My endrocrinologist

[I_UndergroundPanther]

Called me today.
Got good news and news that made me pissed.

First the goodnews my a1c was 4.8.
I got my meds lowered.

Second was she said my thyroid was off. Told her I take my thyroid meds every morning like clockwork. Then she told me about a couple of problems she has been dealing with about pharmacies.


Apparently some pharmacies are switching genaric brands on the cheap. Some brands are not certified equivalent. So your thyroid levels or other meds might not be the dose you need and expect them to be. Some of these drugmakers have class action lawsuits against them and the corporate pharmacies keep buying shitty brand genarics to cut corners and cheat people and risk thier health. This shits gotta get some news time.


My endro told me to find out what brand or maker of my generic thyroid pills are than see if lawsuits have been filed against them. Than go to your pharmacy and go as high as you get in corporate structure and ask why they are buying and reselling drugs from shady corrupt companies
and risking peoples health.


Apparently also pharmacists and techs from pharmacies like target or walmart are being told by corporate to lie and tell customers that their test strips haven't been refilled when they have been refilled. This happened to me so my endro called the pharmacy with me on the phone. Left the script.
I will call monday and ask if my strips and lancets are ready.

If they tell me a lie again that she hasn't called it in yet I'm gonna stir some shit.

I hate corporations that think they are not accountable to anyone. I like being a thorn in thier side..

[multigraincracker]

1. I've switch to small

Independent drug stores.
World of difference in service and trust. Keeps my money local too.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

2. I walk to get my meds

That changes the equation. I like to have
access to the store.
When I cant get there ifI get an antibiotic whenI need it..stuff like that makes me hesitant to go to a small pharmacy. The nearest one is significantly far away.

[multigraincracker]

3. I have about 6 miles

For any drug store. One is just a little farther, but is a compounding pharmacy. If the don’t have it, they can make.
One drug I use, the big chain stores stopped carrying it. Ask the local guy about it and it’s too cheap for them to sell it any more. Has kept me out of ER for 12 years now. Injectable Benadryl.

[multigraincracker]

4. They will even make up

drugs for pets.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

5. Wow didnt know injectable benydryl even existed.

[multigraincracker]

7. Works extra fast when

you start breaking out in hives. I’ve now found that if you take hard tablet, crush it up and put it under your tongue, that works too. An EMT told me about that. It works too.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

8. I was wondering if you pulverized the

Pill and put it under your tounge if that would work.

Yeah know about hives.
Went to an allergist few years ago. He helped me immensely. However I still take zyrtec everyday and flonase too.
Still got hives in the wall mart scented candle isle one day out with friends.
Went over to the pharmacy and got some benydryl gel. It saved my ass.

But it could be worse..

I could be allergic to cats.
Thank Sekhmet I am not.
It would crush my heart to smithereens. And no,Othello ain't going anywhere.

[multigraincracker]

10. My great doctor put me on Singular for my hives.

It''s an asthma drug. I don't have that but it's an off use for it. Got rid of about 90% of it.

Best of luck.

[imavoter]

14. Using singular for allergy isn't off label.

It just not an antihistamine..

In fact Singulair only works for asthmatics
who have allergy triggers.
There's more than one kind of asthma.
This is per my pulmonary specialist...

If I didn't have allergies I wouldn't have asthma.
I didn't have asthma symptoms until I was an adult.
Singulair has kept me off an inhaler. I rarely need a puff.

[multigraincracker]

16. Really no breathing problems.

Had a complete pulmonary work up and scored over 100% on all of my test. When I told them I had smoked for over 40 years they asked what kind of inhaler I use. I said none. Singulair has been working great for me. Usually my hives are tied to food allergies. But the food that causes them changes all of the time.
Thanks for the info.

[imavoter]

13. My health insurance requires me to use CVS or they won't cover costs.

I don't know how this is legal, but it is.

[MyMission]

6. Last summer they switched my generic synthroid

But my pharmacy did make me sign a form that I had been informed of the change, I was told the brand I'd taken for years was no longer available. That new generic threw my thyroid out of wack, started to get bad symptoms and I told the pharmacist. They gave me 2 options (lower costs) and I've been taking Levothyroxine Sodium Capsules by Lannett for 6+ months and all is well.
They are little gel caps, in prepacks. I use a local pharmacy that's affiliated with the low cost clinic at the local hospital. Aside from this recent levothyroxine switch, I've been pleased with them.

