Taking Armour Thyroid still have low body temp

[Myrt60]

I've had hypothyroid symptoms for many years.  Saw an endo who said my thyroid is enlarged, and I have the marker for thyroid disease.  But he said my levels were fine.  My regular doctor finally put me on thyroid medication.  Synthroid worked for months, but then I started tanking.  She put me on Armour, and I felt terrible at first.  Then I had one glorious day of feeling fantastic.  That went away.  She increased my dosage, and I take it twice a day 35mg each time. I still feel bad after three weeks of this and my body temp is still dropping to as low at 96.0 sometimes. I really don't see my other symptoms getting better, except for yeast infections and rashes seem to be being held at bay.   My lab between the med increase was Free T4   1.170   Free T3   311  and TSH  2.26.  The weird thing is my body temp is low, but I'm burning up.  I'm post menopausal.  Has anyone else had this problem.  Should the medication be increased?  

[Myrt60]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  I know I haven't been here in awhile.  I was suppose to see my dr. in October.  That was cancelled as was November.  She only comes in two days a week.  Anyway, I didn't take my medicine the morning of labs.  So the latest labs put me even lower than the original because I did take medicine the morning of the previous lab.  She has increased my meds, and we will test again in six weeks.  I told her I was feeling better, but I didn't think I was quite there yet.  helyanna, I am older too and did not have problems conceiving.  The low BBT came later.  I've never had much energy.  I think ahmee may be on to something...decline in thyroid hormones.

[ahmee]

I used to have low basal body temperature (BBT)-- I measured it upon waking for a time in my early 20's. I was reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility and learning about fertility awareness. I noticed my BBT was always abnormally low, but unfortunately at that time did not know about the potential thyroid connection. I was definitely hypo at that time, just didn't know it yet. One of my symptoms was feeling cold all the time. Now that I am optimally treated with desiccated my BBT is always at least 97 degrees before ovulation, reaching up above 98 post-ovulation. I no longer have cold intolerance. So there was an obvious connection for me between low BBT, cold intolerance, and hypothyroidism. I am not sure if this is the case for everyone, or how menopause may affect things. It's true that if you are sleeping in a room that is particularly hot or cold, that can have a slight effect on BBT. But I am willing to bet that many with chronically low BBT are hypo. Also note that many people experience a decline in thyroid production as they age, suggesting that a lowering body temperature due to "old age" is really just due to a decline in thyroid hormones.

[helyanna]

Please, send your latest labs when you have them. Maybe you could then increase your Armour dose. My Thyroid dose is now 2 grains (120 mg) and has previously been even higher (3).

I am postmenopausal, and my body temperature has not risen with Thyroid (similar to Armour). My free T3 is near the upper reference limit but free T4 is in the lower half of the reference range.

I am 65, and my body temperature is similar to that during my fertile years (most of the time of the menstrual cycle). I had a very small rise (or none) of temperture after the ovulation, possibly I had low progesterone. I measured my morning temperataures in order to aid in getting a baby. No baby. Then I had several in vitro fertilizations but could not get a baby. Thyroid values were not measured. Prolactin was high, and I got some medicine to lower it.

Could low body temperature be genetically determined? Or is it now due to the old age, that thyroid hormones do not rise body temperature?

[Myrt60]

Thank you!  I did not know that!!!

[dgmootry]

Hi Myrt60, I too am on Armour, and am doing real well. One of the things I learned on this board is don't take your Armour before your test. So I try and get an early blood draw, and then when its done I take my morning dose. Otherwise your won't get a true reading.

[Myrt60]

Thank you for the explanation!  I will wait to see what the next few weeks bring and ask my doctor for labs again.   I've suspected that the dosage may not be enough, but I don't want to be over medicated either.  Thank you both for helping me out here.  It helps to learn from others that know the ropes.   I'll try to update when possible.

[ahmee]

As a rule of thumb, most patients report feeling best when their FT4 is in the top 50% of range, and FT3 is in top third of range. Your FT4 at last measure is at 31% and FT3 is only at 46%. From what you write that your symptoms are not improved. From this we can deduce you need more Armour. Be aware that it is not unusual for the TSH to drop far below the normal range when you are optimally dosed on a T3-containing med like Armour. My TSH is around .007 but I feel great on 2 1/2 grains Naturethroid (desiccated thyroid like Armour).
To answer your other question, it takes 6+ weeks for the T4 in the Armour to reach total efficacy in the blood. So there could be some additional improvement over these next few weeks from that, however I suspect it won't be nearly enough to make a real difference because you are still undermedicated.

[Myrt60]

Thank you for your response.  The ranges I have are as follows:

T4 Free      1.170 value   0.930-1.700 ng/dl range
TSH            2.26   value   0.27-4.20 mclU/mL range
T3 Free       311    value   200-440 pg/dL  range

This is all I have.

The endocrinologist measured my thyroid and said it was enlarged.  My regular doctor had already done that too.  Then he did blood work and came back telling me I had the marker for thyroid disease.  My regular doctor said the exact same thing.  He said I had a sleep disorder (apnea) and sent me to a sleep clinic.  He was wrong.  I do have insomnia when my temp drops so low.   This is all I've been told and that my levels are normal.  My doctor started treating me because I have just about every symptom listed for hypo.  She's been working with me for just over a year.  One day I walked into her office with a rash from head to toe. It was horrible and had turned into an infection.  She sent me to a dermatologist that day it was so bad.  Thyroid meds do keep that from happening.  My doctor did test my thyroid antibodies.  I don't have those figures, but I've seen her since then.  She would've told me if they were off.  She has a friend who is now practicing a more holistic approach and specifically working with thyroid and hormones.  I talked to her for a long time on the phone, but I was already doing a lot of what she recommended.   So I don't know.  How long does it take for the med to build in your system?  Thank you again for answering.  I hope you are doing well.

[AJWS6]

Hi, can you post lab reference range.  Reference range are different for varying labs.  

Low body temps, chills is a hypo symptom.  Low body temps, body hot feeling, can also indicate a virus, infection, etc.....

3 weeks still may not be enough time for your dose to have built up.  

Before my thyroid was removed, with normal labs, I experienced low body temps, chills quite often, temps down to 95,.  Sometimes going complete opposite, temps up, body burning up.

What exam/investigation was done on your thyroid ?