Do you chew your Armour?

embclark

I keep seeing this suggestion... But I gag really easy and so I haven't tried doing this.

How many people out there chew their Armour Thyroid. I do take it twice a day, my doctor thought I was weird because I asked him if I could do this and then even the pharmacist thought it was weird that my prescription said to do this. Anyone else take their dose twice a day?

moopity

Thank you for asking this question! It's something that is a real issue for thyroid patients, especially those taking Armour -- obviously

Prior to 2009, when Armour ruined my life and changed the formula, I used to chew my Armour. My levels were PERFECT.

But then, well after Armour changed the formula, I fell into a serious hypothyroid state. Couldn't get out of bed for months. Never occurred to me that it was my thyroid, since my levels had been perfect for years.

So, to answer your question, I don't currently chew my Armour, but this is only because my endocrinologist practically had a heart attack when I told her I still chewed it. So now I don't chew it, but I wonder if I should. My levels are all messed up. My TSH is suppressed, suggesting hyperthyroid, BUT my T3 and T4 are low, suggesting I'm hypothyroid. There are so many differing opinions on what to do with these levels. Some docs say to switch to T4 only and lower the medication. My internist says to increase the Armour and to chew if I want, but then I'll be ingesting more and that could put me into a thyroid storm.

IT's complicated. I could go on with the doctor's opinions. It seems to never end.

Have you had different readings when you were chewing/not chewing? How long have you been on Armour?

HAve you heard of Erfa? It hails from Canada and, from what I've heard, seems to be the closest formulation to the old Armour.

WOuld love to hear your thoughts...

Thanks,
M

kimimila86

Thank you for asking this question! It's something that is a real issue for thyroid patients, especially those taking Armour -- obviously

Prior to 2009, when Armour ruined my life and changed the formula, I used to chew my Armour. My levels were PERFECT.

But then, well after Armour changed the formula, I fell into a serious hypothyroid state. Couldn't get out of bed for months. Never occurred to me that it was my thyroid, since my levels had been perfect for years.

So, to answer your question, I don't currently chew my Armour, but this is only because my endocrinologist practically had a heart attack when I told her I still chewed it. So now I don't chew it, but I wonder if I should. My levels are all messed up. My TSH is suppressed, suggesting hyperthyroid, BUT my T3 and T4 are low, suggesting I'm hypothyroid. There are so many differing opinions on what to do with these levels. Some docs say to switch to T4 only and lower the medication. My internist says to increase the Armour and to chew if I want, but then I'll be ingesting more and that could put me into a thyroid storm.

IT's complicated. I could go on with the doctor's opinions. It seems to never end.

Have you had different readings when you were chewing/not chewing? How long have you been on Armour?

HAve you heard of Erfa? It hails from Canada and, from what I've heard, seems to be the closest formulation to the old Armour.

WOuld love to hear your thoughts...

Thanks,
M

Did your doctor mention that perhaps it's your pituitary that's the problem and not your thyroid? Just curious because my doctor mentioned that with how all-over I've been with my TSH that it could be my pituitary that's out of whack. Not sure what the treatment is there...

But I was on Armour for about 6 months and it really didn't do anything for me. I never heard of chewing the pill! I've since switched to Nature-Throid and I feel ok... about to go in for my 6 month check up to see what my free t3 and TSH say about it.

moopity

My doctor considered the pituitary, but because last spring my TSH dropped to 20, she said that meant I don't have a pituitary problem. She may, of course, be wrong. If my TSH doesn't simmer down, we'll have to look more into it.

