How to get Dr to prescribe Armour?

[hawkfan]

10 months ago I was dx with thyroid ca.  I went through it all, tt, RAI.  I have been on synthroid ever since and my TSH has stayed at less than .03.  I asked my doctor in the past about putting me on Armour to help with my continued hypo symptoms and she said no due to the cancer.  I wrote on the thyroid support forum about personality change, etc.  I just can't help but think that switching to Armour would help me feel better and lose the weight (I have been doing EVERYTHING to lose weight and just keep gaining).  How do I get my doctor to prescribe Armour.  I understand her concerns, but at the same time, I am only 29 and don't want to live forever feeling like ****!  Is there something else equivalent to Armour that maybe she would be more comfortable prescribing?  Any help would rock!  Thanks to ALL!

[maedep]

A related discussion, Armour medication was started.

[lumbeepride]

donna
30 mg is a starting dose but way to low to continue on....if you go to the armour website you will see that you need to increase that every couple of weeks. some people need more or less depending on symptoms.

[lfcdt]

I was on thyrolar which from what I read the same as armour.Armour is the natural form.

[donnaczer]

54 year old female; on synthyroid for a long time 1.0 and recently noticed palpitations and weight loss, knew it was not good.  Went to my new MD (traditional/alternative) and he stopped synthyroid and put me on 30 mg of Armour and said I would put on weight, which I can't afford to do.  Is this the right dose being I was on 1.0 of synthyroid for so long.  I just need to get this thyroid right, because I know it is affecting alot of the way I feel which is lousy sometimes.  I also have fibromyalgia.  Will be having blood drawn next week (3 weeks on Armour) to see the TSH level.  The last one was so low which indicated that I needed to reduce or get off.

Thanks.

[retiredesol]

I was on Armour for years. Somehow, we don't know what happened, I overdosed on ARmour. I've tried synthroid and my TSH, T3 and T4 jump all over the place. For some reason, my body just doesn't like synthroid. I finally started levothyroxine, and am feeling better and numbers are finally stable.

[venora]

Thanks.That helps alot.I just now noticed your post.We will blame it on the hypo state.lol
Love Venora

[bizwiz12751]

LOL!!!

[bizwiz12751]

Well, it does get better.............slowly........but it does get better. I didn't know that Armour had an odor, good to know that, glad I didn't force my doctor into prescribing it, lol. Regarding the constipation issue.....I don't think that ever ends either. Now as far as the combo, I have a problem converting the T4 to T3 and felt like total **** on Synthroid (T4) alone. Still had all the symptoms of hypo even though I was on 175 mcg of Synthroid for over 2 months. Fortunately, after doing tons of reading on the subject, I went to see my doctor who is very open to suggestions and he went along with the combo. It did take approximately a month or so to level out but now I feel 100 times better. I don't think I'm at my best yet but I think that will come with time since there's a lot of improvement already. I was very, very, very hypo for the RAI, I think much more hypo than necessary and I think that does some damage after a while. I tell everyone what a long process this is and they all think I'm crazy. But the survivors know that we're not crazy and once you can find a doctor that will help you, it all falls into place in the end. Good luck to you and keep me posted on your progress. Good luck with the RAI, I had no ill effects afterward and my dosage was over 100 so you should be fine. Drink lots of water! Hang in there.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Would not use armour -- it may alter the thyroglobulin test (a thyroid protein also found in pig thyroid) which is what we use to monitor thyroid cancer.  Would instead ask about a trial of cytomel/synthroid -- same benefit of T3 and more precise in terms of titration/management.

[venora]

Thanks for the tip on the combo syntroid/cytomel.From everything I have researched it just makes sense to me and my endo was in agreement.To be honest the thought of little piggy hormones running in me just didnt sound appealing especially after I read it has an odor.Eeeuuuww.When I first got on the synthroid they gave me too much and I went manic(I am bi polar)So about that time I went to the doc and thats when He told me pathology found cancer in the HUGE goiter they took out.(tennis ball size)
So I have one more week till I take the RAI.The low iodine diet kinda bites but I have been eating so many fruits and veggies I dont have the constipation they keep telling about.Ok I will stop now .Thatis more than you wanted to hear.lol
So how did you end up with the combo of meds?I would like to hear about your adventure into this wonderful world of thyroid trouble.
Love Venora

[venora]

I asked about armour and got the same response about the having cancer from my endo.Now we are going to try the synthroid/cytomel combo and from everything I have read about T3,T4 thing that would adress my hypo.I realize it will take some time to perhaps get the dosage right but thats ok.
From what I understand you cant go by just the tsh level especially since you arent feeling better.I am sure Graveslady can explain more about the full panel testing that need to be done to get you on the right dosage or combo to get you feeling yourself again.
  Hang in there and keep us posted how it goes.Love Venora

[bizwiz12751]

Hi there, the T3/T4 (ie. Cytomel/Synthroid) combo should do you a world of difference. I know it did it for me. However, caffeine (coffee which I used to hate prior to TT) is still a must in the morning to get me going. When I first visited this forum and felt like ****, I hated to read the posts of advising to give it time to level out. This aspect is true, though. I mean, I know that at the beginning it feels like it's never going to end, but slowly, you will feel better. Good luck and be patient.