GAITHERSBURG, Md. (PRWEB)
July 21, 2020

Mary Shomon — a New York Times bestselling author of 15 books, nationally-known thyroid patient advocate, and hormonal health coach — is announcing the release and publication of the Levothyroxine Deep Dive, a comprehensive, free educational program about levothyroxine for people with hypothyroidism. The Levothyroxine Deep Dive program includes a 3-part video webinar series, an online web-based guide, fact sheets on each brand-name levothyroxine drug, and a book: “The Complete Guide to Levothyroxine.” .

Hypothyroidism — a condition caused by an underactive thyroid gland — affects an estimated 16 million Americans. It’s estimated that an additional 20 to 30 million more Americans have an undiagnosed thyroid condition, usually hypothyroidism. The majority of people with hypothyroidism are treated with the drug levothyroxine, a synthetic form of thyroxine, one of two key hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Levothyroxine consistently ranks as one of the top five most prescribed category of drugs across the globe.

“Research shows that up to one-third of the millions of Americans taking levothyroxine are not receiving adequate treatment and still have abnormal thyroid test levels,” said Mary Shomon. “And more than half of those patients report continuing symptoms of hypothyroidism, despite treatment. I created the Levothyroxine Deep Dive to empower patients with all the information they need to make treatment choices that will help them truly feel and live well.”

To support patients receiving inadequate treatment and struggling with symptoms, Mary Shomon is making the full ad-free Levothyroxine Deep Dive program available at no-cost, with no registration required, as an educational resource for the millions of hypothyroid patients taking levothyroxine. The Levothyroxine Deep Dive is located at https://www.mary-shomon.com/dive.

THE “LEVOTHYROXINE DEEP DIVE” HELPS THYROID PATIENTS…

1. Know all their levothyroxine treatment options, covering different forms — tablets, capsules, or oral solution — and brands, including Levoxyl®, Synthroid®, Tirosint®, Tirosint®-SOL, Unithroid®, as well as the generic levothyroxine category.

2. Identify the different dyes, fillers and binders (known as excipients) in each levothyroxine brand and the generic versions available in the U.S.

3. Identify the subjective pros and cons of different brands of levothyroxine, as well as the generic versions, considering their own health histories, past experience, treatment responses, lifestyle, and ability to afford medication.

4. Be aware — and take advantage — of the many ways to save money on their preferred brand name or generic levothyroxine medication.

5. Recognize how their particular levothyroxine treatment may present challenges and obstacles to safe and optimal resolution of their hypothyroidism.

6. Troubleshoot safe and effective solutions to help resolve specific levothyroxine challenges.

PART 1: LEVOTHYROXINE OPTIONS

Part 1’s video webinar and online guide is located at https://www.mary-shomon.com/levothyroxine-options and reviews all “Levothyroxine Options” available to patients, including the three different forms of levothyroxine and their manufacturers. The dyes, excipients, and potency variations in different brand name and generic levothyroxine drugs are identified and explained, along with their possible effects on hypothyroidism treatment.

This first part of the Levothyroxine Deep Dive also explores the challenges patients face when taking generic levothyroxine, and when it’s appropriate to consider switching from generic to brand name levothyroxine, switch between brands, or switch from tablets to the capsule or oral solution forms of levothyroxine.

PART 2: LEVOTHYROXINE COSTS AND SAVINGS

Part 2 of the Levothyroxine Deep Dive is located at https://www.mary-shomon.com/levothyroxine-costs and focuses on “Levothyroxine Costs and Savings,” with specific guidelines on how patients can afford — and save on the cost of — their levothyroxine medication.

The Part 2 video webinar and guide explain how levothyroxine drugs are distributed and priced, and details the specific insurance copayments and tiers for generic and brand name levothyroxine drugs. Step-by-step guidance on how to take advantage of manufacturer copay cards, discount coupons, and patient assistance programs for brand name levothyroxine is provided.

Part 2 also details the best discount programs offered by pharmacies, grocery stores and other retailers such as Walmart and CVS, and as well as outside programs like GoodRx and SingleCare. Especially pertinent in the time of COVID-19 is the discussion of saving on levothyroxine by using mail-order pharmacies.

