My doctor recently did a saliva test to determine if I was menopausal, perimenopausal, or something else. I have had many symptoms so I had the whole work up...blood, urine, and saliva. Test results came back that I was quite low on progesterone levels and my thyroid was not right. I am now taking Armour Thyroid medicine as well as prescription Progesterone cream. Immediately, I noticed I would get a headache as soon as I would take the thyroid RX. I contacted my doctor and we started over with it, much slower this time. I worked my way from taking 1/4 of a pill for 4 days to 1/2 of a pill for 4 days to now I'm taking a whole pill. My headaches are still there, but they are faint and they come and go. I take several other medications, almost all of which have a side-effect of possible headaches. But, I never had any until I took the Armour Thyroid. I take the other medications at night. My thyroid meds are to be taken in the morning. I'm just curious who else has had headaches with this medicine. Have you had other side effects? Any other information you can give me about this? Thanks!!!! B.
I have been taking it for one year now. Four pills in the morning, not sure on dosage though. I am supposed to take it 30 minutes before eating. I also take natural progesterone pills and cortisol.
Check out www.hotzehwc.com. They have great information on their web site. Also, you can type in the name of a prescription at webmd.com and review user comments/side effects.
I know you are supposed to take it twice a day and that most dr's don't know this. Armour is supposed to be split into two doses per day to make it evenly dosed throughout the day. I found it on thyroid websites. I'm taking mine at 8 am and 3 pm and i'm on a gradual incline myself and haven't experienced strange symptoms yet. google armour and thyroid. (one good site is stopthethyroidmadness.com) Good luck!
You don't mention what dosage of each pill is but I'll guess they are 1 grain (60 mg). The most common problem for folks that have issues like this when they start Armour is that they have low adrenal function. Did the doctor run 4x/day cortisol tests and DHEA? All your hormones work together and influence levels of others.
Also, what dosage is the progesterone cream? That typically is given in smaller doses to start. Also, if your estrogen levels were not high, then you may be taking too much progesterone - it balances estrogen.
Just about any hormonal imbalance can result in headaches and for me with all the wacky weather changes, I've been on the edge of headaches quite frequently lately.
You might want to join the Texas Thyroid Yahoo group - 700+ members, with many in the DFW area - lots of ladies dealing with the same thing you are:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Texas_Thyroid_Groups/
You do need to register with Yahoo, but you don't have to give all the personal info they ask for AND the group is closed and very tightly moderated to ensure privacy of the members. I am a moderator, so if you say that "M. B" sent you to the group and give your location, then you'll get right in ;)
The MOST important thing for you to learn and remember now is that when you do your next tests, do them first then in the morning BEFORE you take your Armour, otw your results will be falsely elevated - i.e., you want to know where your body is after not taking the Armour for 24 hours. The levels of T3 will peak 1-4 hours after you take the Armour. I learned this the hard way and was way undertreated for almost two years. Don't let this happen to you.
I have had hypothyroidism for three years. I got frequent headaches when I first started taking Armour. Actually, I actually felt pretty horrible for the first two months or so when my hormones were getting back into balance. It does improve eventually, and you will feel so much better. Good luck, feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.
