DESSICATED OR ARMOUR BETTER THAN SYNTHROID ?

[cathy341]

Does Armour or dessicated thyroid from canada seem to help relieve lingering hypo symptoms like hair loss and low ferritin better than synthroid ? I've been on synthroid for 4 years and still have those symptoms ??

[cathy341]

When i was on .75 of synthroid my previous lab results from last year were TSH .71  T4FREE 16.64 RANGE 12-22
T3FREE 4.71 RANGE 2.60-5.70

Does my T4FREE AND T3FREE SEEM OK OR COULD T4FREE BE HIGHER ?

[Barb135]

More important than FT4 is the FT3 level, so if your doctor won't test it, you need to find a doctor who will.

There are people on synthroid that are symptom free.  The thing is, people who are symptom free don't seek out forums like this, because they are doing well and don't need our help.

Not everyone does better on Armour/desiccated....... there have been numerous people who have tried it and went back to synthroid or levo.

[cathy341]

Thanks for your help ! Ferritin range was 20-200. I am /have been supplementing for last 2 years and it never goes up past 40. Last year i got ferritin to 40 and now it's back down to 21 !

I'm back on .75 synthroid as obviously taking the dessicated isn't getting T4FREE levels up. I am so confused I think i should try higher dose of synthroid to see. I see my endo in 3 weeks but she keeps getting sick and cancelling appointments so it gets hard.
Are any of you on synthroid and sypmtom free? Seems everyone takes armour or dessicated and feel better

[Barb135]

Agree that your FT4 is too low in the range, so it would be safe to say that FT3 might be, also.......

Try to get your doctor to test FT3 and if s/he refuses, find another quickly, or you will be kept ill.

What's the reference range for the ferritin?  Are you supplementing iron?

[stella5349]

Based off those recent labs your numbers are not very optimal. Understanding the values is very important. Free T4 is your conversion hormone for thyroid. Free T4 actual converts to active T3 hormone. T3 hormone is very valuable for our metobolic function. Many body functions are set with the right amount of T3 and if we are too low, or too high in T3 our bodies develop symptoms of abnormal thyroid function. Hair loss and low iron levels are popular conplaints with hypothyroidism along with a host of other symptoms. The low FT4 blood lab result you have would surely indicate low thyroid function still but there is no set point lab done for your active form of T3 hormone.


I'd contact your doctor and ask them to review the test results again and note how you feel. If you are not getting any satisfaction fire this doctor and move on to someone else willing to help you.

[cathy341]

Last test was TSH of .81 and FREET4 was 12.2 range was 12-22 for T4 FREE.
Ferritin was 21 i

[LazyMoose]

"That what i did and I still have symptoms."

meant to type "That's what I DID, and still HAD symptoms."

Unfortunately, Erfa doesn't improve my typing skills.

[LazyMoose]

Dont just change unless you have tried optimal levels of synthroid (per thyroid lab test values).

That what i did and I still have symptoms. Then I added cytomel, still was not to great. Last I went on desicated and felt better. But because synthetics will always be available its best to maximize levels with those first.

Dessicated has a history of not always being available and there are differences in how the desicated brands feel - they are not interchangeable like some Drs think.

[Brucergoldberg]

can you post your labs with ranges please