What are the options beside the synthetics, if we no longer can get Armour?

[Jansroses]

Hi I've never posted anywhere before, but finding out that I was no longer able to get my Armour Thyroid, got attention.  I never knew that there was a problem or a change for that matter, until this weekend, when the Pharmacy said they couldn't get it anymore.  I never heard of the change or for that matter the shortage from my doctor, the pharmacy or even Forest Labs.  So I'm a little upset at the fact we the patients have to do the jumping up and down.  I'm now looking for a new doctor to treat me for the Thyroid, When I was in for my yearly in May I complained about gaining so much weight, when I was aggresively exercising and eating right, I thought it was the estrogen that I have to take, he brushed it off to my age.  I was on Synthroid for about 5 years and no-one would listen to me about how it was making me feel. I would rather go without any then get back on that. Needless to say I have noticed a change in the Armour Thyroid which I have been taking for the last 13 years, I was always taking between 90 to 105 (90+15) and in May I needed to be jumped to 120.  I didn't feel much different and the weight has been gaining leaps and bounds.  Is there any other pharmacutical group that makes the natural thryroid or can it be truly compounded?  What are the other options, besides going back to the synthetics?

[LazyMoose]

Armour 60 is now available in my area.

Seems like a lot of informed people would like to change to Nature -Throid (me included).

If you have no choice but to use the new formula of Armour, it is starting to show up in the 1 (60 mcg) grain at pharmacies in my area (Minn). Different stores get Armour from different distribution companies, so you have to look around. Wall mart has plenty of one grain Armour up here.

I was wishing Nature Throid would beat Armour to the store shelves so my doctor would put me on that instead of the new formula of Armour.

I cant say if the new formula made me feel worse because it was a new formula or because of the fact that my lab #'s (and other peoples #'s) were off on the new Armour, thus they were hypo again.

By the time the doc tried to increase my Armour, It was unavailable. So I found a few months of a generic that is now discontinued.

[magpieannie]

I heard they were staying with the new "bad" formula. Try Nature-Throid! It will be available soon. It's working well for many who switched to it from the new reformulated Armour.

[Jansroses]

I found an old bottle (from 2008) of my 90 Armour, and I was able to cut some of them into 1/4's, started taking it on Sunday and feeling so much better.  I feel like I found gold!  So here is my question, if Forest Labs starts making the Armour again will it be with the old formula or their new one?  I can tell obvilously that I need the old formula.  Will the compounding pharmacies or the other Labs be able to recreate the formula that works for me?  I guess I'm more worried about getting it right than getting it at this point.

[stella5349]

There is a ton of information available. If you google Save Natural Thyroid you can located many things on how to get natural desiccated thyroid medication. It's strickling back into the pharmacies now - it should be fine in December.

[Jansroses]

Thank you both for responding, I'll see if the doctor will give me the last results from, blood tests, in May.  I really don't pay much attention to what the results are, because I know how I'm feeling at the time, I usually just say okay I'll raise it up or lower it. But I never went higher than either taking a bit more or less, by taking the 15 with the 90. You are absolutely right that I need to relook at everything, including the doctor.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

Also you may be able to Erfa brand from Canada.  They have no shortage. I have used this brand with no problem for about 3 years now. Worth looking into.

SEeing you are not be treated well, please post your TSH, FT3 and FT4.  TSH may be suppressed by natural thyroid products.  This is normal.  But this also means that you should be medicated on the basis of FT3 and FT4, which most people feel best when it is in upper 1/2 to 1/3 of the reference range.

Given you are symptomatic maybe time to relook at how you're being medicated.

[magpieannie]

It can be compounded!!!!  Also, Nature-Throid will be available soon (hopefully by end of the month) My 9 yr.old daughter has no thyroid gland (born without)  and was on Synthroid whole life with lots of hypo issues! Changed to Armour 8 months ago and it was great, until we got the new reformulated stuff in July. Not good! Joint pain, fatigue and negative changes in blood work. Changed to Nature-Throid (RLC Labs) 3 months ago (on 1 grain more than the Armour) She is doing great! Problem is everyone switched to it from Armour all at once, so they are having a supply and demand issue. It has not been changed and is a good choice for desiccated hormone for many! The pharmacies will hopefully be able to fill scripts for it again soon!