Comments on: Behind the Disappearance of Armour Thyroid http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=armour-thyroid-disappeared Metabolism, weight loss, diabetes, thyroid and more. Join the experts! Tue, 22 May 2012 00:59:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Suzy http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-16570 Suzy Thu, 12 Apr 2012 03:53:09 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-16570 Thank you, Brenda! I plan to keep that information and use it! I also plan to start looking for another dessicated thyroid source, because I'm tired of dealing with this issue of needing a prescription for something that helps when there are more dangerous things at the local drugstore that anyone can purchase without one! Makes me wonder if I need to hook up with a local organic pig farmer and get thyroids and desiccate them myself! Shees! It's very frustrating! Thank you, Brenda! I plan to keep that information and use it!
I also plan to start looking for another dessicated thyroid source, because I’m tired of dealing with this issue of needing a prescription for something that helps when there are more dangerous things at the local drugstore that anyone can purchase without one!
Makes me wonder if I need to hook up with a local organic pig farmer and get thyroids and desiccate them myself! Shees!
It’s very frustrating!

]]> By: Brenda http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-15026 Brenda Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:20:46 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-15026 You don't have to go to your PCP for the blood tests. Just order them yourself and get them delivered to your email and send them to your DO. Generally, buying direct is cheaper than paying 20% through your doctor. It's amazing all the markups because each person in the chain marks it up. Just search on "online lab tests" and you'll find a bunch of them. They all use the largest lab in the country (Labcorp) with a zillion locations, but they compete against each other for packages and pricing. You can get the TSH, Free t3 and T4 for under $70 (all the online providers has coupon codes -- take 10 to 15% off the online price). In fact, you can get probably every test your DO is asking for annually in a package dirt cheap! And if he writes it down what he wants for you with a diagnosis, you can submit it to your insurance company! For example, you can get TSH, the free's, plus full spectrum of annual tests including CBC, lipids, liver, kidney (chem 26) , AND ferritin for less than $135 (enter STTM10 to get 10% off) from one of the vendors (Healthcheck USA). I shop all the vendors to see where I get the best price (some are good in one area and bad in another). I tell my Doctors I only order routine tests myself because I refuse to pay the markup (which is the real problem with the Health care system) and then I get it in my email -- usually the next morning, and fax or email it to them. It give me more control and ensures that I see the labs first so I can research and questions before I talk to them. Don't put up with the nonsense -- You're in charge :). You don’t have to go to your PCP for the blood tests. Just order them yourself and get them delivered to your email and send them to your DO. Generally, buying direct is cheaper than paying 20% through your doctor. It’s amazing all the markups because each person in the chain marks it up. Just search on “online lab tests” and you’ll find a bunch of them. They all use the largest lab in the country (Labcorp) with a zillion locations, but they compete against each other for packages and pricing. You can get the TSH, Free t3 and T4 for under $70 (all the online providers has coupon codes — take 10 to 15% off the online price). In fact, you can get probably every test your DO is asking for annually in a package dirt cheap! And if he writes it down what he wants for you with a diagnosis, you can submit it to your insurance company! For example, you can get TSH, the free’s, plus full spectrum of annual tests including CBC, lipids, liver, kidney (chem 26) , AND ferritin for less than $135 (enter STTM10 to get 10% off) from one of the vendors (Healthcheck USA). I shop all the vendors to see where I get the best price (some are good in one area and bad in another). I tell my Doctors I only order routine tests myself because I refuse to pay the markup (which is the real problem with the Health care system) and then I get it in my email — usually the next morning, and fax or email it to them. It give me more control and ensures that I see the labs first so I can research and questions before I talk to them. Don’t put up with the nonsense — You’re in charge :) .

