Armour thyroid symptoms and conditions

I have been taking Armour for a couple of weeks now and although I feel better my hair and eyelashes are falling out in massive amounts. I read side effects online and it said this should stop after awhile. Does my hair grow back normal then or is it permanently thinner?

My main side effect was because they had me on too high of a dose at first: I had severe abdominal cramping to the point of needing to go to the ER and needing a muscle relaxant (bellatal - sp?). My endocrinologist said that was not possible, but the second he put me on the right dose, it went away. Many people have idiosyncratic (personal to them and abnormal) reactions to medicines.

All I can say is that some experts believe that the synthetic hormones can give false results on the blood tests, making everything look fine, so I have opted for real thyroid hormone and take Armour Thyroid. My thyroid problem symptoms all completely went away within 6 months (many by 2 months) after starting the Armour Thyroid. I spoke with at least a hundred women online before switching who all had the same experience: doing much better on Armour Thyroid. Some doctors are hesitant to prescribe it because there is some bad press in the AMA that some doctor's buy into about it, but it's all misrepresented and untrue.

I started taking Levoxyl for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis several years ago and got a headache at the exact same time every day, exactly 9 hours after taking the pill. They switched me to Synthroid (which in the end didn't work so I went on Armour Thyroid and have been great since.)

I've had my thyroid removed in 2006 and since then I've been on medication, i was ok first and i thought i was ok until now. i had leg pains that woke me up from my sleep and i went to doctor and couldn't figure out why i was having this pain, i thought i had restless leg syndrome or sciatic but doctor said no. now i'm reading all your side effects and I'm in shock, i had no idea that it can cause to leg pain. also I've change my medication to generic (because of insurance issues) since then i guess my itching started. i thought i had allergic reaction to food or bugs or something and i went to allergist of course nothing came out. now I'm reading the side effects of this medication, it can cause hives, rashes, itching and even urticaria which i have right now. i went crazy to find anything in my house to find a bed bug, spider, flea or anything that can make me itch like this. the other side effects that I'm having are hair loss, red/hot face. i can not believe all these symptoms are actually side effects to a medication supposed to make me feel better. whoever says that's they find it weird that this medication has this many side effects, we are not crazy. this effects are real and so many of us has them.

Hello... I started taking Levothyroxine last July for slight hypothyroidism. I felt great for the first 6-7 months, but then in January the problems started for me. I was getting severe anxiety which the doctor said was stress and he also thought I was depressed. I knew I wasn't, but he put me on Ativan and Prozac. The week I took prozac was the worst week of my life. I thought the effects I had were from the prozac, but now I know now it was my thyroid spiking, which the doctor never checked my levels during this period. My heart rate doubled, I had insomnia, was gagging, sick, felt like my body was on speed and wanted to die. I was prescribed a beta blocker for my anxiety previously which I had never taken, but decided to take when my heart was racing, which helped me feel a bit better for the week, but I knew something was wrong. I had this happen again recently for about a week (and I was on nothing but levothyroxine). I know what anxiety is and I have never had anxiety or depression my whole life until these episodes that happen when taking this medication. By the time I went to the doctor to get labs done, I had been feeling a bit better and he said my levels were fine. I am now wondering if it's side effects from the meds or if it is spikes in my levels making me hyperthyroid instead. All I know is that I cannot live like this!! I have a 3 yr old and I need to be happy and healthy like I used to be before this medication... no more heart racing, racing thoughts, anxiety, and insomnia. Please help!!

Everyone out there, try Armour Thyroid!!! I was changed to Synthroid (because my endo only believed in it) a few years ago, and put on 15 pounds and lost half of my hair. I work out at least 6 days a week, run 3-4 miles a day, and live on salad. I asked my regular MD to switch me to Armour, and in three weeks, my hair stopped falling out, and I'm losing weight. I was losing, yes, I counted, at least 45 hairs a day when I combed my hair after my shower (and I'm not counting the clumps that came out in the shower). Now, maybe when I wring my hair out in the shower, only one will come out and less than 15 in my comb. Ask you doctor to just try it, and if it doesn't work, you can always go back. I swear by it. I'm happy all the time again, where I have just been monotone for the last few years, and I'm thrilled. Good luck!!!

Someone PLEASE help or offer assistance! I have been on 50mcg Synthroid for about 1.5 yrs now and have gained about 25 pounds!! I am a very, very active triathlete, not just your 30 mins on the treadmill kind of girl. How about running 5-6 miles, riding my bike 40-50 miles, and swimming all about 3 times per week!! How can a human being continue to gain weight at this activity level? I am considering just stop taking it, cold turkey. Has anyone tried any of the supplements for thyroid support, or natural meds? If you've got any suggestions, I am open to just about anything at this point!!

