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I am currently a user of synthroid. My sister, who is a health nut, keeps insisting that I get my doctor to prescribe armour thyroid, because its natural, I don't see how dried pig thyroids are natural, but I aksed my doctor about it and he would not so much as talk to me about it. Anybody out there on Armour thyroid?? Does it work better??? ect. any feedback.
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11 Responses
I had been on Armour thyroid for several years and it worked really well. Unfortunately, my last prescription was put on hold by the manufacturer and I have not been able to get it filled. That was in July 2009. The pharmacist said the manufacturer has an indefinite hold on the drug. My dr. had to put me on Synthroid instead and I feel terrible now. I have insomnia and anxiety yet my blood tests look fine. I'm not sure what to do now. I've called the pharmacy several times in the last 4 months and Armour is still not available to the public. Makes not sense to me. If you are doing OK on Synthroid, I would stay on it.
I have been on Armour thyroid for about 14 months. I had been on Synthroid for quite a few years. I was going to a "diet doctor" who suggested trying the Armour. My endocrinologist was not too happy about it, but she let me stay on it because I said that is what I wanted. (I'm not sure why some docs don't like the Armour.) The regular pharmacy could no longer get the Armour, so they suggested a compounding pharmacy--that is where I get it now. I think that early on I could tell a big difference in how I felt, but now, I really don't know. I have lots of medical issues, and it is hard for me to figure out just what is going on with my body!
I have been on Armour for about 12 years and feel great. I tried Synthroid before that and I didn't like how I felt. I've had quite a time getting Armour because of the manufacturer hold which is ridiculous. I'm on my fourth pharmacy since last summer. There's also a brand called 'Major' that is just as good as Armour, but that one seems to be less known. Only one of the pharmacies had that one.
If I were you, I'd give my sister a big hug. I am scheduled to see my holistic endocrinologist in two weeks (takes that long for the results of my bloodwork) and plan to ask for (demand) Armour (or a compounded version of it, if it's still not available on the market). About a year ago I was prescribed Synthroid and almost immediately had a pretty severe reaction to it. Throat swelled, ankles and hands swelled, heart raced ... felt like crap. My doctor switched me to an all natural herbal product called "Innate Thyroid Response." It worked pretty well until just recently. So I'm going back for a tune-up. :o)
As for the reason behind your doctor refusing to even speak with you about switching, I would be very cautious about continuing to see him or her. Doctors and pharmacists are provided ve-e-ery generous "perks" by pharmaceutical reps for pushing what my doctor calls, "designer drugs." The more expensive the drug, the "more effective" it is often touted to be, when often that could not be further from the truth. I would question the motives of a doctor who "insists" that one drug is preferable to another ... especially a tried and true oldie like Armour. Let the doctors be the guinea pigs if they're so sure these "new and improved" versions are so superior. Give me the tried and true "oldies" any day! At least we can see that those medications have a decades-long history of success based on countless patient experiences, vs. trusting major pharmaceutical corporations whose interests are most often greed.
I found a really fantastic website where ordinary folks rate meds and the difference between Synthroid and Armour is pretty substantial. Here's the site: http://www.druglib.com/ratingsreviews/armour-thyroid/
I will post again after I've given Armour a good "try," but I have high hopes based on pretty much everything I've read about it. Good luck in your search for health!
i was taking compounded thyroid rx because the pharmacy couldn't get my armour 30 mg. i felt fine for a while, but then started becoming fatigued. my doctor did blood work and discovered my thyroid level was low. she said it wasn't surprising because you have to take into account the "human error" factor with compounded rx. i'm on armour once again and feel good. no more compounded thyroid for me!
I had thyroid cancer in March 2009 (Follicular variant of papillary carcinoma). My thyroid gland was removed and I had a radiation treatment. I started taking Synthroid and have been on it for over a year and am still experiencing significant hair loss. My endocrinologist kept telling me that the hair loss would subside within a few months. If anything, it's gotten worse. Every day handfuls of hair fall out. I just switched to Armour one week ago and would like to know if anyone has experienced hair loss while taking Armour. I am extremely discouraged and want the hair loss to stop!!!!
I took Armour for 4 years without any problem (prescribed by an alternative medicine practitioner when I tested low for T3). I also had no problem with the Erfa product from Canada that I used when Armour was no longer available. Twice I have reduced the amount of Armour (or Erfa) on the advice of a Dr. or a NP who were opposed to dessicated thyroid and I experienced hair loss. I had NO hair loss when on these products, only when I tried to get off of them. I am currently in a dilemna as my NP wants me to see an Endocrinologist based on the results of a recent blood test (free T3, free T4, and TSH were all normal, but in the low end of normal). I got tired of losing hair and am now back on Armour and hoping my hair grows back (it took a year the last time). Yet...the Dr. and the NP tell me Armour is linked to Heart Disease and Osteoporosis. What to do?
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