I'm on synthroid, but was thinking of asking to switch over to Armour. It doesn't look hopeful now.
Anyone already have a problem getting this?
Also wondering if Cytomel is a good alternative to Synthroid.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Synthroid is T4; Cytomel is T3. They cannot be interchanged but can be co-prescribed. I would not advise taking cytomel, however.
In my experience, Cytomel can drop you hard and fast as it has a very short half life and when it's done you become a ton of bricks dropped off a tall building. I nearly died from it, several times.
If you want both T3 and T4 in a synthetic, Thyrolar is supposed to work better than just adding cytomel to synthroid.
Another natural thyroid from pigs is Nature-Throid. I've been taking that for years. While still from pigs, they have a different source than what Armour uses. You can call them if you have a question but this is prescription. My ND prescribes it but my MD is fine with it, too. It's just under $30 for 100 pills (100 days' supply).
Thyroid and Adrenal Malfunction: Common Causes of Fatigue and Exhaustion - by Nieske Zabriskie, ND
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Posted by brooke (Member # 16606) on :
Armour is still around. They reformulated it, but haven't discontinued it.
brooke
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
I have not had any trouble getting it, at least not yet.
Posted by Blackstone (Member # 9453) on :
There is indeed an Armour shortage in my area. I got the last 60, 90mg pills that a local pharmacy had today!
Unfortunately, none of them seem to carry Natur-throid
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Your doctor can order Nature-Throid directly from the company just for you.
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Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
If your dosage of Armour is out, get an Rx for a lower dosage and take enough to make the full dose. For example, if I need 60 mg., sometimes I have to use two 30 mg. I haven't run into major shortages with my local retail pharmacy but my mail-order pharmacy could not guarantee they would have the dosages I needed.
Jill
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
I haven't run into problems yet either, although I have had the pharmacist give me "partials" at times.
They tend to get the rest of the amount in within a day or two. Time will tell.
Cathy
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
To be honest, I've always done better on Synthroid--and at times in combination with Cytomel.
I've dropped the Cytomel recently as I'm worried about stressing my already stressed adrenals too much.
I've tried to make the switch to Armour a good number of times and it always made me feel worse (in terms of fatigue). My MD said some people just do not do well on Armour just as some do not do well on the synthetics...
So don't assume Armour is better for you but by all means experiment with the brands...
The advantage of the Cytomel/Synthroid combo is that it is easier to adjust the ratio of T3 to T4 to optimize your levels...
Posted by MY3BOYS (Member # 17830) on :
great info keebler!! i am on the synthroid/cytomel combo and do feel like ton of bricks after few hrs!!!
have rx for armour "on file" was gonna switch after finished current rx.
stopped taking the eve dose of cytomel with thyroid levels got out of whack, too much in system.
i was leary of ging to aurmour...but learning more
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Lymesomthing, I am like you. I did great on Synthroid for years although had to keep adjusting the dose upward due to Lyme. But when I got switched to Armour (slowly over several months) it was like getting the rug pulled out from under me. I'm a mess although I'm also dealing with Babs air hunger for the first time, too.
Cytomel makes me too anxious. It didn't work to just add compounded T3 to my Synthroid. Thus the switch to Armour, now we are adding Synthroid back in and I will move back to a heavier Synthroid dose and less Armour.
I wish they had never messed this up for me - I know most lyme patients do better on Armour and yes I was low on T3, but clinically I was far better on Synthroid.
Jill
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
Drugstore.com has nature-throid pretty cheaply, as well as armour. They don't seem to have all sizes of pills that nature-throid makes, but if I remember right , the 1 grain pills are splittable.
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
Jill, I can say that I was fine on Synthroid alone for over 10 years but when I got sick something changed. Whether this is due to stressed adrenals or what Dr. B calls hormone blockade is still unclear...
I do know that I will be sticking to Synthroid and perhaps easing up on the dosing to give the adrenals a little window to make a come back...
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Lymesomething,
Yes I was stable on pretty much the same dose of Synthroid for 10 years until Lyme. All my LLMDs say it's Lyme preventing the T4/T3 conversion that healthy people can do, etc. - the whole HPA axis problems, all that stuff as you say hormonally that gets off kilter with these diseases.
Jill
Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :
What was your dosage of the Armour thyroid. I restarted it recently, and I almost have a full bottle. I'm taking 1 pill 30 mcg.
