Wellness

[Starpolisher]

On 8/5/2014 addiegal said:

On 8/5/2014 emmiesmom said:

On 8/4/2014 starpolisher said:

I took Synthroid for about 5 years and never felt well. Thanks to this BB and Suzanne Somers I went to a holistic doc and he gave me Armour. After taking it a few months and feeling great I got my regular doctor to prescribe it. With the holistic doc I had to get it from him and my insurance wouldn't cover it. Now I get it at CVS with my co-pay, I will never go back to a synthetic!

I think you found the key..a holistic doctor! I used to have one and he always treated me with natural remedies. So glad your doctor listened~

The problem with this is insurance may not cover a holistic doctor. Medicare doesn't cover naturopaths...so I doubt a holistic would be covered. By getting her regular doctor to prescribe it she had coverage for the Armour. I know how expensive paying cash can be! Glad her doctor listened...and she gets her Armour covered!

At the time my insurance covered part of my visit to the holistic doctor(He is also an MD). I had to pay for the Armour myself. Since going back to my regular family physician, he writes me a script and I get my Armour at CVS with my co-pay. It was worth going to the holistic doctor if your own physician will not listen. After mine saw my numbers and I told him I felt much better - he listened. Previous to that he insisted on Synthroid or Levothyroxine(I felt even worse on the levothyroxine) and kept going back and forth with the dosage. Of course the Armour dosages' also have to be adjusted but I felt much better and still do! I'd also been to two endocrinologist's. Each was head of the department at two different local hospitals. They didn't listen either. I have Graves disease and after being treated with radioactive iodine became hypothyroid. I have blood work done every eight to ten weeks. There is a lot of good info on

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

I also take BIHT and have found a compounding pharmacy that takes my insurance.

HTH

[violann]

Our GP became the head of the Alternative Medicine at one of the local hospitals, and he only refers me to doctors who think like he and I do. Through the course of over 25 years on and off thyroid meds, I've always had a degree of input into the type, and even the amount, of hormone replacement that I'm receiving. If I didn't, I'd change doctors.

[rac71]

Synthetic thyroid hormone ONLY replaces T4. People taking Armour usually need more than T4 replacement, they also need T3 and some of the lesser known thyroid hormones. A poor reaction is not uncommon in these cases. Although I adjusted well to levoxyl (and synthroid), as a Graves survivor, we did briefly consider Armour. This is a discussion between doctor and patient. Please refrain from blanket statements about any single type of hormone replacement therapy.

[addiegal]

There is an alternative to Armour or natural thyroid medicines in order to get both T4 and T3...it is Cytomel, T 3 synthetic. There is a generic but I stick to the name brand. I take Levoxyl and Cytomel to get both hormones. There is another way to replace both other than Armour.

[rac71]

On 6/23/2014 Gabby1 said:

If you're on thyroid medicine, watching using anything with soy products in it. The soy prevents the medication from doing its full job. I've been on Levo for many years and never had any problem with it.

I was vegan (severe dairy, egg & shellfish allergies) for nearly 10 years. My soy-based diet never impacted my medication absorption. We tweaked my dose right before the allergies were identified; a decade later the food allergies are gone but my dose remains constant.

[sidsmom]

I'm a hypothyroid newbie. Since 8 weeks ago, I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about this condition...books, websites, personal references.

The pro-Armour websites are so jubilant & 'doctors are evil' if they don't prescribe this medication. Yes, I understand it has helped many & doctors SHOULD give the patient the option.

I can't help but think the exclusivity of this medication is a little bit of the attraction...when Synthroid would have worked in time.

There are pro-cons for ALL medication...even the natural Armour.

Like I said, I'm new @ this & might change my option, but my first impression is to try the mainstream drugs at first...and Armour is the last choice.

[addiegal]

On 8/6/2014 rac71 said:

On 6/23/2014 Gabby1 said:

If you're on thyroid medicine, watching using anything with soy products in it. The soy prevents the medication from doing its full job. I've been on Levo for many years and never had any problem with it.

I was vegan (severe dairy, egg & shellfish allergies) for nearly 10 years. My soy-based diet never impacted my medication absorption. We tweaked my dose right before the allergies were identified; a decade later the food allergies are gone but my dose remains constant.

It is good that soy hasn't affected your medication absorption but it does do this and is in the PDR handouts you receive with your prescription. Soy, walnuts, antacids, calcium are also a problem. It is necessary to separate the soy and medication by 4 hours. But soy is a known anti-thyroid substance. I avoid soy.

Sometimes the hormone is adjusted to compensate for these sorts of things...if you show you are low of medication due to lack of absorption, your hormone is usually increased, whether it is realized to be the cause or not.

[violann]

Ihate attempts politicize any health related issues, so I have no dog in any fight from any direction. I started on synthetics, went to old Armour and it proved to give me better symptom relief, became euthyroid naturally, stopped taking replacement for several years, once again became hypo and in need of replacement, and went on new Armour. Bottom line, work with your prescribing physician to find what works best for you, identify problems if any and address them, change meds if/when necessary. KNOW YOURSELF!

[wilma]

On 6/21/2014 Peaches McPhee said:

You just cannot make blanket statement of good vs. bad when it comes to health care and medications. Everybody's body is different, and different things will work.

I have been on levothroxide (sp?) forever, with no problems at all.

Someone else? Maybe not.

Exactly.

My sister takes the generic with no issues. My other sister and I take the brand name. The generic doesn't work for us.

[violann]

On 6/21/2014 Campion said:

I'm suffering the effects of 50 years of synthetic which did not work well (only 40 pct of people can convert the t4 in Synthroid to active T3 form) and it wrecks the bones.

There is not a great alternative, as most doctors don't want to prescribe Armour as it requires more titration of the dose. I got hosed, medically. Totally healthy except for the thyroid and ended up with myriad of problems all due to Synthroid.

I can never understand the comments about difficulty with dosage. I take a very small dose, but over time, my dose has had increases and decreases and never been a problem.