Armour/thyroid med shortage?

[Samantha42]

I'm having major issues getting ahold of my Armour!!! Is it just Armour, or is the generic "dessicate" thyroid also on shortage? I'm considering having my Dr. change my prescription to generic, that is, if generic is easier to get ahold of.

Anyone having similar problems? I go to Walgreens and they either have NO Armour or are very short on supply and I have to wait for them to order it...

For those of you taking natural thyroid hormone, have you noticed a difference between Armour and generic? Did you have to adjust your dose?

WHAT is going on with Armour! It scares me to think that in the future when I really need meds I might not be able to find them.

[Mary McD]

I had to go back to levoxyl because I could never find the armour anymore. I don't know why it is in shortage - I live in southern California.

[fawn]

What about a compounding pharmacy Samantha? I haven't heard of a shortage........

btw, love your avi! You look beautiful.

[Ilpirata]

i have heard word of this around the internet but have had no problem getting my scrips filled at 30 mg and 60 mg at LONGS drugs. I'm heading in to get a 90 mg scrip filled this weekend and will let you know if its a problem> My doc mentioned that it is certain doses that are unavailable. can you ask your pharmacy if they have different doses? You could combine them and/or cut them to get your correct dose.

[Linny]

I used to take AT but no longer and when I did take it years ago, it was often in shortage OR recalled due to it being bad.

[CherryCola]

There's some contact info on Armour's website regarding the shortage.

Not sure where you are in Illi, but if you're in a fairly populated area you may try calling pharmacies in surrounding, more suburban/rural areas - I have to.

If not, maybe do some searches for Nature-throid and Westhroid (both porcine). The Nature-throid website even has a great conversion chart - most doses are close to Armour in the serving sense; grains - but they are a little bit higher mg wise (16.25mg vs. 15mg for example) so if you had to switch, it wouldn't be terribly confusing.

[AllieCat0817]

I take Westhroid. Same thing.

[Samantha42]

Thank you, guys, for your responses! And thanks Fawn for your compliment

I don't know a lot about these other brands... it seems like most people here do not use generic but rather, another namebrand. I have never heard of a recall of Armour from being bad. Eek!

What is a compounding pharmacy?

Allie-- do you ever have problems getting ahold of Westhroid?

I just want to be sure before I ask my doctor to change my prescription (and possibly, have to change my dose!) that it's ONLY Armour that is in shortage.... is this correct?

[Locarb4me]

There is a backorder on "some strengths" that appears to be a short term situation due to remanufacturing. I wouldn't be too worried about it. If I was you, I'd call around to all the local pharmacies until I found it in stock. I love my Armour, though. Oh, and Mary Shomon says don't settle for a generic, either. The compounding pharmacies may be your next best bet.

[AllieCat0817]

Originally Posted by Mary McD

I had to go back to levoxyl because I could never find the armour anymore. I don't know why it is in shortage - I live in southern California.

You can get Westhroid or Naturethroid. I would NOT switch from Armour/Westhroid/Naturethroid which has all of the thyroid hormones in it (T1, T2, T3 and T4) to just levoxyl which is JUST T4.

[AllieCat0817]

Originally Posted by Samantha42

Thank you, guys, for your responses! And thanks Fawn for your compliment

I don't know a lot about these other brands... it seems like most people here do not use generic but rather, another namebrand. I have never heard of a recall of Armour from being bad. Eek!

What is a compounding pharmacy?

Allie-- do you ever have problems getting ahold of Westhroid?

I just want to be sure before I ask my doctor to change my prescription (and possibly, have to change my dose!) that it's ONLY Armour that is in shortage.... is this correct?

Westhroid is name brand. I just got 270 1 grain tablets the other day. That is 90 days worth for me because I take 3 grains per day.

[AllieCat0817]

I believe the dosage is the same on Armour and Westhroid. I am pretty sure they are interchangeable. You can PM nonstickpam... but they are supposed to be hormonally identical. And both are brand name.

[MistyJ]

Pharmacies I have used usually have trouble getting the 60 mg tabs of Armour. So I just get the 30 mg tabs and take 2 of them to equal 60 mg. I have no problem getting the 30 mg tabs.

[nonstickpam107]

Yes, in Southern California, there is a rumour making rounds saying Armour (or any dessicated thyroid) is not available. This is a RUMOUR.

Certain Rx. strengths have been unavailable. Until NOW in my area...we're all stocked up now.

Westhroid is name brand but happens to be the generic given for Armour (have you doctor always sign in the 'may substitute' line). Walmart has continued to use Westhroid as a generic in most states.