I also gained weight, work out 4-5 days a week and havent lost a pound. I am now having a vibrating or shaking feeling through out my body that is worse at night. I tried to stop taking it but that was worse.

I have always had and currently have the side of effect of extreme fatigue associated with the use of synthroid and now Armour thyroid replacement as well.
Whenever my tsh reaches normal levels I become increasingly fatigued. Now I an hardly stay out of the bed and yet my levels are normal.
I have Hashimoto's Disease and am menopausal with severe insomnia to cloud the issue. But the fatigue associated with thyroid replacement is longstanding and has occurred for about 15 yrs. For many years, I would stop taking the medication because of it. My doctors do not believe that the fatigue is related to Synthroid which I find utterly frustrating. Will be looking for another endocrinologist soon. Has anyone out there experienced this side effect of extreme fatigue?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I had my thyroid removed because of cancer. I was 18 years old. At that time, I was put on Armour thyroid because that was the only thing available. I am now 56. Somewhere along the line they figured out how to make chemical thyroid and of course I was put on it - for the next 35 years. Blood checked so many times I can't remember, dosages changed. Always a runny nose, hot and cold always a problem. I drink something hot and I start sweating, I drink something with ice and I get the chills. Back on Armour now - not the absolute best - but certainly much better than synthroid! Still what do you do when you have no thyroid? Also to let you all know, after the thyroid was removed I was treated with Radioactive Iodine, and told that I probably could not have children. Well, I am stubborn - I have three boys - had them at ages 23, 25 and 37! Many, many problems through the years ( oh yeah, the radiation treatment that I had at 1 month old fried my thymus as well as starting the cancer - it took 17 years for the cancer to develop. It was only after all this that they began to find out the you really did need a thymus too. Oh well, I could go on and on. So find me a solution to my thyroid that is gone. Can we regrow it like they are regrowing ears, fingers, etc?? Something to look into for the medical profession...

runny nose - took synthroid for years and never knew why my nose was always running. Went in for a blood test last year and the lady taking my blood mentioned that she too took synthroid and had a horrible runny nose. She switched to Armour Thyroid and no more nose problems. I then switched to Armour Thyroid and my runny nose went away! There must be something in the filler indgredents that causes the constant runny nose.

I have hypothyroid. Have been taking Synthroid for about a year, 0.075MG a day. Had my levels checked 3 times since on the meds and still have never gotten to normal, but a lot closer. I have gained 20 pounds that I can't get rid of, which for me, is crazy. I have never had a problem dropping weight, and for the past month or so, I have started losing my hair. Not just losing it, but the texture and everything has changed. No matter what I do it looks dry and flat, and even when I condition it and also use a leave in conditioner, it still knots up and tangles. I have NEVER had a problem with tangles. It's coming out in handfuls. Im not taking any other meds, so I imagine it has to be the Synthroid. My problem is..What else can I take? I mean, I have Hypothyroid, so I can,t just leave it untreated, But I have no wish to be fat and bald either. Please...anyone know of others meds without these side effects?

I had excruciating muscle spasms in the legs when taking synthroid. My physicians argued that Synthroid or T4 was all that was needed because my body would produce T3. This simply is not accurate information for everyone. The muscle spasms became so severe that I went to the Cleveland Clinic in hopes of resolving this issue. This was a waste of time; the docs could only confirm the presence of muscle spasms in my legs and offered no other options. Finally, while reviewing all my lab reports and the related symptoms, I discovered that the muscle spasms only occurred when I was taking synthroid for hypothyroidism. I switched to Armour thyroid and the muscle spasms ceased. I urge everyone with hypothyroidism to find a doctor that can think outside the box.