]]> By: Suzy http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-14261 Suzy Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:53:12 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-14261 This is a great thread and I have read through all the posts, recognizing my story in many of them, and my frustration in almost all of them! I am just about at the end of my rope in waiting for doctors and politicians to have the first and final say about what is okay for me to do with my health and my own body. Yes, I know that medications can be abused and that we should all be careful. But, I also know that there are OTC medications that can be abused and we should all be careful! (In fact, I refuse to USE OTC medications, instead I prefer to use natural remedies and they work wonderfully without side effects. Of course, I do a LOT of research and study about it. What I'm NOT finding in that research and study is an adequate replacement for Armour!) I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's back in 2005 or so, but not until I pushed for it! At the first appointment with my PCP about it, I handed her a brochure about thyroid dis-ease and had checked off 23 of 25 symptoms indicating I had something going on with my thyroid. She did tests (the usual, uninformative tests) and sent me a note in the mail saying "all normal." I had to call her office and make another appointment, and asked her to run more tests. (I had looked up info online and knew that the standard didn't tell us diddly.) She still sent me a note in the mail telling me, "All normal." Then I asked for the lab work to be faxed to me. EVEN *I* could tell all was not normal. My antibodies were elevated. When I returned, I told her I KNEW all was not "Normal" and she said, "I don't know what else to do." I said, "Well, can refer me to someone who DOES?" She referred me to an endocrinologist who said, "I can take one LOOK at you and tell you have a thyroid issue." GREAT, I thought! Finally! Oops! She was a Synthroid pusher! She started me on that horrible medication and not only did I NOT feel any better, but my heart started having problems! When I researched, I asked to be switched to Thyrolar, for the T3/T4. That was better, definitely... still not perfect. When I finally dumped the endo and PCP, who were pretty clueless, and saw a naturopath, he suggested Armour. I was a pretty staunch vegan then and resisted. After two years of conscious-wrangling, I decided to give it a go and my life completely changed. I had more energy, my hair stopped falling out (which was quite a relief, since my hair is down past my waist and I didn't want to cut it!), I slept better, and I could finally get some benefit from all the exercising I was doing to drop the extra 30 pounds that seemed to suddenly appear when my thyroid problems started, despite the fact that my diet hadn't changed! Unfortunately, the naturopath was an hour away and had to be paid for all out of pocket, so I kept searching for a doctor closer to me. When I found a DO who was up on things, I switched over to him. He is great, but my pointless insurance doesn't pay for him either and he wants blood tests every year that my pointless insurance also won't pay for because this DO is not on their approved list. So, I had to do all sorts of maneuvering... make an appointment with that first PCP, ask her to do all the tests that the DO asked for (without making her suspicious that I was doing it for another doctor because I didn't trust her judgment), then get the test results faxed to me, and then I had to fax them to the DO. I had to do that EVERY year. AND I had to argue with both doctors that I don't CARE what the lab work says (within reason, of course)... if I am going to do what they suggest, then I need to feel well, and if I don't feel well, then what they are suggesting isn't working! So, we have to agree to go by how I FEEL, not what the numbers on a piece of paper say! On top of that, I went through all the other stuff... US has Armour... US is out of Armour... US reformulates Armour... now Armour doesn't work as well... US is out of Armour again! I finally found the Canadian solution (using CrossBorderPharmacy) and started getting a six-month supply at a fraction of the cost I had BEEN paying, AND all without even driving to a pharmacy! ((I also eliminated wheat, dairy and corn from my diet, and happily my dosage requirements went down. )) However, this year I got a letter from that PCP stating she'll be moving and isn't seeing patients anymore! You mean I have to start this crazy process all over again??? For crying out loud! Why in the world do I need the APPROVAL and authorization by and from someone else to know what I need to do for my health?? I can drink myself to death if I want... I can smoke myself to death if I want... I can eat processed junk food until my liver explodes if I want... I can drive my car into a tree if I want*... but I can't decide for myself whether or not to take a natural supplement at the dose that FEELS right to me??? (*Not that I would do any of those things!) I'm ready to find another resource for this, and I'm interested in anyone else's ideas about how to do that! This is a great thread and I have read through all the posts, recognizing my story in many of them, and my frustration in almost all of them!

