changing to Armour?

[jaykay]

I'm thinking of switching to Armour - here's the story so far.

Hypothyroid symptoms, blood tests TSH 2.66, T4 low end of reference range, T3 below reference range.
'Bully' stand in doctor to let me have a trial of thyroxine. He agrees reluctantly at 50 mcg.
Have 3 weeks on this, no glimmer of an effect.
Up the dose myself to 100mcg. Have 2 1/2 weeks on this, beginning to feel a bit less tired.
Go to see normal GP. GP not impressed! Other GP (the stand in) also says he thinks it isn't my thyroid. GP wants to drop me back to 50mcg. I object. GP gives me another prescription for 100mcg but is meeting with partners and expects them to all agree to cancel my thyroxine altogether.
Have had 5 weeks on 100mcg now, feeling better than I was, but still having hair loss, weight gain and tiredness etc. etc.
Have arranged to see a private doctor at the end of November.

Have ordered Armour on internet and it's arrived.
Do I change to Armour? I was thinking of 1 grain, which is about the equivalent of 100mcg I understand.
Any downsides? Anything I need to watch out for.
I was sort of thinking that if I'd had 2 months on Armour before I see the private doc, and I felt better for it, maybe he'd go along with that and recommend it to my GP?
On the other hand I don't want to kill myself!

Any views and experience gratefully listened to - thanks for reading so far.
Jay

[nicad22]

Hey Jay

I have been on cytomel for hypothyroid for 3 years now, when my Dr put me on this drug it was like a miracle for me, my memory was better felt better by 100%. I was thinking of taking armour but do not know that much about myself. They have stopped making cytomel and I am on my 3rd week without it and I am feeling like I did 3 years ago. I am desperatly trying to find something else that will work the same. I get lost on the internet when searching out this sort of thing.
Could you please keep me updated on your progress with the armour. I would like to know how it makes you feel.
Thankyou Nicad22
If anyone else has and answer for me I would love to hear it.

[doloresrod]

I personally have felt a world difference being on Armour. I am on 1 1/2 grains and also on compound T4. I've started losing weight again and I'm definitely not as tired as I used to be. Now I look forward to walking 3 miles every morning. I'm waiting on a copy of my blood work so I can see the actual numbers, I hate when the doctor sends results and all it says is normal. My last visit I had gotten copies of my last 3 visits and my T4 had not really changed and I wanted her to up my dose of Armour but she refused because my TSH level was 0.1. So I talked her into the compound T4 and she did but she had lowered my Armour down a half grain. So, instead of 2 she dropped to 1 1/2 grain.
I hope all goes well with you both.
JayKay, when I started Armour my TSH level was 1.93 and my Free T4 was 1.0. Free T4 was borderline low and thankfully the 3rd doctor I seen was willing to work with me to put me on a trial basis and now I see and endo. for other hormonal problems. These doctors need to be more educated about thyroid. The first 2 doctors were so willing to prescribe an anti depressant even though I wasn't depressed but hey signs of hypo and they turn away from wanting to prescibe anything to help with that. Go figure.
Anyway, I wish you both the best. Keep me posted.

[doloresrod]

I just got my results in.
TSH level: 0.03
Free T4: 1.5 definite improvement
Free T3 339 about the same

Well, since I've been on the Compound T4 I had started losing weight again so I see in the numbers the improvement. That's awesome.

[jaykay]

That's really good news Dolores!
Can I ask you, when you switched to Armour from thyroxine, what dose of thyroxine were you on and what dose of Armour did you start on. Because I've swapped myself, without the doctor, I'm not quite sure I'm on the right dose. I go to see a specialist at the end of Nov, but in some ways, I'd like to have got it right by then, so he can confirm it.
You're right about the docs and the anti-depressants. They would have prescribed these for me if I'd let them, then they panic about thyroxine! I think they're all terrified they're going to cause atrial fibrillation and a heart attack. Just living a miserable, no-energy life isn't actually dangerous so they mind less about that! Anyway, enough ranting. Would be interested in those doses.
Thanks, Jay

[doloresrod]

I've never taken Thyroxine so I don't know what the equivalent would be. When I first started on the Armour, the doctor started me on 1/2 grain for 2 weeks, definitely no difference with that dose and then to 1 and then to 1 1/2 and then I finally started noticing a difference. And then when I went to the endo. she automatically stuck me on 2 grains. But then in June she changed it to 1 1/2 and then Compound T4. I would say to start out at 1 grain for a couple of weeks and then to 1 1/2 for a week and if you still aren't feeling a difference then jump it to 2. I really think with your numbers that you're not going to go into hyperthyroidism. I would have probably self medicated myself if I wouldn't have found a doctor that worked with me. I did start looking on the internet for it. But fortunately I didn't have to. Just watch how you're feeling while taking it and I hope it works out for you.
When do you go back to the doctor that put you on Thyroxine?

[CobaltBlu]

When I switched to Armour, I lost 20 pounds! Before I switched, my weight loss had stalled for months and no matter what I did, I just couldn't lose any weight. My doctor said this is normal, but the effect wears off.

[ctreiki]

I have been on Armour's for 4 years. I had RAI. Synthetics did nothing for me. Although I feel better than I have in years, Armour did not help me lose weight. I didn't start losing weight until I went on Atkins.
I have an endo appt. next week to check my levels because I have lost 45 pounds and I am either hypo or hyper! Symptoms are the same for me. I gained weight being hypo and hyper! (Story of my life).

SO, moral is - even if you switch, you can still have problems with your levels due to weight loss (per endo)

Sorry!

[doloresrod]

True you can still have problems when you're on Armour. But that is why the doctor should be doing blood work periodically and you should be watching out for symptoms of being hyper because that is not good.
And of course everybody's body acts differently to medicine. I personally can say that it helped me lose weight, I did hit a plateau and anything I did I couldn't lose weight until my medicine got adjusted and then I started losing again. You just have to go with works for you.
I think taking Armour alone without exercising and eating right then you won't see a change in your weight. When you're exercising and eating right and you're not losing then I think that Armour adds that little extra that you need to boost your weight loss.
I hope that your doctor's appointment goes well. Keep us posted.

[jaykay]

Thanks for your experiences folk. I hope the Armour helps me lose weight, I've put loads back on after the meningitis and now with this thyroid thing. Feeling well enough to exercise now though, if I can think of how and when. Need to walk the dogs, since they need the exercise too, but in the dark woods at 5.45am isn't exactly stress-free, either from getting up so early or the general spookiness! Bit of an excuse really, but it's stopping me getting sorted out.
Have upped my Armour to 1.5 grains. Seems 1 grain is about 75 mcg of Thyroxine, so 100mcg, which is what I was on would be 1.33 grains. 1.5 seems to be OK, no funny heart or anything, in fact, nothing much, except a bit less tired.
Will see how it goes.

[doloresrod]

Great! It sounds like you're doing well on the Armour. I think not being tired all the time is the best thing. I remember too many days when all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. But now I feel great and I'm out walking and now I've added a workout tape.

Take care,
Dolores