It would make an incredible horror movie. The plot: stunningly convince at least hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide that what has always been obvious, isn’t. That leaves only look green because of alien filters in your eyes. That ripe apples fall because water pulls them down. That fire doesn’t really burn your skin; it’s just your imagination.
And about hundred more schizophrenic ying yangs. Because if those in authority say so, it must be so.
But the horror movie is a reality, and I see it EVERY TIME I come into contact with people and the subject of my thyroid advocacy comes up.
Like today. A couple saw my book and struck up a conversation. She was on Synthroid; he was on Levoxyl. They had each been on their T4-only treatment for 12 and 14 years respectively, felt their hypo was perfectly treated, believed their doctors…and were now dealing with other problems: his rising cholesterol, her depression, his fatigue, and her weight gain. BUT OF COURSE, THOSE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR T4-ONLY TREATED HYPOTHYROID AND SOME OF IT IS THEIR OWN FAULT…leaves aren’t really green, water makes ripe apples fall, and fire doesn’t really burn.
It just struck me. And it’s struck me before. There’s just a LOT of SILENT SUCKERS walking around. I was one; my mother was one; and there are obviously millions out there, still walking around trying to live with the side effects of a treatment that their doctors say are NOT caused by their thyroid.
Sad.
(Has your cholesterol and other lipids improved since you switched to Armour and raised without using the TSH? Your story of success is welcome on the blog post below!)
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 6th, 2008 and is filed under Around the world, Patients. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Michelle said:
Jul 07, 08 at 5:52 amI have to totally agree with you about Synthroid. I had a thyroidectomy in Dec. of 07 and have dizziness, major body aches and pains, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain. I have told my doctors all along that it’s this medication but they will not listen. So I am trying a little experiment on myself. I take my Synthroid every other day this past week. On the days I don’t take it I feel great! On the days that I do I get all the symptoms back again. I did convince my doctor several months back to put me on Armour but I must be allergic to it as my tongue swelled twice it’s normal size.. So now I wonder what I should do?? I have bookmarked your site as we have a bulletin board full of people suffering with the same symptoms.. Thanks! Even if I cannot take Armour, I hope I can help others who can.
David J Michael said:
Jul 07, 08 at 10:38 amI’ve been over being a sucker for a long time now, but I’ll be damned if I can find an MD who’ll prescribe Armour or even Cytomel for me. The majority of the time when I visit a new doctor, I have to wait for two or three drug co. reps to see the doc before I can. I still go in to see him/her, but I already know what the response will be. I am beyond frustrated, I am really pissed off!
Darla said:
Jul 08, 08 at 9:53 pmMy cholesterol went up to 245 and stayed there the entire 20 awful years I took Synthroid. After 6 months of Armour my cholesterol was 194. The doc said my good cholesterol was exceptional.
lanette said:
Jul 12, 08 at 2:20 pmI have been on levothyroxine for 3 years. Every year I would tell docs I wanted off and was gaining weight. They told me I had to be on it for life and it does not cause weight gain. This last time I took in some printed material I found on the web. They looked back in my records and found out I was never supposed to be put on the stuff to start with. Now what……I quit taking it yesterday and will go see a specialist I guess
aprillv68 said:
Jul 13, 08 at 3:34 pmAfter nearly 2 years now of being on Armour, my cholesterol is 134 (from being 150-192 range) my triglycerides are 63 (from 169)and my TSH is quite supressed at 0.01.
Anna said:
Jul 14, 08 at 7:40 amI am so glad that I found this website! I have been on levothyroxine for 13years. I went to my Dr. about 5 months ago. Again asking to be put on Amour. He stated no and if my lab came back normal he would increase my anti-depressant! Well, my lab was sent to me. The Dr. wote on it “All within NORMAL Limits”. I never heard from the Drs office. I have to say that at that point I change Drs. Now on Amour, I have lots of energy, cholesterol not 273 but 184 now!Lost 14 pounds in one month. I found a Dr. that listens to me and not my lab. For everyone out there. KEEP SEARCHING FOR THE DR. THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU! I only went thru about 14 of them in the 13 year of hyporthyroid before I found the right one.
