Is anyone on Armour?

[tiredpuppy]

Is anyone in our group on Armour and if so are you good with it? What are pro's and con's of say Armour and or Synthoid etc.
I go to Endo on monday so I want to be intelligent about this...thanks
Lisa

PS got my stiches out today and my scar line is absolutely flawless... it will heal up great inspite of blowing the first stich set. Doc says my site looks good inspite of added trauma...

[trefox]

I came across this line while trying to figure out if my thyroid problems are at the root of my lack of energy and lack of focus.  I had my thyroid removed about 4 years ago (hypo and thought to be cancer, but was not).  I have been on Levoxyl 112 mcg for the last year or so.  Doc says my levels are perfect, but I feel tired and depressed most of the time.  
I am wondering if Armour could work for someone who has no thyroid.  
Any advice?

Thanks - Trefox

[stella5349]

I  have been taking Armour thyroid for over a year. When I first asked to switch I was extrememly ill still with servere hypothyroid symptoms.

Yes at the beginning I had the headache almost constantly ( due to increases of the med) They were not "Killer" headaches - just naggers.

Those have subsided within the last 2 months for me now that I have been on a pretty stable amount of it to relieve all my symptoms

I had horrible stomach upset and acid reflex when I first started. Prior to even taking it I had that - which I am convinced was partly hypothyroisim in general. The condition itself slow the body's ability to function at the speed it really should - so I think the hypothyroid condition was more the problem than the meds.

This situation took the longest to go away. I still suffer bouts of mild acid - but my diet and supplements have changed too - so I believe my body is still going through the healing process.

I felt a tightness in my left arm - neck and chest wall until the stability of Armour meds was achieved. At the beginning I was scared that maybe I have been so hypothyroid for so long that my heart was getting damaged - but it wasn't. That's gone too.

I din't want to quit Armour even with these side effects - but I wanted to see if I could rid myself of them too. I tried taking the meds as suggested by other Armour users.

First I divided my doses - I was on 60mg to start - so I split that up with 15mg at 7am - 30mgs at 9am and the other 15 at noon. That was great for me!

When I took more than 15 first in the am I was jittery - edgy- very nervous energy. Slowing that down to a smaller dosage put me at even keel.

Also due to the severe stomach upset I didn't want my gut to produce the meds and distribute it. My raw gut couldn't handle doing anything like that.  So I read you can take it  sublingually or orally. i.e. you place the tablet under your tongue, or between your gums and inner cheek. It is absorbed by the millions of capillaries that line your inner mouth – taking the hormones straight to your blood, bypassing the stomach and liver processing.

That was a blessing for me when I started taking it that way. My belly thanked me :)

You are very close to the right conversion from Levo to Armour. That's good - but you do have the option to start lower due to the T3 in Armour and "build" up.

There is a 15mg tablet available. You may want to call the doctor and ask to get that.

You can split those into halves and take 4 halves throughout the day. = 30mg total daily.

I think because you need to build up to using Armour - tiny dosages will be helpful for you.

Time and baby steps is key - we can't expect our body now dependant on hormones to just accept this treatment right away.

[vegasbabe]

I gained about 35 lbs for being hypo and not exercising regularly + eating out every day when I used to work in the last 2.5 years.  I, too, am having a hard time losing weight while on Levoxy that's why I asked to be switched to Armour.  I've been killing myself at the gym 45min - 1hr cardio (Heart rate: 140-170 bpm) + I lift weight every single day since July 08 and I lost only 3 lbs and 1/2 an inch.  From the looks of it, if I stop now I'll never know if Armour will help me with my weight problem.    

When should I say enough?  Should I keep taking Armour for another week and a half before I call it quits?  I mean just to see if all the achy feelings will go away.  

[vegasbabe]

Sorry for not proof reading my comments before posting it. "every one else swears it's the greatest".....

[vegasbabe]

I was on 50mcg of Levoxyl (brand name) and for Armour it's 30mg.  I know it's the right conversion, but I may just be too sensitive to Armour.  I forgot to post that my stomach is always hurting ever since I started it.  I didn't get to call my doctor today, so I decided to split the pill.  Same difference. It's frustrating.  You said the headache will go away in 2 weeks.  Did you mean you had it too?  What else did you feel when you first started?  I'm baffled why it seems I'm the only one of the few who is reacting bad to it and every one else swear it's the greates thyroid drug on earth.  

[stella5349]

Thank you for your post.

We appreciate you stopping by on this thread and more importantly happy that your thyroid troubles are solved for you!