Armour- is it a stimulant... wouldn't that make symptoms worse?

[leilajax]

While at my PCP's office yesterday, she posed the question "where should we go from here?"  I told her with all of the research that I've done most sufferers of Hashimoto's don't feel better until they are put on... and she finished my sentence for me.... "Armour".  She said that it is a "stimulant" and "everyone would feel better if they took it!  Even if I took it I'd feel wonderful!  But, it's a stimulant and not at all good for you!"  She said that they're are some doctors willing to prescribe it and she could even find a couple of them for me, but her statement scared me into refusing her offer.  I get horrible heart palpitations, tachycardia, anxiety like symptoms during my Hashimoto swings and the thought of making them worse just scared me away from it.  Especially, with my hyperthyroiditis history.  Has anyone, have any of these symptoms with Hashimoto's and hyperthyroiditis swings found Armour still beneficial or made symptoms worse?

[Brucergoldberg]

I like how Goolarra explained the benefits of "if" you could do better on t4 only.  Your body gets 95% of its thyroid from t4, and only 5% from t3.  So if you can take and covert t4 and it works for you, that is the easiest, cheapest, best way to do it.

I get so sick and tired of doctors blaming my horrid symptoms on the fact that i am not on synthroid, i tried something else for 12 months and didnt see barely any improvement.  SO after a year im trying synthroid now.  

Also the t3 in armour sometimes is too much for some people.  In my case it made me feel worse.    

We all have our own "warm and fuzzy" channels in life and apparently the trick is finding the warm and fuzzy one that works best for you.  I have personally not found my yet but havent given up.

[goolarra]

First, let's put your doctor's statement in perspective.  When we think of "stimulant", we think of stimulant drugs like amphetamines, cocaine, even caffeine and nicotine.  In that respect, Armour is NOT a stimulant.  Stimulant drugs are not good for you.  Armour, on the other hand, is the desiccated thyroid of a pig...it has the same hormones in it that our own thyroids (are supposed to) have.  It is not a stimulant drug.

However, Armour contains both T3 and T4, and T3 is much more active biologically and stimulat-ING (especially on the heart) than T4.  So, the T3 in it can exacerbate an existing tendency toward palpitations and tachycardia, or can bring a latent conditon into the forefront.  T4 can do this as well, but it's not nearly as potent as T3.  T3 can be contraindicated with certain heart arrhythmias.

I agree with gimel's assessment on this:  "...taking adequate thyroid meds..." are the operative words.  Since my thyroid meds were stablized, my labs good (for me) and my other hypo symptoms relieved, my tachy has been the best it's been in over 50 years.  I take synthetic T4.  Some people will achieve optimal meds with T4 only, some with synthetic T4/T3 combos (where each component can be manipulated individually) and some people with Armour.

Armour suffers a bit from being the "forbidden fruit".  It can be hard to find doctors willing to prescribe it, so it becomes the be all and end all in many people's minds.  In fact, no one knows which meds will work for them until they've tried them themselves.  We all react differently to different meds.  One hypo's heaven is another hypo's...

      

[gimel]

There is more than one way to look at it.  The one that concerns you is that the Armour will magnify current symptoms, as you swing from hypo to hyper.  Those swings in symptoms are usually due to nodules that sometimes form due to Hashi's, and then leak thyroid hormone faster than normal.

Another possibility is that by taking adequate thyroid meds, you will dampen the normal function of the thyroid gland and antibodies, and when you are taking enough of the Armour, you could find that the effect of the antibodies diminish, and stabilize your condition for the better.

[Red_Star]

I travelled 16 hours round trip to see an endo for a this prescription. I'm desperate. LOL I'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed! :)

[leilajax]

LOL,  Please keep me updated on how it works out for you!  I wish you all the best and hoping this is the answer for you.  My mother said that as bad as I feel, she's surprised that I'm not desperate enough to try it out, yet.  

[Red_Star]

I'm starting Armour (compounded formula in Australia) next week. I have both hyper and hypo symptoms at the same time.  I have constant tachycardia too. This should be fun. :)