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
This is from RDC Labs and my LLMD is going to start ordering from them with this shortage of AMOUR. They make their own products.
Nature-Throid� Tablet is a full prescription, officially monographed United States Pharmacopeia (as Thyroid USP) medications for treatment of hypothyroidism. They are natural preparations derived from porcine thyroid glands (T3 liothyronine is approximately four times as potent as T4 levothyroxine on a microgram for microgram basis) and provide standardized, guaranteed potency of 38 mcg levothyroxine (T4) and 9 mcg liothyronine (T3) for each 65 mg (1 Grain) of the labeled content of thyroid.
Thyroid USP has been frequently referred to as Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) with NDT treatment being introduced towards end of the 19th century. However, unlike the NDT treatment at its beginning, USP (United States Pharmacopeia) has established specific standards on the presence of T3 and T4 hormones among others to classify this ingredient under full prescription status.
Currently, there are desiccated animal glandulars within the Dietary or Nutraceutical status indicated as a Thyroid Gland, for example. However, this is not to be confused with the USP designation. Only the USP monographed ingredient adheres to full pharmaceutical purity and standardization on the consistency of the hormones along with full pre and post testing procedures associated with quality prescription products. All NON-USP glandulars have natural fluctuation and variances of hormones making any consistent therapeutic values difficult to control.
Posted by MY3BOYS (Member # 17830) on :
i was on the synthroid/cytomel combo in beginning of tx (last yr)
labs were up, so cut out eve dose of cytomel
now changed to armour due to cost and did have HORRIBLE time finding pharm that had it in stock. out of 10 nearby pharm only HEB had it (lol, didnt know they had pharm. until then)
lots of fatigue and FAST weight gain since changing over....dont know what to do now???
just changed LLMD to one local vs. 5hr drive. dont see again for month at least....dont know what best tx is??
very confused on this issue, and about the adrenal support thing?? how do you know if u need that and what to do for it?
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
From my own experience, Armour didn't work for me. I use Synthroid + Cytomel as well. I would suggest changing back. The cost should not be much of an issue. I know there is a generic for Cytomel now too.
Generics may not always work as well as the brand but you could give them a shot.
Forget about the adrenals unless you really need support. Run a 4x/day saliva and/or 24 urine cortisol test...
Posted by runner21 (Member # 1974) on :
This is so strange. I was fine on my armour thyroid. In March i went MAJORLY hypthyroid. i swore to the pharmacist it was not the same armour i had been picking up. since then, i have had to go up on my dose by 60 grains. i know something was not right..because ihave to bit the medication in half and it does not taste the same. i wonder if they reformulated it, it changed somehow and my body didnt like it.. whatever it is, idont like the new formulation.
Posted by bncrump (Member # 20374) on :
Cytomel is short-lived so you have to split your doses throughout the day so you don't have that "come down like a ton of bricks" feeling.
I do the Sythroid + Cytomel combo and it works for me.
Your Dr can adjust meds based on labs...you want the Free T3 and Free T4 to BOTH be in the upper part of the range.
Hope that helps.
Posted by 22dreams (Member # 17846) on :
Re: armour supply
I think certain SIZE/mg pills are more difficult to obtain. As someone suggested, their 90mg, but also I heard 15mg.
In my case, the distribution company for CVS basically has to contact the manufacturer and then the pharmacy has to wait while the rare-size pills are manufactured.
I had an easier time obtaining 30mg tablets.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Runner, yes they did reformulate armour recently due to FDA concerns about stability. And some people are saying it does not work as well and does not dissolve under the tongue, if doing sublingual.
I recently switched to Nature -throid but don't think I am at the right does yet and feel it is very complicated to get this right, what with the conversion issues and possible adrenal complications. Why can't anything be easy? Am now wondering if I should be asking for time released compounded cytomel to be added.
Posted by thejoje (Member # 19976) on :
My doc just ordered me a sustained-released compounded form of Cytomel. It is being shipped from a pharmacy in colorado.
He says that the regular form of Cytomel is not very effective, and that this is the only pharmacy who makes it.
Has any one had experience with the SR Cytomel?
Posted by brooke (Member # 16606) on :
Runner, I have the same problem. Was on the same dose for 7 years and then one day I'm practically passing out at the grocery store. Major anxiety attacks, palpitations, hair loss, fatigue, etc. A total nightmare.
I'm going to start a drug similar to Armour from the Women's International Pharmacy in AZ (it's twice the cost but who cares at this point?).