Armour Thyroid and Depression: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2015

For Underactive Thyroid "Four years ago, I began taking birth control. After a year of trying to find the 'right' pill, I was experiencing extreme fatigue, mood swings, depression, constipation, skin/hair problems, weight gain, and an inability to lose weight. I stopped the pill and still continued to experience these symptoms. I spent the next few years trying to lose weight and trying to convince my doctor to treat my thyroid. She wouldn't because my TSH level was normal. Two months ago, I found a doctor who prescribes Armour based on symptoms. In one month of taking 25mg of Armour daily, I have regained my health and my life. Fight for your health and ask for Armour. If it doesn't work for you, it's worth searching for a medication that does to feel healthy again."

• 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!"

• Tkp...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 4, 2020

For Underactive Thyroid "I was taking levothyroxine 100 mcg. Had maintained a weight of 142 lb. Changed to Armour Thyroid 60 mg. After 6 months, I have found I have gained 20 lbs. I work out often, like I've always done. Heading back to the doctor this month, hoping to find answers. Feeling depressed too, not sure if it's knowing my weight gain or if this is making me feel crazy too."

• Jan...
• September 17, 2019

For Hashimoto's disease "I took this medicine, Armour Thyroid, prior to 2015 with excellent results. Six weeks ago, I went back on it because NP Thyroid had been reformulated. I had a bad reaction to Armour, both the 45 mg and 90 mg tablets. I could no longer get up in the morning, took naps at 2, had a severe rash on my fingers and scalp, felt anxious, depressed, and was not sleeping. I am in adrenal fatigue and can’t think straight. I don’t know if these reformulations are a way to push people towards synthetic medications, or if some new fillers have been added, or if the pig thyroid is being processed differently. My main concern is that my symptoms became much more pronounced within days of taking it, to the point where I could not function at 20% of my prior activity level. Also, the medicine seemed to be very uneven in consistency, I had several pills that almost made me feel like I was speeding, while 95% of the other ones put me in bed. TSH, which had been in the normal range for 11 years, plummeted to the edge of 0."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2019

For Underactive Thyroid "Definitely wasn't for me. I noticed a drastic change in my moods. Generally a very bubbly person, I became irritable during treatment. I had constant racing thoughts, jitters, and an overall depressed feeling. It impaired my thinking too, I felt distraught. I'm feeling much better since discontinuation of Armour."

• ato...
• March 30, 2017

For Hashimoto's disease "Been diagnosed with Hashimoto's for over a decade, and started out taking 90 mcg of levothyroxine. As my disease progressed I had to take more and more, and was up to 150 mcg when I started feeling bad: sick and depressed, had trouble sleeping. Blood tests showed that my T3s were low, and I had been flogging my T4s to produce more T3s. This may be one of the symptoms of Hashimoto's: an inability to convert T4 into T3. Not a doctor, don't know, but switching to Armour a month ago has made a huge difference in my health. I am not getting those cramps in my hands and feet at the end of the day, and my energy has gone way up. It's still too early to know for sure...one month isn't much...but so far so good!"

• gui...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 8, 2022

For Hashimoto's disease "Today is Sept 8 of 2022, I have had them all from expensive Tirosint SOL to pathetic Synthroid generics. They all have terrible side effects that I can't handle. Lately, I've been a guinea pig to Armour Thyroid for the past year and guess what? I've been pushed to see a psychiatrist because of the anxiety, depression, insomnia, and panic attacks it's caused me. I was fine on NP Thyroid for 2 years before the big distributors and politicians decided to stick their greedy hands in what did not involve THEIR own health. Ever since the 2020 downfall, I have been forced to anti-depressants and counseling... as if 'WE' THE PATIENTS have no absolute idea what our bodies feel like after living in it for years or changing medications. And surviving COVID wasn't difficult enough. For now, I am stuck with anxiety, chest pains on and off, depression, and somewhat hair loss. If anyone knows a better remedy... please pass it on. Best of luck to everyone out there still fighting the uphill war."

• Que...
• January 25, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "Four years of misery thinking I had food allergies when I was allergic to the FILLERS in the Armour Thyroid medication. The side effects included: 2 different rashes on my scalp and behind my ears, excessive sugar cravings, depression, suicidal thoughts, after eating my stomach hurt all the time, couldn't eat anything without getting diarrhea. I went to several doctors and not one suspected the Armour Thyroid medication. I figured it out! When I stopped taking it the side effects went away immediately! The rashes a little longer but started clearing up right away. Now, I'm trying the thyroid hormone ONLY without fillers. The interesting thing is my insurance won't pay for it because it comes from a compounding pharmacy not BIG PHARMA."

• Emy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 26, 2021

For Underactive Thyroid "Armour is sadly not working well for me! Someone needs to investigate. My labs this month (July 2021) have officially tanked. On a fairly decent dose (210 mgs) plus I still have my own thyroid. Yet my free T4 is very low at 0.90, my reverse T3 has skyrocketed to 17.5, which has never happened before, at least not since all this time I’ve been on NDTs (2014 onward). Free T3 on the lower part of the range/still not optimal at 3.0, and I am very symptomatic; hands dry, bleeding, and cracking open, 50 lb weight gain in the last year, hair falling like crazy, so hard to get up in the mornings and function, mood swings/depression/anxiety, hard to go to sleep at a decent time, which doesn’t make sense considering I’m exhausted/dozing off all day (unless this med has thrown me into some serious adrenal fatigue). That time of the month (and the leading up to it) has become a painful, emotional nightmare. Need Nature-Throid, WP, and NP thyroid to be back and consistent the way they were before :-("

• BNA...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 7, 2022

For Underactive Thyroid "Echoing the many recent negative reviews on Armour. Since mid-2021, the medicine hasn't been the same. I have had depression, anxiety, panic, and after feeling better on an older compounded med, decided to try again since I felt my own system had settled down. Big mistake. By the end of the week trial, I was non-functional. In addition, I'd had an elevation of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies which I've never had before in my 26-year history as a thyroid patient. I have reported my issues to the FDA and talked to them at length, but told them many patients need NDT, but we need it to be safe, reliable, and effective. Encourage everyone having problems or an interest to do the same."