GO ARMOUR!
Jeanne Hixon said:
Jul 21, 08 at 5:55 amI personally know some people on synthetic thyroid meds. They are post menopausal—and have trouble with obesity, hair loss, energy levels, etc. One is a relative, and swears by her doctor—after all—in her mind, doctors are several notches above the pope on the infallibility scale!
It’s too bad. I want to say to the one lady where I used to work—you’re bald and fat and your thyroid meds make you “feel great”–huh?!?
It’s sad.
Laura said:
Jul 22, 08 at 5:15 pmMy elevated cholesterol had not responded to extreme changes in diet. Last May, after 5 years on a vegan oil-free diet, my cholesterol was 205. This May, after a year on Armour, it was 137. Thank you, Janie!
Margretto said:
Jul 26, 08 at 6:28 amMichelle,
It may be the fillers in the Armour that you are allergic to. I used to take armour but I switched to Naturthroid. It is the same drug with different fillers. I switched from armour because of the fillers, i.e. msg hidden in it. I wish you the best.
Lynn Cruse said:
Aug 04, 08 at 12:12 pmI had my thyroid removed due to graves disease in May ‘08. My doctor told me everything was normal at my first post surgery visit and my extra weight and depression would just fall away.
Needless to say, within 2 months I was practically suicidal and starving myself in order to die fat and tired. Also, no one mentioned this would kill my sex life.
I’m really lost right now.
Kathryn said:
Aug 11, 08 at 6:50 amAfter 18 months on Eltroxin – T4 only treatment my improved health started to nosedive. i began to feel cold again, feel tired, get heavy colds that went on for weeks and gain weight. I then also began to have pain in my arms and legs which has been diagniosed as Fibromyalgia.I have been asking for natural thyroid or at least a T4/3 combination for at least 3 years but keep being told that isn’t available in Thailand where I live. This last week I received your book “Stop the Thyroid Madness”. You can imagine my surprise when I found the name of the manufacturers of Natural Thyroid here!! So I contacted them and have been able to purchase a supply- my doctor finally agreed.Now I am going to write to a number of drs here till I find one who is more interested in learning with me about how to treatr my condition best. At the moment my cholesterol is high – about 240 so we shall see how that changes!
Kathryn Galliers said:
Aug 12, 08 at 4:09 pmHi this a first time for me. After being diagnosed with hpothyroidism I then changed to hperthyroidism and was told this was impossible however after a few yrs being treated for the over- active thyroid. I had radioactive iodine treatment twice. This then made my thyroid underactive again. I have had this condition now for almost 20 yrs I am currently 42. I have just recently found out that the shoulder problem I have is due to the thyroid problem. It was only as my husband was talking to a colleague in work that I became aware of the natural forms of medication and have to say I was a bit skeptical about this. However having spent almost 4 hrs this evening looking at different sites I have decided to see my doctor. I am fed up of the weight as I feel this is killing me. I have tried all ways to loose weight being told by past doctors I need to eat less and exercise more. I have not got a big appetite and never have. Although I went from 7 and half stone to ten stone at the beginning of the condition in the last 6 yrs my weight has increased to over 13 stone. I am only 5 feet tall and find it really depressing. After seeing this site and the comments I know feel hopeful that my problem can be sorted. Providing my doctor is sympathetic to my cause and is open minded about alternative treatment. Fingers cross.
Judy said:
Aug 13, 08 at 11:02 amI had been doing so well on the Armour. then in April the pharmicist started giving me Thyroid USP.
He said he cannot get Armour. I have gone to 4 different pharmacies trying to find our what is happening and no one knows anything. I have even written to the company and not a word. anyone out there hear anything?
cheryl said:
Aug 13, 08 at 12:10 pmDoes anyone know what these natural drugs are called here in Germany? Thanks!
gwen said:
Aug 15, 08 at 4:28 pmI am 51 years old. Up until a hysterectomy 5 years ago, I was active, peanut size, and in good health. Now, I have 3 nodules, with neck ache, shoulder ache, mild depression, no energy, hair falling out, gained 20 pounds so far. 4 months ago, my gyno put me on levothyroxine, said i would loose weight, feel like a new woman – B.S. Not happenin. In fact, I feel worse, have gained more weight. Am struggling to get through the day, and feel as though I have the flu. I go back to my gyno next week, for which I will start the long and exhausting process of trying to get a doctor on my insurance to prescribe a natural thyroid med. This is insane. Am not going to end up a soldier for the drug industry. Got to get some help or old age is not lookin’ too hot!