Great news about your A1C. I deal with blood sugar issues also. My BMI is under 25, I eat very healthy, but my sugar (and cholesterol) numbers run high, but just below diabetes levels (for 20 years!). I've taken berberine for several years, and that's helped to lower my A1C. I discovered it when they wanted to put me on metformin. It's an ancient (alternative) medicine, not a pharmaceutical. My MD doesn't acknowledge it's helped to reduce my numbers. It's up to us, the patient, to manage our own care.

Good luck getting your test strips and lancets.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

9. What is berberine?

[MyMission]

12. Berberine - A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits

A compound called berberine is one of the most effective natural supplements available.

It has very impressive health benefits, and affects your body at the molecular level.

Berberine has been shown to lower blood sugar, cause weight loss and improve heart health, to name a few.

It is one of the few supplements shown to be as effective as a pharmaceutical drug.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/berberine-powerful-supplement

This is a pretty good article about it. There was another I've shared with people but don't have that link. I get it at the local co-op. There are many options available on line too.

[bahboo]

17. sounds almost too good to be true...

which always makes me a little leery. I'll check out some other sources. I have borderline sugar with an extremely healthy lifestyle, so it does interest me.

[Ms. Toad]

18. If you have access to testing supplies,

Last edited Mon Feb 7, 2022, 09:03 PM - Edit history (1)

try limiting carbs with thorough testing.

If I limit my carb intake to 21 net carbs per 2 hour period, my A1C is 5.7 (which is normal).

[MyMission]

29. Good suggestion, and I've actually done that

After I was officially diagnosed with high blood sugar I met with a nutritionist.
After describing my diet, she said I had the best eating habits of anyone she ever treated.!!!
She offered one suggestion. Count my carbs. No more than 15 for a snack, no more than 45 for a meal. My post meal numbers went down a bit, but my fasting blood remained above 100, often hitting 117. The berberine made the difference in lowering my fasting levels.

They also recommended a program for prediabetes, but I didn't qualify because I'm not overweight. The program involved exercise, diet, and a weight loss goal of 10%, which they said I didn't need. Many with pre or type 2 can reverse it by loosing weight and changing diet. I don't fall into that group.

I have never been a big bread or pasta or potato eater (and discovered they cause spikes) but I like rice and don't get high numbers after eating it. If I eat nuts before bed my morning numbers tend to be lower. I don't eat things with high fructose corn syrup, don't drink sodas or juice or sweetened tea or coffee. I snack on dried fruits, nuts, cheese, healthy crackers. I don't eat a lot of sweets, and was never one to eat dessert after a meal. I usually look for a sweet treat several hours after a meal. (Interesting that my normal eating habits steered me away from high carbs and overloading my gut.) I do watch my carb intake since the nutritionist suggested it.

I just got some new test strips, and started testing again.

Did you post your reply before finishing your thought/sentence?
You ended....if I limit my carb intake to.....
I'm curious what you limit it to.

[Ms. Toad]

32. The problem is 45 for a meal.

It is the standard recomendation - BUT - most people with diabetes cannot handle nearly that much without going outside of normal range. My opinion is that nutritionists and the diabetes organizations have decided we're just fat slobs with no impulse controle - and we won't be able to control our eating. So they tell us to cut down a little to an amount which is still higher than our bodies can handle. There's a lot of hostility from both sources to how I eat (although it is growing less). The weight loss is also a standard recommendation - and it is (for most people) complete nonsense. My blood glucose is related to what I currently put in my mouth- not what I put in it in the past. My mother has lost well over 10% of her weight - and her A1C always has been higher than mine. And - I have a completely normal A1C - as long as I restrict my carb intake - even when I am overweight.

I must have posted before I finished my thought. I can handle 21 net carbs in a 2 hours period. (So the 45 your nutritionist recommended is more than double what I can handle for a meal.)

I don't have to go keto crazy - I can handle 100 carbs in a day, as long as I spread them out.

[Sgent]

25. Usually

as long as the manufacturer doesn't change from script to script you can adjust the dose as well. Glad everything is working out.

[Sympthsical]

15. I think your doctor may have given you a partial explanation

The first thing to do is check if a generic is AB rated. That basically means it's the bioequivalent to the name brand and proven such to the FDA. Now, when going to a generic, the pharmacy can go with something that is not AB rated. This usually happens when a certain generic is unavailable.

However, the pharmacy is required by law to call your doctor and ask if a non-AB rated substitute is ok. Oftentimes the doctor will say, "Yeah, go with that. We'll see what the next labs look like." And if the labs show a problem, they'll make a change to the medication. When making this change, the pharmacy has to inform you. Usually they'll point out something on the label letting you know. It varies by state, but they don't necessarily have you sign anything about it. They'll just mention it to you when you pick up the prescription.

