"BYE BYE ARMOUR" your new formula is JUNK!

[stella5349]

This new formula has been absolutely horrible for me my friends.:(  

I had the last script of the original Armour last week end. I picked up a new script on Monday. Within two days, over 60% of my hypo symptoms returned like a tornado blowing in.

I forgot the brain fog feeling....................

..... oh, I didn't miss that at all!

and the aches of hypothyroid is back with my head feeling like it ways 300 pounds!!!!

It's awful to try and take it sublingually. It sat in my mouth for about 4 hrs after my last 11:30 dose. Like I was trying to dissolve a piece of chewing gum! -- YUCK.

I called Forest Pharmacuticals regarding the problems and "they" didn't seem (to me) they are willing to do anything for a patients questions on the new formula, ............especially............ if you are a Co Leader of a thyroid forum asking the questions.

I think they cringe when they hear my name- since the February shortage of Armour started surfacing.

"Que sara sara"...................

So - if you are on the brand name desiccated Armour and are having trouble recently. Look into the new ways they are processing the medication. As far as I am concerned, I BOOTED Armour and RAN to my doctor's office yesterday to switch to Naturethroid.

I am disgusted with the pharm's way of conducting my phone call too.

If you are not sure if you are on the NEW Armour yet - look at the pill- the embedded "A" is different.

I'd like to take a POLL on the Armour thyroid patients here at Med Help to see if others are having trouble too.

[Applesan]

Yes, that is the new formula.  They almost shatter when you try to split them.  I started getting 30mg pills and take two a day. I am also very jittery so that could also be the new formula.

[Ecologic]

Stella: is the new formula tablets that crush very easily?? I used to cut my 60mg pills in 2 to make my 1.5 grain. Yesterday I opened a new bottle or Armour. Well I can't cut the new pills, they immediately fall apart in small pieces/powder!! Out of 6 pills I was only able to cut 1, I took 1.5 grain of these new pills and I am very jittery and dizzy this morning: something is definitively not right with these new pills! I am going to see my pharmacist to discuss that with him, but is that the new formula??

[Applesan]

My endocrinologist no longer wants to see me and told me to go to my regular doctor. She said the TSH is fine and that's that. She aslo refused to give me Naturethroid. Around 4/30 I felt pretty good, but this last few weeks I'm getting sick again and I think it's possibly a T3 issue from the Armour. I feel constantly nervous, have problems with my eyes, out of breath, pressure in my chest, etc. I had the same issues with increased Levoxyl in March of this year and finally went off of it and switched to Armour. A possible underlying issue could be my parathyoid which I understand can sometimes be affected by RAI therapy which I had in March 2008.

[stella5349]

reen, it looks like a conversion issue is going on. Have you been tested for a RT3?

applsan, If you look at your FT3 and FT4 tests they look like they are falling into place as the months went on. Taking the 4/30 labs - they look much better- actually pretty good - at least comparing them to my labs. You have some room on the FT3 department -

This is where the door can open when two of them are looking at you. It's really up to you and the doctor and looking at symptoms on how you want to proceed with therapy.

If you want to suggest, you can ask to have the pitutiary tested to make sure there is no issues that keep your TSH swinging up and down like it is - but I doubt they will do it and in my opinion it may not be needed. Could look at it as "better safe then sorry" if you want through.

It still looks like conversion issues all through the tests for both of you. You can discuss selenium supplements with your doctor about attempting to get the conversion issues evened out without increasing your meds? See if that helps.

The TSH tests in Oct - Nov - 12-16 are pretty much useless. You have nothing to compare it to with frees. But 2 of the tests are fairly high. Was this your low point - feeling very ill?

Personally for me, I would be uncomfortable still at that free T3 level in your recent tests. I am good when my free T3 is over the reference range.

[Applesan]

Can anyone look at my TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 charts below and tell me if they look okay?  I'm lost on the Free T3/T4 thing.

Name FREE T3 (PG/ML)
Standard Range 2.8-5.3 PG/ML
12/8/08 3.1
1/29/09 2.9
3/12/09 3.4
4/30/09 4.4

Name T4 THYROXINE, FREE (NG/DL)
Standard Range 0.7-1.9 NG/DL
9/23/08 1.6
12/8/08 1.0
1/29/09 1.0
3/12/09 1.5
4/30/09 0.8

Name TSH (UIU/ML)
Standard Range 0.40-4.70 UIU/ML
9/23/08 0.37
10/31/08 13.00
11/10/08 16.00
12/8/08 4.70
12/16/08 3.21
1/29/09 4.47
3/12/09 0.96
4/30/09 3.90
6/29/09 3.13

[reen19]

i've had my levels checked about 3 weeks ago TSH <0.03 range (0.40 - 4.00),  FT3 4.2,  range (3.5 - 6.5)  FT4 17 range(10 - 20)