Nikki said:
Aug 16, 08 at 2:07 amJanie
I am developing a movement on another forum informing people of Armour. Unfortunately for me I had found out about Armour on my own and suffered nearly 5 yrs on T4 meds. I researched the heck out of hypothyroidism and one day banged into Armour not knowing another med even exsisted.
That stated my personal battle trying to get a doctor to Rx it to me.
Almost a year after finally getting on Armour I feel great. Bloating issues stopped – minimal anxiety – energy returning etc. Working on the nasty 20lbs I gained when told by the doc I was lazy! Then I found your site. Nice to have the reassurance that I made the right decision to switch meds.
I am however finding that the dosages are getting more difficut to get from the pharmacy. I think there needs to be a movement on thyroid forums to get this resolved with Forest Pharmacuticals and stop Abbott labs from their destruction of getting Forest to supply the meds. I need your help and advice on how we can team up together and stop this war on Armour. It saves lives – it’s the right med and hypothyroid patients deserve to lead normal lives too! We have enough to battle when we are hit with thyroid disease – we shouldn’t have to fight for our medication too!
Slowly I am moving this other forum into the understanding that they do not have to live sick just because their thyroids don’t work. It’s been great for me when people contact me and say I’ve saved there lives. Somehow we Leaders – need to team together to keep this med an option to treat!
Michele Mallet said:
Aug 18, 08 at 1:50 amIs there a way that I can post/share this to my Facebook Profile? Do you have a facebook group on Stopping The Thyroid Maddness? Thanks, Michele Mallet from Miami Taking Synthriod since I was 2 years old….So that’s would be 33 years…just recently switched to Armour Thyroid.
(From Janie: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35794027415)
Laurie said:
Aug 18, 08 at 7:26 amWhen I was 15 most of my thyroid was removed because of Graves’ Disease. Ever since then (I’m 51), I’ve been on a gradually increasing daily dose of Synthroid (200 mcg now). I’m 5′5″ and 260 lbs, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and thinning hair. I had heard about natural thyroid hormone a couple of years ago and asked my doctor but she said all the negative stuff you mentioned and wouldn’t prescribe it.
I need to find actual scientific studies showing all the wonderful results mentioned anecdotally here, so that I can march back in to my doctor’s office and demand a prescription for a natural thyroid hormone. After reading all this, I’m feeling a lot more determined to go find those studies!
Diana Cary said:
Aug 29, 08 at 7:13 amI am on Synthroid. I have fought and fought with my doctor concerning my thyroid condition. I am
going to “introduce” Armour to her and insist that she place me on it. If she doesn’t I will get another doctor. I have been on Synthroid since I was a teenager, now I am 62. I lose weight only if I eat NOTHING. But that is not healthy either. My cholesterol has been diagnosed as high and now I am on medicine for that. I am going to win this battle!
marydobek said:
Aug 29, 08 at 6:34 pmi hope armour works ..imsick of being tired dizzy and lightheaded
Carol diamond said:
Sep 09, 08 at 3:16 pmWas on Armour many years, with a minimal 0.1 TSH. Dr. claims it will damage my heart and bones to be so HYPER. Well, if this is hyper, I hate to see what hypo feels like. Said I would give T4 a try. OOPS. What is this balloon doing around my middle? Why does my hip hurt so much? Next visit will ask for a combo-I need T3. Oh, did I mention my cholesterol went from 225 to 295?
Lucero said:
Sep 11, 08 at 2:06 pmI have just found a doctor in my area that prescibes Armour and I hope to get an appointment soon. Have been on synthroid for 21 months now and 22 pounds heavier since I started. I have NEVER been overweight in my entire life. Yes, I consider this overweight as I am only 5′4, so three pounds of weight gain can be drastic. I am so sad my doctor wrote write it for me. And, Carol the “balloon around the middle” I’m right there with you. So awful, why don’t they believe us patients?
