Armour thyroid for hypothyroidism
Common Questions and Answers about Armour thyroid for hypothyroidism
armour-thyroid
There was a study that specifically compared the synthetic thyroid treatment (Synthroid) to the natural thyroid treatment (Armour). The results showed that the patients scored better after receiving the natural thyroid Armour on 6 of 17 measures of mood and cognition than those on the synthetic drug Synthroid. Results of mood and physical status tests were better in 10 of 15 instances.
I was not giving a cause for hypothyroidism and I assumed I was just slightly hypothyroid and didn’t think about it again because everything was going well with the medication.
I have had iron checked my doctor and all did it at home. Here are the results at 11/23/19:
Iron = 130 ug
Transferrin Saturation = 43%
TIBC = 301 ug
Ferritin = 84 ng
Is there a chance this mess started with Naturethroid going south (for me at least)?
Hi, Yes you absolutely can alternate. I did it for years as I was very sensitive to any change and had to do it very gradually. Everytime I adjusted downward I would have to either allternate or take one dosage say 137mg 5 days and then 150 on weekends. My endo said it was perfectly fine. I am now attempting armour and I must say, I am having a hard time regulating, mainly due to feeling hypo, but can't increase due to heart palpitations.
Fibro is linked to hypothyroidism for many. Most find their thyroid is not looked at - once the Dx of Fibro is established. Sounds like you have a great doctor.
This may be a time in your treatment to have to weather the storm first before you see a light. If your adrenals are requiring treatment, you may need to deal with a few weeks or?? of hypothyroidism symptoms until things balance out.
No. Armour thyroid has T3 in it as well as T4. T3 is very fast-acting and soon neutralized by your body if not used promptly. So, many people find that multiple doses keep their FT3 levels more steady throughout the day. Other people don't seem to be as sensitive and find they can take it in one dose.
You don't know the cause of your hypo? TPOab and TGab blood tests will tell you if the cause is Hashi's, which is the most prevalent cause of hypo in the developed world.
Armour thyroid has been wonderful for not only me but also many others on this board. Keep in mind, we are all different; so to say nobody should try this medication is not really a good reccomendation, in my opinion. I am sorry to hear you are having challenges; it is no fun to say the least. I do hope your doctor can get you stabilized in some way. Take care...
The correct definition for hypothyroidism is not just "inadequate thyroid hormone" but instead, it is "insufficient T3 effect in tissue throughout the body due to inadequate supply of, or response to, thyroid hormone". This definition correctly recognizes that TISSUE T3 EFFECT determines your thyroid status and associated symptoms.
Hi, I was falsely diagnosed with secondary hypothyroidism for which i was told to take Armour thyroid 60 Mg. for 6 months. I have an unopened box of Armour Thyroid 60mg. (Avtavis Mfg.) 6 months supply from CVSPharmacy which i bought while i was in the US. As i don't need it now, i am wanting to sell it off. Anyone in need please leave a comment and a contact number to get in touch.
01 would not stimulate any production of natural thyroid hormone, and as I said the 60 mg of Armour is not enough to account for those FT4 and FT3 levels. So I would look for other causes.
Your TPO ab and TG ab indicate Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. With Hashi's people often go through a hyper phase, and then as destruction of the gland continues, they end up hypothyroid.
In view of all this, it was good to hear that your doctor wants you to start on thyroid med, namely Armour Thyroid. That would be a good thing for you. Note, however, that a starting dose of Armour will not be additive to your current levels. That is because the med will cause TSH to drop and thus your output of natural thyroid will also drop. Since your serum levels are the sum of both natural thyroid hormone and thyroid med, the net effect will be essentially no change.
I have been on hypo meds for 8 years with many fluctuations as far as how I feel. I have been on synthroid, levothyroxone, and have been on armour for 4 years. I saw the best results with armour but it's clear now that it wasn't keeping me balanced. My doctor switched me back to synthroid because he said it will keep me more balanced. This was my ENT though. My main question is this.... Do I technically have hashimotos since I don't have a thyroid now?
My primary care gave me Armour, it worked but went to an endocrinologist for follow-up. He took me off Armour. He said he has over 1,000 patients with hypothyroidism and has three on Armour because it has adverse cardio-vascular effects. Only people who do not make their own T4 should have Armour because Armour is Pig Thyroid and they have higher levels of natural T4. My understanding is this is what produces adrenaline.
My real question is, do I need to simply go off Armour Thyroid for a few days to let the accumulated T4 clear? And then do I ramp the dose back up slowly?
Also FYI, my physician is not an endo, but goes to great lengths to learn as much as he can. My concern with going to an endo is that Armour was working GREAT until I apparently accumulated too much T4 and as it converted I became hyper.
Armour is desiccated pig thyroid, so in that respect it's "natural". However, the proportions of T3 and T4 in desiccated are very different from the proportions our thyroids make, making Armour heavy on T3. Regardless of which is more "natural", some people just do better on one or the other.
Personally, I'd hold off on the Lipitor. High cholesterol is a symptom of hypo, and many of us found that cholesterol came down when our FT3 and FT4 levels went up.
Thanks so much for your replies!! I've only been on the 90mg for 3 days now but started on 30 mg 3 weeks ago.
While some intolerance may be genetic, GERD is a prime symptom of hypothyroidism. Once I got my thyroid levels at a good point, for me, my GERD went away. I very rarely have it, if I eat something that disagrees with me, whereas, I used to have it constantly and was on a very strong medication for it, for years. I no longer take medication for it.
You should both post your current thyroid hormone levels so we can better assess your situation.
Recommended
