Thyroid desiccated and Headaches: What Users Say

• Eli...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 6, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "Do not take this medicine! Started in July. He gave me samples first. Those were good. Did blood work again, doubled dosage and got script in August. My hair dried out and started falling out. Then insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, crying for no reason, menstrual cycle irregular, throat burning, stomach hurt, headaches, very greasy, complete brain fog, itchy with bumps, could barely talk, bad back shoulder and neck pain. Barely functioning day to day, I felt empty inside, like I was losing it. I couldn't talk right. I was waking up at 12 am wide awake, couldn't relax, completely amped and exhausted at the same time. I didn't understand what was happening. I stopped taking it. Every day my brain got clearer and felt more like me, my personality came back. I have always been healthy and didn't look at the side effects. I feel stupid for not, lesson learned. This isn't ok! I'm so glad I found this site and it all makes sense now. Please report this! I am!"

• Che...
• July 9, 2013

For Underactive Thyroid "When I was diagnosed with thyroid problems around nine years ago. My TSH was a 6.7. I was placed on Synthroid. I developed terrible headaches right from the start. The doctor decided to switch over to Levoxyl brand. Let me tell you, it has been a whirlwind of problems from tiredness, to aches and pains coming out of nowhere. I gained 50 lbs in the last nine years. Constantly dieting, going to the gym, nothing worked. Swelling and cloudy thinking. The doctor said my TSH was normal. Okay, just started on Armour Thyroid 60mg. Unbelievable. My aches and pains are gone. Lost five pounds in these last two weeks. Swelling is gone and I am alert! Do your homework and take charge. I finally did! 'Armour changed my life'."

• Den...
• February 12, 2020

For Underactive Thyroid "I’ve been on NP for 4 months. I haven’t been feeling well and have a splitting headache, so I googled side effects. I don’t know what made me think it could be thyroid medicine. For some reason, it just popped into my head. I have very bad headaches daily, bloated stomach, constipation, I’m very cold all the time, foggy, and just out of it. I’m so tired and have a 'I don’t care' attitude. I used to take levo and didn’t have any of these problems. My numbers aren’t changing, so the doctor keeps increasing the dosage. Now at 120 mg, I have such blurry vision, which is sometimes double vision. Heart palpitations. Chest pain. Joint pain. I can’t sleep. I'm glad I came here to read, I thought I must have a terrible disease. Seeing doctor in a few days."

• Rrr...
• September 26, 2015

For Underactive Thyroid "Was on Synthroid for a year and noticed zero improvement. Got off it for a few years then started again and developed angina-like chest pain out of nowhere when exercising. I felt tired and miserable as always. Begged my doc to Rx Nature-Throid. After being on it 3 months, I realized how much better I feel. No more waking up feeling like crap, no more muscle aches, no more fatigue. Headaches have improved drastically. More energy to work out. No puffy, creased eyes when I wake up in the morning. Appetite is good again and I can eat what I want while maintaining my weight just fine. I am 5'8" and 135 lbs and only exercise twice a week but am able to eat 2000 calories a day, sometimes more, and have gained no weight. Just like old times!"

• Aut...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 6, 2022

For Underactive Thyroid "Something changed with the formula again between late 2021 and early 2022. My body doesn't lie! And it's getting more expensive. Armour is now causing me to have daily anxiety/panic attacks, headaches, more hair loss, and severe nightly insomnia, even at a lower dose. It's gotten so bad I've had to quit my job. I may have to discontinue thyroid medicine altogether and just take supplements, as nothing currently on the market works, is without horrific side effects, or is affordable. Someone please bring back Nature-throid and WP the way they used to be! Seriously, I am at a loss here. I (and many others) are suffering horribly without them. Two years and counting..."

