If you're not familiar with desiccated thyroid, here's a quick rundown. Desiccated (dried) thyroid is a thyroid hormone replacement drug, prepared from the thyroid gland from pigs -- also known as "porcine thyroid." Some of the brand names including Armour Thyroid, Nature-throid, and Westhroid. Desiccated thyroid is a prescription drug, and it's regulated by the FDA. It has been on the market and safely used for more than 100 years. Until synthetic thyroxine (also known generically as levothyroxine, with brand names including Synthroid, Levoxyl, and Levothroid) was introduced in the 50s, desiccated thyroid was the only thyroid hormone replacement medication. When synthetic thyroxine was introduced, there was a great deal of hoopla about how modern it was, compared to "old-fashioned" desiccated thyroid -- and many doctors switched patients over to the synthetic medication, and never looked back. Meanwhile, synthetic thyroid -- namely Synthroid -- became a hugely profitable mainstay for the various drug companies that have owned the rights to Synthroid over the years, which have included Boots, BASF, and now, Abbott Labs.
All along, Synthroid has been sponsor of medical meetings, golf outings, symposia, research grants, and speakers' fees, and is the chief provider of lunches at medical offices, patient literature, pens, pads, mugs, and other freebies, giveaways, and marketing items for decades.
We now have several generations of doctors who have been trained to believe that synthetic thyroxine -- and specifically Synthroid -- is the only thyroid replacement medication available or worth using. They simply don't know anything else. They don't know that treating and managing patients with hypothyroidism using desiccated thyroid is not especially difficult, because they've never done it, and all they've heard is negative things -- mainly from sales representatives for synthetic drugs. They hear ridiculous rumors on a regular basis -- spread by drug reps for competitive levothyroxine drugs -- that desiccated thyroid is going off the market. And they believe those rumors.
In the 1980s and 1990s, however, Armour started to make a resurgence, as interest in natural medicine was on the rise, and as patients who weren't feeling well on synthetic thyroid medication became more empowered and knowledgeable. Patients learned that there were options -- among them, desiccated thyroid like Armour, and by then, brands including Nature-throid and Westhroid.
Yes, desiccated thyroid drugs have had a resurgence -- but let's be clear: several million prescriptions a year are written for desiccated thyroid, compared to more than 30 million prescriptions a year for levothyroxine. But frustrated patients who don't feel well, coming to sites like this one, reading my books and those of some innovative practitioners, and talking to other patients, are learning that they have options besides Synthroid/levothyroxine -- and namely that some patients feel better on desiccated thyroid medication.
Over at the Endocrine Today blog, endocrinologist and osteopath Thomas Repas, DO, FACP, FACE, CDE, has done a three-part article on "Desiccated thyroid in the management of hypothyroidism," from his perspective as an endocrinologist.
- Desiccated thyroid in the management of hypothyroidism -- Part I
- Desiccated thyroid in the management of hypothyroidism -- Part II
- Desiccated thyroid in the management of hypothyroidism -- Part III
Dr. Repas starts out by saying that he, like his peers in endocrinology, doesn't use desiccated thyroid, because "I believe that desiccated thyroid is antiquated therapy and should no longer be used."
He also claims that endocrinologists don't use Armour because of an "unacceptable level of variability batch to batch, often resulting in unacceptable variation in thyroid-stimulating hormone." Noting that levothyroxine also has variability from brand to brand, he states, "if we consider slight variation between various levothyroxine products to be clinically important, then the much larger variation within desiccated thyroid preparations is unacceptable."
In Part III, Dr. Repas climbs high up in his ivory tower to declare that while most people would not dream of "directing a cardiologist how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation during a cardiac arrest...otherwise reasonable people have no hesitation trying to 'teach' me about the thyroid." He then argues that the desire to be listened to, interest in natural approaches are driving the interest in natural desiccated thyroid.
Dr. Repas says his opposition to desiccated thyroid is based in science, but he fails to mention that there are no double-blind, peer-reviewed, double-blind studies that compare levothyroxine to desiccated thyroid in terms of effectiveness at resolving patient symptoms. So while he claims to rely on science, the fact is, the science doesn't exist to bolster his arguments that levothyroxine is superior to desiccated thyroid in resolving symptoms.
In fact, Dr. Repas himself admits, in the comments section of Part I:
For the record, my greatest concern with desiccated thyroid (or levothyroxine or T3) is when they prescribed in a manner that results in long-term exogenous hyperthyroidism. If a patient is not hyperthyroid and they are doing better on one product vs. another, it is very hard to argue against that.He also concludes Part III with a truly ambiguous comment:
Finally, last week I saw a woman who had been on desiccated thyroid for decades. I explained that we now prefer levothyroxine instead of desiccated thyroid. I also quickly pointed out that her thyroid-stimulating hormone has been perfect, between 0.7 mIU/L and 1.0 mIU/L over the last several years. She had no symptoms; it was difficult for me to argue with success. After discussing and asking her what she wanted to do, she left my office still on desiccated thyroid.It is not difficult to maintain patients on desiccated thyroid without overdosing them into hyperthyroidism. If that is his greatest concern, why would he not be willing to try desiccated thyroid in patients who don't feel well on levothyroxine. He is, after all, a trained endocrinologist with expertise at titrating doses, and keeping a patient "euthyroid" -- in the normal range -- should be simple. Especially when he sees, as he mentions, that some patients are maintained perfectly on desiccated thyroid, for decades.
As you'll see in the three articles, there are a number of comments left by patients who are enraged by Dr. Repas' article, and understandably so. On the one hand, Dr. Repas is trying to explain why he doesn't believe in Armour Thyroid, calling use of it unscientific, and claiming that fans of it are engaging in magical thinking. But without real science to support his claims, and negating the factual experience of hundreds and thousands of thyroid patients, he is showing that he is engaged in magical thinking. After all, where is the evidence that TSH detects all thyroid problems (especially when after six years, they are still arguing over what that normal TSH range is, leaving millions of patients in a non-diagnosis/non-treatment limbo!) and that levothyroxine resolves all thyroid symptoms.
At the same time, Dr. Repas also admits, from a practical standpoint, that his primary concern is overdosing a patient to hyperthyroidism on any thyroid drug -- not just desiccated thyroid. And he also admits that if a patient can be properly managed on desiccated thyroid -- and "properly managed" in his view means maintaining a TSH level in an optimal range -- then he doesn't see a reason to "argue with success."
So he won't start new patients on desiccated thyroid -- even if they ask. If an existing patient who is on levothyroxine but not feeling well asks to switch to desiccated thyroid, he won't do it. But if a patient is already on it and doing well, he won't "argue with success" and will continue to prescribe the desiccated thyroid for him or her? Where is the "science" in that approach?