• Cbo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 16, 2018

For Underactive Thyroid "I was prescribed Armour Thyroid for four years. The first year was great! Felt better than ever before (currently 42 years of age), but at about the two-year mark I noticed a difference. My energy plummeted, almost seemed depressed. So I started taking antidepressants. That did not help. So to answer all my problems, my doctor kept increasing my Armour Thyroid dose. I went from 60 mg to 160 mg in a four-year period. I could not sleep, I felt depressed, and had absolutely no energy. I went to a cardiologist and endocrinologist to help see what the problem could be. They both advised me it was the hormones: testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, and Armour Thyroid medication."

• HLM...
• February 9, 2017

For Thyroid Cancer "I had my thyroid removed due to cancer 9 years ago. The doctor initially put me on Synthroid in various dosages, which didn't work, then levothyroxine, which also did not work. It took about a year before we all agreed my body was not absorbing it for some reason. A miserable year. I wasn't sure I would ever get to be 'me' again. I was always exhausted, sad, lost my temper to a degree it was scary, and everything took a lot of effort. Depression had certainly set in, and I had not experienced that before. Finally, a neighbor told me about Armour, so I asked for it. Don't believe the Synthroid smear campaign. This stuff works and is cheap! I alternate two strengths daily, and a 30-day supply from Costco is about $35."

• HLM...
• February 9, 2017

For Thyroid Cancer "I had my thyroid removed due to cancer 9 years ago. The doctor initially put me on Synthroid in various dosages, which didn't work, then levothyroxine, which also did not work. It took about a year before we all agreed my body was not absorbing it for some reason. A miserable year. I wasn't sure I would ever get to be 'me' again. I was always exhausted, sad, lost my temper to a degree it was scary, and everything took a lot of effort. Depression had certainly set in, and I had not experienced that before. Finally, a neighbor told me about Armour, so I asked for it. Don't believe the Synthroid smear campaign. This stuff works and is cheap! I alternate two strengths daily, and a 30-day supply from Costco is about $35."

• 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!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2022

For Hashimoto's disease "Was taking Levoxyl for 12 years and felt great. Then went into another Hashi-toxicosis, so TSH increased and had severe hyperthyroid symptoms due to this. My thyroid started to normalize again on Levoxyl, but my primary doctor wanted me to try Armour, so I did. HUGE mistake! I took it only for one week, and it gave me seizures with fear and extreme anxiety, depression, mood changes. TSH rapidly increased, nausea, no appetite, and I started feeling depressed after the very first day taking it. Even after I stopped taking it, I am still dealing with the horrible side effects three months later, especially the anxiety! I never had anxiety, depression, or seizures prior to taking Armour. Stay away from this drug."

• 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."

• Arm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2022

For Underactive Thyroid "I was taking Levoxyl for 12 years and doing fine. Then went into another Hashitoxicosis due to either progression of Hashimoto’s or extreme stress. After several months of trying to get my thyroid stable again, it finally started to level out with Levoxyl. My Dr. suggested I try Armour, so I did. HUGE mistake!! From the first day I took it, I felt something was off, and I only took it for 7 days - depressed, nauseous, low pulse, tired, felt cold, allergic reaction with fever blisters, itchy rash, and swollen eyes. On the 7th day, I started having seizures, extreme severe anxiety, depressed, I felt like it was causing a mental issue/breakdown/extreme nervousness and fear. I NEVER had seizures or anxiety or depression before the Armour. My TSH increased rapidly, and T4 decreased just two weeks after I started taking it. Went back to Levoxyl. Three months later, and I’m still having anxiety and trying to recover from the extreme damage it caused."

• Iju...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 13, 2016

For Hashimoto's disease "I switched from Synthroid to Armour last year and felt better for the first couple of months. I've had an on-again, off-again scalp itch/rash that I could not figure out for the life of me. About 6 months into Armour, I was overwhelmed by all my symptoms: fatigue, depression, low libido, joint pain, and the scalp itch/rash just would not go away. My endo let me try a 30-day supply of Tirosint, and the rash went away, and I felt so much better. Just to test my theory, I went back to Armour after the 30 days. Very quickly, I realized it was DEFINITELY the Armour, and I'm going back to Tirosint. Armour is SO much cheaper, but not worth it!"

• Cal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2021

For Hypothyroidism, After Thyroid Removal "I had a total thyroid removal in February and was started on Levothyroxine 125 mcg. In March, my TSH was 7.5, so my NP increased it to 175 mcg. I began to have terrible side effects and possible allergic reactions. She switched me to a low dose of Armour. I was feeling terrible after a week. My TSH had increased to 32.9. She increased my dose to 60 mg twice a day. I started having horrible side effects, depressed, anxious, BP increased, very irritable, could not sleep. I stopped taking it for 24 hours and already feel better. Now I will have to try something else."

• 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."