Armour Thyroid and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• sti...
• December 14, 2015

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "It took a full 15 months of treatment plus adding a low dose of an antidepressant and topical progesterone for me to see the full benefits of Armour. I became hypo shortly after menopause, experiencing severe fatigue, sleepiness, a 9 lb weight gain in spite of poor appetite and low calorie intake, dry thinning hair and nails, depression, coldness, no libido. My face took on the typical dull thyroid expression with pudgy features and the outer third of my eyebrows missing. I had high cholesterol, yet my TSH showed normal at 1.9. My GP just said to 'watch it' while I grew progressively worse. After 15 months on Armour, I've finally settled on the right dose and I feel young and great again!!"

• dna...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2012

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "I have been on some form of thyroid for 20 years. First I was on Armour, then Synthroid. But what changed all that was my thyroid cancer diagnosis 6 months ago. They kept me on Synthroid and never told me there was a difference. It seems to me that you need T4 and T3, which Armour provides. I felt so achy after my surgery. Every day my body hurt, and I was so tired and absent-minded. Also, I have had weight gain. Went to a different doctor last week and have switched to Armour. We shall see. The main difference I feel so far is less body aches. That is wonderful to me!"

• Tia...
• November 8, 2020

For Hashimoto's disease "Armour Thyroid 60 mg was okay for about 3 months, then I got edema in my feet and hands. Paresthesia in my leg and face. Horrible nerve problems with trembling, shaking hands. I was dizzy and very depressed, hair loss, weight gain, tiredness, sweating, crying, vision problems-couldn’t drive, freezing. I couldn’t function. All my hypo symptoms were worse than ever. Emergency carpal tunnel surgery. Heart palpitations, high blood pressure. I reduced and then stopped, and symptoms started to go away. Back to Synthroid and am a work in progress again. 5 endo docs and none helped me. They just look at TSH. Good luck, everyone. Stay away from Armour, and Nature Thyroid was just as bad. All my scans and blood work normal. Good luck, everyone."

• Mem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2022

For Underactive Thyroid "BEWARE! I don't know how this medication gets so many good reviews. I guess I must be one of the few that this has not helped one bit. I have hypothyroidism and started with Synthroid. I didn't like it all that much and started researching for an alternative and asked my Dr. if I could switch. I thought Armour would be a more natural and better approach to my issue. BIG MISTAKE. This medication does zero for me, it's like not taking anything at all, but you are paying for pills that do nothing. I took this medicine for 4 months because I thought it might take a little extra time to get the benefits everyone raves about. In the course of those months, my hair started falling, my skin was/is looking awful, I felt cold all the time, I have gained weight regardless of what I do, I felt tired every day, I couldn't sleep. I switched to a different brand of porcine thyroid med that does not have great reviews online, but works."

• Mab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2018

"I started taking this medication again because Nature Thyroid is on back order. I'm not happy with this medication, as soon as I started taking it, my eyes started itching. I feel slow, am very forgetful, also can hardly use the restroom to do #2. I have to be taking fiber pills. I didn't have any of these problems with Nature Thyroid. I also have gained weight instead of losing, even though I'm eating less. I didn't have this problem with Nature Thyroid. Now I know why so many people are switching to Nature Thyroid."

• For...
• November 3, 2009

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "Was diagnosed as hypothyroid and started immediately on Armour. Actually gained weight on it, despite a strict diet and exercise. Always felt very bloated in the abdomen while taking it and still felt tired. During the time I was on it, they reformulated it, and I felt even worse. Switched over to a combination of Levoxyl and Cytomel. Felt more energetic and even lost a bit of the weight. Armour may work well for some, but it just didn't do anything for me."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 18, 2019

For Thyroid Cancer "I have hypothyroidism and was also found to have thyroid papillary carcinoma. I had the right side of my thyroid removed and gained 15 pounds after my surgery. I was on just 15 mg prior to surgery. I was recently put back on 15 mg, which was then bumped up to 30 mg 3x a week and 15 mg 4x a week. Got my numbers back today, and my TSH was 6.8, the worst it's been so far. So now he has bumped me up to 60 mg (believe that's one grain) and still trying to clarify if he wants me to take that every day or 4x a week or what. He wasn't specific. So I will see what he says. Anyone else have weight gain with Armour? Am I gaining weight because my Armour didn't have me in the optimal range? I live a low-carb lifestyle because I have other health issues. Thanks!"