When I was first put on this we started at the lowest level and worked up from there, after having labs every 6 weeks for the first few months. I did feel better and had a little more energy, but I had to pee all the time and it smelled god awful, went to my GYN she said it came back fine.....then a G/F who had thyroid cancer told me she takes Armour (a natural ,made from pig liver)...OMG what a difference, I can take less meds, it is cheaper and my urine no longer smells.My energy level is back too!! Armour has T3 and T4 and Synthroid does not. I suggest to those not happy with Synthroid to try Armour thyroid, again it takes about 6-8 weeks to notice but what a great change, and better for your kidneys (which is how synthroid is excreted)

I was prescribed Loestrin FE 1/20 TAB for clotting and having menstruation more often than I should (once every two weeks or so). My first experience resulted in leg pain, after six days. This ended with a Doppler scan to check for blood clots. Well, that was cleared so back on to Loestrin I went. When I picked up my prescription I asked the pharmacist (yes I had already asked my doctor) during consultation about interactions with the other medications I take on a daily basis. Prednisone 10mg tablet and Armour Thyroid 240mg. I was told, not to worry, no issues. Eleven days after starting Loestrin again, I called my doctor because of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, indigestion (like I've never had before) and feeling "foggy." I was told these were "not typical complaints" that they heard. I then checked for interactions on line and found that both the prednisone and Armour Thyroid have interactions. With Prednisone it's side effects can be made more severe than they would be without the Loestrin (never had a side effect in the eight months I was on it, until the Loestrin). I experienced With the Armour Thyroid Loestrin binds to it, preventing the absorption of the thyroid medication. This explains all of the symptoms I was having. Please, beware that you must check on interactions yourself, do not rely on your pharmacist or physician to be aware of these.

Boy, this could take a while. Have been on generic Levoxyl for more than 7 yrs(can't say exactly how long since I stay "fuzzy headed" all the time). Anyway, about a yr ago I became so depressed I went off all my meds -- I'm a diabetic on insulin and also have high blood pressure. I felt good!To try and make this story a little shorter, I went on a diet and lost 70 lbs -- went from 310 down to 240. Then I went back on meds. In less than a yr, have regained all the weight I lost. Also, my legs swell and ache so badly it makes walking painful. Hands, wrists and knees throb constantly. Intermittent headaches so bad I have to wear sunglasses just to tolerate indoor lighting. Hair loss is so severe I'm considering a wig. Skin is dry and itchy and lotions help not at all. Any work I have to do I must accomplish before noon because by early afternoon the fatigue is debilitating. I'm currently on 300mcg of Levothyroxine (up from 250mcg 2 months ago) and doctor wants to increase dosage even more. Had no idea there were other people suffering the same problems until I stumbled upon this site. I take the medication as prescribed (with perhaps less than the recommended full glass of water) but plenty of coffee. Discovered on another site that the coffee may be inhibiting the drug's absorption. I feel so helpless/hopeless. Am considering going back off the Levothyroxine but am seriously worried about high T3/T4 levels. Thanks for listening; guess I just needed to vent.

extremely depressed after a week of taking levoxyl. Also face is swollen, eye swollen and red and face and eyes burn. These were the same symptoms after taking synthroid after a week. What's next? I am close to being suicidal after having survived lung cancer, surgery, chemo and radiation. To get another primary cancer and have things slide downhill after such a remarkable recovery, I can do nothing but cry after making the decision to have a cancerous thyroid removed that could have served me for years and years since it was such a slow growing cancer. I should have followed my instincts and just left it alone. Now all I want to do is lie on the couch and cry.

I have been on Levoxyl for years. Have experienced all the side affects this medication has and then some more! My hair loss and thinning, depression, bone aches, headaches, fatigue, and much more...finally I asked the doctor is there was anything else out there in the market which had less side effects....there is a natural product which has been in the market for many years called Armour Thyroid (*******). All I know is that if I continued to take Levoxyl, I will most likely end up in bed for life...I am only 43 yrs old and would like to have at least "normal" energy for my age. There is NO reason I should feel a lot older and I know for a fact it is the medication. I have only been taking Armour Thyroid for just a few days but will report my well being in about the next 30 days. Since I was on 100mg of Levoxyl a day, am taking two grains of 30 mg a day for a total of 60 mg of Armour a day. In about 25 days I go for blood work to check levels, so far I experience a bit of nausea right after I take the "new" medication but it does not last all day. Hopefully, this new med will give me my LIFE back! Thanks for reading.

It took 3 years for me to be diagnosed with hypothyroidism and for a year I tried levethyroxine. This was a total waste of time. I was so exhausted the kids kept missing school, I kept walking into things, couldn't remember anything so I asked my doctor to let me try armour thyroid. This has apparently T4 T3 T2 and T1 and the T2 is the one that helps your metabolism (weight).
The change is nothing short of miraculous...I know it may not work for everyone but it is worth trying. I also had very extreme mood swings and the doctors were considering manic depression, but the latest thinking with that is to take your TSH levels higher before considering drugs such as lithium. I have just moved to Reading and my new doctor thought my T3 levels too high so reduced my armour dosage by half .....BIG mistake. Ended up in bed for days, couldn't remember which day it was, and the mood swings
!!!!!!! screaming, tearing my hair in frustration, punching my boyfriend. I staggered, literally, in tears back to the doctor who reinstated my original dosage of 2 grains one day 3 the next etc. For me my TSH has to be 0.1,
T4 around 14 and T3 around 8 to 9; basically on the high side but my blood pressure stays low as does my body temp and I feel alive again. It is worth trying different variations synthetic T4 AND T3, and don't rule out armour thyroid if nothing else is working after 6 months of use.