In some ways, let's admit it -- Dr. Repas is more open-minded than some endocrinologists. There are some who simply will not have as patients anyone on a T3 drug or desiccated thyroid. They will refuse to see -- or fire -- patients who don't follow their direction. But Dr. Repas is also fairly representative of the narrow-minded perspective that we see amongst endocrinologists in general. Their primary concern is the "TSH normal range" -- and their treatment goal is to get patients into the normal range. Symptom resolution appears to be irrelevant, and takes a back seat to numbers management.
Are you a thyroid patient who wants to try Armour? You'll probably need to leave your endocrinologist behind, and find an integrative MD or holistic practitioner who really understands thyroid issues and is versed in use of desiccated thyroid. For more advice, read:
Photo: clipart.com
Mary, I saw that blog by Dr. Repas and was clapping my hands at the responses by those patients! I was left wondering if he was pausing a little about his beliefs. haha. I didn’t know there was a part III and will have to look at it. By the way, a lot of good history about dessicated thyroid is in the book Stop the Thyroid Madness: A Patient Revolution Against Decades of Inferior Thyroid Treatment.
Armour thyroid is not available on prescription in the UK and it was a battle for me with my endocrynologist to go on anything else. . This lead me to seek out Mr Gordon Skinner who has successfully treated me with Armour Thyroid for three years much to my NHS endocrynologists disgust I believe. You would think that the patients wellbeing would come first rather than a Consultants ego wouldnt you!
“Dessicated thyroid” is a derogatory term. I use “Thyroid USP”, a much more correct way to describe this highly processed, consistent, and stable product.
Using the term “dessicated” buys into the idea of leaning the fresh pig gland over a bucket at the slaughter house and poking out little chunks with a cookie cutter. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
Since levothyroxine has to be wet to be formed into tablets, cannot we also refer to it as “dessicated”?
I AM IN HOUSTON, TEXAS (KATY, TX.) AND AM INTERESTED IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE HERE OR DO YOU KNOW A DR. WHO IS RELIABLE HERE FOR HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS HYPOTHYROIDISM (HIDDEN THYROID HORMONE DYSFUNCTION) AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDRONE ?? I HAVE MEDICARE/MEDICAID.
Mary,
I want to thank you so much for your site and all of the information provided here! After 2 years of not knowing why I was not feeling well and continuously gaining weight my massage therapist had a fabulous suggestion! She did some reflexology on me and suggested that I get my thyroid checked. I went to a spa and tennis camp in Utah where I had a full blood work up done and worked with Dr. Reynolds there. Sure enough my TSH came back at 7.1 He prescribed enough Armour Thyroid for me to last 4 months and suggested I find a Dr. at home that would also prescribe it. I asked and what if they won’t? He told me to find another! Well I wish I had listened to him! In April my new primary Dr. persuaded me that Armour was old fashioned and that I should try Synthroid. I agreed. Between April and September I gained 20lbs.! That was with June and July being on an exercise schedule of 6x a week and no less than 2-5hrs a day!!! Yes, 2-5hrs. I contributed all my aches and pains to the exercise and could not understand where this weight was coming from.
While at the US Open I met a woman who works for your site About.com and I told her I had been reading some information from you. She agreed with how knowledgable you are and said that I should dig in further to see if I could figure out my problems. My primary sent me off to an Endo. The Endo refused to put me on the Armour as well. I topped out at 201lbs. before I said ENOUGH! In early November. I went to Endo for my next appointment and told her I took myself off Synthroid. She was not happy. I told her I wanted to take Armour and I refused Synthroid. The reluctantly agreed. Within one month at my next visit I was down 6 lbs. and the aches were GONE! She was very dismissive that it had anything to do with the Armour as she also has me on Phentarmine and said that was why I lost. Not so. I was on Phentarmine since August and no difference in weight. I didn’t argue as I was feeling much better. I am now down 15 lbs. and feeling like I am on the road to recovery. It is so upsetting to me that these Dr. just do not listen to their patients. I am concerned now though (I cancelled my last appt.) because she has me on 60mg which doesn’t seem to be an extremely high dose and she was already talking at last appointment that she was going to be reducing the dose in the near future. I am in the progress of looking for a new doc in my area who will listen and look at more than blood tests. Thanks for your wonderful site and helping me to dig in to stick up for myself and my body!!!
This is more about the T3/T4 controversy but here goes.
It took about 8 months to get me stabalized on synthroid after the I131 treatment for Graves disease. Finally most of my symptoms disappeared, in fact all of them but spopradic muscle cramps. My endocrinologist said not to blame the thyroid for everything and eventually I decided to get a 2nd opinion. I asked around and got a new endocrinologist who said that for full replacement T3 is often needed as well. She started me on cytomel as well as synthroid. The very first thing that happened was I threw my back out, which she belated told me often happens to her patients when they start cytomel. Soon after I noticed that I did seem to feel a little better. However not that much better and I also got a lot spacier and had more trouble with math. Since I’m an architect and have to do a fair amount of math for structural designs this was a problem. After a few months I decided the straight synthroid was better as the muscle pains didn’t decrease over the long run but the spaciness did.
She brought up the idea of Armour thyroid but said that although some of her patients swear by it, that in her opinion it is due to the fact that as a natural product it’s strength varies a bit more than sythroid and that the feeling of well being is mostly a buzz due to occaisional increases in T3. Since my experience with cytomel was not good I elected not to try it.
I see a shrink also. He’s pretty into alternative stuff and open minded. He said that he has heard from others of his patients that the cytomel made them feel spacy.
At this point no one seems to know where the muscle cramps come from although there is general agreement that some are due to osteoarthritis. I am left with the thought that no matter what we do that taking a pill every day just isn’t going to work as well as my bodies own mechanisms. But maybein the spring I’ll give Armour a try just to see if anything changes.
Curt
I am 83 years old. Have been taking thyroid medication since 10 years old. I am sure I took Armour way back before the 1950’s. At that time I had difficulty with my emotions not understanding what was going on with the switch in medication. Now back on Armour for many years. I weigh 90 lbs, 5 ft. tall. Have never weighted over 96 lbs average. I have never had difficulty in asking for Armour from regular GP’s, have not seen an endocrinologist. I am saddened to read of all the difficulty in finding a doctor who will listen to their patients.
I advise try Armour you will be surprised to see the results. It is inexpensive in comparison to many medications today.
