Switching to Armor or Nature throid

[whittie918]

Are any of you on it having trouble getting your script filled?

[stella5349]

Yes - gluten and thyroid meds is a big concern. Google up cellulose and gluten. You can find alot of information on that - taking consideration that Armour thyroid bumped up its cellulose ( "to enhance GI function") and many many desiccated thyroid emd users feel extremely ill after the increase in this filler.

NT - is told to me by my doctor - "more pure" - it still has cellulose but is not the main binder.

[whittie918]

(With help from doctors/friends) I only just found out all the connections with gluten/thyroid thing a few months ago. It was a LIGHTBULB moment for me.  In fact, I only figured out how great Gluten Free makes me feel in fact.  It solved allot

I just had an Endo appt yesterday with blood draw for Vitamin D, Free T, Thyroglobulin, TgAb, TgAb antibody, Tsh.  I'm very curious about the results.  

Doctor suggests though that I have vitamin and mineral deficiencies as my side affects dont add up to thyroid.  He wants me to start taking some vitamins.  He really was quite worried/bothered that I stopped taking them.  Could not hurt to try.  

Thank you SO MUCH for your help/responses.  That is very nice of you!  I appreciate it.

[LazyMoose]

Makes more sense now!

If your at the right levels with levo and you still feel bad, the next most common step is to add cytomel syntheic T3 to your daily levo. A headache may be common at first 1-2 weeks when body adjusts and you may feel better afterword. Only then does it make sense to try dessicated. If I didn't do so well on dessicated, I would switch back to synthetics for availability reasons myself - been there.

Lots of people here with gluten issues, aware of the connection. I tried gluten free for 3 months once myself, but had digestive issues due to still being hypo and some other things.

Do you have a last lab copy of your levels, if your still feeling bad?

[whittie918]

Why not ask to be switched?  Seems impossible to find these products (Armour and NT) from ordinary sources?  I'm going to ask for the script though regardless and do my best.

Most of the gluten free blogs I read who also have Thyroid issues say Nature Thyroid is the gluten free option.  

***some background***
I currently take 137 mcg of Levothroxine for cancer suppression and my numbers keep sliding appearing as if I'm in need of yet another bump up.  Doctors suspect I had Hashi's that went undiagnosed from the very high antibodies that I still have years after my thyroid removal.  There is a very strong connection between Hashi's and Gluten Intolerance.  I'm thinking (I'm no doctor here) but maybe I had abused the gluten thing so much (not realizing I had it), aggravating my condition until my poor old thyroid finally was so week that I developed cancer?  I also understand that being gluten intolerant more than doubles your chances of stomach cancer. Lets just say I've had enough of cancer for one lifetime!!!  LOL

And not to mention how much better it makes me feel.   Even if I'm not a full blown celiac, I've gone cold turkey and I'll never consciously take gluten again.  Except my thyroid meds if I just can't find an alternative.  

[LazyMoose]

I'm a little confused.

"So maybe I should not ask to be switched?" - why not?

More importantly, what from and why are you thinking of switching meds?

Does Armour and or NT have gluten in them? Cant be much. Gluten intolerant and full blown Celiac disease are a little different too.

[whittie918]

So maybe I should not ask to be switched?  I just found out I'm gluten intolerant so was thinking that was the obvious switch.  

[LazyMoose]

I think NT deals more directly -no middle man. Big box pharmas have to order from a distributer - they wont bend there corporate rules. Find a small pharma, direct them to the Nature Throid site.  Just add the .com to the name. Or call NT your self from there # on the site. You can do that with them, they are a small company. Even pharmas that had it are still out - shipping by ground takes time.

[foreverlostmom]

What pharmacy have you found you can get NT from or request they get it I am having no luck

[LazyMoose]

The newly reformulated Armour has had limited shipments in the 1 grain (60) size since FDA halting production a few months back. This made NT a popular choice, they were short.

I copied this for NT:
To: Re: NT shipping info
This looks like the latest article from thyroid.about.com Saturday January 2, 2010:

"RLC has released a new statement regarding the status of their natural thyroid drugs.

    Pursuant to our conversation last week, RLC Labs, Inc. is ready to release our 1 Grain Nature-Throid starting the week of 12/28. Unfortunately, it may take additional week or so until it reaches the patients depending their location and receipt by their local pharmacies from central distribution centers."