Valerie’s story is profound, having been on Armour, taken off, then suffering with heart disease and more. Her life changed dramatically when she was able to return to T3 in her treatment with adequate adrenal support.
(Note that this occurred before Armour was reformulated in 2009. Patients now need to chew it up to release the desiccated thyroid from the excess cellulose)
Part 1: Actually I was started on Armour when I was 19 years old & first diagnosed. It was an older D.O. in Texas that put me on it and I was adjusted to 3 grains a day by my symptoms and felt good!
Then about 3 years later the old doc died and I went to another one that told me about Synthroid and how much better it was…. He said that Armour was obsolete and refused to prescribe it for me. I should have RUN but I was dumb then. Even though I felt fine on the Armour, he switched me, and I have not felt right since.
But in that time while I was trying to feel decent on Synthroid, I also was working as a pet groomer with all kinds of nasty insecticides that we were told were perfectly safe! Malathion, Senin Dust, and Dursban. I was hospitalized for Dursban poisoning. The doctor then told me I would always have it in my system as it never leaves. Any slight contact for the rest of my life could mean OD. I believe this has led to my current problems adjusting meds and a T3 resistance.
It was about 5 – 6 years ago I started needling doctors to put me back on Armour. After all, I USED to feel great on it. But they dicked around and never gave me enough to even come close to good health. I had been put back on Synthroid when my blood pressure shot up and my legs swelled ot the point of almost crippling me. THAT (after about 4 – 5 more doctors doing NOTHING) was when I took my meds into my own hands. I had even been told over the years that Armour was no longer being made! They were so against prescribing it, and I asked EVERY doctor I went to for it as I had felt so good on it before.
Part 2: This is an update to my first report. In the last 7 years I have gone from horribly high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, Pneumonia 3 times a year, constant Bronchitis, and legs so swollen I could barely walk to being a self-efficient, normal blood pressure, business owner. No more symptoms of congestive heart failure, and the only time I have any leg swelling at all is when I miss a dose of Armour. My latest labs, done on my own from Canary Club are saliva testing. and they showed me to be just about where I want to be. The only things I need to change are lowering my Free T4 a tiny bit and raising my Free T3 a tiny bit. NORMAL TSH on 7 grains Armour with 37.5 mcg Cytomel (thyroid hormone resistant) and 20MG Hydrocortisone. I would most likely have been dead by now if not for Armour!
