The thyroid is an endocrine (hormonal) gland and is considered one of the most important in the human body. It is responsible for the production of the hormones T3 and T4 – which act in the regulation of metabolism, in other words, by the way the body uses and stores energy.
Due to its importance, any deregulation can become a serious problem.
Among the possible treatments, is the use of medications such as Thyrogen. Check below the instructions for use, side effects and other information about this medicine:
Contents
What is Thyrogen?
The Thyrogen is a medicine used to treat severe problems related to the thyroid . This medication can be used before treatment with iodotherapy (oral administration of radioactive iodine – iodine 131) or in conjunction with blood counts and imaging tests – such as whole body scintigraphy.
Scintigraphy is a procedure that allows to mark the presence of a radiopharmaceutical (a drug / remedy that has some radioactive element in order to contrast in imaging exams) on a tissue or organ. This is done to see the route of medication in the body.
In this case, such procedures are performed in order to detect possible thyroid tumors that may not have been eliminated with previous treatment – in people who have had total or partial removal of the gland.
In addition, the use of Thyrogen also aids in the absorption of iodine by cancer cells – which increases the chance that they will be killed by radiation treatment.
It is also worth mentioning that this medicine is available in an injectable version for intramuscular application (directly to the muscle) and must be administered in a hospital environment.
What is iodotherapy?
Iodotherapy is a type of treatment in which radioactive iodine (iodine 131) is administered orally. It is a procedure that can only be performed by a specialized team, composed of a nuclear doctor and trained paramedics.
Check out some of the indications for iodotherapy:
- Complementary treatment in thyroid cancer;
- Treatment for patients who have not had a satisfactory response to traditional procedures;
- When the patient suffers from other diseases, especially heart disease;
- Patients with pathologies that lead to hyperthyroidism (over-functioning of the thyroid).
It is worth mentioning that, in order to perform iodotherapy, a clinical analysis of the case of each patient by the medical team is necessary. This is because, considering that it is a very delicate procedure, it is necessary to redouble the care in order to ensure that it is the ideal treatment.
What is Recombinant TSH?
The drug Thyrogen is composed of a recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone ( TSH ). It is a glycoprotein produced using recombinant DNA technology (a set of techniques that allow the manipulation of DNA).
As we saw in a previous topic, this injection is used prior to treatment with iodotherapy.
When this medication is not available, it is necessary for the patient to discontinue his daily thyroid regulation medication, leading to a state of hypothyroidism . This is done to stimulate tumor cells to absorb radioactive iodine (iodine 131) during iodotherapy.
However, from the use of recombinant TSH, it is not necessary to suspend the patient’s daily treatment, since its function is precisely to assist in the absorption of iodine by cells.
In this way, the person with thyroid disorders is prevented from suffering from the symptoms of the disease (such as excessive tiredness , weakness, hair loss , etc.), considering that their treatment will not be interrupted.
Indication: What is the medicine Thyrogen for?
Thyrogen is indicated for use in conjunction with blood counts or scintigraphy (imaging exam to assess certain diseases or conditions). This process is done to help detect cancer cells in the thyroid – in patients who have had total or partial removal of this gland because of previous treatment.
In addition, the package insert also indicates that this medication can be used in the treatment of thyroid cancer , helping the radioactive iodine to kill possible cancer cells that have remained after the surgical removal of this gland.
This process also helps doctors to more easily detect any tumor that may have remained after treatment.
According to the package leaflet, the drug can help absorb radioactive iodine from cells that have remained in the thyroid or cancer cells. This increases the likelihood that they will be eliminated from radiation treatment.
Dosage: how does the package insert indicate to use?
According to the information on the package insert, two injections of Thyrogen should be applied to the patient’s buttock muscle. The second should be applied the next day after the first dose. Regarding the dosage of each dose, it must be decided by the responsible medical team.
What are the side effects?
Regarding the side effects of the medication, the package insert contains the following information:
- Very common reactions (occur in more than 10% of patients): nausea;
- Common reactions (occur between 1% and 10% of patients): headache, tiredness, vomiting, dizziness and asthenia (weakness);
- Unusual reactions (occur in a maximum of 1% of patients): flu, numbness / tingling, feeling of heat, ageusia (loss of taste), diarrhea, dysgeusia (distorted taste) and pain in the neck.
It is worth mentioning that, as the numbers indicate, not all people experience adverse reactions to the use of the medication.
In addition, if you experience unlisted side effects, immediately inform the medical team responsible for your case.
Thyrogen engorda?
There is not , among the indications in the package insert of Thyrogen, any finding that the use of this medication can cause weight gain.
Thinking about it, if you have any abnormalities or weight gain abnormally and for no apparent reason – during treatment with Thyrogen – inform the doctor (a) responsible. That way, it will be possible to investigate the cause of the problem.
However, it is noteworthy that the hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone deficiency) directly affects the functioning of the metabolism, which can rather cause weight gain. But, in this case, the correct treatment allows the body to return to work normally, controlling the changes in weight.
Price: where to buy Thyrogen cheaper?
The price * of Thyrogen may vary according to the availability of the drug and also according to your location.
But, to know where to find medicines at the best price, you can use the Consultation Remedies platform . This site makes it possible to compare values of the same product in different establishments and even make an online purchase. So, you can choose the best option for you.
Check the price of Thyrogen:
- Thyrogen (1.1mg) box with 2 ampoules with powder for solution for intramuscular use – between R $ 5,400 and R $ 6,760;
* Prices consulted in March 2020. Prices may change.
Is Thyrogen registered with ANVISA? What laboratory?
The drug Thyrogen is manufactured by the Sanofi-Aventis laboratory and is registered with ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency) under the number 183260330.
With this, it is marketed as a medication with safety and efficacy proven from specific tests.
Are you in the SUS or in the ANS list?
The Thyrogen drug is not present in the RENAME (National List of Essential Medicines) of 2020. Thus, it is currently not available through the Unified Health System (SUS) and is also not classified as an exceptional dispensation.
However, it is worth mentioning that for those who have health insurance, the ANS List attributes treatment for thyroid problems (including cancer and other invasive methods) as part of the procedures that must be covered by the plan.
How to budget Thyrogen?
When a medication is not available via SUS, patients with a medical report can make a judicial request to receive the treatment paid for by the Federal Government or Health Plan – if applicable.
In these circumstances, it is necessary to open a case and follow the requisitions previously stipulated. Among them is the delivery of documents that include medical reports, exams, standard requirements and budget from 3 pharmacies .
To make a budget easier, you can count on the advice on legal quotations for the purchase of medicines. When accessing the link , just perform your registration and inform the medicine in question. Finally, click on “request quotes” and wait for the return.
The Thyrogen drug is very important for the treatment of several people who suffer from severe thyroid problems (such as total or partial removal of the gland).
Like him, there are other medications that treat serious and – often – very specific problems. To learn more, you can check the “ Remedies ” tab .
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