• PKL...
• August 14, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 2 years ago, had been having a lot of stress in my life. I have never been fatigued, but did have weight gain, I gained 20 pounds and had a moon-sized face. I thought that it was grief (lost husband). I am also a nurse. I was put on Synthroid 75 mcg and felt worse, hair started falling out, felt like I was in a dream all of the time, no weight loss, and depression. Told my endo that I felt bad and he ignored me. That's when I started digging into what to eat (I am already a vegetarian), taking supplements, and all of this helped. I went to a family practice doctor and demanded Armour. Felt great for the first two months. I started having the fight or flight feelings. I am now hyperthyroid. Two weeks on lower dose and have lost 15 pounds."

• PKL...
• August 14, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 2 years ago, had been having a lot of stress in my life. I have never been fatigued, but did have weight gain, I gained 20 pounds and had a moon-sized face. I thought that it was grief (lost husband). I am also a nurse. I was put on Synthroid 75 mcg and felt worse, hair started falling out, felt like I was in a dream all of the time, no weight loss, and depression. Told my endo that I felt bad and he ignored me. That's when I started digging into what to eat (I am already a vegetarian), taking supplements, and all of this helped. I went to a family practice doctor and demanded Armour. Felt great for the first two months. I started having the fight or flight feelings. I am now hyperthyroid. Two weeks on lower dose and have lost 15 pounds."

• tin...
• June 4, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "I went to see an endocrinologist after my daughter told me that a co-worker of hers was hypothyroid and lost a ton of weight taking Armour. My endo told me that I had Hashimoto's and the best thing was for me to switch to Armour from Synthroid, which was really what I was hoping to hear. I was so hopeful that this was finally going to be my ticket to a thinner me! :0 During the course of 6 months, I gained 20 pounds. My dosage was increased nearly every time I visited the doctor, and with each increase in dosage came an increase in my weight. I went back to my primary care physician and told her my story, and she put me back on Synthroid, and the scales are finally moving in the other direction."

• Maj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 12, 2016

For TSH Suppression "I have been receiving natural hormone pellets for the past 6 months and feel great! My blood work showed I had a very low level of thyroid, and I was put on 30 mg in the morning; as a result, I feel so much better. I did gain weight, but I cannot blame it all on the thyroid medication because I received the pellets at the same time. This week, my thyroid medication was increased to 60 mg since my levels were still low, and I hope to stay at a low dosage. I feel greater than before the hormone therapy and try to manage my food portions. I will be buying the book called Thyroid Diet Book to learn more about managing my intake of food. The medication is working for me, and I have not experienced hair loss, and I hope not to."

• Iga...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 22, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "Synthroid did not help: zero improvement in quality of life and bad side effects. Have been through all possible medications, none helped, same story as Synthroid. Am now on Armour, 3 grains. Doesn't help at all and gives me side effects: weight gain, hair loss, difficulty sleeping, hyperpigmentation, no patella reflex, brain fog, extreme fatigue, etc. In fact, I feel better, and most of the signs/symptoms are lessened if I take *nothing*, even though my TSH is 90 and my T4 and T3 are undetectable (i.e., no T3 nor T4 in my body). I overwhelmingly prefer taking nothing as that gives me the best quality of life (albeit a pretty poor quality of life). I take medication, Armour, (and suffer) only because my doctors insist that I take medication."

• pin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 28, 2021

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "I had my right thyroid removed 4 years ago. They started me out on levothyroxine 50 mg. My side effects were itchy eyes, brain fog, and tired every day around 4:00. The doctor changed my medication to Armour 30 mg and 15 mg. I loved it for 3 years. The start of my 4 years was good until July 2021. Side effects were bad weight gain, brain fog so bad I was having trouble with having a conversation. I was tired too. I just did not put two and two together and realized it was my thyroid medication. Saw the doctor in October, told her my side effects, told her I stopped taking the 15 mg Armour, and the side effects lessened. My blood work came back with my TSH off the charts. She now has me on Armour 30 mg and levothyroxine 50 mg. My side effects now are losing my hair, tired, cold, weight gain. I have only been on this for a month and a half. I am hoping it will lessen over time."