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Has anyone switched from Levo to Armour?

Posted , 9 users are following.

LayneTX
LayneTX

my Rheumatologist said she would let me switch to Armour thyroid instead of Levothyroxine.  I was on .75 Levo.

my primary refuses to do other tests other than TSH and will only prescribe Levothyroxin .

I wondered if there were any symptoms to expect as I change? 

Has anyone done this? Any symptoms?

 

2 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • jean97781
    jean97781 LayneTX

    Posted

    I have just switched from 75 synthyroid and 5 cytomel to 60 arm our it's day 5 take it in morning so far I have depression when waking so doc is raising it to 75 see how that goes. 
  • LAHs
    LAHs LayneTX

    Posted

    Yes! Your Rheumatologist is an intellent person. H/She knows that Levo can cause severe joint and muscular pain - mine did not and wanted me to take pills for a condition that Levo was causing.

    I went cold turkey on Levo. Took Armour the very next morning after picking it up - and I never looked back. The aches and pains in my joints dissapeared withing half an hour of my first pill! I would kiss the ground your Rhumo walks on.

    Just a note. It might be wise to "ramp up" to your full dose of Armour over a period of one week. I don't altogether know why, but it is the common belief and it can't do any harm.

    " any symptoms to expect as I change", you bettcha, you'll get your life back.

  • shellyC19
    shellyC19 LayneTX

    Posted

    Hello LayneTX:

    My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease.  I was on Levo when I first got diagnosed and it took my doctor years to figure out I was not converting Levo  (Synthetic T4), into useable T3. I never got my TSH in check.

    Armour is made from a pig's gland and is close to a humans thyroid. Pigs are used a lot as our heart valves are like theirs and we use the skin in burn victims for grafting. 

    Armour  provides all four Thyroid hormones and that is better.  The T3 in it is  a bit more than a humans gland and very helpful as that is what the body needs to have energy.

    I was on it for years, and then my local pharmacy could not obtain it so I went on to Cytomel 5 mcg.  I do well on that. My blood work is great now.

    So try it and it may need to be adjusted after 8 weeks if needed. Any questions just ask. 

    Shelly

    • jean97781
      jean97781 shellyC19

      Posted

      Shelly is 18 days on at our 60 to short of a time to look for more energy? Getting impatient!  Armour
    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 jean97781

      Posted

      Hello Jean:

      It normally takes about  6 to 8 weeks to build a proper level.  After that period it may be adjusted after blood testing is done. Also have checked your mineral panel, sodium, potassium,calcium, magnesium, iron, ferritin, B-12 level, and vit D.

      Hang in there, it takes the body a little while to adjust.

      Shelly

  • barbara98940
    barbara98940 LayneTX

    Posted

    It is advised by thyroid websites to start low on armour, or any other Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT). This might be to ensure one's immune system doesn't react adversely to it. Or it might be to ensure one's body can adapt to getting T3. Or both. Or another reason. I'm glad LAH's you didn't have a problem switching cold turkey. I think I would have done, as my immune system seems to be reacting to everything. So I did the switch slowly. Having some T3, even a little, meant I felt better even though the dose was low.
    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      Just saw your reply to Layne.

      How can you tell when your immune system is under attack?

       

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 lucy82013

      Posted

      For me, anything from 1 minute to 24 hours later, I get itchy little lumps (so itchy I scratch them in my sleep, like midgy bites), over the next few days they look like discrete little spots that then become like eczema. Bits of me also swell up, usually fingers. Joints become painful like I've sprained them, usually thumb joint ir wrist.
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940

      Posted

      Also get fatigue and brain fog.

      I react really badly to carbohydrates particularly maize/ corn and soya. Also all fruit. Just found out about a parasite (blastocystis hominis) that one can have in one's gut that may be the cause of my being unable to digest these foods. Have discussed with my GP and the treatment is harmless so am going to give it a try. Such parasites can take residence in one's gut when one has been given lots of antibiotics like I have as it reduces one's stomach acid.

    • LayneTX
      LayneTX barbara98940

      Posted

      Barbara,

      that is interesting, thanks for sharing.

      When I got Polymylagia Rheumatica, PMR, I also had the strangest big toe pain, as if I had stubbed it hard or sprained it! I thought it might be gout, but doctors said no.  They had absolutely no explanation. It lasted for 3-4 weeks I think.  

      PMR is autoimmune, when one wakes up in so much pain they can barely move, pain is mostly located in both shoulders, and neck and all around hips, several points. It's known to be that the immune system went haywire and attacked body/joints. It can last two years but will go in to remission. 

      No one knows if thyroid is involved...ugh. I have to be on Prednisone to help with pain. 

      So far so good on the Armour. My morning tiredness is the PMR until my Prednisone kicks in.

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 LayneTX

      Posted

      Glad the armour is working! I tried naturethroid and fingers swelled immediately after just one half grain dose. I found out later it had maize starch in. Wish I'd found out before I paid for the private prescription to save me from wasting the £100.
    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      Barbara

      You sound like me allergic to everything? Have you had glandular fever at all? Hope that that is to personal a question.

      Can you get your money back?

      Did the company that sold the 'natural' product state that it had maize in it?

      Did you say that it was a private prescription as well?

      Lucy

       

    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      Whioops mean to write I hope that that is not to personal a question.
    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      Barbara

      I have been trying to look up NDT that does not contain any gluten or maize starch. Have you found one yet? Lucy.

    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      What signs and symptoms did you have with this parasitic infection?

      Did you have any bloating, constipation, burning on passing a stool?

      Lucy

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 lucy82013

      Posted

      There are two filler free NDTs that I know of. A porcine one (pig's thyroid) called WP Throid and a bovine one (cow's thyroid) called ThyroGold. Latter is classed as a nutritional supplement but states it is natural desiccated thyroid. It seems to be so - as my blood tests for TSH, T4 and T3 all correspond to the dose I'm on.
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 lucy82013

      Posted

      I can't get my money back as it was a private prescription and the pharmacist was merely dispensing it. I presume I would have a case for persuing it from the private endocrinologist, however I appreciate her support and it was an honest mistake so I haven't done so.
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 lucy82013

      Posted

      The only things i can eat without a reaction is fresh chicken (cooked myself), carrots and brocolli. Sometimes I can have fresh fish, though not prepacked as they use a preservative that's not declared. Ditto prepacked vegetables and salad.
    • lucy82013
      lucy82013 barbara98940

      Posted

      Barbara

      Wow!

      Can you have curries , ratatouille, etc.etc. They contain a lot of natural anti inflammatory ingredients such as Tumeric, ginger, onion, garlic.

      Can you eat rice?

      Sorry about all these questions.

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940

      Posted

      And porridge made with normal oats and oat milk, but not gluten free oats.
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 lucy82013

      Posted

      As I react to both tomsto and cream so I haven't tried curries. Also can't have ginger, onion, garlic. Can't have smoked fish or processed meats (except for sausages from the local butcher - no idea why these are ok). Can't have smoked fish or tinned fish or tinned vegetables. See histamine intolerance on allergy uk.
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