Armour thyroid 30 mg after left lobectomy

[Alymarie71]

I had a left lobectomy 5 weeks ago. My right side was (and still might) supposed to carry the load for both sides. I went hypo about a week after the surgery. TSH is at 4.7 and free T4 is at .95. Never had the free T3 tested. The TSH before surgery was .45 with thyroxine at .8. I started Armour thyroid a week ago and am taking 30 mg with some relief. I still get the disconnected/in a fog feeling quite frequently and my hair is thin and low blood pressure. I don't see my dr until July 18. Should I give it more time and see if the armour will get in mg system or should I up the Armour by 15 mg. I am also a vegetarian and it seems like when I eat certain foods or take certain vitamins I go into the disconnected feeling.

[gimel]

I answered the first question on your other thread.  Also, not likely that you would become hyper from your small dosage, if the other half kicks in.  I don't think half of a thyroid gland has that much capacity to produce thyroid hormone.  

TSH at a level of .45 at the beginning can be an indicator of being hyper, but you haven't given reason for the TT, or your symptoms at the time.  That information would better enable an answer to that question.  

[Alymarie71]

Thank you again for your quick response! One more question. Do you think the hair loss is a side effect from the Armour or from my levels being off? I will post my numbers when I get them in a few weeks.  And one more question... :) do you think I will become hyper if my other half kicks in? And just one more?! Was I hyper before the surgery with a TSH of .45? Thanks again!

[gimel]

Yes, after a week you've essentially gotten the benefit of the T3 on your blood levels of Free T3.  The effect of the T4 portion of Armour will continue to build for another 4 or 5 weeks.  And some of that T4 will be converted to T3.  I just don't expect that your small dose is going to be adequate for you after the surgery.  It all depends on how much thyroid hormone the remaining part of your thyroid gland is able to produce.  So all that is the reason to give it a little time and see how you are feeling and then get those blood tests I mentioned above.

If you doctor is willing to treat you clinically, for symptoms, you are very fortunate to have him.  Most only want to go by the numbers, that they compare to reference ranges that are far too broad.  I always say that a good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms.

Many members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them required that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper third of its range and free T4 adjusted to around the middle of its range.  Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Scientific studies have shown it to correlate best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH do not correlate.

You can get some good insight from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance.  The letter is then sent to the participating PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.  A copy of this letter for your doctor may also alleviate concerns.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

When additional test results are available, please post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.  

[Alymarie71]

Ty gimel for answering. I'm confused about the T3 and Armour. So, does that mean that I have reached the therapeutic benefits of T3 on 30 mg? I am so confused with these numbers. I want my free T4 to be higher right? It's at .95 now. And I definitely want the TSH to be lower. My dr. Kept saying my numbers are normal but he wants to treat the symptoms and not the numbers. He's a gp wondering if I need an endo. But I wanted the Armour which is why I went with my gp first.