Armour

Finally talked my Endo into Armour as we have not been able to regulate my TSH since thyroid out 2+ years ago. Am going to start with doses of 120 and 180 alternating them every other day.  Has anyone ever did this and at these dosages? I thought that when I read everyone elses dosages, they were alot lower and no alternatin although they broke their dosage down sometimes to a couple times a day instead of just once.  Any info would be welcomed as I've gotten all my info from varius people at this sight, my doctors haven't informed me of anything other than the basics of what they want me to do.Thank-You, Cindy. 

My endo finally agreed to armour after getting my syntroid optimized about 6 weeks ago ( I go for followup bloodwork and appt) in a couple weeks.  I was on 125 mcg synthroid with a TSH of 0.2  - I think.   He put me on 90 of armour, thinking I would need 120, but not wanting to give me too much too soon.  He told me take it like synthoid.  However, other people split it and take it 2 - 3 times a day.  I have been doing that, taking 1/2 in the morning and the other 1/2 around 2pm.  Even though I don't think I am optimized yet, I love armour. Almost immediately, I noticed more energy and things seemed to be less foggy.  My mood has also improved. 

The armour website says that cancer patients need a higher dosage than the hypo patient.  If you go to the armour website, go into the doctors area.  It will also give the conversion rate of armour with synthroid. 

Good luck with it, as I said above, I love it!  I almost feel normal again and hoping my next appt will up things a bit more for perfection!

 

On 4/28/2009 clarke wrote:

My endo finally agreed to armour after getting my syntroid optimized about 6 weeks ago ( I go for followup bloodwork and appt) in a couple weeks.  I was on 125 mcg synthroid with a TSH of 0.2  - I think.   He put me on 90 of armour, thinking I would need 120, but not wanting to give me too much too soon.  He told me take it like synthoid.  However, other people split it and take it 2 - 3 times a day.  I have been doing that, taking 1/2 in the morning and the other 1/2 around 2pm.  Even though I don't think I am optimized yet, I love armour. Almost immediately, I noticed more energy and things seemed to be less foggy.  My mood has also improved. 

The armour website says that cancer patients need a higher dosage than the hypo patient.  If you go to the armour website, go into the doctors area.  It will also give the conversion rate of armour with synthroid. 

Good luck with it, as I said above, I love it!  I almost feel normal again and hoping my next appt will up things a bit more for perfection!

I am still not on a comfortable dose of levoxyl - will armour accomplish the same functions and make you less tired ?  Does it raise the heart rate the way levoxyl sometimes does? I would love to try a different med - I am gaining weight  and all the other side effects of hypo and hyper.

 

On 4/30/2009 Boston wrote:

 

On 4/28/2009 clarke wrote:

My endo finally agreed to armour after getting my syntroid optimized about 6 weeks ago ( I go for followup bloodwork and appt) in a couple weeks.  I was on 125 mcg synthroid with a TSH of 0.2  - I think.   He put me on 90 of armour, thinking I would need 120, but not wanting to give me too much too soon.  He told me take it like synthoid.  However, other people split it and take it 2 - 3 times a day.  I have been doing that, taking 1/2 in the morning and the other 1/2 around 2pm.  Even though I don't think I am optimized yet, I love armour. Almost immediately, I noticed more energy and things seemed to be less foggy.  My mood has also improved. 

The armour website says that cancer patients need a higher dosage than the hypo patient.  If you go to the armour website, go into the doctors area.  It will also give the conversion rate of armour with synthroid. 

Good luck with it, as I said above, I love it!  I almost feel normal again and hoping my next appt will up things a bit more for perfection!

I am still not on a comfortable dose of levoxyl - will armour accomplish the same functions and make you less tired ?  Does it raise the heart rate the way levoxyl sometimes does? I would love to try a different med - I am gaining weight  and all the other side effects of hypo and hyper.

 My doc wouldn't switch me over until I was optimized on synthroid ( levoxyothryine).  Once my levels were ok, he agreed to switch.  I am not yet on the optimal dosage of armour, think I need 1 more bump up, but I am less tired during the day, less foggy in the brain and in a better mood. Armour contains T3, so there are potentially cardiac issues depending on the person, but I haven't had any negative effects in that respect.  Funny, through thryoid surgeries, RAI and hypo for RAI, I only gained about 5-8 pounds.  Once I started Armour, which many lose weight on, I gained another 5 pounds, but I think it is due to the fact that I felt good and am enjoying going out, etc. I have since lost the 5 pounds, but I was enjoying life and definitely had an appetite! 

Back to the med changing routine, even with Armour. I still have raising heart rate etc., everything like levothyroxine.  My levels after the alternating of 120 and 180 were .012 so we cut out sundays' dose.  Have to go back in a month and a half now (2 mo. total) and have more blood work.  I'm feeling better but I think that I've been gradually feeling better now that I'm farther out from my initial diagnosis and surgeries.  Was starting to feel better before the Armour so it's hard to tell.  I was just tired of all the bloodwork and med changes and the losing control.    Good luck, Cindy