Jean
Looking at “more than blood tests” is SO SO IMPORTANT. I, too, spent years after total thyroidectomy, with a series of doctors who believed that only Levoxythyrine worked. I felt like total crap, my weight went from my natural 130 lbs to 212 lbs. When I first heard about Armour, I was already 10+ years in treatment, and it hadn’t been mentioned by a single doctor. I found it on this website, and after researching more on the internet, I took that information to my doctor at the time. She told me that “it was old medicine, and she wasn’t comfortable” with it. Needless to say. it’s the last time I saw her. Now, I’ve read that some of the comments state that the users are on 60mg doses, which their doctors think is high. I’m on 4 times that and finally feel somewhat normal. I’ve lost more than half the weight and it has stayed off. (The balance I’m still working on… what doctors don’t take into consideration is the depression that goes along with improper thyroid dosing, leading to all sorts of maladies including a lifetime of extra weight.) My blood tests look high or low, depending on the test and what “normal” is supposed to be. No one agrees on this.
As to the strength of natural tyhroid hormone replacement… all of the research that I’ve done over the years, that’s not linked to an endocrinologist’s opinion, says that, in part due to the FDA regulations, the dessicated thyroid drugs are MORE stable and reliable and vary less in strength from batch to batch than the synthetic ones. More, not less. They are far closer in range than synthroid or levoxythyrine.
Last month, my doctor abruptly closed his practice, citing rising costs and insurance premiums, pretty much left all of his patients hanging. I am left without an good endocrinologist. There are two others in my area (near Atlantic City, NJ), but I’ve seen one, and he and the other do not follow the same mindset as to natural replacement therapy. I’m looking for a new doctor with the same attitude that I have… ask the patient, don’t just rely on “the numbers.” Anyone out there know a good doc?
After five years of feeling awful, and still having hypothyroid symptoms even though taking both Synthroid and Cytomel, I went to Progressive Medical Center in Atlanta, and they put me on Armour Thyroid. I cannot tell you what a difference it has made. I’ve lost 30 lbs in 5 months, and I feel like a new person. My endocronologist would not even budge when I asked about Armour, and would just say that I needed Weight Watchers to control my weight. I am so grateful for Armour Thyroid.
I’ve been on Armour Thyroid since 1994. I was first placed on Synthroid in 1992, but my TSH levels were never consistent. I tried to get my PCP to change me over to a natural thyroid but she would not do it. I then went to a member of ACAM who place me on Armour.
When we moved to a new city, I decided to let an endocrinologist manage my Hashimotos. She had no problem with me using Armour and for three years things were fine.
Then, on my last visit there, she told me she was discharging any of her patients that would not change from Armour to one of the synthetic drugs without T3. She stated that they (the college of endocrinologists) believed that the T3 in the drug was such an excitant for the heart that idiopathic heart disease might result years after use. I asked for research reports, but was told there were none. I have left this doctor and my current PCP is continuing to prescribe Armour for me.
I would love to hear if Mary Shimon has any comments about this.
I have had terrible dealings with family medicine physicians and endocrinolgists in Cincinnati. The physicians were insulting and abusive. I was reminded that they were the doctor and I had to listen to them.. I was even told I was a “high maintenance fibromyalgia patient” which I am not. It later turned out I had a year long infection (entercoccus and staphococcus in my bladder) from my hospitalization. This was from having thyroid storm/thyroidtoxicosis following my thyroid ablated I was placed on Synthroid and I was very hypothyroid and very ill. I begged to be taken off and placed on Armour because I wasn’t feelin well and had researched that Synthorid is chemically corn based. I am allergic to corn… I was so ill on a business trip in San Deigo I located a Dr Ian Moore, Nauthopathic Center of San Deigo who trained as an MD and DO specialized in thyroid he gave me a thorough exam and lab work and placed me on Armour. In a few weeks I was rebounding and feel I am now on the road to recovery. This physician not only listens but researches and is partner in having a patient quality health and living.
My nurse practitioner is very supportive and started out with Armor. It did help, but I wasn’t quite right.
After a year, she felt I should switch to Levothyroxine. I do feel better on this new med, but she is still concerned about my “conversion” so perhaps she will add something else.
Just throwing this out there, Armor didn’t seem to be the best for me….keep trying!
My very excellent endocrinologist told me she doesn’t like to use Armour because the ratio of T3:T4 is too high – apparently pigs have more circulating T3 than humans. This seemed logical to me. She said when she does use it she adds a bit of synthetic T4 to even out the ratio a bit. She said she was happy to let her patients try Armour or one of the natural brands.
Synthroid ruined my health.
I wouldn’t take it at gunpoint.
Doctors are easy to fire.
Just get a good one.
i have been taking levathriosin for many years and still felt tarible then i ask my dr. to put me on armour and he said know problem , after hearing all of your comments on how your dr. would not give you armour i was vary pleased.it’s been about 2 weeks now and i am feeling a little better , i will check back with all of you shortly , i want to thank everyone so much , it’s nice to have this kind of support.
thanks so much for your website!
One of the main reasons doctors don’t like T3 is that almost all of them are ignorant of the “Reverse T3 Dominance” syndrome (also known as “Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome” in the USA). If they were not ignorant of this syndrome, they would undoubtedly understand why some patients require T3 to feel well, and why T4 therapy can actually make things WORSE for some patients.
I took synthroid for years and felt awful. Several years ago, after finding Mary’s site, which educated and inspired me, I found a wonderful Endocrinologist who would prescribe Armour to supplement the Synthroid, I have felt great the many years since then. I am 79 years old. I feel grateful for this site and to have such an Endo. This same Endo will not prescribe Armour for my husband, who suffers arrhythmia, because it might aggrevate his condition, though she does give him Cytomel. He feels well on it.
I have been on Synthroid, Armour & various other generic synthetics over the last 19 years. My physician was the one suggesting the switch because none of them seemed to be doing the job! I am also an insulin dependent diabetic – thyroid function really affects how well your insuling works. So with an mis-functioning thyroid gland & diabetes I was about ready to shoot myself!!! I took myself off all thyroid medication for 3 months, had all of the blood tests run AGAIN & started with a generic synthetic. Then had thyroid levels checked every 30 days for 6 months. Finally I had some success!!!
I have continued on the synthetic since & have done well. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it! I am a proponent of what ever works for you is what you should do. I had a reaction to pork insulin prior to Humulin. Since Armour & naturals are from pigs, it could be that my body is just sensitive to that.
Thanks so much to everyone who has shared their story! It’s great to know you are not alone.
Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
Read my comment on Endocrine.com, in reply to this doctor’s article. I was on synthroid for over 20 years–ugh!
Linda
This is a response to Emma. I have to take 135 mg. of Armour every day, and it has gone up as high as 180 mg. I am sure that everyone out there knows that the signs of lower than optimal dosage are very noticeable when they occur. My endocrinologist pays attention to my feelings, I keep a record of symptoms, work out three to four times a week, eat no more than 1800 calories a day, mostly meat, fruit, veggies (but I still eat pizza and mexican food occasionally). It is hard to maintain your determination when half of the people out there including doctors think you are whack. Forget them. Listen to your body, fight the good fight.
