Armour Thyroid On Long-Term Backorder, No Definitive Date for Availability
The natural desiccated thyroid drug Armour Thyroid, which has largely unavailable for months during a reformulation, was the subject of a statement issued by its manufacturer, Forest Labs on August 17, 2009, indicating that while some Armour in 4 grain (240 mg) and 5 grain (300 mg) tablet sizes is still available, the remaining dosages are all on back-order. The company has indicated that they cannot provide an estimated date when product will be available.
The following is the company's statement:
Forest Laboratories and its supplier understand how frustrating the back order situation of Armour Thyroid is for patients, and we apologize for the supply interruption.
Forest Laboratories is working closely with its supplier of the product's active ingredient, powdered Thyroid gland, and both companies are working diligently to return to normal supply levels as quickly as possible.
There are many complicated steps involved in the supply chain for a naturally desiccated thyroid product like Armour Thyroid. One factor in the supply interruption involves the manufacturing of a sufficient quantity of powdered Thyroid gland. American Laboratories, Inc., the sole U.S. supplier of Thyroid Powder Products, is working as quickly as possible to provide Forest with a sufficient quantity of this ingredient.
Forest is addressing the backlog of Armour Thyroid as quickly as possible, however, we are not prepared at this time to give a definitive date by which the product will be fully restocked. Please check for future updates on the availability of Armour Thyroid through the Forest product availability toll-free hotline at (866) 927-3260.
In the meantime, we encourage patients to speak with their physician regarding appropriate treatment for their condition.
I took Armour Thyroid for 1.5 years, 90mg per day. A month ago I began to have symptoms of hypothyroidism again, had my blood tested and TSH level was 18. I was taking 3 of the 30mg tablets per day and still my TSH was 18. Basically no thyroxin in me. I have secondary
hypertension and now require BP meds. Other wise I am healthy and this is just a bump in the road for me. What about the elderly that may buy a years supply at once? They are taking ineffective pills right now. This isn’t a shortage, those pills are not working and someone should notify those people.
Forest needs to get in front of this.
Yes the formula is messed up, not just a small ajustment, all my symptoms have returned and my blood presure shot up. My hair is coming out by the handfuls, My last test Aug.14, ths was 12. This all started in May with the “small adjustment”. I think we should file a Class lawsuit. This is endangering our lives.
I take the 120 mg. thyroid med. I was told they are out of it for three months at my pharmacie, what do I do? I don’t do so well on synthtic med. the manufacture has a back log of 3 months………
I think legal steps should also be taken. Our bodies need the medication to function properly. By switching meds we suffer. Not only do our bodies need an adjustment period, but we have deal with more Dr visits for blood tests. Not to mention the “side effects” of switching to a new prescription and the dose always has to be played with.
I find it totally interesting, that the makers of Armour Thyroid can have such troubles concocting the proper dosage, yet labs can “spit out” a vaccine for the “swine flu” in a few months and deem it “safe.”
When I went to pick up my monthly refill recently and was handed 30mg to take 3x’s a day, without anyone asking me if this was okay? I was not only offended but mad. How can we have patient rights if we are being told what to do/take? How can they just cease our prescription legally like they did? I did not settle for the 30mg, 3xs a day. I searched til I found a place to fill my proper order (90mg) and I bought all they had! 66 tablets!
I wonder if this really has something to do with money. Another interesting fact is I can only obtain Armour Thyroid by prescription, yet my “popular” health insurance will not cover it.
I take 180 mg a day; can’t find ANY strength any where! (Except maybe Canada, but then there’s no guarantee on what you are getting).
I’m deparate – I’ve taken synthroid and cytomel together and it didn’t work. This is the first med that has helped – now I can’t get it!
A local doctor suggested to temporarily try Unithroid or Westhroid. It has to be ordered, but is in available. Let’s hope it works!
For heaven sake please do not even think about a law suite against armor-the big drug company’s have been trying to get the FDA to take armor off the market-I had my thyroid removed 3 yrs ago and the doctor put me on synthroid-it was a nightmare my hair started coming out by the hand fulls my nails were brittle and ridged but worse of all my brain felt numb and I couldn’t even do simple house chores -this went on for 1 whole year then the doc switched me to armor within 3 weeks I felt better and within 6 months my hair grew back and my nails cleared up but best of all my mind started working right again and I was my old self .So please let’s be Patience with armor and let them get the supply’s to us again -I sure do not want to go through that nightmare of synthroid again-I don’t have a thyroid at all and I only have enough armor for 3 more weeks,Don’t have a clue what I will do when it is all gone.