I am just about at the end of my rope in waiting for doctors and politicians to have the first and final say about what is okay for me to do with my health and my own body.

Yes, I know that medications can be abused and that we should all be careful. But, I also know that there are OTC medications that can be abused and we should all be careful! (In fact, I refuse to USE OTC medications, instead I prefer to use natural remedies and they work wonderfully without side effects. Of course, I do a LOT of research and study about it. What I’m NOT finding in that research and study is an adequate replacement for Armour!)

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s back in 2005 or so, but not until I pushed for it! At the first appointment with my PCP about it, I handed her a brochure about thyroid dis-ease and had checked off 23 of 25 symptoms indicating I had something going on with my thyroid. She did tests (the usual, uninformative tests) and sent me a note in the mail saying “all normal.”
I had to call her office and make another appointment, and asked her to run more tests. (I had looked up info online and knew that the standard didn’t tell us diddly.)
She still sent me a note in the mail telling me, “All normal.”
Then I asked for the lab work to be faxed to me.
EVEN *I* could tell all was not normal. My antibodies were elevated.
When I returned, I told her I KNEW all was not “Normal” and she said, “I don’t know what else to do.”
I said, “Well, can refer me to someone who DOES?”

She referred me to an endocrinologist who said, “I can take one LOOK at you and tell you have a thyroid issue.”
GREAT, I thought! Finally!

Oops! She was a Synthroid pusher! She started me on that horrible medication and not only did I NOT feel any better, but my heart started having problems!
When I researched, I asked to be switched to Thyrolar, for the T3/T4. That was better, definitely… still not perfect.

When I finally dumped the endo and PCP, who were pretty clueless, and saw a naturopath, he suggested Armour. I was a pretty staunch vegan then and resisted. After two years of conscious-wrangling, I decided to give it a go and my life completely changed. I had more energy, my hair stopped falling out (which was quite a relief, since my hair is down past my waist and I didn’t want to cut it!), I slept better, and I could finally get some benefit from all the exercising I was doing to drop the extra 30 pounds that seemed to suddenly appear when my thyroid problems started, despite the fact that my diet hadn’t changed!
Unfortunately, the naturopath was an hour away and had to be paid for all out of pocket, so I kept searching for a doctor closer to me. When I found a DO who was up on things, I switched over to him. He is great, but my pointless insurance doesn’t pay for him either and he wants blood tests every year that my pointless insurance also won’t pay for because this DO is not on their approved list.
So, I had to do all sorts of maneuvering… make an appointment with that first PCP, ask her to do all the tests that the DO asked for (without making her suspicious that I was doing it for another doctor because I didn’t trust her judgment), then get the test results faxed to me, and then I had to fax them to the DO. I had to do that EVERY year. AND I had to argue with both doctors that I don’t CARE what the lab work says (within reason, of course)… if I am going to do what they suggest, then I need to feel well, and if I don’t feel well, then what they are suggesting isn’t working! So, we have to agree to go by how I FEEL, not what the numbers on a piece of paper say!
On top of that, I went through all the other stuff… US has Armour… US is out of Armour… US reformulates Armour… now Armour doesn’t work as well… US is out of Armour again! I finally found the Canadian solution (using CrossBorderPharmacy) and started getting a six-month supply at a fraction of the cost I had BEEN paying, AND all without even driving to a pharmacy! ((I also eliminated wheat, dairy and corn from my diet, and happily my dosage requirements went down. ))
However, this year I got a letter from that PCP stating she’ll be moving and isn’t seeing patients anymore!
You mean I have to start this crazy process all over again??? For crying out loud! Why in the world do I need the APPROVAL and authorization by and from someone else to know what I need to do for my health??
I can drink myself to death if I want… I can smoke myself to death if I want… I can eat processed junk food until my liver explodes if I want… I can drive my car into a tree if I want*… but I can’t decide for myself whether or not to take a natural supplement at the dose that FEELS right to me???
(*Not that I would do any of those things!)

