Traditional thyroid medicines have done little to accurately balance my thyroid. I want my physician to have the opportunity to compound my thyroid as well as estrogen and testosterone... it has been and is essential to the way my body responds to HRT.

My thyroid has always been an issue and when I finally was put on a compound medication (Armour) it changed all of that. It is the best I have felt and consistently feeling good for going on 10 years.

Due to having my thyroid gland oblated I needed to have testosterone replacement. I choose the compounded cream for its convenience. I'd hate to have to live without it (I know what it's like when my Rx runs out and there is a delay in the arrival of the new Rx. It is dreadful!) My dosage and levels are checked frequently to make sure things are as they should be so I am very comfortable using the compounded form.

I lost my thyroid due to Graves disease and it threw all of my sex hormones out of whack. I was one sick lady with constant body pain, insomnia and severe hot flashes. Once on bHRT I had almost no symptoms. I came off for a while but symptoms returned. I cannot live without BHRT! And it is my personal choice to remain on non-synthetic hormone replacement therapy.

I have used cBHT progesterone and thyroid (T3) to counteract the effects of anemia due to heavy periods during pre -menopause and low thyroid levels. They have directly met my medical needs, and they are an important part of my treatment plan. As a veterinarian, I am aware of their use not only in human medicine, but also veterinary medicine. Compounding allows precise amounts of medicine to be given because the prescriptions are specific to the patient, instead of a range of patients like other prescription medications. Also, bioidentical hormones are important because, in order to patent new drugs, an addition is made to the hormone to make it significantly different enough to patent, but not so different that it can't be used for its traditional purpose. This addition can mean that it doesn't work as well, or more of the drug is required for effect. I don't want any more of any drug than is absolutely necessary in my body, so cBHT is the best way to do that. Please do not take away this avenue of treatment for my conditions.

In 1987 I had a gastric bypass. My thyroid was up and down for years until a holistic doctor figured out that my stomach was not digesting the medication. He promptly put me on compounded thyroid and I have been as close to perfect as I can get. It truly gave me my life back. To go back to the pills would destroy my lifestyle. At the present I take three compounded drugs due to my stomach surgery and all work as prescribed. Regular pills did not do the job.

After struggling with a thyroid autoimmune issue that went undiagnosed for many years by several mainstream doctors, I was lucky enough to see a doctor that uses a more holistic approach to healthcare. I had been put on dangerous steroids for over a year until this doctor was able to get me away from harmful meds and address my thyroid with a change in diet and compounded hormones. My life has changed like night to day since this shift in my healthcare plan.

I take thyroid hormone. I feel that I have more energy after beginning to take these hormones in addition to Synthroid.

I take compounded T3 for my thyroid, which was damaged/destroyed by radioactive iodine for the autoimmune disease Graves. I don't know where I would be without this medicine. No one else would prescribe it. And it's made timed release just for me.

I have Lyme disease, which shut down my thyroid glands and pushed me into early menopause. I was having extremely challenging symptoms - hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and low energy. After finding a wonderful doctor that did a thorough blood test on me, she created a compounded HRT that matches my specific needs and my symptoms corrected. I have had very adverse effects from large amounts of estrogen (which I found out from different birth control methods in my 30's) and I did not want to take an estrogen pill in which I couldn't control the dosage. After five years of HRT, I felt like I had a constant UTI and upon looking at some additional tests, my doctor added an internal compounded hormone cream that has completely eradicated that problem and made intercourse possible and not painful. There is very little information out there for women experiencing perimenopause or menopause. Male doctors treat it as just a rite of passage that women just have to silently suffer through, but the few female doctors and brave women that have stepped up and put a voice to the concerns have brought this massive life change and health issue out of the shadows. Oprah Magazine had a huge issue dedicated to menopause and hormone therapy a year or so ago, but I was absolutely disgusted that they had one tiny footnote regarding compounded HRT creams. "No research has been done to prove that they are effective." If we truly want to have a real conversation about this issue then we need to stop letting large pharmacy companies push their agenda of loading everyone up with pills that we know have adverse effects on woman. We, as women, are not one size fits all, and each of us has very different needs as we go through menopause. I was truly lucky to find a health care provider that understands this complex issue and a compounding pharmacy that can make the medicine that I need. I am also truly blessed that I can pay for my prescription out of pocket as my insurance won't cover the expense. Staying healthy is a very delicate balance for me as Lyme disease plays havoc with so many important systems - reproductive, digestive, circulatory; however, compounded HRT's make is possible for me to live my best life.