As to doctors, Emma, doesn’t this site have the recommended docs from all the states still? If not, check out the online professional organizations for alternative and homeopathic/naturopathic docs and also osteopaths. Good luck. Do not give up.
I read on a naturopath’s website (in Australia) that if you have Hashimoto’s then it is not recommended to take Armour or any of the other natural thyroid treatments, as it could worsen your body’s autoimmune response. I would appreciate any comments on this, as I would prefer to go the natural route.
I am pretty sure this was my old endo (the beard is throwing me as he doesn’t look the same). He took me off of Armour also and when I called to complain about my continuing symptoms the nurse told me to contact my GP about postpartum depression. He left my practice but that was okay as I had already decided to fire him.
Leave it to me to be different. I’ve been on levoxyl for about 7 years now. We suspect that I went undiagnosed hypothyroid for many many years–perhaps my entire life (since my mother also had hypothyroidism). I asked my Stanford based endocrinologist if I could try cytomel. She permitted me to try it. After only two days on it along with the levoxyl, I was in bed so ill, I stopped. That was several years ago. I live in a different part of the country now. After not being satisfied for a number of reasons with the first MD I went to, I am now trying a new MD who also partners with an ND/DC (Naturopath who is also a Chiropractor). Both of these docs are suggesting to me to switch to Armour Thyroid to see if I might feel better and reduce my huge list of symptoms (including gaining more than 100% of my body weight–that now puts me in a category of being morbidly obese). Well, after two days of Armour, I started to “crash” and feel very ill again. So I switched back to my levoxyl. I want to try the Armour Thyroid again for a longer period of time to see if my body and brain will adapt. I have to wait until I have a stretch of time to “put up with” the huge shift it will put my body (and brain) through. I admit to being anxious about even trying a third time. Has any one else out there felt suddenly and desperately ill (fatigue “crash,” vertigo/dizziness, achy all over, brain-fog, etc.) when shifting from one thyroid replacement therapy to another? Did you get past it after a long enough period of time? How long did it take? Has anyone else out there felt ill when taking cytomel or Armour or any of the replacement therapies with the T3 in it?
Leave it to me to be different from everyone else. I’m desperate to feel like my old (younger) self, and feel I may never be again.
I’ve been on Armour for about 3 years with mixed results. But here’s my numbers for the past 20 months. May-2008..TSH..1.006 Free T3..4.8 Free T4..1.22. Doc chgd Armour presc from 90mg to 60mg..Aug-2008 TSH..1.77 Free T3..5.0 Free T4..1.13. Doc added 25 mcg Levothyroxin (Levoxyl) to the 60 mg or Armour..Jan-2009 TSH..2.696 Free T3…2.7 and Free T4..1.20…Feel much better…less depression and anxiety..sleeping better by taking meds before bed. But weight still a terrible issue. It’s the one thing that won’t budge unless I get radical w/dieting.
I’ve been reading the comments about the different medications for hypothyroidism. Let me tell you my story. My thyroid gland stopped functioning when I was 5 years old due to a severe sore throat. It went unchecked for 6 years. Finally, my doctor sent me to the UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville, VA for tests. I went home two weeks later with my first container of Armour Thyroid pills. I was on Armour until I was in my 20’s. Then my doctor started putting me on Levoxyl or Levothyroxine. I’m now 54. I don’t have any problems with my medication. My hair doesn’t fall out, my weight is stable. I feel fine. I guess every person’s story is different. What works for one person might not work for someone else. The only thing I really hate about having Hypothyroidism is that my voice seems to get deeper all the time. I suppose there’s nothing that can be done about that.
Response to DebbV: Interesting that the doc put you on a lower dose of both thyroid replacement therapies concurrently. I may ask this new MD about that. Perhaps I won’t “crash” so hard or get so ill if I do a more gradual transition from levoxyl to armour… Thanks for the info. Thank you to everyone for sharing their stories. Clearly, we are all very individual in how we response to the various replacements.
I have to ask Ed Arnold, since I too am ignorant of what is “Reverse T3 Dominance” syndrome (also known as “Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome” in the USA). What is this?
Interesting discussion. Two years ago I saw an endocrinologist at the Mayo clinic because of strange neurological side effects that only started after I got my TSH up into the normal range. I asked about the option of T3 replacement since I had (and continue to have) so many problems with synthroid and levoxyl.
For what it’s worth, his reponse was that patients generally feel better on T3 replacement initially, but then they end up feeling worse due to titration problems. At least he admitted that much.
I was on Synthroid for many, many years with no problems and then all of a sudden, it just seemed like it went haywire. My TSH kept going from one extreme to the other. The Dr. kept changing dosages back and forth and nothing worked. I wasn’t happy with the endocrinologist I had, but the one I have now was willing to try Armour when I asked him about it. That has straightened me right out. The levels have been right on for a couple of years now. I am so happy I switched doctors and meds!
Mary, thanks for noting Dr. Repas’s comments. I sincerely hope the patients’ comments to him get wide circulation in the endocrinologist community. As a clinician who has treated many patients who have hypothyroidism, let me note that there is no reason not to mix Synthroid (T4) with Cytomel (T3) or with Thyroid USP/ “Armour” (T3&T4) — as long as one is following Free T3, Free T4, and TSH — adjusting the doses until both FT3 and FT4 are in the upper halves of their ranges and TSH is close to the bottom end of its range. I repeat, one can mix “Armour” with additional T4 or T3 as the need is indicated by testing and symptoms. Treatment does not have to be “either-or”; it can quite rationally be “both”.
This comment is directed particularly to Sage. T3 is fast-acting with a half-life of hours (the actual number varies from one expert to another), whereas T4 (levothyroxine)has a half-life of at least 2 weeks. The significance of that is that T4-only meds can be taken once a day, but anything with T3 in it needs to be taken in small doses throughout the day. Given your history of difficulty with a T3 med, I would suggest initially dividing up your total daily dose by 4, and taking it 4 times a day. After a successful adjustment period, you could try 3 times a day. At a minimum, anything with T3 in it should be taken at least twice a day. Doctors don’t seem to tell patients this.
Your difficulty with T3 containing hormones may be because your adrenals aren’t functioning well. Good adrenal function is needed to get the thyroid hormone out of the bloodstream and into the cells. Without sufficient cortisol, the thyroid hormone stays and builds up in your blood and can lead to hyperthyroid symptoms, even though you might be hypothyroid at the cellular level. If you haven’t been tested, consider getting your adrenal functioning tested – and hopefully with saliva or 24 hr urine tests, not blood tests. Many people cannot tolerate anything with T3 in it until they are sufficiently supported with cortisol initially.