I have been taking BCP since I was 18. I started w/ Aleese, Yasmin, Orthotrycyclin-Lo, Ortho Evra and the last being Loestrin24Fe. The sad part is that I can't remember what/if any side effects I had while taking those prior to Loestrin24Fe. Unfortunately for me, I have managed to gain 30lbs in the last 5yrs and I cannot seem to get rid of it. Of course the gyno said it wouldn't have been the BCP, but I would like to believe I didn't make myself a fat ass. I was taking Loestrin24Fe for 2 years and can't say I noticed too big of a change while taking it other than the periods being shorter, but they were still very heavy. But my acne has started to get worse the past year. In May I went to the doctor for my migraine's and skin/hair (too oily). After running blood tests it showed my thyroid was pretty low and had room for improvement. I was prescribed Maxalt for my migraine's and 30mg of Armour (thyroid medicine). I went back at the end of June and we upped the Armour to 60mg because I haven't noticed a difference since taking it. She also suggested I switch my BCP to Yasmin as it's been known to help with acne problems. Today was my 2nd day on Yasmin....and obviously it's too soon to notice if/what side effects will bother me. I just wonder if maybe I should take a break from BCP all together and allow my body a chance to breathe. I really hate the thought of having that longer period again but I'm going to have it with Yasmin anyway unless I choose to start a new pack early every month (to keep same schedule as Loestrin24Fe). Advice would be helpful :)

Hello To All,

I too am on this med, I have been on it for 1 year as of July 2008-

35 pounds, brain fog, headaches, eye sight for reading, chest pain and fluttering heart beat. My doctor who is my friend has told me that he will up my dose... "Dear God" any more and I will go nuts. Does anyone know of any study done in a medical journal that theu could forward to me so I can show my doctor.

Please email me at ****** I would be so very thankful.

Thanks to all and be healthy.

I was put on Synthyroid 20 years ago. It did nothing beneficial that I could detect, so I discontinued taking it. -- I was always cold, always tired, I just learned to live with it. (Thankfully, I was a stay-at-home Mom, so didn't have to punch a time clock.) -- Fast forward 10 years to 1999. I had many food allergies, dust allergies, pet allergies, was tired, cold, ached all over. etc;etc: -- Was referred to an old doctor who listened patiently and told me he thought thyroid supplimentation would help. -- Started me on Armour thyroid. One pill, then upped to two all the way to 6 a day before I felt any differently. -- Slowly, my allergies improved. My energy improved. I started to feel like a new person.

For those of you who are still strugling with getting your thyroid situation straigntened out, try going to this web site:

http://www.majidali.com/temperat.htm.

It will fill you in on why some of what has been done for you hasn't worked.

Good Luck!

Marie

PS My daughter was on Armour thyroid, and when she couldn't get it, was put on Synthroid. -- Within three weeks she had mood swings, was mean, was always cold, was depressed, ached all over. Had a cough.

I have hypothryoidism and have had great success with Armour Thyroid. I was on Synthroid for about 5 years and then on Levoxyl for 2 years prior to Armour Thyroid. I have been on Armour for the past 6 years and will never switch back to Synthroid. It did nothing for my symptoms other than to give me a normal TSH reading.

I have been on Synthroid for about 15 years for hypothyroidism. A few months after starting on it, I became sluggish with just no energy and my once thick hair was getting thinner and thinner. I told my doctor but she shrugged it off saying it was just my age (which at the time I was 45). She being the doctor, I assumed she was right. But awhile ago I started doing research and found in The New England Journal of Medicine that they were finding that Synthroid caused hair loss "in some people". It suggested using a thyroid hormone that used both T3 and T4 rather than the single one that Synthroid is. I went back to the doctor and she put me on Armour Thyroid. I have been on it now for 3 months, and my energy levels are way up, no longer sleeping my life away. My hair has not started growing back in yet, maybe it never will after all this time, but just feeling better is such a plus! (Of course I would feel a LOT better if my hair would thicken up again).