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I have to start taking Synthroid again tomorrow because Armour is no longer available. Apparently, because natural dessicated thyroid has been used to treat hypothyroidism for over 100 years, it pre-dates the FDA and thus didn't go through the usual round of testing before it was prescribed. So now if it is ever to be approved again, it will have to go through clinical trials and all that before it is available again to the public. But how can it not be considered a "proven" medication if it has been used for 100 years with far fewer side effects than a lot of these new meds?

NOT HAPPY. I tried all the synthetic thyroid meds years ago, and while they did put my TSH back to a normal, they alleviated NONE of my hypothyroid symptoms. It was like having a double dose of fibromyalgia, I kid you not.

Only Armour got my blood levels right AND resolved the symptoms. I took it with absolutely zero problems for five years. And it was actually cheaper than my co-pays.

Hoping like crazy that the hypothyroid symptoms don't return, because drop-dead exhaustion (honestly, it was like vampires had sucked all the blood out of me), uncontrollable weight gain, edema of the hands, hair loss and depression really SUCK. Plus, my in-laws booked a non-refundable family vacation last week, and I'm scared to death that now I might not be healthy enough to go. I have worked SO HARD to be as healthy as possible, and I am fed up with having to give up meds that work and swap them for ones that either don't work or have side effects.

I'm on 13 meds on a regular basis, and I've had to change 9 of them since 2006 due to health insurance limits or exclusions, FDA rulings, and docs who can't agree how best to treat my ailments. In the past, when I could still work, I would just go ahead and pay full price for a med my insurance wouldn't cover. But now that I'm on disability, I have to pretty much go with the lowest co-pay most of the time so I can afford them all.

It's enough to make a person decide to go off medication altogether. Tempting, but in my case, not wise. I know of some supplements that help, but I can't afford them anymore.