Helen said:
Oct 05, 08 at 6:59 pmI promised God I would tell everyone loud and long if I found somehting to help with hair loss. I am 50+ and have been steadily losing hair for 10 years. What a conicidence! I have been taking levothyrine for most of that time, synthroid just prior to that!
I am nearly 50 lbs overweight and have extremely thin hair!
I have worked all summer outside. Sweating like crazy and lost 4 lbs!!
Sooo….. when I had to have blood work done for a life insurance policy I apologized about the weight. The girl doing the check asked if I was on any thyroid? I told her I had been on Levy. for years. She was the one that broke it to me about the Armour, she used it and was happy with it AND was SKINNY! I called my Dr. and told him I wanted to try the Armour. I got the nurse and she wanted to know why I wanted to change??? I told her I was not losing any weight and was tired of having no hair!
So.. I have been on Armour for nearly 1 week. I don’t feel a whole lot different, but after reading this site I am more than a little excited!
THANKS to all for these posts! I am hoping for great results and will post some soon I hope!
HK
Karen said:
Oct 11, 08 at 7:10 pmAre these posts really true? I get to reading these posts only to doubt they are from REAL people.
I want to post with some questions, but afraid to.
Angela said:
Nov 03, 08 at 1:21 amI was put on levothyroxine about 11 months ago. I have told my doc I feel worse than when I started. I also had a blood pressure reading ogf 102 over 68 before I started and It is now 135 over 95. My doc will not prescribe armour, I’m afraid it is the levothyroxine causing this rise in blood pressure infact I’m sure it is. I have always had low or normal low bp until now. I have Hashimotos.
Kathie Wind said:
Nov 15, 08 at 2:07 pmI had a thyroidectomy in January 2007. Was told I had cancer, but did not. Been taking Levothyroine ever since. I also took Cytomel for a while. I have gained nearly 40 pounds, am tired all the time and ache all over and am depressed. Also I developed high blood pressure and am taking medication for this. I was really glad to find this website. I will be asking my Dr. about amour.
Angie said:
Dec 17, 08 at 11:38 amMy doc does prescribe Armour, although he says only a handful of his patients take it. I have Hashimoto, and was hoping to “fix” myself through Chinese Medicine practitioner. I feel like crap, and don’t know how much longer I can hold out from taking the prescriptions. My doctor is Mark Stesin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. If that helps anyone.
Amy Hobitz said:
Dec 19, 08 at 7:51 amI know this was posted a while ago, but for the lady that asked what natural thyroid is called in Germany, one brand is called Thyreogland.
I just started my first dose of it today, after levothyroxine has made me feel like I would rather die than live on!
Thyreogland is hard to find, however a pharmacy in Munchen (Munich) sells it, Kloesterl Apoteke, Waltherstrasse, 80337 Muenchen. Phone: 089 54343211. I hope it’s okay to put their info here!!
Good luck!!
debra said:
Jan 08, 09 at 1:00 pmYes, Karen – we are real people with thryoid disease that have learned the only way to treat it is through symptoms. For over 10 years I had no quality in my life while being treated with Synthroid. I went from doc to doc trying to find an answer. I finally found a doc that recommended Armour and it changed my life. I felt 20 years younger; I could focus, I regained a reasonable weight, I have energy, my hair stopped falling out, I was finally warm again and the life came back into my being. I since have had to switch to another doc when mine left the area, and I told him that I could only take Armour and he works with me to self-regulate based on symptoms. I am “low” according to the lab tests, but I feel great and have been statically low for years, even before the test levels were re-evaulated and lowered a few years ago. Please trust me when I tell you that the best way to treat hypothyroidism is by symptoms, not lab tests. You have to be willing to listen to your body, record how you feel, and take an active part in your health. Sometimes it seems like a tough row to hoe, but believe me, it is worth it to feel like yourself again instead of a shell of who you used to be!
Gina said:
Jan 15, 09 at 1:22 pmWell, my doctor reluctantly prescribed Armour for me I think in April of 08. My TSH then was 3.43, T4 5.5 and T3 94.9 As of 12/10/08 it is now TSH 1.44 T4 5.1 and T3 a whopping 192.
