Armour vs. Levothyroxine

Re: Armour vs. Levothyroxine

• liz4paws member

  May 2014 edited May 2014

  I'm on levothyroxine prescribed by my RE for bortherline TSH. I am on the lowest dose of 25mcg. My RE insisted I be on the brand name Synthroid, although the pharmacist at Walgreens says brand vs generic doesn't matter and old-school doctors still have the frame of mind that brand is better. Still, I follow my RE's advice and stick to brand. It's cheap.

  Never heard of Armour.

  ************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************
  Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
  Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
  DH: Severe MFI
  
  12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN 
  8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
  My ovaries are just for decoration
  
  12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
  2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts. 
  2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
  3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
  
  6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!  
  9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
  9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
  9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
  

  
  11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
  11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
  Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522  Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373 
  6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
  
  Snowflake baby is a girl! 
  Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!   
  My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
   
             

  Report1 Reply
• DoublePortion member

  May 2014 edited May 2014

  Neither of the endocrinologists I've seen would prescribe Armour stating it's hard to regulate since it's not synthetic. I've taken Levothyroxine for years. My mom is the only person I know who takes Armour and I'm not sure how effective it is for her because she has other health issues, but mostly just doesn't take care of herself. I did take Cytomel in addition to Levothyroxine for a few weeks in March/April to help get my levels under control since the Levo wasn't working fast enough. I believe my MIL takes both Cytomel & Synthroid on a daily basis. I think Cytomel is a synthetic T3 whereas Levothyroxine is TSH which stimulates T3 production. I might be really confused though!
  
  ETA: Not sure how helpful all my random info is! lol
  

  
  ***signature & ticker warning***
  
  Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
  AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
  Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
  Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
  Stopped BCP 4/2010.
  Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
  IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
  IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
  BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
  FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
  FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
  Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
  Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
  G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
  
  If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
  
  
  
  

  Report1 Reply
• Loading the player...
• kflynn81 member

  May 2014

  Not sure of difference but I'm on levothyroxine 75mcg and have been on it since 2011.

  Me: 33, Endocrine issues & FVL       DH: 32, Nothing 

  NTNP 2009-2012         TTC since 2012:

  • Clomid, 2 IUI cycles, and 5 IVF cycles = BFN
  • FET #1   August 2013 = BFP!     EDD 5/11/14
  • Jack dx at 19w1d with Dandy Walker on 12/16/13
  • Severe Pre-e /HELLP set in Jack born sleeping at 20w1d on 12/23/13
  • FET #2 --July 2014  BFP!  ---  EDD  4/5/15

  Jack has handpicked his sibling up there

  My blog about IF and loss ... Kate's IF Blog
  
           

                                                    

                                                                           
  

  
  

               
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• luvboston member

  May 2014

  I have heard great things about it I couldn't take it because I keep kosher. I get mine compounded instead. My friend fellow ifer takes it.

  6 m/c
  Anovulatory cycles, increased Synthroid Diagnosed Sep 2010

  Natural cycle Dec 2010 BFP M/C 6 1/2 Weeks, D&E Jan 2011
  1 Clomid/Ovidrel BFN May 2011
  Natural cycle Aug 2011 BFP M/C 4 Weeks
  1 IUI Sept 2011 BFP M/c 7 weeks
  Provera Dec 2011 BFP M/C 3 Weeks

  DQ ALPHA HLA MATCH, High NK Cells Diagnosed Dec 2011
  IVF March 2012 BFP m/c 4weeks 5 days (IL, Prednisone)
  IVF#2w/DS July 2012 MEGA FAILURE BFN (IL, Dexamethasone)
  Diagnosed No real HLA Match, DQ Beta Triad, High TNF, Low NK Cells
  Oct 2012 Natural Cycle m/c 4wks (Lovenox, Prednisone) 
  Went to Beer Center- high tnf, low lad, implantation failure

  Nov/Dec 2012 LIT Treatment

  Dec 12 Humira
  Jan 2013 BFP
  Humira,LIT,Prednisone, Lovenox, IVIG, Baby Aspirin
  Miracle Born August 2013 Premature
  
  Yours doesn't have to be a sad story
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  

  Report1 Reply
• J&D2007 member

  May 2014

  I take levothyroxine 25 mcg. All the REs I've seen and my OB had no concerns with it, although I believe I have read that the generic is not equivalent to Armour, but I am not sure why.

