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Thyroid by armour
My doctor put me on thyroid armour for 2 plus years. Told me to stop its. Now have palpitation. How can I get rid of these.??
Thank you. I went to see my doctor yesterday and he told me to stop my thyroid medication and go one month without taking any. Now I already have insomnia ...not really looking forward the month.
When already taking thyroid med, the ideal for TSH is to not even bother testing it. TSH cannot be shown to correlate well with either of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 or Free T4, much less with hypo symptoms. After starting thyroid med, TSH is even less useful. Ignore it.
The very best thing to do is to get your doctor to follow the advice given in the link I gave you, "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
Regarding your toenail symptom, I found this on MedHelp. Does it possibly relate?
Avatar_f_tn
Dr_Aparna
Jun 18, 2008
To: dunk 101
Hi,
It could be a fungal infection of the nail.People who sweat profusely are prone to many types of fungal infections. That's because fungi thrive in warm, moist environments such as sweaty shoes. That's also why you're more likely to get an infection in your toenail than in your fingernail. A nail infection usually begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. As the fungal infection spreads deeper, your nail may discolor, thicken and develop crumbling edges. Sometimes your nail may separate from the nail bed, and the skin around it may become red and swollen.
Anti-fungal ointments like Econazole (Spectazole) or Oxiconazole (Oxistat) may be applied to it.
Or it could also be psoriasis of the nail.Fingernails and toenails are frequently affected, called (psoriatic nail dystrophy).The disorder is a chronic recurring condition.
Ointment and creams containing coal tar, dithranol (anthralin), corticosteroids like desoximetasone (Topicort), vitamin D3 analogues (for example, calcipotriol), and retinoids can be used on the affected areas.
ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis
The very best thing to do is to get your doctor to follow the advice given in the link I gave you, "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
Regarding your toenail symptom, I found this on MedHelp. Does it possibly relate?
Avatar_f_tn
Dr_Aparna
Jun 18, 2008
To: dunk 101
Hi,
It could be a fungal infection of the nail.People who sweat profusely are prone to many types of fungal infections. That's because fungi thrive in warm, moist environments such as sweaty shoes. That's also why you're more likely to get an infection in your toenail than in your fingernail. A nail infection usually begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. As the fungal infection spreads deeper, your nail may discolor, thicken and develop crumbling edges. Sometimes your nail may separate from the nail bed, and the skin around it may become red and swollen.
Anti-fungal ointments like Econazole (Spectazole) or Oxiconazole (Oxistat) may be applied to it.
Or it could also be psoriasis of the nail.Fingernails and toenails are frequently affected, called (psoriatic nail dystrophy).The disorder is a chronic recurring condition.
Ointment and creams containing coal tar, dithranol (anthralin), corticosteroids like desoximetasone (Topicort), vitamin D3 analogues (for example, calcipotriol), and retinoids can be used on the affected areas.
ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoriasis
I also wanted to mention that my nail are lifting from the base of the toe nail since I have been taking thyroid by armour. I think this is a sign of an hyperthyroid. Should I reduce, increase or stop it? there might be another health issue that needs to be address or other testing?
From reviewing your lab results, I see no reason for the doctor to have stopped your meds. Of course everyone is different, but your Free T3 and Free T4 were at levels that work well for many members here. It is not clear if there were symptoms, or other, that made the doctor decide to stop your meds.
After you did stop the thyroid med, you report having palpitations. People/doctors frequently think that palps can only be related to hyperthyroidism. In reality hypothyroidism can also cause palps. In addition, your ferritin is much too low, which can also contribute to palps.
Of course you need to coordinate with your doctor, but in your place, I would want to supplement with iron to raise your ferritin to 70-80. In conjunction with that you could start back on Armour, but at a lower dose than when you stopped, and gradually work your way up to where you feel best. There are several good iron sources, including ferrous fumarate, and ferrous gluconate.
If you haven't been tested for Vitamin D, and B12, you should get those done at next opportunity also. Along with ferritin, they are very important for hypothyroid patients. Like with Free T3 and Free T4 and ferritin, just being in the low end of the so-called "normal" range is not adequate either
If you would like some good info about Lyme disease, there is a MedHelp Forum for that as well.