Finally, Part 2 of the Levothyroxine Deep Dive explains the concept of “clawbacks,” and how and why many patients are overpaying for levothyroxine, and how paying retail cash prices may save them money, versus their insurance copay.

PART 3: RESOLVING LEVOTHYROXINE CHALLENGES

Part 3 of the program is located at at https://www.mary-shomon.com/levothyroxine-challenges and the video webinar and guide cover “Resolving Levothyroxine Challenges,” identifying 18 scenarios that frequently sabotage a thyroid patient’s ability to get effective levothyroxine treatment for their hypothyroidism.

In particular, this part of the Levothyroxine Deep Dive identifies common issues that can negatively affect absorption of levothyroxine, including:

• 
  Lactose intolerance
• Seasonal allergies/hay fever
• Gluten sensitivity, intolerance, or celiac disease
• Iodine sensitivity
• Gastrointestinal or digestive illnesses
• A diet high in fiber, or soy foods and supplements
• The timing of breakfast, coffee, or milk versus levothyroxine
• Taking other medications and supplements, including proton pump inhibitors, antacids, and calcium or iron supplements

Part 3 also discusses some key challenges patients face in filling prescriptions, including:

• High insurance copays for — and difficulty affording — Synthroid®, Tirosint® or Tirosint®-SOL
• Pharmacies that substitute lower-cost brand name or generic levothyroxine tablets for patients who specifically need higher-priced brands
• Pharmacies that claim not to have Tirosint® or Tirosint®-SOL in stock, or say it’s “unavailable”

“Every hypothyroid patient taking levothyroxine can benefit from the Deep Dive,” says Mary Shomon. “Most doctors whip out a prescription pad, with little time to review the pros and cons of a patient’s levothyroxine options. The Deep Dive fast-forwards patients quickly up the learning curve, preparing them to advocate for the treatment that will work best for them, and save up to hundreds of dollars a year. And, given the pandemic, more patients than ever before are facing a struggle to afford a daily medication they desperately need.”

LEVOTHYROXINE FACT SHEETS

Detailed levothyroxine fact sheets summarize the key information — including manufacturer contacts, websites, excipients, dyes, dosage sizes, pricing, and discount programs — for brand name and generic levothyroxine:

BOOK: “THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO LEVOTHYROXINE”

“The Complete Guide to Levothyroxine” — weighing in at almost 100 pages — covers all the information featured in the three webinars and online guides. The PDF format of this downloadable ebook also includes clickable links to all the featured sites and resources. The book can be downloaded at https://www.mary-shomon.com/free-levothyroxine-book.

The full Levothyroxine Deep Dive program, including video webinars, online guides, fact sheets, and book, is located at https://www.mary-shomon.com/dive.

ABOUT MARY SHOMON

Mary Shomon is a patient advocate, health coach, consultant, and New York Times bestselling author of 15 books on thyroid and autoimmune disease, weight loss and hormonal health, including “The Thyroid Diet,” and “Living Well with Hypothyroidism.” For more than two decades, Mary has been a trailblazer in advocating for more effective, patient-centered hormonal healthcare. In addition to her advocacy and coaching, Mary serves as a corporate consultant, providing strategic guidance on thyroid-related marketing, outreach, and patient-directed communications.

Mary writes for and hosts broadcast interviews for popular consumer health website HealthCentral.com where she also serves on their Health Advocates Advisory Board. Mary is the resident Thyroid Expert for, and contributor and advisor for patient-directed site ThyroidRefresh.com. Mary also regularly contributes to pioneering thyroid care telemed provider PalomaHealth.com.

Mary is the founder of the popular Thyroid Tuneup 10-step educational program for optimizing hypothyroidism treatment, and the Hormonal Havoc program, providing a multidisciplinary, hormonally-based approach to weight loss for women over 40.

On social media, Mary empowers and informs a community of more than a quarter million patients who have thyroid and hormonal health challenges:

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/ThyroidMary

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/ThyroidMary

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/ThyroidSupport

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/ThyroidDiet