So I wonder if your doctor okayed a generic that isn't AB rated, saw the lab results, and said "Yeah, we're changing." Which isn't that unusual. It's not a suspect thing.

All that said, sometimes even AB rated generics don't work the same in some patients. Everyone has different body chemistry. Some patients just don't take to the change as well as others. Also not unusual.

If the pharmacy never called your doctor and gave you something not AB rated, that would be a violation of the law and some serious shit. At least, here in California it would be.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

21. They didnt call her

Or inform me.

She was mad and only knew shit was off because of my labs.
The pharmacy thyroid meds get changed alot.

Thanks for that info.

I think walmart pharmacy is breaking the law.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

23. Just found out euthyrox

Has been recalled. The assholes at walmart gave me recalled shit.

The effects listing I thought i was just having issues with my sugar.I had almost every one of those bad reactions even the hip pain I thought the hips were bursitis. Some people had the same problems. I never suspected the euthyrox.

https://www.drugs.com/comments/levothyroxine/euthyrox.html

Holy shit.

https://search.usa.gov/search?query=Euthyrox+provell++recall&affiliate=fda1

[Sympthsical]

24. Euthyrox is a bioequivalent

Which means they (probably) didn't have to tell you or your doctor they were subbing it.

The recall occurred in 2020 for sub-potency, i.e. manufacturing eff up. That would have been resolved by now.

Interesting article about the formulations and some stuff that went down in France regarding the formulations:

https://www.science.org/content/article/france-brings-back-phased-out-drug-after-patients-rebel-against-its-replacement

But yeah. The pharmacy (probably) didn't break any rules by substituting the generic. It goes by state board of pharmacy rules, but that's how it is in California, at least. But a lot of what your describing is similar to what's in that article. But in that case, people wanted the Euthyrox - it was the old formulation under a new name.

Interesting stuff. But, as ever, your doctor seems on top of it, and it sounds like she has your situation in hand.

My partner's a pharmD, and we've been discussing your thread. Since I'm getting a nursing degree, I'm curious about these things. Hopefully your condition is under control again.

[MyMission]

30. I get shoulder pain when hypo

And it is a thing. That's the big symptom that made me suspect the new meds were off.
And the constipation and fatigue made me certain. I've been on thyroid replacement for over 20 years, and have observed my symptoms when I'm hypo. Not everyone get joint symptoms, but the mayo clinic recognizes it as a symptom.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/expert-answers/hypothyroidism/faq-20057789

Can hypothyroidism cause joint pain? I have hypothyroidism and have been experiencing severe arthritis-like pain in my shoulders and hips.
Answer From Ann Kearns, M.D., Ph.D.
For some people, hypothyroidism can add to joint and muscle problems.

Specifically, hypothyroidism may lead to:

Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in the shoulders and hips
Joint pain and stiffness
Swelling of the small joints in the hands and feet
Carpal tunnel syndrome

[Meowmee]

19. Great a1c!

I take generic levo and t3 and have had no issues with them. My numbers are the same as usual. I think I may need more T3 though anyway due to my symptoms however since I’ve been having lots of palpitations I don’t know if that’s a good idea right now.

I would check to make sure that whatever you were taking was actually recalled and had a problem because it could just be that you need to increase your dosage too. Just because your numbers are off doesn’t mean somethings wrong with your medication.

[Klaralven]

20. The manufacturer should be on the label of the container

Levothyroxine from the local CVS says "MFR: MYLAN".

[I_UndergroundPanther]

22. On my meds

It says
provell pharmecuticals llc.

[Klaralven]

26. Provell is a distributor. The drug is actually manufactured in Germany by Merck KGaA

Euthyrox is manufactured by Merck KGaA, a leading science, and technology company located in Darmstadt, a city in the state of Hesse in Germany, for Provell Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Provell Pharmaceuticals is located in Honey Brook, PA, and is a small, private healthcare company specializing in the marketing and distribution of world-class leading pharmaceutical products in the United States. They hold the license to label, market, and distribute Euthyrox in the United States.

https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/makes-euthyrox-manufactured-3561598/

https://www.provellpharma.com/

https://www.provellpharma.com/merck-kgaa-darmstadt-germany

[hippywife]

28. Thank you for posting this.

First off, congrats on your a1c. That's awesome.

I've been having similar problems, not with my thyroid, but other health issues. The past several months, I've been going back and forth between my doctor's office and pharmacy trying to get meds refilled in a timely manner, as well as a major error. I'm going to be checking my generics, as well to find out if any of them are involved in these lawsuits, as well.

I really appreciate this info.

[lagomorph777]

31. Thanks for the words of warning!

And for your efforts to poke a stick at these crooks.