Also, my growth hormone is "perfect" and a little on the high level. It's four points over where it should be. My doctor said "That's what I want MY growth hormone to be, so stop worrying." If pituitary was off, it could adversely affect pituitary hormones like growth hormone.

bethanylaugh

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/2010/04/25/how-to-make-reformulated-armour-and-naturethroid-work/

embclark

Well, I started chewing today! We'll see if I am less tired in a few weeks!

jroseonline

this is interesting to me... i take armour and recently my doc lowered my dosage from 90mcg/3days aweek and 60mcg on the other days. Now i'm on daily 60mcg for the last 2 months and i feel some of my hypo symptoms coming back. I don't see him until June 25th. So i'm kind of curious, what does chewing them do for you?

tecallahan

YES!! I chew it!! Have a big glass of water there and get it all rinsed down. It's not too bad.

tecallahan

the reformulated Armour has some fillers in it -- so the theory is that chewing it breaks down those fillers and allows the NDT to be more effectively absorbed. It actually starts to absorb a little in your mouth -- as happens with sub-lingual medications.

TXBelle1174

I posted a question about Armour on the main forum and someone suggested I chew it rather than swallow whole. I have only been on it (switched from Levothyroxine) for a couple of days. I take about 1/4 tsp (if even that much) of honey and chew it up with that and then rinse down with a glass of water.

moejo3

I chew mine I take two as soon as I get up and 2 more at 10 am or so...on alternating days I take 1 or 2 more in the afternoon. I am doing much better on Armour now it took several weeks (as I was really sick) to get everything straight.

embclark

UPDATE: I don't know if this is related to the chewing, but the past 3 or 4 nights I have had no problem whatsoever sleeping and have slept through the night and woken up easier as well! This is huge for me, I usually stay up about an hour later then my husband and then lay there string at something and am then super hard to wake up in the am. I also would wake 2 or 3 times each night to readjust or pee...

Now I fall asleep atleast an hour before my husband and sleep like a baby! I hope this is due to chewing the armour and that it keeps happening!

tecallahan

UPDATE: I don't know if this is related to the chewing, but the past 3 or 4 nights I have had no problem whatsoever sleeping and have slept through the night and woken up easier as well! This is huge for me, I usually stay up about an hour later then my husband and then lay there string at something and am then super hard to wake up in the am. I also would wake 2 or 3 times each night to readjust or pee...

Now I fall asleep atleast an hour before my husband and sleep like a baby! I hope this is due to chewing the armour and that it keeps happening!

AWESOME!! Insomnia is a big symptom of hypo -- this could mean that your thyroid is optimized!! I still have insomnia, but I have other issues... like getting old! :-)

SweatpantsRebellion

I chew my Armour and I divide my dose into two portions, one morning dose and one mid afternoon. It helps with the afternoon slump.

embclark

I am also doing am and pm doses. My doctor looked at me funny when I suggested this, but was fine with trying it. I didn't ask him about the chewing though, but it will be a few months before I go back and I would LOVE to tell him how great things are by then! And hopefully I will have lost these last 10-15 pounds as well. Heck, I only need to lose like 5 to have a "healthy" BMI. That in itself will be exciting to report back with!

mitch64622

I chew my Synthroid because I can't swallow pills. It has a sweet taste to it so I don't mind. However, I am looking to switch to Armour and I am wondering if it tastes the same. Does anyone have any experience chewing both and seeing a difference in taste? Is it the same size pill? Thanks!

CSARdiver

Chew, swallow - it doesn't matter. The dosage is in micrograms and unless you have a severe lack of digestive acids in your stomach it is not going to have a physiological impact.

Do whatever you need to do to get it in your belly.

LauraCoth

embclark wrote: »

I am also doing am and pm doses. My doctor looked at me funny when I suggested this, but was fine with trying it. I didn't ask him about the chewing though, but it will be a few months before I go back and I would LOVE to tell him how great things are by then! And hopefully I will have lost these last 10-15 pounds as well. Heck, I only need to lose like 5 to have a "healthy" BMI. That in itself will be exciting to report back with!

If I take all of my NDT in the morning, I don't sleep after a few weeks. I might get 3 hours of badly interrupted sleep. If I take it in 2 doses, the second one around 3 pm, I sleep quite well.