Guest guest Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 It's posts like this [where you suggest that well under 2% of people even try Armour] that led me to my recent suggestion that probably somewhere between 90% and 99% of hypothyroid patients are treated with Synthroid and similar T4 medications. Roni questioned my numbers, and I admitted it's only a guess. Given your post it looks like I probably would have been safe to say that from 98% or more of such patients are treated with Synthroid type medications only. Yet the perceived wisdom for so many on this list is that Synthroid is crap and Armour is manna from heaven. As has been suggested recently [and many times in the past] it is highly probable that lists like this self select for that tiny percentage of people who do not do well on Synthroid. So their influence on this list is totally our of proportion to the general population of patients. And as that tiny percentage also happens to be those who in many cases have gone through hell on earth trying to get treatment that makes them feel human again they are quite naturally emotionally attached to what they have found to be their " savior " . I personally am very happy that some have found Armour [or whatever else works], but I decry the fact that some think it should be the answer for the 98% plus of people who don't see a need for it. > > > Although levothyroxine (T4) has slipped to the 6th most prescribed drug, > behind Lipitor (a statin for high cholesterol. > .now used for diabetes > too), Lisinopril (an Ace inhibitor for high blood pressure and diabetes > and congestive heart failure), Hydrocodone/APAP (a narcotic pain > reliever..you know it as Vicodin), Atenolol ( a beta blocker used for > high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and migraine), and > Hydrocholorothiazide (a diuretic mainly used for high blood pressure), > it is still prescribe at a rate of about 50 million prescriptions per > year. > > In contrast, Armour is somewhere well under 1 million. I can't tell > exactly, because Forest Laboratories isn't exactly forthcoming, and not > everyone gets it by prescription. Armour Thyroid definitely doesn't make > the list of top 300 prescribed medicines. Forest is more interested in > promoting its top sellers, and Armour isn't one of them. At any rate, > sales suggest that well under 2 percent even try Armour, let alone find > it more effective, rather than 10-20 percent, as you guessed. This list > gives a skewed impression, since the majority that are satisfied with > the popular prescription, don't tend to join discussion lists for the > subject. > > Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2008 Report Share Posted May 11, 2008 Maybe you can make a hypo group for synthroid users. I think that is a marvel idea! Let us know how many people like it! Maybe we could learn a thing or two! Or maybe you can. cw -- Re:T4 versus Armour It's posts like this [where you suggest that well under 2% of people even try Armour] that led me to my recent suggestion that probably somewhere between 90% and 99% of hypothyroid patients are treated with Synthroid and similar T4 medications. Roni questioned my numbers, and I admitted it's only a guess. Given your post it looks like I probably would have been safe to say that from 98% or more of such patients are treated with Synthroid type medications only. Yet the perceived wisdom for so many on this list is that Synthroid is crap and Armour is manna from heaven. As has been suggested recently [and many times in the past] it is highly probable that lists like this self select for that tiny percentage of people who do not do well on Synthroid. So their influence on this list is totally our of proportion to the general population of patients. And as that tiny percentage also happens to be those who in many cases have gone through hell on earth trying to get treatment that makes them feel human again they are quite naturally emotionally attached to what they have found to be their " savior " . I personally am very happy that some have found Armour [or whatever else works], but I decry the fact that some think it should be the answer for the 98% plus of people who don't see a need for it. > > > Although levothyroxine (T4) has slipped to the 6th most prescribed drug, > behind Lipitor (a statin for high cholesterol. > .now used for diabetes > too), Lisinopril (an Ace inhibitor for high blood pressure and diabetes > and congestive heart failure), Hydrocodone/APAP (a narcotic pain > reliever..you know it as Vicodin), Atenolol ( a beta blocker used for > high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and migraine), and > Hydrocholorothiazide (a diuretic mainly used for high blood pressure), > it is still prescribe at a rate of about 50 million prescriptions per > year. > > In contrast, Armour is somewhere well under 1 million. I can't tell > exactly, because Forest Laboratories isn't exactly forthcoming, and not > everyone gets it by prescription. Armour Thyroid definitely doesn't make > the list of top 300 prescribed medicines. Forest is more interested in > promoting its top sellers, and Armour isn't one of them. At any rate, > sales suggest that well under 2 percent even try Armour, let alone find > it more effective, rather than 10-20 percent, as you guessed. This list > gives a skewed impression, since the majority that are satisfied with > the popular prescription, don't tend to join discussion lists for the > subject. > > Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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