on his

> hand at 2 years old and that was all we needed. Is this a true

> statement? I am wondering if we will end up having to do the test

for

> insurance..his nurse practitioner has a child that is smaller (she

has

> never said why) and told me that she refuses to make her child go

> through the test so he is not on GH. That scares me ..don't they

make

> the kiddos fast? I thought it was dangerous for our kids to fast.

>

> They also asked me if I wanted to start checking Isaac's blood

sugar

> levels with a glucometer. Does anyone do this? I had brought up the

> question about checking with ketosticks and how do we know when the

> ketones were being spilled (if you put a cotton ball in the diaper

at

> midnight cornstarch feeding and check at 7 am how do you know when

> the " spilling " occured?) Does that make sense?

> Thanks again-

>

> Mimi

[Guest guest]

Hi Mimi,

Dr H had a very set series of blood tests run on BEFORE he started

GH. The Endo here led us to believe that it would take a minimum of two

blood draws to get all the tests run, but he was SO wrong! One draw, one

vial. Dr H also requested that he have a bone age x-ray done. We DID NOT

have to do a stim test.

We test Bran's BS with a glucometer twice a day, every day, and more often

if he is sick, or acting unusually lethargic. Bran has been able to stick

himself for the test for quite a while now. When he's sick, and already not

feeling well, he might whine some, but we just stay consistent and do what

we have to do. It doesn't seem to bother him most of the time.

As far as testing for ketones goes, I put the cotton ball in the diaper at

the first diaper change of the morning. I check frequently to see if he's

gone, (it doesn't take long! LOL) and when he has, I remove the cotton ball

and do the test.

Hope this helps!

Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 3 yrs 5 months old, 23#, 33 " , G-tube, GHT)

[Guest guest]

There ae only 2 approved for SGA right now. They are Genotropin and I forget

the other one.

R

Mom to:

Jed (1/22/93) Tic disorder, Asthma, Heart Murmur.....

Liam (12/12/00) SGA/RSS, Hypothyroid,Asthma, Epilepsy, Hearing Impaired,

Sensory Issues, Food Allergies, Heart Murmur...

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