Help, please!

[7989--]

Hi everyone!

I was optimal on my Armour after 2 weeks of taking it. Now that is has been around 6 wks for me to take it, I have gone hyper. I did take my Armour this morn. before I started investigating on Google. I think I need to stop it completely for maybe a few days or longer, and ask my dr. for a lower dosage--maybe 1/2 grain ? What do you think? My symptoms now are just the opposite of being hypo:

My B.P. was 218/116 before I had my steroid injection in my spine this past Fri. They rushed me by ambulance to an urgent care center instead of the E.R. You won't believe what the Dr said: "Oh, high b.p. won't start hurting you for a year or so!" Geees, can you believe that??! Well, after that, my husband brought me home, and I've been checking my B.P. every 2 hours since. It only went down to almost normal once late at night. It's just been running sky high.

Other symptoms are:

I sweat

Gone from constipation to

very loose, watery b.m.'s

I am VERY agitated and irritable. (my poor dear

hubby.) He has taken the brunt of my irritability, and it's just not me to be that way to him.

Sleeping problems- It takes me until almost 1:30 am to get in bed, and I am up by 4:00 am.

I've lost 15 lbs, not trying, but don't like losing this way.

High anxiety

Headache

Difficult for me to sit still even though I'm still in a lot of pain from wreck.

NO heart palpitations so far. Whomever will give me advice, I will give you thanks, and appreciate it.

I've rattled on long enough.

Thanks, Susan

[Clutter]

7989--, you can skip a couple of days doses and reduce by 1/2 grain yourself to see whether the hyper symptoms improve. Ideally you will have a thyroid test including FT3 first. Bear in mind it may be the steroid injection is making you feel hyper and not NDT.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[7989-- in reply to Clutter]

Thanks so much, Clutter, but I was feeling a little hyper before the steroid shot in my spine. Also, my B.P. was way up before then. I have always had perfect B.P. I don't know, but will call my doctor tomorrow. Oh, another thing...I have been taking 5 mg. of hydrocodone,

Norco, since Dec. 29. I did call my pharmacy right after I wrote original post, and she felt that I was overmedicated, and she suggested the same as you, so I will stay off for a few days and half my dose. The only thing is that my pills are not scored so I'm afraid they will just crush in my pill splitter. Made by Forest. I will give it one heck of a try.

Appreciate the quick reply.

~~Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

Maybe try a safety razor blade and dont cut yourself

[Clutter in reply to 7989--]

Susan, buy a pillcutter and press the blade down firmly and slowly and the tablet should halve.

[7989-- in reply to Clutter]

Thanks to both Clutter and Shaws. Clutter, I have a good pill splitter, but I usually only get 1 good 1/2-- the rest is pretty much crumbled.

[Clutter in reply to 7989--]

7989-- I save the 'good' half for later and dab up the crumbed half with a moistoned fingertip.

[7989-- in reply to Clutter]

Okie-dokie. I will try to start doing that. Thanks!

~~Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

On reading your above response I wonder if it is hydrocodone,

Norco which is the main culprit in making you so unwell and maybe you do take it well apart from Armour?

doublecheckmd.com/EffectsDe...

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Shaws, the best way for me to figure out when to take my Armour is to take it 3 hours after my pain meds and 3 hours before my next dose of pain meds. I take them 6,12,6,12, etc. Cannot go the four hours like I'm supposed to do. Also, eat breakfast at 6 am. Then after taking Armour, I wait 4 hours to take vit. D3, calcium, etc. Would waiting just 3 hours instead of 4 make THAT much difference in the absorption of Armour?

Thanks, Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

Can you not take Armour once daily? From your response above I think you are taking it twice daily?

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Shaws, I DO take my Armour once daily between my 6am and 12 pm doses of hydrocodone. That is only 3 hours instead of 4 in which I am supposed to wait to take other meds. My question is: Does 1 hour make that much difference in the absorption rate of Armour? After taking the Armour, I do wait 3 hrs to take my next dose of pain meds, and 4 hours to take my other meds that I take every day. I'm sorry this is confusing.

Thanks,

~~Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

It is a conundrum.

It seems to be the only way you can fit it in whilst you are taking hydrocone, which it is said to have an affect on NDT. Otherwise sometime during your sleep which might not be practicable as you must be exhausted taking your last dose of Norco at midnight.

I don't know whether any of these are the ones you take:-

Hydro GP (guaifenesin / hydrocodone / phenylephrine)

Hydro-DP (diphenhydramine / hydrocodone / phenylephrine)

Hydro-PC II (chlorpheniramine / hydrocodone / phenylephrine)

Hydro-PC II Plus (chlorpheniramine / hydrocodone / phenylephrine)

Hydro-Tuss XP (guaifenesin / hydrocodone / pseudoephedrine)

drugs.com/drug-interactions...

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Shaws, I take 10 mg. of generic Norco. It has acetaminophen in it. The pill is a small white caplet with M367 imprinted on it. That is all the info I have.

Thanks again!

~~Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

This link says there is no interactions. What if you take Armour as soon as you wake and take Norco 7:1:7:1

drugs.com/interactions-chec...

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

I will try that, Shaws. Thanks a lot!

~~Susan

[shaws]

Don't do anything drastic re NDT before eliminating other things, like Clutter has suggested. If our hormones are 'out' sleep can be a problem.

1/2 grain is only equal to around 50mcg of levo so is small you might feel worse.

I hope you are able to settle down soon and feel better.

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Thanks, Shaws!

I will keep that in mind.

~~Susan

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Shaws, I do think you are right about the hydrocodone being the culprit. I had a CT scan which finally showed up 2 fractured discs. Now I am on 10 mgs. of hydrocodone, and am due to see neurosurgeon on Tues., Jan 26. I am having one heck of a time trying to schedule my Armour, though, due to taking hydro every 6 hours, 7,1,7, 1, 7 etc. What would you suggest I do?

Thanks so much. You and Clutter are so faithful to reply to my messages.

~~Susan

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

There's no problem taking Amour all in one dose when you get up. I have always taken whatever combination I'm on once a day and then forget about hypo.. Otherwise life revolves round medication etc. as you are doing at present. You can choose to take Armour when you get up and wait an hour before breakfast. Or at bedtime as long as you last ate about 2 to 2.5 hours before.

I will give you a link and go to the date December 9, 2003

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Go to date January 30, 2002

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

You will find this website of interest, I think. Some links within may not work as it is archived. Dr Lowe died two years ago and he was an Adviser to Thyroiduk.org.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[7989-- in reply to shaws]

Thanks again, Shaws. The articles you provided were helpful, but it does say to ask your doctor, so I will do that.

~~Susan

[7989-- in reply to 7989--]

Rather 2 fractured vertebrae instead of discs. Sorry!

[7989--]

BTW, I am back to taking 1 grain of Armour.

[shaws in reply to 7989--]

That seems quite a low dose but if you feel fine then it must be correct for you.