To Joanna in the UK. YES Arnmour Thyroid IS AVAILABLE ON THE NHS. I saw Dr Skinner because I wanted to try Armour, paid for it myself for a while then spoke to my local PCT and I’ve had it on prescription for over three years now as they ahd heard GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. Go back and tell your GP. I live in Northamptonshire by the way. My GP after listening to me prescribed it for another patient who could not believe how well she felt after years of misery. All on the NHS Kate
I am astounded that the medical field has been purchased lock, stock and barrel. But we shouldn’t be surprised its just more blatant now. Pens, posters, conferences, money and trips is the payola for one-brand physician’s office.
Pharmaceuticals provide a lot of so-called “generic” information sheets to patients – If it were subject to the strict advertising rules of other advertising seen in any magazine – These sponsored info sheets should carry the disclaimer – Advertising Supplement – because that is what they are. Abbott and other pharmas sponsor the information that of course leads to their medication as the sole and only medication for treatment. Alternatives or other brands do not exist in these information sheets that doctors are stocked up on. And the doctors do not disclose the source, they’re too busy getting booked on the trips afterall.
This is a clear conflict of interest in unbiased patient care, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for a doctor’s office to have a plaque that says: Sponsored by Abbott Pharmaceuticals which is legally what any other paid-advertising is bound to do.
A few months ago my Doctor told me that the maker of my Armour Thyroid was discontinuing the drug so I was going to have to start taking synthetic meds…As I was filling the new perscription, I was telling the pharmacy tech how after 7 years I had to change because of what the doctor said. She immediatly told me that that was NOT TRUE!! They just quit making it in my dosage grain. Needless to say, I am still on Armour Thyroid, I just take 4 instead of 2.
Thank you, Lynn M. Great info! My ND has been wanting me to do the saliva tests, adrenal function tests, etc. It takes some planning out the day on a schedule which has been hard for me to manage. But I see now I must make it a priority and get it done. I may be contributing to my own suffering by not getting those tests completed. Your explanation about how T3 works faster than T4 makes sense as to why I am having such a bad reaction by taking a larger dose only once per day.
I’ve also been googling this reverse T3 syndrome thing and finding some good info there too. I will ask both the MD and the ND (they work together in the same office–and I’m asking them to coordinate my care and treatment) about testing the Reverse T3 (R-T3). They are already testing TSH, Free T3 and Free T4. The ND suspects I may have problems with adrenal function and or R-T3. After doing all this reading and “chatting” with you all, I realize there is more that needs to be done. Maybe there is hope for me to get better, more optimal treatment and to feel healthier again. I think I had given up, and become agoraphobic with no hope or help in sight. I see that is not necessarily true. I’ve suffered and checked out of life so long. WOW! It would be nice not to be suffering. I would love to check back into life and participate again as I used to. Thank you for giving me some hope and homework to attend to!
I dont want to get into a debate because people know what is best for their body, but many people myself included take T3 once a day.
It is true that it is only active in your blood for 2-4 hours, however the metabolic effects of it last for about 24 hours. Read the insert on Cytomel.
I agree with Dr.Lowe that we do not even really need T4. Armour (thyroid USP) is the best choice.
From many many hours of research, if you are a person that has not benifited from Armour, you need to look into several factors.
Including Candida, Adrenal Fatigue, Heavy Metal Toxicity, Food Allergies, Sex hormone imbalances, low vitmin/minerals, etc.
Sorry to completly go off subject, but there is no reason for a person to be prescribed a T4 only medication and then dosed by the TSH.
I too was on levothyroxine for 20 foggy years.
I almost doubled my weight and couldn’t get out of my own way. I finally found a good Dr. who was willing to listen. She supplemented my synthetic with natural thyroid and the difference was amazing. I lost my doctor when she transfered but my new doctor sent me to a specialist and I am now on natural thyroid only. Everyone is different but this is the best I’ve felt in 20 years.
To Alison Wolfson I have Hashimoto’s Disease and have used Armour for 3 years now after being on Oroxine (T4) for 10 years with on problems whatsoever.I live in Australia and believe I know the website you are referring to.I take enough to suppress the TSH and get my FT3 towards the top of the range
Mary, I love this column and I have learned so much about thyroid conditions and treatments, but I have to tell you that natural thyroid medication does not work for everyone. I know most people who read this column have Hashimoto’s Disease or just a plain old underactive thyroid and I can understand how Armour or any of the other natural options would be better suited for those particular problems. But, in my case, I had nodules that were growing out of control and had my left lobe removed. I’ve tried synthetic and natural medications and, for me, synthetic works best. In fact, I had a very scary experience with Armour. Because Armour and other natural medications have naturally occurring T3, I discovered quickly that I do not have a T3 deficiency and that too much T3 in your system affects your heart rhythm. Even though I was on the correct dosage according to my T4 requirments, the T3 was too much and it affected my heart enough for an EKG to pick up and abnormality and I was sent straight to a cardiologist. This happened when I was only 38 years old. I am 41 now. Fortunately, my doctor is patient with me and works with me to determine what’s best for me and what makes me feel the best. Now that I’ve gone through my experiment with Armour, there is not doubt that synthetic levothyroxine is best for me.
I think you are doing a wonderful thing by working so hard to keep all of us thyroid patients informed, but people need to know there is a danger that Armour or other T3 containing medication can affect your heart in a negative way.
I will share my own personal experience, strength, and hope.
I have been on Armour thyroid since 1995, when my thyroid stopped working, due to a cyst that formed on it as part of a throat infection. My family history includes an intolerance for shellfish (my mother), and a goiter (her mother).
My osteopath correctly diagnosed me and put me on Armour from the beginning, and it changed my life for the better. He never suggested a synthetic, and he never will.
It seems clear to me that the medical profession has been “bought” by the drug industry in this instance. Shame on them! No one should be deprived of medicine that works for them because of someone else’s greed, or worse, ignorance because of greed. All thyroid sufferers should support having access to the medicine that works for them. If needed, we must organize to have Armour thyroid (and other non-synthetics) protected legally. Those who currently do well on synthetics cannot guarantee that they always will do so. We must protect all options for all thyroid sufferers. Forgive me if I sound like a community organizer!
Over the past nearly 15 years, I have periodically had my levels checked, and my dosage adjusted. I currently take 60 mg (1 gr) per day. I had been taking twice that, but the blood work and occasional symptoms suggested my levels had become “too high”. I feel very, very good these days.
I heartily recommend to the person in Atlantic City who was asking for a referral to consider Dr. Richard Menashe (osteopath and chiropracter) in Edison, NJ. I feel he is the best in the area.
Thank you for an informative discussion.
Joanne from England PLEASE contact me. I’d love to find out how to meet Dr Skinner.
I HAVE been on Armour Thyroid now for about 4 years and before this I was on Synthroid 2mg for many years. MY doctor switched drugs because he didn’t think Synthroid was working.