I was told by a pharmacist that I was doing a lot of things wrong. First I was taking it on an empty stomach but I then would drink barley and beet juice, followed by fruit. He said not to eat for at least an hour after taking the Armour. Also that cruciferous veggies blocked the Armour. I had been eating spinach with every meal and taking kelp also. So since 12/10 have been doing as he said. I then heard from my doctor that she wants me to come off Armour and to take the dreaded Synthroid!! She had me tested again and as soon as I get the results I’ll post them here. I found online, conflicting advice. One idea is to take a little T4 with my Armour, the other to stop the Armour right away! I’m so confused! I live near Mexico and could try to get it there w/o a prescription. Who can I turn to medically here in Yuma AZ? I know now that my T3 of 345 had gone down to 294 as of 10/09. I also have high Cholesterol,(with Armour has now lowered from 345 to 294.) osteopaenia, and Arrythmia, all of which can be attributed to my low thyroid. Why did my doctor not figure that out? She wanted me on Fosamex and Lipitor instead. I refused. So now I want my thyroid corrected to help with all those issues!
Gina said:
Jan 15, 09 at 6:07 pmI re-read my previous reply and noticed I said that my T3 of 345 had gone down to 294 as of 10/09… I of course was referring to my cholesterol not my T3 which has gone from 94.9 to 192 in 8 months.
Chopsy said:
Jan 28, 09 at 4:10 pmHi
I have an appt. with my doc here in the UK who wants to berate me about my cholesterol levels again. I have point blank refused to take statins (google The Great Cholesterol con if you want to know why). I am on 175mcg a day of levothyroxine and I KNOW the 20lbs I have put on in the two years I have been taking it are down to the medication – although my endo doesn’t agree with me and thinks I need anti-depressants.
So, I am about to have another pointless conversation where I try and explain that, whether my blood tests suggested I am on ‘adequate replacement’ or not, I believe my cholesterol is still high because I am on the wrong medication.
I have taken reams of evidence to my doc and Endo regarding T3 and Armor but nobody will listen. Can anyone recommend a private GP in the southwest of England?
wildbill562 said:
Mar 10, 09 at 11:58 pmI had been on Synthroid for 2-3 years and felt increasingly fatigued and overweight. Then I signed up for Dr. Brownstein’s newsletter http://www.drbrownstein.com and he sent me 3 books as part of the deal. One of them was Overcoming Thyroid Disorders. It was a revelation. Here is current promo: http://w3.newsmax.com/newsletters/brownstein/thyroid2.cfm?s=al&promo_code=7A93-1
That’s when the war began with my VA doctor. She sent me to Bay Pines VA Hospital to talk to the endocrinologist. He laughed at me for wanting to “take a giant step backwards in time” and try Armour thyroid. So I searched online for a holistic doctor in Palm Harbor, FL and found Dr. Edward Pearson. The first time I met him and related my story, he wrote me a scrip for Armour thyroid – no problem. He also recommended the 6 week detox program, which I did starting 12/22/08. I lost 22 lbs and feel better. I just joined Snap Fitness and will begin working with a personal trainer on Friday. Good luck to every one in your struggle to find proper medical and nutritional care.
Wolffie57 said:
Apr 01, 09 at 11:05 pmI just recently found out that I have an underactive thyroid. wondered why I gained so much weight and was always depressed and going thru menopause like a bad nightmare. WOW I am not dealing with this very good. so I have done alot of research and I am treating myself with all natural vitamins !!! So far I am getting some relief BUT not enough yet. so i am in the process of trying some other vitamins, and hopefully this will help. Time will tell.
MISHA said:
Apr 07, 09 at 7:43 pmI am 26 yr old female, had a partial thyroidectomy (50%) and was put on 0.50 mcg synthroid. I gained 10 Kgs in a year!!! Painful gas, feel horrible, my clothes don’t fit. I am over 75kgs and very distressed!!! When I don’t take the medicine, I tend to deflate. when I get my periods I also tend to deflate! I feel heavy and ugly and I cant wear anything.