• Man...
• July 24, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "Found a 4.2 cm & 1cm nodule on my thyroid. I had a biopsy, it was non-cancerous. The doctor wanted to take it out immediately. I got a 2nd opinion, the 2nd doctor wanted to take it out but gave me an option to take medicine to make me hyper to shrink them. My thyroid levels were normal, but my T3 was sorta low. I requested Armour Thyroid from the doctor. For the first 2 weeks, I had a bad headache. Keep going if you get a headache, don’t stop, it will pass in 2 to 3 weeks. I was able to quit all of my antidepressants & feel normal again for the first time in years. I got another ultrasound, to my surprise, the Dr. said my 4.2 nodule shrunk to 2 cm! I’ve also been doing keto diet, no gluten and sugar. I also eat 2-3 Brazil nuts every day and take 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily. I also wasn’t hungry for sweets anymore, give it 4 to 6 weeks to really start feeling it. It also fixed my constipation. I can’t recommend this medicine enough!"

• Anonymous
• October 28, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "I have been taking NP Thyroid for about one year now since NatureThroid became unavailable in 0.5 grain. It's been okay but the last two months I have begun feeling horrible. I have no energy, feel very tired, digestive problems, bloated painful stomach, headaches, brain fog, leg cramps, anxiety/panic attacks, depressed, complete loss of libido, fat gain around the middle, and more. In early September, I noticed my NP Thyroid refill smelled horrible. I contacted my pharmacist and he told me batches vary - it's normal. So I continued to take it, feeling worse over time. I stopped taking it for 3 days as a trial this week and felt somewhat better. I since found a few websites and blogs that discuss the issues. I am not alone. Will contact Naturopath tomorrow to see what my options are. I too, like others, feel poisoned. It seems like my reaction is more than just hypothyroid symptoms. I did not feel this badly before starting thyroid hormones."

• Anonymous
• December 13, 2011

For Hashimoto's disease "I found out I had an underactive thyroid about 2 years ago, and as a college student, I found it so hard to focus in class. My doctor placed me on Synthroid, and I took it for about 6 months. I had severe headaches, depression, weight gain with no weight loss in sight, and feeling tired and horrible. I went to my ob-gyn for a yearly check-up, and he checked my thyroid, and now I'm taking Armour. I love this medicine. All the headaches, loss of focus, and the weight gained again are gone! I take it at the same time every day, and this pill works for me!"

• Lee...
• August 28, 2018

For Underactive Thyroid "Diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2013. I am a 49-year-old female. I had tried different meds prior to Armour Thyroid (AT). I have the best results with AT. Unbeknownst to me, Walgreen pharmacy switched my AT for Levothyroxine/Levothyronine (L/L). I was distracted with relocating my family and trusted Walgreen pharmacy would continue my medication. Symptoms began: headaches, very dry brittle hair, dry skin, gained 20 lbs, and heart pounding. On July 10, 2018, I realized the prescription was L/L instead of AT. I went back to Walgreen and inquired why. I was told L/L was generic for AT. I called my old pharmacist. He told me the drug is synthetic and not the same as AT. It is now August 26, 2018, and I've been back on AT since July 10, 2018. I lost 21 lbs and I feel great! I neglected to pay attention to my prescription medication."

• Mad...
• September 22, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "I was on NP Thyroid for 3 years and finally got my life back. There’s a change in my most recent refill that has made me sick to my stomach, headache for days along with unbelievable fatigue. The pills smell like cat urine and taste the same. How dare you endanger so many people that are trying to regain their health. Do NOT buy NP Thyroid!"

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2016

For Underactive Thyroid "Had taken Armour Thyroid for 20 years but starting 2 years ago I experienced brain fog, aches and pains which was thought to be fibromyalgia, no energy, severe headaches, insomnia and hard to get out of bed and always tired. I have taken many tests, scans and seen many doctors during that time and couldn't find an answer to my complaints. I felt like I was losing my mind and in desperation began searching the internet and came across information about Armour. I understand Forest Labs bought Armour in 2014 and Actavis bought them in 2015 - lo and behold! I saw complaints which were identical to mine and quit taking them on September 22, 2015. I felt better within 2 days and am angry that I lost 2 years of my life."