I have low thyroid. For over five years, my doctor has tried all variations of prescription thyroid medication to increase my thyroid numbers. My T4 would never increase. This spring, she decided to have my thyroid medication compounded so that it would be gluten and allergen free. With this change, my T4 has finally improved. Through an elimination diet over the past four months with a dietician, I have found that I have sensitivities/intolerance to eggs, peanuts, wheat/gluten, and corn. The progesterone that is available through traditional pharmacies are all made with peanut oil. By being able to get my progesterone compounded, it can be made without peanut oil and other allergens. My overall health has greatly improved with the use of compounded prescription medications. I have had improvements that I didn't know were possible. Without the ability to compound my medications I would not have options available due to my sensitivities/intolerance.

I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis; it's a delicate balance between my gut, thyroid, and adrenals. In regards to thyroid medication, I tried non-compounded and my thyroid antibodies went extremely high. On compounded T3/T4, they remain at a decent level. With compounded hormones, I've been able to adjust my prescription as my body has changed from pre-menopause to menopause. Given the experience I've had, I dread to imagine the other health issues that would arise if I wasn't able to tailor my prescription to my body's individual needs. As I said, it's a delicate balance. While there are many things in common between everyone's bodies, each person is an individual in how we react to our environment, food, medications, etc. We need more holistic, individualized medical care, not less.

I take a compounded thyroid medication because my thyroid does not function any longer. I do not tolerate taking oral medications because of a digestive disorder. So it is critical that I can use a compounded medication.

Using bioidentical thyroid medication, my internal medicine doctor has been able to tweak my thyroid to the exact amount of T3 and T4 I need, which was never possible with traditional thyroid medications. Also, bioidentical progesterone and testosterone work so much better for me than traditional forms. I just wish my health insurance covered bioidenticals. I had to stop using bioidentical hormones due to the cost. But my thyroid being perfect is so important to me that I have continued to pay for bioidentical thyroid medication out of my own pocket.

I have a genetic thyroid problem that can cause considerable difficulty for me. Menopause was very difficult. In taking the bioidentical hormones, I experienced a great lessening of menopausal symptoms. I have been on them for several years with no difficulties. My life has been very much improved by taking bioidentical hormones. Perhaps the FDA would benefit by asking individuals themselves of their experience with bioidenticals. It sounds as if those companies who create non-bioidentical hormones are beginning to feel threatened that their profits will not be made if individuals switch to bioidenticals or take them instead of the synthetics. Why would anyone want to put something in their body that was not there in the first place. As far as I am concerned, natural is the best way to go.

I am actually on compounded T3, which is a thyroid hormone. I tried other forms of T3 as I needed it but my body did not tolerate them. I either had allergic reactions to the fillers or a racing heart from the name brand forms. My doctor suggested I try compounded and it has worked great with no side effects.

With my thyroid, in particular, I am able to get all parts of the thyroid, instead of only one. It has helped me feel better and have more energy. I did not have that result with the pharmaceutical one.

This kind of therapy has corrected my thyroid issues and has also corrected my hormone issues. I have a body that is messed up because of chronic Lyme. These types of medications have greatly improved my quality of life. Without them I don't think I would have made the improvements that I have. I have been take these medications for 13 plus years. Please don't stop them. I and many others depend on them.

I have had my thyroid medication compounded specially for me for nearly 20 years with absolutely no ill side affects. I prefer to know that what I am taking has been created just for my condition and not some random "fits all" medication.