There is absolutely NO REASON to use synthetic T4 ONLY ...if you've been on Armour/Westhroid, etc. and your doctor switches you to a generic T4 only (or name brand) there is ALWAYS synthetic T3 (Cytomel) to put WITH IT.

But it's never 'run out'..for awhile DH and I were cutting down 4 grain tabs, then we were given 1/2 grains and used that, doubling up, etc. Never ran out.

Most places should have all strengths available by January anyway, if not before.

ArmourThyroid

Pam

[Lilgrnize]

Originally Posted by Linny

I used to take AT but no longer and when I did take it years ago, it was often in shortage OR recalled due to it being bad.

Linny, do you have an article or something that has this information, or is it just something a doctor or pharmacist told you? I ask because my understanding is that Armour has only been recalled one or two times in many years for potency related issues (one was because some lots may have been slightly subpotent during the last one or two months of their two-year shelf life). This is in sharp contrast to Synthroid, which has had numerous recalls for variations in potency of up to plus or minus 30%.

I'm having no problems getting Armour, but I do have to remember to order my rx a couple of days earlier than I would normally, as they don't keep a large quantity in stock. I have taken the generic of Armour (Thyroid - made by Qualitest, but I don't think it's being produced anymore) and didn't do well on it at all.

[Doggygirl]

Are you near a Walmart or Sam's? I am in IL (southwest suburbs of Chicago) and I have had no problem getting 1/2 grain tabs through Sam's Pharmacy. These shortages have been rumored for a VERY long time so my doc has been giving me 90 days worth prescriptions so I can have plenty on hand just in case.

It's been about a month since I filled a script - also I don't know what size pills you are getting. But just wanted to let you know that Sam's might be an option for you.

I have also read that the other porcine thyroid brands are not sweetened at all, so if you take your Armour sublinqually, the other brands might taste yucky. FWIW.

DG

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by Lilgrnize

Linny, do you have an article or something that has this information, or is it just something a doctor or pharmacist told you? I ask because my understanding is that Armour has only been recalled one or two times in many years for potency related issues (one was because some lots may have been slightly subpotent during the last one or two months of their two-year shelf life). This is in sharp contrast to Synthroid, which has had numerous recalls for variations in potency of up to plus or minus 30%.

I'm having no problems getting Armour, but I do have to remember to order my rx a couple of days earlier than I would normally, as they don't keep a large quantity in stock. I have taken the generic of Armour (Thyroid - made by Qualitest, but I don't think it's being produced anymore) and didn't do well on it at all.

Thank you! You are so VERY correct. Synthroid makers were sued for their (over and over and over again) sub potency problems.

Pam

[Linny]

Originally Posted by Lilgrnize

Linny, do you have an article or something that has this information, or is it just something a doctor or pharmacist told you? I ask because my understanding is that Armour has only been recalled one or two times in many years for potency related issues (one was because some lots may have been slightly subpotent during the last one or two months of their two-year shelf life). This is in sharp contrast to Synthroid, which has had numerous recalls for variations in potency of up to plus or minus 30%.

I'm having no problems getting Armour, but I do have to remember to order my rx a couple of days earlier than I would normally, as they don't keep a large quantity in stock. I have taken the generic of Armour (Thyroid - made by Qualitest, but I don't think it's being produced anymore) and didn't do well on it at all.

Maybe check here but these are from 2005. I took this last year and the pharmacy told me the same thing happened as it did in the past

Extensive Armour Thyroid Recalls

Enforcement Report for May 11, 2005

This is a recent one:

Recall of selected 180mg and 240mg bottles

What does this mean?

Check your box of ARMOUR THYROID to find out (a) who it was made by, and (b) what strength your tablets are. If your tablets are made by Forest Laboratories, and your bottle has an expiry and/or "lot" number printed on it that matches one of the dates/numbers listed in the recall, you should return them to your pharmacy to examine and possibly exchange.

If you are not sure who has made your tablets, or cannot find an expiry date or "lot" number, please take your bottle to your pharmacist for them to check.
Forest Pharmaceuticals has initiated a recall of selected bottles of 240mg and 180mg ARMOUR THYROID tablets. These tablets may not last as long as originally intended.