Jill said:
May 12, 09 at 2:34 pmHi there,
I’m confused. The last time I had my blood drawn, my T3 and T4 levels came back fine. But my T4 uptake was high, which my doctor believed was an indicator that I had plenty of T4 and was converted it to T3 well enough. My problem might be an absorption problem he thought. In ansy case, he didn’t think Amour was a good option for me, since I am converting to T3 just fine. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Raven said:
May 31, 09 at 8:57 pmI highly recommend Dr. Philip Zbylot in Austin, Texas. He is very knowledgeable about thyroid disorders. His website is http://www.doctorzmd.com. I hope this helps! I, too, have had a nightmare experience with Synthroid. I’ve gained almost 60 pounds in the last four years since I had my thyroid removed. I never had a weight problem before. Sigh. I’ve had great results with Armour, but no longer take it because it’s not strong enough. I recently switched to Naturthroid. I feel much better already. FYI – you can get the medication much cheaper at http://www.womensinternationalpharmacy.com. Hope this helps!
Joyce said:
Aug 13, 09 at 8:27 amI’ve also put on 28 pounds of weight before being diagnosed as hypothyroid. Never had a weight problem in my life before. After 5 years on levothyroxine and currently taking 200mg per day my doctor has finally listened to my concerns over my weight and prescribed orlistat (zenical). I am hopeful that this will do the trick and apart from my lack of sex drive and excess weight I have felt well on thyroxine but did find the comments about Armour interesting. Not sure if this can be prescribed here in the UK though.
From Janie: Joyce, for thought, understand that having weight gain (common with being on T4) and a lack of sex drive (common being on T4) does not equate to doing well on T4, even if you feel well. There are going to be more problems crop up, as well. Yes, you can get desiccated thyroid prescribed in the UK. It’s just a bit harder. If you want to pursue this further, use this page: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/talk-to-others)
Matt said:
Sep 23, 09 at 7:57 amBe careful people. I don’t have all the answers. I’ve read all the books, no one has all the answers. The patterns, the dosages, the different meds, its still a mystery. I’ve been on Synthroid for years, have always had a TSH around 5. I’ve felt normal except had trouble losing weight (I’m very active and try to eat according to the Zone diet). I tried switching to Armour and it didn’t make me feel much different. But right after starting it, my thyroid started getting nodules and started feeling uncomfortable. I’m back on Synthroid, my thyroid finally stopped hurting after 3 months. I encourage everyone to try whatever they think is best. Find a physician that is willing to work with you. Most endocrinologists are a complete waste of your time. If you find a good one, excellent stick with them. Also get your levels checked often (every couple months) and keep a record for yourself of every test, test result, med level and how you feel. You may be able to spot patterns of figure out where you feel best.
(From Janie: Hi Matt. There are definitely some who do better than others on T4. You could be one. But your weight issue is from being on T4, and if you don’t already have other issues not yet noticed, they’ll creep up on you. Perhaps your experience with Armour has an answer here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mistakes-patients-make Also, if you tried the newly formulated Armour, that was causing most people problems.)
Danelle said:
Nov 12, 09 at 11:28 pmI have Hypothroidism, and I have already been to about 5 doctors! I am only 22, and in the past year I have gained over 100 pounds! I hate myself, and my Husband is having a hard time. My kids who are 18 months and 4 years old, can tell that I am having problems with depression. I want my old life back! I want my kids to see that I really do love them and being around them. I am going to search for a doctor that will give me Armour! I am going to get my family back! Thank you all!!
Karen said:
Mar 06, 10 at 5:42 pmI have been on 100mg synthroid for 12 months. I am 36 years old and have been active my whole life. In 2008 I gained 15 lbs in 4 months and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Without medication, I lost 7 lbs through a strict exercise routine in 5 weeks. I was prescribed synthroid and gained all 7 lbs back and haven’t been able to lose the weight at all. I truly believe this medication causes weight gain. The doctor said there are “no side effects of synthroid”. Are you kidding me? This is an awful drug and causes severe water retention in the abdomen. I stopped taking this medication today, as I have an appointment with a new doctor in two months. Nothing is worth bloating and depression which is caused by a medication!