I’m ready to find another resource for this, and I’m interested in anyone else’s ideas about how to do that!

]]> By: Aleta http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-14258 Aleta Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:13:19 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-14258 Just be aware that the FDA is trying to stop its' citizens from getting prescriptions filled from other country's...they want to protect us. Always have a back up plan... Just be aware that the FDA is trying to stop its’ citizens from getting prescriptions filled from other country’s…they want to protect us. Always have a back up plan…

]]> By: TL http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-14246 TL Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:22:33 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-14246 I haven't had any problems getting the new Armour since supplies picked up, but I have had some weird things going on with my body. Just wondering if anyone else has had any? Things like, more than normal hair loss, weird sensations of the tongue. Let me know if any of you have experienced any thing unusual after taking the new "paper filler" Armour. Thanks TL I haven’t had any problems getting the new Armour since supplies picked up, but I have had some weird things going on with my body. Just wondering if anyone else has had any? Things like, more than normal hair loss, weird sensations of the tongue. Let me know if any of you have experienced any thing unusual after taking the new “paper filler” Armour.
Thanks
TL

]]> By: Aleta http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-14245 Aleta Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:15:47 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-14245 There are alternatives folks, don't panic. If you have access to a compounding pharmacy they will make it up for you. I did when Forrest Lab went thru reformulation for whatever reason. There is also Nature Throid which I have now been on for several years. Medco, a mail in pharmacy offers a 90 day supply really cheap $9.00 with my plan. This year I have Primemail which is more expensive at $30.00 for 3 months, but still very reasonable. The manufacturer is RLC Labs. Check it out there is help out there. There are alternatives folks, don’t panic. If you have access to a compounding pharmacy they will make it up for you. I did when Forrest Lab went thru reformulation for whatever reason. There is also Nature Throid which I have now been on for several years. Medco, a mail in pharmacy offers a 90 day supply really cheap $9.00 with my plan. This year I have Primemail which is more expensive at $30.00 for 3 months, but still very reasonable. The manufacturer is RLC Labs. Check it out there is help out there.

]]> By: Pat Hemphill http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-14244 Pat Hemphill Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:26:28 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-14244 Hi....you can now get desiccated pigs thyroid from Erfa Laboratories in Canada. The product is called simply 'Thyroid' and is exactly the same as Armour......so help is at hand at last. Hurray, the FDA has no say on the Canadian product. My belief is that the Pharmacuetical companies are so very powerful in the US, that they did not want to see their synthetic meds lose market share....so they forced Forest Labs (through the FDA) to stop producing Armour....! Who thinks the same? Hi….you can now get desiccated pigs thyroid from Erfa Laboratories in Canada. The product is called simply ‘Thyroid’ and is exactly the same as Armour……so help is at hand at last. Hurray, the FDA has no say on the Canadian product. My belief is that the Pharmacuetical companies are so very powerful in the US, that they did not want to see their synthetic meds lose market share….so they forced Forest Labs (through the FDA) to stop producing Armour….! Who thinks the same?