After you did stop the thyroid med, you report having palpitations. People/doctors frequently think that palps can only be related to hyperthyroidism. In reality hypothyroidism can also cause palps. In addition, your ferritin is much too low, which can also contribute to palps.
Of course you need to coordinate with your doctor, but in your place, I would want to supplement with iron to raise your ferritin to 70-80. In conjunction with that you could start back on Armour, but at a lower dose than when you stopped, and gradually work your way up to where you feel best. There are several good iron sources, including ferrous fumarate, and ferrous gluconate.
If you haven't been tested for Vitamin D, and B12, you should get those done at next opportunity also. Along with ferritin, they are very important for hypothyroid patients. Like with Free T3 and Free T4 and ferritin, just being in the low end of the so-called "normal" range is not adequate either
If you would like some good info about Lyme disease, there is a MedHelp Forum for that as well.
I tried to stopped the armour but I get heart palp. So I cannot stopped it. I looked at many website and they suggest beta blocker. I was Dix with Lyme disease and I have heart palpitation
Sorry. Was awake at 530 am. Could not go back to sleep. Now do not know what to do tonIght. So complicated. You would be such a help if you can tell me what to do. Do I keep taking it.
I was Dix hypo. My tsh was 4.78 2 years ago. My doctor had me stopped armour, thinking that I did not need it anymore. My original dosage was 15mg. After stopping and starting many months ago. I took 7 mg 2 days ago, did not take any this morning had heart palpitation hArdly slept! was
I would expect that iron supplements in the right amount should adequately raise your ferritin level to optimal, which is about 70-80, as mentioned above.
Before anything further, there are a couple of further questions I still need to understand. On what basis were you diagnosed originally as hypothyroid? What was your daily dosage of Armour? What was the reason your doctor decided to stop your Armour? On what day did you stop the med?
Before anything further, there are a couple of further questions I still need to understand. On what basis were you diagnosed originally as hypothyroid? What was your daily dosage of Armour? What was the reason your doctor decided to stop your Armour? On what day did you stop the med?
you are so nice. you are so much useful than my doctor. he told me to supplement on iron told me 4 but I had frequent bowel movement so I reduce it to 2 tablet of 40 mg each. I took thyroid medication this morning thinking that supplementing with this might help my palp, now it feeld like my face is boiling and my body is hyper...........for the cortisol I feel that my doctor was not sure, so he gave me some supplement that did not help me. I am wondering if taking the thyroid medication for 2+ years put my cortisol at this level. I will go on the forum thank you.my osteopath does not think I should take this - thyroid. I live in Canada - Quebec - montreal. I do not know where you are, but maybe you know a doctor that I can go see. I obviously need to find another doctor that is more knowledgable, I don't know what you are, but you seem so knowledgable, maybe you can help me. do you suggest blood transfusion. I read that I could be borderline anemia. I am at the end of my rope, don't know what to do. any suggestion?
Your Free T4 and Free T3 levels don't seem to account for the doctor's action? I should have also asked when your doctor reduced your meds, and what reason he gave you.
Your ferritin level is way too low, indicating the need to supplement with iron. Low ferritin can sometimes cause hyper like reactions when taking thyroid meds. Here is some info on low ferritin.
"Low ferritin can cause negative reaction like palpitations, nervousness, and anxiety in someone starting thyroid hormone replacement. Someone described it like being shot out of a cannon. It is therefore imperative that ferritin not be at the bottom of the range before starting thyroid hormone medication."
Also, from another source.
"I frequent another board where the role of iron in the metabolism of thyroid hormone is discussed. Along with selenium, iodine, L-tyrosine, zinc and other vitamins/minerals/amino acids, iron plays an important role in the conversion of the less inactive T4 form of thyroid hormone to the more bio-active T3 form.
I've seen iron discussed a bit on this board but not so much about ferritin . I thought you might be interested in what I found. Ferritin levels often begin dropping before serum iron levels become critically low or before full-blown anemia becomes apparent.
