Armour Thyroid

[TestifyToLove]

I need to talk to anyone who takes biological thyroid replacement instead of synthetics.

After nearly a decade of using synthetic thyroid replacement, I have just made the switch to biological/natural thyroid. I had great success with synthetic T4 for years. However, after the last baby was born, things were never the same. I reached the point where my labs said I was stable and well.....I was still quite symptomatic. When we moved, I sought out a doctor who would be willing to prescribe Armour.

I would love to talk to someone on this journey. It has not just been smooth sailing. Best I can tell, the transition is going to last up to 10 days as my body clears the synthetic T4 out of it. I'm reminding myself that I am committed to this switch because I'm tired of feeling sick despite lab values that say I should be fine. However, I've questioned my decision several times since Friday because I just have not felt good in this transition.

[Weezie]

I just had my levels checked last Tues so I could start taking Armour.

When I went in to talk to my doctor, he said that there were a few issues with Armour (pharmacies not stocking it, dosages not in correct amounts..) so I am now waiting.

I was able to stop Synthroid and start taking T-100 from the chiro, and my levels last week were straight down the middle, for the first time in 6 years!

I would like to hear from others how Armour works, as well, as that would be covered under my insurance and I would be co paying for it instead of out right paying for it like I do the T100.

The advantage with the T100 that I've seen is I don't need blood tests to tell me how I'm doing. I listen to my body. If I'm feeling run down, or notice weight fluctuations, or feeling depressed, I up the supplements for a bit and everything levels out.

[TestifyToLove]

Your doctor is very wrong, which is very common for doctors to be on Armour.

No, my pharmacy didn't stock it. However, they had it in two days, which was what I expected. It's VERY easy for pharmacies to GET it even if they don't routinely stock it anymore. And, if you are consistently taking it, then your pharmacy will adapt their ordering schedule so that they do stock it for you.

As for dosage inconsistencies that is patently false. In fact, as I have learned from reading, it is the synthetic thyroid meds that have had FAR more problems with dosage inconsistency. The rumour about dosage inconsistency is that back 100 years ago, Armour was dosed based upon iodine content and not T4 and T3 content. That hasn't been the case since the 1940s, long before Synthroid even came on the market. Armour has very consistent dosing levels. They mix batches of porcine thyroid until each batch gets the same consistent level, they even keep samples of each batch for FDA testing if it becomes necessary to prove the consistency to the government.

Before I made the switch, I knew there were things doctors said about Armour and I knew that patients who didn't respond well to a synthetic T4 regiment often reported better maintenance on biological T4/T3. I am learning TONS in the process of this quest to regain my health.

[TraceMama]

I'm on the generic of synthroid. My levels are showing improvement, but I think I've hit a wall and I'm not feeling healthy either.

If I switch to Armour (or something like it), do I need to take a break from the synthroid first?

Also, how are you feeling, TTL? What differences have you noticed in your well-being since the switch?

[mamacat]

I took armour and then something else called naturethroid for yrs I couldnt tolerate Synthroid. The thing I liked the best was something called Biotec thyroid but last knew they had to stop producing it for some daft reason like the FDA decided it hadnt been researched long enough and nade them suspend production and it was so costly they didnt go back to it. My sister made the switch from Synthroid to Armour yrs ago and did really well. If you do Thyroid treatment and are still symptomatic it was suggested to me to test for adrenal and progesterone levels and function This site may be helpful http://thyroid.about.com/ul ,but it can also be a bit overwhelming - so much info there.

[TestifyToLove]

There are two ways to switch from Synthroid (or it's generic, which is technically what I was taking) to Armour. You can titrate the synthetic down over several weeks and halfway through titrating down you can start titrating up the biological. My doctor did not do it in this method. He switched me cold turkey. So, Thursday I took synthetic and Friday I took biological.

I believe the transition has been more intense this way. However, the idea of putting myself deliberately hypothyroid and heavily symptomatic for upwards of a month is FAR more terrifying to me than a fast transition.

Truthfully? It has been rough. In the first 24 hours, my muscles released their tension for the first time in years. However, I felt altered mentally and physically. When I hit 48 hours, I went symptomatic for hyperthyroid. I was jittery, hungry and having heart palpitations. I've had palpitations in upping doess of Synthroid before and my previous doctor always said to give them 3 weeks before doing something about it, that normally it's a normal transitional thing and harmless even though it feels distressing. Just beyond the 48 hour mark, my muscles felt like stones and my joints hurt--like REALLY hurt. I continued to feel jittery and insatiably hungry.

However, I also began to notice some changes. My muscles are still released. My mental clarity is strong--very strong. While my body began to feel like it was on fire, I have shed 3 strands of hair in the last 72 hours--an unheard of accomplishment for me in over a decade.