• Lis...
• February 2, 2015

For Thyroid Cancer "Nature-Throid seriously changed my life! I did so terrible on Synthroid; I was gaining weight despite the fact that I was working out and eating well, losing my hair, major brain fog, headaches with aura, and joint pain. I feel awesome on Nature-Throid and am losing weight even."

• wha...
• February 26, 2016

For Underactive Thyroid "I've been taking Armour for several years now. Somewhere along the line, all of my symptoms such as constipation, weight gain and trouble losing weight, hair loss, trouble falling asleep despite being extremely tired, low energy, headaches, brain fog, etc., came back with a vengeance. My endo sees nothing wrong with my labs and tells me it must be something I'm eating. I went along with this theory until one day I went online to find out why my prescription cost went up so much. Much to my surprise, I stumbled across many others like me complaining of symptoms coming back despite lab work being in range. Everyone noticed the changes came about when Forest sold! I'm switching doctors and hope to find another medication!"

• Jsg...
• January 18, 2021

For Hashimoto's disease "I have taken Armour Thyroid for 30+ years after Synthroid did not work. In the spring of 2020, I began to feel terrible. Headache, tiredness, pain in my joints, no energy at all. My IM ran a thyroid panel on me. Everything normal (I don’t think he ran antibodies). I asked him to switch me to WP Thyroid. He did, and within weeks I started to feel like my old self. That lasted for 6 months, and WP Thyroid was pulled from the market. I had to go back on Armour Thyroid. All my previous symptoms are back, and I feel terrible again. I am sure that Allergan has reformulated Armour Thyroid. We must report and complain to the FDA to get RLC Labs preparations back on the market."

• aka...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2021

For Underactive Thyroid "Last week, my pharmacy gave me NP Thyroid instead of regularly prescribed Armour Thyroid. At first, I noticed the strong smell and taste of mildew/cat wee. I checked the label on my prescription and noticed it wasn’t Armour. A week into taking this, I noticed my body aching and heart palpitations. Then my heart started pounding, and I got all jittery. My hands and knees were shaking, and I felt weak with a headache and brain fog. I called my pharmacist, and after talking to them, they exchanged that medication for my regular Armour. After looking into this medication, I found out it has been recalled multiple times, and my symptoms were identical to other multiple people's reviews. Please do not take this medicine. It is terrible."

• Ano...
• February 15, 2015

For Hashimoto's disease "Like many others, I received a diagnosis after getting so bad that I could barely walk. I couldn't get out of a chair without rolling over to the arm and pulling/pushing myself out. I was prescribed synthetic medication and got a bit better, but my hair started falling out and I got headaches. I started the research and insisted on the Armour. Huge difference, especially in mental performance. I make my living by doing analyses on high-risk complex things. It was so wonderful to get my brain back. I had some help from a naturopathic doctor who suggested that I add supplements to address any adrenal damage (adrenal rebuilders). The final step has been traditional Chinese medicine, and I am now almost off the Armour too. Western medicine will tell you that thyroid treatment is a lifelong path. Maybe."

• Gig...
• October 14, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "After taking NP Thyroid for five years and doing well on it, I was expecting the same when I picked up my refill just days ago. After the first dose yesterday morning, I learned something had changed drastically. Within two hours, I had nausea and a terrible headache. Both lasted long into the evening. I had some older NP Thyroid pills left and took those this morning and searched on the web for any others that might have had a similar experience. It didn't take long to find others who have had the same experience. Seeing as though Medicare, in their 'infinite wisdom,' has decided not to pay for any medication with T3 in it for the elderly, the cost involved with this refill was substantial. Acella says even though they have changed their supplier to one in Europe, the ratio of T4 and T3 is the same. So we, the patients, are the guinea pigs!"

• Che...
• April 15, 2015

For Hashimoto's disease "I have been on Westhroid for two weeks versus Synthroid off and on for four years. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's this month. Westhroid had me feeling like myself within a week. Synthroid had me miserable, nauseous, with constant headaches. Westhroid is for me. I am glad I went the biologic way and I am taking my health back."