Seriously, I felt better on it than I DO on the Armour. Everything from more energy to less leg cramps/charlie horses…
After reading what all of you have to say?
I think I am going to look into this a bit more..And by the way, I live in San Diego ..
Trying to get Armour? NOT easy.. I usually have to get the lower doses and take two since trying to find 120mg is getting more difficult every month..
I was on synthroid for over a year and never really noticed a difference…then something changed. I ran out of my calcium. I nor my dr had heard that calcium makes synthroid ineffective. It does speak to that on the forms that you get from your pharmacist, but as I was having no problems, I did not go looking. When I took my synthroid without calcium, I suddenly could not breath, my heart started racing. My dr has come as close as he ever has to basically yelling, stating that I cannot be allergic to synthroid as it is human thyroid. A complete match. I went to a second dr and she said the same thing, so I have since stopped taking my thyroid medicine. Recently, a new dr for me asked, why didn’t we trying something else…so in a couple of weeks, I get to start all over again, but hopefully with someone more open minded. He’s also talking about scans and ultrasounds, that is a first for me, that a dr wants to actually look at my thyroid. I’m nervous, but hopeful.
I have been on thyroxine for 9 years, and have never felt right since my thyroid packed up.
In the UK there is nothing used but generic thyroxine – every single prescription I get a different brand of thyroxine – thats 4 different generic brands every year!
The only time I started to feel any way normal (libido, regular periods, etc.) was when I was on Armour, but during the shambles Armour made of things last year I couldn’t buy any anywhere in the world and returned to my generic thyroxine
The ONLY thing I didn’t like about Armour was that I tended to ’spike’ about 2 hours after taking it (pounding heart etc.).
Is it possible to combine thyroxine and armour to lessen the T3 hit (I was splitting my dose over morning afternoon and evening and still had a hit every time!)?
If anyone can advise on a mix n match approach I would REALLY appreciate it
I felt no better after over a year of synthroid, even though my numbers were in the “normal” range. I was tired, my periods were a nightmare, my skin and scalp were constnatly itchy, I was foggy and moody and would have hypoglycemic events. I felt like crap. After research, I asked my endocrinologist to let me give Armour a try. He refused. I explained my reasoning and he still refused. So I fired him. I went to my family doctor, a DO, and asked him to prescribe Armour. He said he never had prescribed Armour and asked me why I wanted it. I gave him my reasons in under 2 minutes. He listened, REALLY listened… then he sat quietly for a minute, looked at me, and said “OK. Let me get the PDR so I can see the prescribing dosages.” I’ve been on 30 of Armour for the last 14 months. I started out at 15, and asked him to up it to 30 after 6 months. Again he asked me why, and I explained that I had given the drug enough time and still didn’t feel as I should. He listened, REALLY listened, then upped the prescription. I’m thinking of asking for an increase to 45 at my next appointment. (It’s been 8 months). My doctor has me get my bloodwork, and it’s still within normal ranges, but he has agreed to let me play a role in how my body will be treated. Most importantly, he has agreed with me to treat the symptoms, not the lab numbers.
This is for Sage. I agree totally with the poster who advised you to check your adrenal function. Years of stress totally exhausted my adrenals, and the adrenals and thyroid are partners in so much. When I first started taking thyroid medication, like you, I felt much worse. I even developed hypothyroid symptoms like floaters and palpitations that I never had before taking the ‘cure’! Then I started having weird neurological problems. I couldn’t get any doctors to help let alone take me seriously. I heard of the adrenal connection but didn’t know what to do about it – any suggestions to take extra cortisol scared me, as if I was having so much trouble with the thyroid pills, why wouldn’t I assume that the cortisol would wreck me as well! And I was hanging on by a thread… I couldn’t take the risk of feeling worse. Finally a friend I met on the internet recommended me to read James Wilson’s book “Adrenal Fatigue’. I recognised myself on every page. I ordered my own adrenal function saliva test (I live in the UK) and sure enough my adrenal function was flat.
I started some of the protocols and after a looong time, i.e. 4 or 5 months, my latest saliva test shows improvement. Also my neurological symptoms are much better, which seems to confirm what the poster suggested to you, because I am wondering if they weren’t caused by circulating hormone in the blood that nevertheless never made it into my cells.
At the moment I do feel better, but maybe I’d feel even better with a temporary course of cortisol supplementation to strenghthen my adrenals! This might indeed have been my answer all along, and I was just too scared too try it. I wish you luck – and I sure do hope you can find a good doctor to guide you through it.
I am interested in switching from Synthroid to the Armour thyroid medicine, but the one question that most worries me I have never even seen raised: In using a gland from an animal to make the medicine, do the manufacturers simply work as an adjunct to the typical, factory-type food business–with all its unhealthy treatment of the animals and resulting potential problems–or are they using glands from animals raised humanely, healthily, etc. And if the latter, is that certified in some way? Otherwise, I would be somewhat worried about Mad Cow Disease type problems…
Can someone tell me what they think about mixing Armour Thryoid with Synthroid? I was on Synthroid for 14 years and long story short, I was having the SAME symptons that I originally suffered the last few years, so my Doc agreed to try Armour. Now on this since
2-4-2009 and it is helping A LOT. However, lately I have been a lot more tired and gaining a little weight!! I wondered if I could use BOTH Armour and Synthroid?? What do you think?? I will ask my Doc too…but I thought I would ask you all too??
Thanks!!
Wonderful website.
After being on synthroid for 25 years or more I seem to have developed symptoms again, especially fogginess. Today I managed to persuade my doctor to prescribe dessicated thryoid and expected to get the Armour brand. Unfortunately this is not available in Canada. Does anyone know of another reputable brand available in Canada please?
Laura and/or Stan – please describe the neurological problems. I’ve been on Armour only a little over a month and feel better overall except I have palps & headaches should I not take meds timely. Also, I had a very scary experience while driving – it suddenly felt as though I got off a merrygoround. My vision was affected. It only happened once but it scared me.
for the person wondering about ‘armour’ in Canada, you can get dessicated thyroid in Canada, it is marketed under the name ‘thyroi’ made by Erfa.
http://www.thyroid.erfa.net/
i take 150 levothyroxin daily and now my chiropractor just gave me adreanal dessicated pills. Is this too many medicines for my throyoid?? And is it safe? thanking you in advance..
James Wilson’s book on Adrenal Fatigue saved my life as well as my thyroid. I know everyones’ story is different, but I can’t say how much eating well and avoiding “adrenal” stressors like caffine has helped improved my well being. I do believe synthroid has done wonders for people, but there is that small group that has trouble with conversion. I found out about 4 months of taking synthyroid that there has to be something else wrong. Blood work look normal, still felt terrible. My doctor didn’t believe me so I went online at my university and read medical journals. If you think you may have an issue with conversion – the British medical journal did articles a few years back. I printed them out and handed them to my doctor – he switched me and I never looked back.