  Me: 37, DH: 38: ttc 7 years, dx: unknown
  10/11: after 2 years, saw a RE, FSH 5.4
  11/11: BFP! (surprise after thyroid & normal hsg),
  12/11: missed m/c after 7 week u/s, 1/12: D&C
  6/12 IUI#1-IUI #3: clomid = BFP!, C/P
  IVF #1(10/12) FSH 5.4, AFC: 16 long Lupron, 5R/5M/4F, all 4 made it to 5dt, 1 blast/1-8 cell transferred=BFN
  IVF #2(12/12)AFC 21, MD lupron, 4R/4M/3F, 5dt of 1 blast and 2-8cell. BFN.
  IVF#3(4/13) Natural start antagon protocol, 12R,11F. one PGS normal at day 6 transfer. BFN.
  IVF#4 (11/13) C.CRM (ODW.U normal 8/13 Still no Diagnosis) EPP/antagonist. ER 13R/7M/6F. Only 1 made it to freeze. Abnormal. Looking into options of DE, Fresh vs frozen.
  10/14 new local RE to look into what's next. CD3 FSH 4.7, AMH 0.9. Met with DE agencies and exploring options for feb/march 2015.
  Surprise natural bfp (4 days before donor is signed). Beta #1 at 9dpo: 51.8, 2nd beta: 195 (25 hours doubling) @11dpo. 3rd beta (12/15): 516 (35 hrs doubling) 4th beta(12/17): 895 (58 hours doubling) 5th beta(12/19): 2120. U/S at 5w0d(12/22): one gestational sac with yolk sac. U/S #2 (6w0d)12/29. One little bean measuring 6w0d with HR 124. 3rd u/s(1/4)7w0d: baby measuring 7w2d. HR 134. 3/30: A/S at MFM went great except for low lying placenta. Verifi results are normal! Team Blue! Please send any positive thoughts our way! EDD:8/24/2015
  Baby Will born 8/18. He's perfect.

  Report1 Reply
• mm29 member

  May 2014

  Thanks for the input everyone. I'm not sure if there is not that much of a difference between the two. I think I'll stick to the one I'm on. 

  ::: Married June 2003:::
  TTC #1 since: Aug. 2008
  Me: 34, DOR, MTHFR-A1298C (heterozygous), decreased blood flow to uterus, Mild Endo
  DH: 38, Balanced translocation 5&10, unexplained MFI, normal SA and SCSA
  Tx History: IUI 1&2= BFN
  IVF# 1 W/ICSI= BFN
  IVF# 2: cancelled d/t no response
  IVF# 3= 1 egg retrieved=immature/not viable
  IVF# 4= c/p
  ***CCRM ODWU***
  Found DHs BT and Me-decreased blood flow to uterus
  Recommended DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. Decided to cycle locally
  ***New RE***
  DE IVF# 1(cycle #6) w/pgd, (freeze all): 30R, 23M, 15F, slow/poor embryo development, 4 biopsied, 1 Normal "Norm"; DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. 
  IVF# 6: (OE/DS) cancelled
  IVF# 7: (OE/DS) 1R, 1M, 1F, arrested day 5
  Plan-DE IVF# 2 (cycle #8): DE/DS in May 2015
  
  http://icanhazbabyz.blogspot.com/
    
  

  Report0 Reply
• hmz819 member

  May 2014

  I'm on tirosint since .25 of synthroid was too much for me. Tirosint is levothroxine in capsule form and comes in a .0125 dosage.

  TTC#1 since April 2011
  IVF#1 July 2012 5R, 3 made it to blast, sET c/p
  FET#1 Aug 2012 2 blasts transferred BFN
  IVF#2 Oct 2012
  16R/6M/6F/2-8 cell grade 1 transfer
  Beta 1-237.9, Beta 2-566, Beta 3-8657
  US 6w3d shows one baby w/ HB 115
  US 7w1d no more heartbeat/ D&C 11/30/12 normal karyotype
  IVF#3 Mar 2013
  6R/4M/4F 1 compacting and 2-8 cell transfer
  ectopic pg MTX given 3 month break from TTC

  IVF#4 Sept 2013--BFN
  IVF#5-7 Apr 2014, Jun 2014 and Aug 2014 banking embryos for CCS testing. Praying for normals!

  http://i61.tinypic.com/34zll06

  Report0 Reply
• ksgsmu member

  May 2014

  My Endocronologists won't prescribe me Armour ( which is from pigs just in case you are Kosher)  because it hard to regulate. . She just doesn't trust it.
  
  She does insist I use Synthroid and not the generic. I get moniored every 6-8 weeks while TTC and cycling.
  

  ***siggy/ticker warning***
  
  Me:36 DH:38 TTC#1 since 4/2012
  Me DX: Hashimotos,Hypothyroid, DOR, MTHFR,  DH: normal
  
   IUI #1-#4 BFNs and a few cancelled cycles in the mix.
  - poor responder
  ***Suprise BFP on 6/13/13. Natural MC @6wks 3days
  IVF#1 and 2- Cancelled due to no response on max stimms
  FET 5/20- BFP
  1st Beta- 641
  2nd beta- 2166
  Sono- TWINS!!!!
  Two Boys! Born January 2015 @36 weeks.  Healthy and no NICU!  So blessed!
  
  
  

  
   

  Report1 Reply
• Hernsy member

  May 2014

  Sorry I'm stalking from the infertility page.
  
  I've been hypo for about 20 years now. I've tried all the drugs. I love Armour and feel better on it than I have ever felt on any other. It's really finding the one that works for you. I have also read that the generic Synthroid actually only has to have 2% of the same ingredients as the brand which is why some people say it isn't as good.
  
  Good luck! Hopefully you won't be hypo forever & it's just the hormones! It can be a struggle!

  
  

  
  

  Report1 Reply