Armour Thyroid

[wphsteach]

I switched to Armour Thyroid about a month and a half ago.  Recently I have been having problems with edema - esp. in my face and feet and ankles.  I was wondering if this is normal and if it is, will it go away?  I am even having problems breathing because of the amount of excess fluids.

[sidneythyroid]

what do you mean about excess fluids? I switched this week I know that having to much F3 gives you edema anyway thats what I've heard. You may need to go back to synthroid maybe it's an alergic reaction. If, that happens to me I am going straight to the doctor.

[Cynnieb4]

yes I have noticed that as well. I am going back to synthroid it was worth a shot. I know but oh well, some of us just cant handle the t3! i only took have of my 30mg and felt a ton better. Never had that problem with synthroid. So it very well could be the allergic thing, or not on correct dose either way tell your doctor!

[laura1967]

The best way to see if you are getting too much T3 meds is to have your free t3, free t4 and tsh tests done. Then there isn't any guessing involved.
If you are having any allergy problem to Armour, you can go to Wes-Throid which is the most hypoallergenic med out there. It has the least amount of fillers.
Edema can also be present in you being hypo....when was the last time you had testing done?
Have you called your dr and what did they say??

[stella5349]

A major symptom of hypothyroidism is inflammation within the body - until the body regulates - this is an issue.

Something called - moon face - which is swelling in
the face is very common with hypothyroidism

The symptoms does go away after you find a level of hormone that is best for you. It took me 6 months after my switch to Armour to rid that symptom. On synthroid I had that for 4 yrs. My body did not adapt well to the T4 only medication.

A month is not enough time to determine if the med is working or not. I'd be concerned somewhat if you are allergic to the meds - but it is very rare.

Another good point is hypothyroid patients are commonly magnesium/zinc deficient. This will also cause a abundance of swelling - I found that out too.

I was not tested for mag deficiency - but started a mag citrate supplement and found the swelling is not an issue for me any longer even during my cycle times.

Cynnie - I think before jumping around again on another med - you may wabt to give this a try and test every 4 to 6 weeks.

You seem much better on your switch and may be having just some mild side effects as we all get when first on Armour -

[stella5349]

I wanted to also add that during my swelling period I had terrible inflammation in the upper chest - and lungs.

I found that is now gone too since I am on the dose that is right for me.

[Cynnieb4]

Thanks stella will do. I am sure it was just the hashi's tho! I know this swelling will not go anywhere until they get me on the right dose.:) Just had a bad few days Laura knocked some sense back into me. I am pms and due for it anyday now. So I am sure that is whats going on right now. Hey I like that never thought of that one moon face lol:) Ill tell my moon face to go away

[Cynnieb4]

Is she checking for the swelling? I mentioned it to her last time its called sed rate by mod west??? Just curious and when it shows present what does that intale?

[stella5349]

What??

[ChitChatNine]

I believe a sed rate is a sedimintation rate which is bloodtest that measures the am't of inflammation within your body ... certain diseases equate to certain #'s in an elevated or normal "Sed Rate" ... Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus are examples of higher than normal sed rates .. it's an indicator of sometimes major stuff going on in the body vs. less major stuff going on as determined by a sed rate.

Hope this helps if this is what you are referring to?

C~

[Cynnieb4]

Yup thanks! So when she finds this inflammation, how does she rule out what it is??/

[anca77]

Hi,

Seems I start having similar problem with swollen ankles. I start taking Armour less than a mouth ago, everything was fine until now.  A few days back I start having some fast hart beats, I even reduced my dose from 75 mg to 60 mg. Today my ankles got swollen.
It could be related to me taking Progesterone? I am on Estrogen and Progesterone bio-identical hormones and I just started my 14 days of Progesterone. Or it could be a reaction to the fillers, how some people are suggesting? I do not want to go back to Levo, at least with Armour I have the energy. My next blood test is scheduled in more than a week (six weeks after starting on Armour).

Any suggestions?

[Cynnieb4]

me too, no more levo! Palps are related to armour or is it the anxiety from grtting on the right medicine??? Just make your doctor aware! Are you spreading your doses up? It is recommended. I take half of a pill in morning and half mid afternoon. Seems to help me.

[Gracevd70]

How much armour are you on? How much Lego were you on?

[anca77]

I do split the dose. I take 60 gm Armour, 30 mg in the morning, 15 mg by 11 AM and 15 mg by 3 PM.

[mommy2two2008]

Just a thought, HYPO causes edema.......  I take Armour 1 grain - 30 a.m. and 30 at noon.  I had major swelling when I started this stupid thyroid road - not so much now.  Never had abnormal labs - not even once - just read that hypo and edema go hand in hand.  Also, my doc checks my ankles almost every time I see him.  All of the 5 I have had did that.

[anca77]

Do you also feel some tingling? I feel like my ankles will go num.

[mommy2two2008]

I get tingles in my arms and in my lip (the bottom one - only the right side, which is my bad thyroid side) and a little in my chin at times.  Not so much the feet anymore.  Not long ago (few weeks) one leg swelled so bad (calf and ankle) that when I pressed it, it did not move (no giggle of relaxed muscle at all).  Put my foot up and it went away within 20-30 minutes.  That was freaky!

[mommy2two2008]

Meant to say get tingles in my fingers (ring and pinky), my arms to shoulder and lip......

[stella5349]

Remember on Armour - it is a direct T3 med - so your body needs to be at certain levels of it all day -

If it is an up and down pattern of taking it - then the symptoms of swelling - headache - nausea etc to name a few - will constantly be present until you start to level off on the T3.

[Cynnieb4]

Thanks stella answered a lot of my questions;)

[sidneythyroid]

I started Armour going on a almost two-weeks I have thrown up in the morning is this because of the level off T3 in my system???? I almost want to return to synthyroid but want the benifits of Armour??

[Cynnieb4]

might want to ask stella on that one. have you had adrenals checked out yet? maybe part of your problem. I am nautious, but never any throwing up

[stella5349]

let's go back to the beginning.

Where are you on the TSH and free testing?

How much Armour do you take - when was the last increase? Are you taking it in split dosages?

remind me.................

[sidneythyroid]

Sept 2nd  Total Thyroidless

FT3 252  FT4 1.3  TSH 1.67

Before on synthyroid - 137 daily

On Armour

30 first day second third 60 fourth five Sat Sun Mon Tues 90 Wens 90 Thurs 90 Fir 90 Sat 120 Sun so far 90.

I haven't thrown up for two days very hot I think I throw up because I had a hugh craving for tuna melts and sardines once I had sardines that was it sick for two days.

[engartiste]

Hi there,
  I am new to the medication.  I have been started on Synthroid about 4-5 weeks ago due to my extreme swelling and some weight gain after my partial thyroidectomy at beginning of July 2010 and partial parathyroidectomy at beginning of August 2010.  I felt good for about a week on Synthroid, then started having migraine like headaches, digestion problems, distended stomatch.  So I talked to my doctor and he got me on Armour (at this point, my TSH was a 2.3, my T3 and T4 were on the low side of range, and my T3 uptake was high).  I've been taking it for about a week and I still get swollen quite often, but no major headaches to report.  Should I give it some time to start working?  Also, besides magnesium and zinc, is there anything else that helps or could hurt my swelling?  I would appreciate any help.  I am getting desparate!