Armour Thyroid pre- and post-reformulation

I would ask a question about Armour Thyroid; I know some members here are on it and doing fine.

If the addition of cellulose a few years ago made Armour harder to digest (and made sublingual administration impossible), can it work like it used to if the dose is raised, to compensate for impaired absorption, and the pills are either crushed or chewed up before swallowing?

Those of you who were on Armour before the reformulation and have continued to take it, have you had to raise you dose?

[susymac]

Armour changed back to almost how it was not long after it changed. It can most definitely be taken sublingually as it is, as I took it for nearly 3 years, until very recently. I now take naturethroid but only because its much cheaper

[Clarebear]

I started on Armour 3 years ago and didn't get on very well to start with. I don't know if this is because it had just been reformulated or for other reasons such as low ferritin (below range) and adrenal problems. It took about a year for me to raise the dose and feel much better and for the next 2 years I was fine on it. I am now taking Erfa as my pharmacy couldn't get Armour and I have noticed no difference.

[Hidden]

Thanks to all of you, it's good to know that the different alternative meds all seem to work!

[Hidden]

There is one thing I have been wondering about: I was put on Armour in late 2011, and slowly raised it to 5 grains daily. Labs in July 2012 showed mid-range FT3 levels (2.9; ref 1.7-3.7) 24 h after latest dose, and also mid-range FT4 levels (1.1; ref 0.7-1.5). My doctor concluded that Armour did not work for me, and put me on Erfa instead where I have been since. On 5.5 grains of Erfa, my FT4 levels are more or less the same (1.2; ref 0.7-1.5), but my FT3 levels are much higher 24 h after latest dose: 3.6 (ref 1.7-3.7).

I like Erfa, but I have the feeling I am fluctuating more than on Armour, if you see what I mean...I seem to have more ups and downs on Erfa, whereas on Armour, I did not really notice anything. Not sure this means anything, though...?

Since I went to the lab 24 h after latest dose, I wonder how much faith I should put in the results. I mean, should FT3 levels be close to or at the upper normal range even 24 h after taking the meds? Does that not mean that they were out of range the day before...?

I hope you understand what I mean.

Thanks.

Catherine

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Hi Cat, I wonder if anyone can answer that question. You may have gone over range for a while. I've looked up some T3 information and one interesting fact we often overlook is how good the test is or how accurate. I think if you don't have symptoms of being over medicated, I wouldn't worry too much about that number.

Perhaps someone has more information.

A few years ago I went from Armour to Erfa because of a shortage and thought they were identical formulas. I don't know if that was true but I had success with both.