]]> By: Cindy http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-9044 Cindy Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:28:07 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-9044 There was an article written and published in the Readers Digest telling about FDA scientists who own stock in pharmaceutical companies. There are also the representatives from these companies that make regular stops at all clinics to get their drugs sold by the Doctor. If we don't believe there are gifts, trips, and free samples, we are fooling ourselves. It is indeed all about money. Not just what is going into the pockets of doctors, but the people that decide which drugs will be approved or not. I am currently taking Levothyroxine and the generic form of Cytomel. It is better, but is going to be very expensive when my insurance runs out. There are ways to buy thyroid drugs online, but they want too much personal information, such as the last six digits of SS#, birth dates and so forth. i would not be too difficult to rob identities with this information. The best suggestion if to find a reliable overseas pharmacy that does not require an prescription and just treat ourselves. After all it is exceedingly difficult to get properly treated by any main stream doctor. There was an article written and published in the Readers Digest telling about FDA scientists who own stock in pharmaceutical companies. There are also the representatives from these companies that make regular stops at all clinics to get their drugs sold by the Doctor. If we don’t believe there are gifts, trips, and free samples, we are fooling ourselves. It is indeed all about money. Not just what is going into the pockets of doctors, but the people that decide which drugs will be approved or not. I am currently taking Levothyroxine and the generic form of Cytomel. It is better, but is going to be very expensive when my insurance runs out. There are ways to buy thyroid drugs online, but they want too much personal information, such as the last six digits of SS#, birth dates and so forth. i would not be too difficult to rob identities with this information. The best suggestion if to find a reliable overseas pharmacy that does not require an prescription and just treat ourselves. After all it is exceedingly difficult to get properly treated by any main stream doctor.

]]> By: Heather Stewart http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-8824 Heather Stewart Wed, 18 May 2011 13:22:22 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-8824 You know that Nutri-meds has Dessicated thyroid products, right. Porcine and Bovine Thyroid. I only just found this myself, and you probably already know, but it's worth checking... You know that Nutri-meds has Dessicated thyroid products, right. Porcine and Bovine Thyroid. I only just found this myself, and you probably already know, but it’s worth checking…

]]> By: Kim http://www.metabolism.com/2009/09/02/armour-thyroid-disappeared#comment-8683 Kim Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:25:22 +0000 http://www.metabolism.com/?p=1545#comment-8683 It is a matter of cost for the US drug companies to manufacture it. It is not profitable enough. So, my doctor in the US now writes a prescription for Armour Thyroid and he faxes it to a reputable pharmacy in Canada. I get Armour Thyroid from Canada Drugs since I tried other synthetic thyroid medicines and they made me feel awful. But when I went back on Armour Thyroid I felt like a million bucks so it works best for me. Their website is: http://www.canadadrugs.com/ and their toll free telephone number is 1-800-226-3784. I have been receiving Armour Thyroid from Canada Drugs for 2 years now and I have had no problems. The only drawback is that you must wait generally 2 weeks to receive the drug so plan ahead. If I had to fly to Canada once every 3 months or 6 months to get this drug I would because I was so sick when I took Synthroid and other thyroid medications here in the US as a replacement to Armour when I could no longer get it though my pharmacy. Plus it is a more natural thyroid medicine which I am in favor of. I hope this information helps because I went through alot to try and find Armour but I was afraid of ordering the medicine from India, China, etc. but Canada has stricter regulations on medicines than we do in the US and I ask what was in the medicine so that I would know what I was getting when I ordered from Canada Drugs. Thanks, Kim It is a matter of cost for the US drug companies to manufacture it. It is not profitable enough. So, my doctor in the US now writes a prescription for Armour Thyroid and he faxes it to a reputable pharmacy in Canada. I get Armour Thyroid from Canada Drugs since I tried other synthetic thyroid medicines and they made me feel awful. But when I went back on Armour Thyroid I felt like a million bucks so it works best for me. Their website is: http://www.canadadrugs.com/ and their toll free telephone number is 1-800-226-3784. I have been receiving Armour Thyroid from Canada Drugs for 2 years now and I have had no problems. The only drawback is that you must wait generally 2 weeks to receive the drug so plan ahead. If I had to fly to Canada once every 3 months or 6 months to get this drug I would because I was so sick when I took Synthroid and other thyroid medications here in the US as a replacement to Armour when I could no longer get it though my pharmacy. Plus it is a more natural thyroid medicine which I am in favor of. I hope this information helps because I went through alot to try and find Armour but I was afraid of ordering the medicine from India, China, etc. but Canada has stricter regulations on medicines than we do in the US and I ask what was in the medicine so that I would know what I was getting when I ordered from Canada Drugs.

Thanks,
Kim

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