The recall applies to:

240mg tablet Lots: 030724, Exp. Aug-08 and 050750, Exp. Dec-08; and 180mg tablet Lots: 1,000-tablet bottles: 030732, Exp. Aug-08, 090724, Exp. Feb-09; 100-tablet bottle lots: 030714, Exp. Jul-08; 050771, Exp. Jul-08; 030723, Exp. Aug-08; 050772, Exp. Aug-08; 040726, Exp. Oct-08; 040727, Exp. Oct-08; 070723, Exp. Nov-08; 070724, Exp. Dec-08; 090724, Exp. Feb-09

Source: FDA
Publication Date: 18 Dec 2007
Last Updated: 27 Oct 2008

[ardawn]

I just switched from Synthroid to Armour 4 days ago. I am starting on 1/2 grain sublingually,and will work up from there. I find that it dosen't even taste bad like I thought it would. I am in NW Arkansas,and I have not heard of a shortage here.

Do those of you that take Armour split your doses? I start feeling suer,super tired by 3-4 like I can hardly move. Doc is correcting my low cortisol levels,so maybe it's related to that?????

[Ilpirata]

Do those of you that take Armour split your doses? I start feeling suer,super tired by 3-4 like I can hardly move. Doc is correcting my low cortisol levels,so maybe it's related to that?????

its because you're on such a baby does (IMO).

[Lilgrnize]

Linny, those are the ones I was thinking of. The first in spring 2005 (several postings in a span of a few weeks of a recall of several lots for the same reason - I considered that one, but that's just me) and the more recent one in December 2007 for the same reason.

Unfortunately, many doctors and pharmacists will embellish on the Armour recalls, but try to sweep the Synthroid recalls under the carpet. I've even had pharmacists try to tell me Armour is being discontinued, so I needed to get my doc to give me Synthroid.

Ardawn, I'm on 3.5 grains (210 mg) per day, and I have to split it into two doses, or I'm crawling by 3 pm. Low adrenals will cause it, too. A few weeks after I started dosing my hydrocortisone and armour throughout the day, I was able to get through without a nap.

[ardawn]

Well,per my request the doc started me on a super low dose. I had only been taking the Synthroid for about a month,and now have been taking the Armour for 4 days. Once I move up to one grain, I guess I can split the dose somehow. Thanks,Niki!

I am hoping that my adrenals will kick in soon. I think though that this may be a long process. Sigh.. I just feel thankful that I have a doc that believes in Armour and treats for symtoms more than numbers.

[Linny]

For me, I was on Cytomel first and then AT as a trial for a year or so. I didn't care for taking either one and really never felt any difference at all.

After being treated for my Lyme Disease (and still being treated), I really think this has straightened the thyroid out. Lyme Disease can really wreak havoc on the entire body. I'm not on any meds now for the thyroid so hopefully I won't be going back on anything.

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by Linny

For me, I was on Cytomel first and then AT as a trial for a year or so. I didn't care for taking either one and really never felt any difference at all.

After being treated for my Lyme Disease (and still being treated), I really think this has straightened the thyroid out. Lyme Disease can really wreak havoc on the entire body. I'm not on any meds now for the thyroid so hopefully I won't be going back on anything.

That would all depend on where your Free T4 and Free T3 tests fell within their respective ranges.

Pam

[CherryCola]

Originally Posted by Ilpirata

its because you're on such a baby does (IMO).

Then you would HATE my current doc...started me out on a 1/4 grain - gave me a script for exactly 30 pills a month and said to come back after 6 weeks. Unlikely!

[Lilgrnize]

I started out on a very low dose (30mg/day) at first. It took me 2 years to get to 210mg. In fact, if you have adrenal issues, you must start low and increase very slowly. I had one doctor try to increase me too fast, and it wasn't pretty. I ended up having to go backward for several months and build back up slowly.

[ardawn]

Yep,Niki.That's what my doc said. 30mg is what I am taking.( I *THINK* that's 1/2 grain???) I seem to be super sensitive to medications and am prone to experiencing unplesant side efects. How were/are your adrenal issue being treated?

[Ilpirata]

Sigh.. I just feel thankful that I have a doc that believes in Armour and treats for symtoms more than numbers.

That IS a blessing.

As far as the low dose... I don't question him starting Ardawn off that low... I'm just not surprised that it is wearing off so quickly for her. Titrate up slowly is correct - the benefits won't come though until you're much closer to optimised.

[ardawn]

Thanks,Kisha! I need to out the word out on this doctor. He does BHRT too. In fact I am in the middle of that testing right now.

If I could split that tiny pill,I would. LOL! He did tell me that this will not be a quick fix,but that it's a process. Knowing that I am *starting* to feel better,and that I will continue to feel better,gives me hope though!

[Lilgrnize]

ardawn, would you mind pm'ing your doc's info to me? I do have someone in Arkansas looking for a good doc.