“Armour because of an “unacceptable level of variability batch to batch, often resulting in unacceptable variation in thyroid-stimulating hormone.”
Really? The good doctor needs to review the stats more closely – I can’t think of a less stable thyroid medication than Synthroid! That thing is always changing, different fillers, unstable amts of medication that vary per batch…. hmmm.
I haven’t been prescribed dessicated thyroid since the 1980’s… but I can add that I felt better much faster on that than I do on synthetics, which seem to take longer to have an effect.
I had a total thyroidectomy in 2007 due to multiple goiters. Hashimoto’s diagnosed. Originally put on Armour Thyroid, felt no side effects. Had to change doc’s and that one refused Armour Thyroid and put me on Synthroid (did terrible), then was put on Levoxyl (did even worse). Synthetic HR’s increase my anxiety, heart palpitations, and worsen tremors. I was given so many stories about Armour Thyroid not being made/available, I decided to call the manufacturer only to find that the stories are not true. I finally took myself off of Levoxyl and told my husband dying would be less painful. My doctor finally agreed to put me on Armour, but had to state that it is not the recommended medication. CRAZY! I am already feeling a TON better and could kick myself in the butt for allowing doctors to tell me, what works for me. TAKE A ROLE IN YOUR OWN CARE. IF YOUR DOC DOESN’T LET YOU, THEN FIRE HIM!
I’ve been diagnosed hypothyroid for 31 years, and likely was deficient fifteen years earlier. Synthroid just didn’t cut it, in-so-far as alleviation of symptoms and lack of side effects. Dessicated Thyroid works in the human system deficient in thyroid,and compensates for the weakness in our own thyroid glands cause by some contamination or deficiency in our environment that results in every second woman you talk to being deficient. It supports my system and is invisible in side-effects. The last few years I’ve noticed it sometimes smells, and I am saddened that the animals used to produce this important medication are abused, treated with degradation, as are animals and nature as a whole. Even humans, by the pharmaceutical companies and their effect on our natural world. Pee me a river of toxic chemicals. Kill us all.
I was on Synthroid for years and never felt well. I told my doctor, “something is wrong, I don’t feel like me”. I also told him my metabolism wasn’t working – he did blood work and looking at the results, he said, “you’re right Janet, your metabolism isn’t working it’s at zero”. And then he promptly changed the subject. I have put on a lot of weight, have suffered with hair loss, no eyebrows, tingling sensations in both my feet, am exhausted, cannot sleep and when I do fall asleep I wake up constantly. My skin is dry, my hair is brittle, my nails break. Finally I convinced my doctor (another province) to put me on dessicated thyroid. She started me out on the lowest dose possible and I am now on 90 mg BUT I am beginning to feel better – my hair feels different, healthier. I am a long way from feeling more like my old self, but I am confident that I am finally on the road to feeling better. What doctors seem to forget is that synthetic thyroid replacement is NOT working. Only the numbers look good – the patient feels awful. The sales people representing synthetic replacement are doing their job wonderfully. But our doctors aren’t putting their patients first. Shame on them.
My dog has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism…Does anyone know if dessicated Thryoid meds work for dogs? His vet won’t prescribe the Armour — only Thyrotabs which is just another brand of Levothyroxine. My dog is 13 years old and I don’t want him on any harsh drugs. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks!
Hi. I’m on levothyroxine 125mcg but still feel foggy, worn out, have alopecia and am always cold. They upped the dose and I had tremors and felt heart fluttery and had insomnia. Do you think armor is worth a try and if so can you get it in the uk?
Hi, I am very interested to know if I could use a natural thyroid replacement.
I had a total Thyroidectomy 2 years following follicular cancer (T4, N1). The mainstay of any prevention now is to ensure my TSH levels are almost unrecordable.
At 225mcg per day, my TSH is 1.4 against a target of 0.05, however I show signs of Thyrotoxicosis through strong palpitations and jerking / twitching facial muscles. At a small reduction to 200mcg per day, my TSH rockets to 10.6!
My endo is struggling to find an acceptable balance and is not prepared to even discuss dessicated thyroid therapy. Can anyone offer any advice?
Thanks
Here is comment I posted 26 June at:
Diabetes Forecast Magazine
June 26, 2011 – 1:07pm — Anonymous
Hypothyroidism/Diabetes: Anyone with either or both of these disorders owes it to themselves to read Dr. Broda O. Barnes book, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness and books by Dr. Frank Shallenberger, Type II Diabetes Breakthrough and Bursting With Energy.
In his May 2011 issue of Nutrition and Healing newsletter Dr. Jonathan V. Wright cites this article:
O’Reilly D St J. Thyroid Hormone Replacement: An Iatrogenic Problem. Int J Clin Pract June 2010;64(7):991-994.
Quoting from that study: “The use of serum TSH measurements to assess thyroid status in patients on thyroxine replacement could be considered as a classic example of the misapplication of a laboratory test.”
See Janie Bowthorpe’s site http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com or her book of the same name for a thorough excoriation of TSH testing and the use of thyroxine (T4 only) instead of, for most patients, the more effective dessicated thyroid (Armour Thyroid) which contains all of the thyroid hormones. Her site and book hold a wealth of resources for those that would want relief from what may have been grievous maltreatment.
jkenneymjr
Hypothyroid patient currently supplementing Armour Thyroid and Cortef (hydrocortisone)
I seem to have run out of space in the previous comment and want to add this:
What is prime in thyroid treatment is finding the right physician. One has to be determined in this and some decision made as how strong the desire is for optimum health.
Don’t be one of the horror cases cited by Dr. Barnes and Shallenberger. Don’t continue to be maltreated by thyroid-dumb-a** doctor.
Dr. Barnes passed away in 1988 and his book was published in 1976 – it remains essential.
jkenneymjr
I have been on Armour Thyroid for the past 12 years and doing well. My Endo Dr. keeps close tabs and all is fine. I have Hashimotos. When I started out on Synthroid I had a problem with my own body converting some T3 from the Synthroid T4. Armour has both and when I was on synthroid I would lose my eyelashes even though my T4 was ok. I do not have that problem on Armour.
I remember my Endo Dr. even put my on a combo of synthroid and cytomel but I would have a hard time getting too much T3 all the time, so the Armour has been better even though it too has some adjusting every once in a while.
Hope this helps someone.
Georjia
I have been on levo-thyroxine since I have been 14 yrs old which I am now 32. My weight continues to fluctuate and I still seem very tired and no energy. I have had my thyroid levels monitored and my PCP placed me on 300mg of levothyroxine one day and then 150 mg of levothyroxine the next day. This still doesn’t seem to be helping. Does anybody know if the Armour thyroid provides you with energy?Also does it help in controlling your weight issues also?