Many hypothyroid patients find that having good ferritin levels improves their use of thyroid hormone (their own body's or supplemented). The range of 70-90 is quoted as optimal for hypothyroid patients. Someone on another board asked me if I knew of any research she could show her doctor to support this. He wanted her to stop supplementing iron when she raised her ferritin from 17 to 44.
Here's some of the research I found that suggests a minimal ferritin
range of 50-70 and an optimal range for hypothyroid treatment of 70-90. I have read that in Dr. Gillespie's book, "You're Not Crazy, It's Your Hormones", she advises a ferritin level of around 100. I haven't read her book, so I can't confirm the research basis for her recommendation, but the experience of many hypothyroid patient certainly bear her out.
Improving ferritin levels can be beneficial for both reducing or eliminating hair loss & unexplained fatigue. Both of those are also frequently associated with hypothyroidism."
Obviously your cortisol test was very high. You might go on the adrenal forum and get some good insight there. What did your doctor say about the cortisol result?
Sorry I forgot to tell that since the day I started thyroid 2 years ago, my feet became red, they are always red now. I am a little concern cause my mom had diabetes.
My ferritin is 34 ranges 31 - 300
Free t4 19.5 ranges 12.0 - 22.0
Tsh 4.71 ranges 0.35 - 5.00
T3 free. 4.9 ranges 2.6 - 5.7
Cortisol am 836 ranges 170 - 540
Thank you so much for helping me.
Free t4 19.5 ranges 12.0 - 22.0
Tsh 4.71 ranges 0.35 - 5.00
T3 free. 4.9 ranges 2.6 - 5.7
Cortisol am 836 ranges 170 - 540
Thank you so much for helping me.
the thyroid controls pretty much all organs and your body so any heart problems can be serious. Hypothyroidism can cause high cholesterol, heart problems, breathing, the list goes on and on.
Did you start having these paps after stopping or while on armour. Go to another dr and always get copies of your labs from other drs, they will give you copies for free. You can take these labs to another dr and or post here for guidance.
when on any meds with T3 in them like armous, your tsh can be low but it is to be ignored since the t3 is causing it so I am wondering if the dr is not aware of this or if it was something else. Many drs are not that knowledgeable about the thyroid and receive little education unless they have a lot of direct education and experience.
You need to google and educate yourself and listen to your body and be your own advocate and listen to your gut instincts when you have thyroid issues.....it is a must
Did you start having these paps after stopping or while on armour. Go to another dr and always get copies of your labs from other drs, they will give you copies for free. You can take these labs to another dr and or post here for guidance.
when on any meds with T3 in them like armous, your tsh can be low but it is to be ignored since the t3 is causing it so I am wondering if the dr is not aware of this or if it was something else. Many drs are not that knowledgeable about the thyroid and receive little education unless they have a lot of direct education and experience.
You need to google and educate yourself and listen to your body and be your own advocate and listen to your gut instincts when you have thyroid issues.....it is a must
Lets look at this as simply as we can.
If you started eating cake at every meal and you gained weight. What should you do to stop gaining weight? The obvious answer is to stop the new action you took that gave you the result you were not happy with. That is stop eating.
Using the same logic if you stopped taking a medicine and you were feeling great and now feel worse. Then restart taking the medicine!
If you do anything and don't like the result. Undo what you just did.
If you started eating cake at every meal and you gained weight. What should you do to stop gaining weight? The obvious answer is to stop the new action you took that gave you the result you were not happy with. That is stop eating.
Using the same logic if you stopped taking a medicine and you were feeling great and now feel worse. Then restart taking the medicine!
If you do anything and don't like the result. Undo what you just did.
Why did the doctor decide to stop your Armour? If it was based on your TSH level, that is just wrong. Although doctors have been taught that TSH accurately reflects your thyroid status, it cannot be shown to correlate well with either of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 or Free T4, much less correlate well with symptoms which should be the no. 1 concern.
When already taking thyroid med, TSH is almost worthless as a test. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
If you will post your thyroid test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report, members will be glad to help interpret further. Also, if tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, please post those, with ranges, as well.
When already taking thyroid med, TSH is almost worthless as a test. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
If you will post your thyroid test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report, members will be glad to help interpret further. Also, if tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, please post those, with ranges, as well.
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