• AFF...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 16, 2022

For Hashimoto's disease "What has changed with this medication? Something's seriously off since about mid-last year. Headaches, anxiety through the roof. Is there a new API supplier? What? I've taken NDT for two decades. Never experienced anything even remotely like this."

• Nur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2020

For Hashimoto's disease "I’ve been on Armour thyroid for over 10 years, taking 60 mg daily. My prescription got filled with NP thyroid this last time. When I received it, I saw the change, quickly looked it up, saw desiccated thyroid and figured it was fine. I finished my Armour and switched over. I was also recently diagnosed with type 2 narcolepsy for which I’ve been taking Modafinil for the last 4 months. So when I started developing headaches, palpitations, hypertension, and GI bloating, and let’s just say it-farts-I actually thought it was that. Even though it’s only been about a month of those symptoms. Today as I sat here and pondered why the headaches and increase in BP, I thought of the thyroid medication switch and started poking around. And here I found some answers. Along with reading the differences in Armour and NP. I won’t take it tomorrow or the next day, until they give me Armour back. Be alert to what feels good, right, and normal. Be persistent in your health!"

• cso...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2012

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "I had Graves' disease 20 years ago, and my thyroid was burned out with irradiated iodide. I was put on Synthroid daily and gained almost 80 pounds over the years. I had all the bad headaches, fatigue, water retention, brain fog, etc. Finally, I started working for a functional medicine doctor who specializes in bioidentical hormone treatment. I signed up, and we switched me over to Armour. I have only been taking it for about a week, and I am already starting to feel better. I will report back in another week to say how I am feeling."

• Mpc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2020

For Underactive Thyroid "I had a total thyroidectomy 13 years ago. I was put on Synthroid, or generic versions. I only noticed some paranoia/anxiousness with those over the years. About a year ago, I started feeling like I was taking the meds for nothing, as I was tired, foggy, etc. I went to see a new doctor who prescribed Armour Thyroid and suggested '2 grains,' which is two pills. I took one to start, and it made me totally anxious. I started taking half and made myself stick with it for a week. I had been having headaches to begin with. I decided to up to one pill and have done that for about 5 days. I am totally foggy, my body aches, I’m extremely anxious. I’m not taking this anymore. I feel disconnected, like I’m not even myself. I hope to go back to my previous doctor and start back on Synthroid. I’m happy Armour helps so many people, but unfortunately, I am not one of them. ;("

• Lor...
• June 11, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in November. My peroxidase antibody was measured at 10 in a reference range of 1-59. I asked my doctor to put me on Nature-Throid after I could not take Synthroid. Synthroid makes my eye twitch constantly. I also went on an autoimmune paleo diet. I really liked the Nature-Throid at first. I lost weight and felt better. Then something started happening. My hips and shoulders got so stiff that I could barely move. They hurt so badly. I also noticed a vein on my forehead. I began to also get pinpoint headaches. It just kept getting worse. I went to my doctor, and he gave me prednisone shots in my right hip and shoulder. I asked him to switch me to WP Thyroid. I was allergic to a filler in the Nature-Throid."

• KWd...
• December 2, 2015

For Hashimoto's disease "Was on Levothyroxine and I noticed some improvement, but still felt symptoms. We increased the dosage and noticed improvement, but still not quite right. Over time my symptoms returned, and I was continually complaining that my dosage was not right, even though my numbers were within normal limits. My doctor recommended the switch to Armour. The first week I wanted to die, I couldn't stay awake, I had constant headaches, and I was irritable. After 5 days, I was ready to call the doctor and get taken off... and then MAGIC happened. Week 2 I had energy, I started to sleep better, no headaches. So far, so good. I am hopeful!"

• Bow...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 26, 2019

For Thyroid Cancer "When I found NP Thyroid 11 months ago, I got my life back. I struggled for a year on different medications after a total thyroidectomy for cancer, but now Acella changed all that. That's over now. They changed the supplier for the active ingredient, claiming it worked exactly the same. It does not. I am having memory problems, brain fog, heart palpitations, headache, and a burning throat. There is something wrong with these pills. No more NP Thyroid for me."