Last night, just beyond the 72 hour mark, I woke up at 3am feeling like my body was on FIRE. I transitioned to the chair I've slept half of every night in for the last 16 months because of the aches and pains and insomnia from the hypo symtoms and slept fine with some tylenol.

This morning, I woke up at 6am WIDE awake, alert and clear. My body feels GREAT. My mind feels clear. I ate a small, normal breakfast today.

I did also change a bit last night. For the first 2 doses, I was swallowing the whole pill at bedtime, just like I've taken my synthetic every day for years. Last night, I divided the pills in half. They crumbled just a tad, so I put the crumbles with one of the doses. I crushed the bedtime dose and mixed it in honey. When I woke up at 6am, I was WIDE awake. I am concerned I might crash later today, but I did take the smaller dose of my meds at 6 so I might not.

I am also considering that if I have this T3 surge every night, I'm going to need to switch when I take my meds. I'm not happy about that idea, since bedtime has given me consistency that no other timing of my meds does. However, it's not condusive to sleep to have that surge and feel symptomatic every night in the middle of the night. I've read that this is short lived, so I'm still playing with ideas.

I am also about to re-add selenium to my regiment. I quit taking it years ago when I was undermedicated for my thyroid and symptomatic. I resented swallowing MORE pills when nothing was helping.

---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 AM ----------

Oh yes, I also have to go this week and be tested for adrenal function. My new doctor believes I have adrenal insufficiency, likely from a combination of several years symptomatic for hypothyroid and the EXTREME stress of living my life. If I am, it would make sense why I never felt better after J was born and why I have ceased to fully respond to synthetic thyroid options.

[TraceMama]

for writing that all out, TTL

I am encouraged by the positive indications that it's *really* working for you. I hope and pray that you continue to adjust to the dosage and that in a few weeks time you'll feel like the super-woman you are.

Please keep us posted.

[knitlove]

fallowing along.

[Weezie]

That stinks that my dr is wrong, but I had a feeling he may be more about Synthroid/levothyroxine than Armour.

Does Armour make your thyroid work (like my natual T100 does) or does it work FOR your thyroid like Synthroid does (or that's my understanding of it)?

And another question for you, TTL- () is it a big pill? Is it encased in something (like plastic casing) or is it like a cal/mag supplement where it is just the meds without a case? I'm lately having problems taking meds that are encased in something (long story and mostly psychological) so I need it not to be.

[Auroras mom]

I am glad you have access to it, and I hope it helps a lot.

I need to find someone here who will treat (with Armour, preferably) based on my symptoms. My numbers come in at the absolute outer edges of the "normal" ranges, but everything I have read indicates that that is indicative of a problem, especially if you have symptoms. I have so many symptoms of long term hypothyroidism that it is crazy.

[mamacat]

Yes the Armour helps ypur thyroid to work rather than taking over the function and actually causing it not to function at all over tme.........

---------- Post added at 02:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:12 PM ----------

A very big thing for me and thyroid health was cutting out blatant process soy - tofu soymilk beans etc. in diet

---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 PM ----------

A.s mom I had a really hard time finding someone who was on our insurance list at the time as a PCP in this area who would work with anything other than Synthroid I will PM yu with who I used and what drugstores Walgreens would special order for awhile but then stopped

[Auroras mom]

I would love to hear who you found to help you, mamacat. we have an HSA, so I will go to anyone.

I cut out soy years ago, on the recommendation of a chiro friend, and I take selenium, and lots of other supplements, and limit sugar/grains, and still struggle so much. I don't want to hijack TTL's thread, though.

[Lily]

I cold-turkey switched from synthroid to armour. I had only been taking synthroid for a month and felt absolutely out of control crazy. On the lowest dose and a TSH of 4.2, I was paranoid, cranky and completely lacking impulse control. Dr. said I wasn't tolerating it well and switched me to armour. It has been pretty awesome.

The one and only time, I wished that I took something else was summer 09 when the shortages happened. I had to drive 90 minutes each way once a month to get my armour. Now my pharmacy mails me a 90 day supply with no problems.

[TestifyToLove]

No, no don't consider this a hijack. I WANT to discuss this topic, partially for my own experience and if I find those who can answer questions for me but also if my experience can add to knowledge for others.

I have searched for and found doctors to treat my thyroid for years from thyroid.about.com They have a list of doctors by state and city whom other thyroid patients recommended and you can read the recommendations.

---------- Post added at 11:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------

So Jaime, it worked just the same for you after the reformulation?

I've read quite a few stories of people saying it never worked the same after the reformulation. However, almost all of the stories sound very much like the person went hypo again and needed to re-titrate their dosing--like perhaps the former dosing wasn't the same in the new formulation.

[Lily]

We had to switch up the dosage, but I was also diagnosed only a few months before the reformulation and was on the beginner dosage.