Streamwood, Illinois 60107
Please, I need my armor thyroid, now. I am allergic to the other thyroid meds, I spent 3 month in the hospital earlier this year, almost dying,I started taking armour thyroid and wow do I feel great now. why can’t I get it now? What am I going to do? Please Barak Obama have a heart, when you said change I didn’t know you meant change my meds. Please don’t make me sorry I voted for you.
I completely agree with the person who said we should file a class action law suit, this is medical malpractice. With my symptoms back full time I’m having a hard time just typing this, very foggy, missing words, tired all the time. I’m a teacher and it’ September, I need to be clear headed and awake. Thank goodness I have an appointment with my Dr. this weekend. I though I was losing my mind this summer, what with all the weight gain and other symptoms returning. When the pills basically disappeared from the pharmcy shelves I started surfing and found out everyone else’s symptoms were returning too! At least I know I’m not crazy.
I have bee using Armour Thyroid for over 30 years. It was the only thing that helped me. What in the world happened? I found that Canadian Pharmacy has Armour Thyroid. I wonder what the prescription will cost when they finally produce it back on the shelves of the pharmacy
Let’s be careful here. My wife has taken Armour for years. Lawsuits will only do ONE THING – cause Forest to NEVER bring Armour back out onto the market. Yes, it sucks. I know, I live it.
I found a local pharmacy that will compound Armour Thyroid. Exactly the same as the normal prescription you get but its compounded. I went to Katy Pharmacy located on Fry Rd in Katy, TX
Try to find a local pharmacy where you live that compounds Armour Thyroid.
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I found a local pharmacy that will compound Armour Thyroid. Exactly the same as the normal prescription you get but its compounded. I went to Katy Pharmacy located on Fry Rd in Katy, TX
Try to find a local pharmacy where you live that compounds Armour Thyroid.
Please Barak Obama have a heart, when you said change I didn’t know you meant change my meds. Please don’t make me sorry I voted for you.
Someone commented with this above and as much as I can relate to being upset since I am also without my medication, I have to hope that this is a joke and not an incident of wildly misplaced blame. Obama has no direct control over what a pharmaceutical company does or does not do. This issue isn’t even relevant in the health care debate. Let’s focus on the real issue here. Since running out of my medication, I have been met with shrugged shoulders and apathy about my predicament. The only option suggested to me has been to switch to synthroid and like many others who’ve commented, this isn’t possible for me. Regardless of the solution, someone has to do something, instead of sitting by and letting presumably millions of people suffer as they go off their medication. I understand the impulse for a class action law suit, but my health comes before any desire for vengeance or money.
My pharmacy JUST received a new batch of 1-grain pills and filled a prescription that had been waiting since the end of August. So, it seems there is hope.
Has anyone out there gone off armour and been okay without it ??? I was taking 180 mg a day for years and gradually over several years reduced it to 60mg a day–was in the hospital for other problems and spoke with “gland man” doc who told me I couls stop it anytime I wanted. I have waited until my other problems are gone and a couple of days ago just stopped taking it. I think I feel better already.
It is a little scary as I don’t know if my own thyroid gland will step up and take over or not. I will have my blood tested in a month. How could a manufacturer be so careless as to let this situational shortage occur. Doesn’t anyone give a damn anymore???? My own doc told me a couple of days ago that it was harmless medication and that it did not interact with anything but the first page I looked at today listed 25 or 30 things it interacted with……
Years ago I couldn’t understand why the pounds were packing on when I didn’t eat that much. When I got my TSH levels tested and then found Armour I was able to lose the weight, still with effort but I could. When the formula was changed I started to gain weight again and now that it isn’t available I have to almost fast to keep the weight off. I am worried. My strength in sports is also affected.
Forest Labs can’t get the raw material, so they are not at fault it seems, their supplier may be. Can’t help but wonder if there is a larger conspiracy by drug companies against natural remedies.
Meanwhile the compounding pharmacy in your area is the best option. I located one near me and once I get my TSH levels retested to see if 90mg is still what I need I look forward to see how that works.
Help! No more armour around my town, doc wrote me a prescription for Levothyroid, what do I do now? I don’t want to go through all the side affects what is the best dose to replace 60 mg /day of armour?