What is Synthroid?

Synthroid (levothyroxine) is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in America. 20 million people in America have a thyroid condition and according to the American Thyroid Association, more than 12 percent of Americans will develop a thyroid condition at some point in their lives.

Synthroid is a medication prescribed to treat hypothyroidism. It is a manufactured form of the thyroid hormone T4 that addresses thyroid hormone deficiency.

Levothyroxine was first formulated in 1927 and is classified as an essential medicine by the World Health Organization. This classification means that levoythroxine—and Synthroid by extension is a medicine that you cannot and should not skip doses or stop dosage altogether. This is something we at Rx Solution cannot recommend and do not think is something anyone should have to do. Having to diminish your quality of life because of not being able to afford increasingly expensive prescription medications is a circumstance we can assist you with through introducing you to prescription assistance programs. There is more information about prescription assistance programs at the bottom of this article.

Hypothyroidism Treatment Using Synthroid

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is underperforming. The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that lies below the adams apple in the throat. It is a critical component of the endocrine system in the body which is the entire system in your body that coordinates the many chemicals and hormones to perform their appropriate duties.

The thyroid gland in particular is responsible for regulating your metabolism in your body. Having a properly functioning thyroid is crucial because the thyroid gland will affect metabolic rate by stimulating a majority of tissues in the body to produce proteins as well as increasing the amount of oxygen that cells use.

T4 has a minimal effect on your metabolic rate. It is when T4 is converted into T3 (Triiodothyronine) that it becomes more of an active player in metabolic processes. Interestingly, much of the T4 and T3 in the blood are inactive, only a small portion of it is free flowing in the blood—otherwise known as free hormone.

Thus, when the body experiences a great need for metabolic stimulation, more free hormone is produced from the bound T4 and T3 in the blood. This is why proper medication and balance are important, if you do not have enough thyroid hormone available, metabolic needs will not be met.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism are:

  • Depression
  • Constant sinking feeling
  • Excessive fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Nervousness
  • Muscle weakness

And more.

Why You Should Take Synthroid over Generic

The cost of levothyroxine—the generic equivalent of Synthroid is fairly cheap compared to other medications. In the United States, for less than $15 a month, you can receive a prescription for levothyroxine. However, treating thyroid issues are notoriously complex and elusive.

There are many hidden costs not associated with the medication. Because hypothyroid treatment is a highly dose dependent treatment, you will require multiple doctor’s visits and lab tests to ascertain what the appropriate dosing level will be for you. Many doctors choose to start patients off at 50 mcg which is in many cases too low of a dosage. The old standards for an appropriate TSH level (the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood) are still used by many offices. Having a high TSH that falls within range can still leave many people feeling symptomatic, and many doctors will hesitate to prescribe higher dosages.

Getting the right dose and keeping your TSH levels within a good range for you is the trick to getting rid of symptoms in many cases.

The problem?

Generic levothyroxine is one of the rare examples of a generic equivalent that performs WORSE than its brand name counterpart—Synthroid. Generic medications must have the same potency by law as brand name versions. Naturally, not all generic medicines from different manufacturers will have the same concentration—as there is an allowed margin of error on a medication.

In the case of thyroid medicine, a 5% margin of error on a 75mcg dose (a common dose) is nearly 4mcg, which can and will make a difference. Everything about the medication can be different from the release time of particular capsules to the variations in dosing due to the margin of error.

Synthroid Patient Assistance Programs

It is for this reason that we recommend you take Synthroid, so you can avoid these inconsistencies and keep your thyroid hormone levels stable and consistent.

The problem is that Synthroid is considerably more expensive than generic without insurance—a common problem in the United States. If you are underinsured or uninsured, Synthroid may cost up to 150$ depending on where you live. Another issue is that treating thyroid issues for some patients is not as simple as prescribing Levothyroxine or Synthroid.

Some patients have much more tricky issues due to having autoimmune complications from diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or some other metabolic issues. The endocrine system is a very complicated thing to mess with, and so when you start any kind of hormone therapy there is a great deal of balancing and trial and error which must occur.

Many times, simple T4 prescriptions don’t cut it. Patients may need a combination of T4 and active T3 supplementation or desiccated thyroid medications alongside Synthroid to become asymptomatic.

Because hypothyroidism must be treated for life, the cost of these medications is incredibly important. Any incremental changes in price can have a tremendous long term investment impact.

Rx Assistance Programs

Rx Solution has been helping uninsured and underinsured Americans gain access to prescription assistance programs offered by drug manufacturers. These programs will provide brand name prescription drugs for a steep discount to those who are deemed eligible.

Application requirements can vary from company to company and the application process can become unwieldy if you—like so many, require assistance with more than one drug.

Let our highly professional and experienced team guide you through the application process to ensure you have the best chance for acceptance so that you can acquire the medications you need.

Contact Rx Solution to get started today!