I was treated for hyperthyroidism when i was 24. My Dr. never prescribed anything for the resulting hypothyroidism. I am now on 300mcg and my TSH and T3, T4 are all low.
should I try Armour or cytomel to try to correct this?
I live in Montreal, Canada. I just had a very unsettling visit with my endo. I asked him about dessicated thyroid and he refused that med. I have been on synthroid with him for a yr. now. He says that my weight gain is not the thyroid and that I should push myself away from the table. I exercise daily (winter snowshoeing) walking and hiking in the summer. I was hyperthyroid over 30 yrs. ago after the birth of my first child. My most recent TSH was 3.9 and the one before that 4.9. He reluctantly renewed the synthroid med. I have put on about 40 lbs. and eat only 1300 calories a day. Help!! Does anyone know a Dr. in Montreal region that would prescribe the dessicated thyroid. Thyroid issues are rampant on both sides of my family. The TSH normal level here is 5. Thanks.
I think people should just take whichever thyroid medication works for them. I tried Armour and had an absolutely horrible reaction to it. I have no idea what is in it that my body doesn’t like, but I can’t take it at all. I’m on Synthroid/Cytomel now and doing fine. I think people are being too one sided about dessicated vs synthetic. I should be what-my-body-likes vs. what-my-body-doesn’t-like. Oh well, I think it’s great that dessicated works so well for some people. To each his/her own.
As a physician these are my recommendations to all patients
independently of illness or form of treatment
1 A descent doctor treats human beings, NOT numbers.
If you don’t feel well, but the blood work value is
“within normal limits” SPEAK your mind. Have the Doctor
listen to you.
2 One patient’s illness is not equal to the next patient’s illness
even when the diagnosis is the same; i.e. simply because
medication A works for one parent doesn’t mean it will work
for the next. In this case If Armor works for you
it’s not a given it will work for your relative or
friend. Yet, have your Doctor discuss all your
options with you, including side effects, risks
and benefits.
3 Last but not least never be afraid to get a second
opinion.
I live in Vancouver BC Canada and am so grateful for the many progressive thinking medical practitioners. My doctor of Traditional Chinese medicine/Acupuncturist suggested I take dessicated Thyroid when I shared my blood work results. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and my numbers were off the chart. I went back to my GP and stated that I wanted to take Dessicated Thyroid. For a moment she questioned me, then looked it up in her prescription book and I have been taking it for three years. I have had to tweak the dosage a few times in the first year, but am happy to report I have been taking 90mgs every day and am stable. I have recently noticed my memory really fading these last six months, but don’t know if that’s normal aging (I am 49), pre menopausal or thyroid related.
It pains me to read about the close mindedness that doctors portray to their patients.
I began Thyroid by Erfa six months ago, after being on Eltroxin for 30 years. The new version of eltroxin made me cough, a LOT…so I begged my doctor to let me switch to ‘Thyroid’. He fought me for over a year, saying “the synthetic ones are better”. Finally, after trying unsuccessfully to treat this strange persistent cough with other meds, he switched me to the porcine thyroid.
But getting the dosage right was difficult. For 5 weeks I felt like my hypothyroidism came back with a vengeance: tired all the time, could hardly lift my legs to walk, arms to do anything; brain fog. So… I began on my own to take an extra half pill every afternoon. Finally blood tests showed that my dosage was too low, and my doc prescribed for me an extra half pill. So now I’ve been taking 90 mgs per day. BUT: lately I have been feeling dizzy almost every day. I won’t see my doc again for 8 more days.
Sure is scary, but it’s nice, ever so nice to have finally stopped coughing!
I too had the “brain fog” for many years, suffered a lot! Had all the symptoms and was diagnosed with hashimotos disease. It took me 9 years to find a doctor who would help me. Dr. Odom was worth every dollar I spent on him! But…now…I can’t afford him and have since moved away from his area I have been without my Armour thyroid since 2009. He had me balanced on 8 grains a day. I felt NORMAL! Since 2009 I’ve gain over 60lbs feel terrible. Now that we’re in a new area and am on the states hmo I had my first appointment with a new endocrinologist jan.13, 2012 and she was very forceful that my thyroid was in the normal range and she w only prescribes levothyroxine (Synthroid®) but since the test results said I was normal she wouldn’t even give me the levothyroxine (Synthroid®)!I told her I wanted to go back on the Armour she said she wouldn’t allow that! what? I blew a gasket!!! It worked for 9 years and you wont prescribe it for me?
continue from b4 post…. NO way she said! But we can radiate the goiters on your thyroid or take it out by surgery! I ask why she wouldn’t prescribe the Armour she said it kills the thyroid….okay am I not seeing things clearly here or what???? You’ll kill my thyroid with radiation, take it out and you say Armour is bad because it’ll kill my thyroid! But I felt perfect on Armour, she said hands down she won’t prescribe it because it’s bad! Come on DOCTORS!!! Don’t you think if it works don’t screw with it?!! I really need to find a pharmacy here in Oregon that has a supply of it and my PCP said he’ll prescribe it but I’ll have to pay for it instead of the state medical.
We’ve been told here in Oregon it has been banned, discontinued…But I think it’s because there’s no money in it for the pharmacies! I’ll just have to keep searching for the real stuff that worked! Oh, by the way the endo-doc said that I had an auto immune disorder and thats why I have 3 goiters on my thyroid! Now…when I was on the Armour they remained small in size and wasn’t much of a bother, now since I haven’t had the Armour for almost 4 yrs they’ve double in size making it difficult to swallow. She discredited my Life Enhancement Doctor and said he was a quack! If she was in my shoe’s and suffered for many years and then found someone who “FIXED” me she’d be sing his praises too but these new young doctors are conditioned by the manufacturers of these meds and therefore become IGNORANT sad to say. Okay that’s my rant, but really…if ANYONE knows where I can get Armour thyroid let me know! Email me but please don’t spam. gingerflores@ymail.com just mention you read the post from mary shamon @about.com. Thanks for you help!
Hi, first I wanna congratulate you for the excellent info on this site! Im a person who has regularly had elevated tsh for years but has not been treated, well actually i was offered synthroid but didnt want it due to what ive read. Now Im interested in trying armour for sure but I have a few questions. first concern, my most recent lab showed elevated tsh but normal levels of both free t3 and free t4. now for the record ive always been struggling with depression and being overweight most of my life. so would someone like me with high tsh and symptoms be a good candidate for armour even with normal free t3 and 4 levels??
also ive read posts online about armour being reformulated or something recently?? supposedly there are some people saying its no longer effective for them? is this just more rumors being spread by levothyroxine drug reps??