questions to those on Armour Thyroid

I have a few questions to those of you currently on Armour Thyroid and doing well on it:

How do you take it? Do you chew the pills up, or swallow them (or take them sublingually?) Do you combine them with a product known to break down cellulose?

How much do you need to take? What do your current lab results look like?

If anyone was on Armour before the reformulation, have you had to adjust your dosage?

Sorry to ask all those questions, but I understand that your FT4 levels are supposed to be +/- midrange on NDT, your FT3 levels close to or at the upper normal range, and your TSH levels can be suppressed without any problems...what I am also wondering is: are you supposed to take your meds before or after going to the lab? I mean, if you take your meds within an hour or two before having labs, won't your FT3 levels be falsely elevated, causing your doctor to think you are overmedicated?

[shaws Administrator]

I believe thyroid medication is made to be swallowed with 1 glass of water. They are not meant to be chewed.

[Clarebear]

I chew mine as I read that you needed to do this with reformulated Armour . However, I am only taking 1/4 of a grain of Armour and : grains of Erfa - don't think Erfa comes in such small doses? I have nearly run out of 1/4 grains, so will soon be chopping up the Erfa. Erfa tastes much nicer (and sweeter) than Armour.

My TSH is suppressed and I have mid range ft4 and too third if range ft3. I feel well like this. I take my NDT in a single dose in the morning and would not take it before a blood test. Works a treat for me

[Clarebear in reply to Clarebear]

* 2 grains of Erfa.

[Spareribs in reply to Clarebear]

I found Armour to be much softer than NT - I did chew to start - just wanted to see if it actually worked but didn't notice any effect from a half grain - then tried 1 gr NT religiously with a (small) glass of water.. 1.5.. Ok no miracle observed - which prompted the self-doubt as palps too (I hate them more than politics... er... where was I?)

I think it depends on what works for you...

I'm going the 'officially diagnosed'- dance like a ninja route - bring a bottle...

yeh I know.. nothing to celebrate.... GP warned me about 'crazy' stuff - too darn late!...

zzz crashed & burnt.... J

[Hidden in reply to Clarebear]

Clarebear,

I have to ask you...I seem to recall that you were one of the members here doing fine on reformulated Armour. Have you since switched to Erfa? If so, may I ask why? Did you stop doing as well on Armour, or was it no longer available? Thank you.

[Clarebear in reply to Hidden]

Hi anna69 - yes I was doing fine on Armour but unfortunately my pharmacy was no longer able to obtain Armour for some reason. Luckily my GP then rewrote the presciption for Erfa. I still had some 1/4 grain Armour tablets left so have been taking 2 grains of Erfa and 1/4 of a grain of Armour. I didn't notice any difference when I switched from Armour to Erfa.

[Heloise]

Anna, I took Armour for many years and liked the old formula. I called Forest Pharmaceuticals when I thought the pill was not as effective but thought it was just the batch. I don't know, they just sent me a fresh bottle. This was about a year and a half ago. They also said not to chew it, just take it with a glass of water.

You are correct NOT to take your dose before any blood test as it might skew results and also take your tests as early as possible when your TSH is higher. I have since gone to T3 only but am considering going back to Armour.

[Hidden]

Thank you all for your useful comments and input!

I get my meds in Belgium where two products are available in certain pharmacies: Armour and Erfa. The price of Armour has more or less doubled in the past year. I would now have to pay ca 1500£ a year for Armour (2000€) if I want the original pills. The pharmacy where I have ordered Armour in the past offers capsules made from 300 mg pills, mixed to various strengths, to keep the cost down, but I did not find them very effective...which surprised and disappointed me, as they contained pills already crushed, that could be swallowed without having to be chewed up. So I don't know if there is any truth to the rumour that the higher strength pills (180, 240, and 300 mg) contain more cellulose?

Several pharmacies that used to carry both Armour and Erfa now only carry Erfa, which means options are limited to say the least...one pharmacist even told me Armour is no longer being made.

I have also been wondering if there is a difference between the 30, 60, and 125 mg pills of Erfa? Taking the 125 mg pills would of course be a much more cost-effective solution in the long run...if anyone here is on Erfa, have you noticed a difference between various strengths?

[Nickyhalf]

An excellent source of info is: stopthetyroidmadeness.com. You should ideally take NDT in the morning and afternoon. Not sure about when to take it re going to lab, though.