Switched from Westhroid (Armour) to Levothyroxine

[jimmyjames77]

Please help!

About 9 months ago, I finally went to the doctor after feeling extremely tired, depressed, fatigued, and gaining about 10 lbs of weight over the previous 4 months.  The doctor that I went to is a Naturopath.  He determined that my TSH was at 5.01 and prescribed a Westhroid/Naturethroid (Armour).  I'll have to admit that I felt a million times better and had a lot of energy return.  I did notice that I would sweat a lot easier than usual and would sometimes feel a slight euphoric buzz.  Anyway, my TSH went to 2.0 and things seemed to be ok.  At my next yearly exam with my doctor a the VA, he told me that Armour is a very horrible drug to be on, that it is from dessicated pig hormone, and that I must switch to Levothyroxine.  I am currently on .025mg of Levothyroxine (which I realize is a low dose, but the dose of Armour that I was on was very low too -- like 1/2 grain per day) and things have just not been right ever since.  I have this strange lightheaded feeling and I get little bouts of depression here and there.  Additionally, I feel as though I am much less socially receptive and responsive (seem to have lost my sense of humor) since being on the Levothyroxine.  Should I say to heck with the VA docs and go back on the Armour?  It was the med that made me feel better to begin with...

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Armour is one alternative to the standared levothyroxine -- another would be to add T3 (cytomel) to the levothyroxine.  There is not good data to support T4/T3 combo therapy, but some patients feel better w/ it and as long as the levels (TSH) stay w/in target range (about 0.3-2.5) and there are no heart palpitations, etc --then the combo may be appropriate.

[catlady55]

From Catlady55:
I'm curious, do each of you still have own thyroids or are you on meds due to a thyroidectomy.
I'm trying to find out if it is easier to balance thyroid levels when the doc is working with " a clean slate"? My surgery is 9/25 and I'm still trying to research TT vs partials and what is easier to manage longterm.
I can understand that balancing meds when your own thyroid is functioning erradically must be tough.
So many of these posts talk about detailed thyroid bloodwork results, but it's not clear in many if the writers (w/ hypo) have their thyroids or not.
Thanks for any insights for anyone out there.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

some people seem to do better on armor than on levothyroxine (I am also one of those - I currently take a combination of armor and levothyroxine, which works for me).  Seeing you were feeling good on the armor and not good on the levothyroxine, getting back on the armor which was working for you seems like a good move.

Best wishes

[ozzy1000]

i've been taking levo' for the last 10 months or so, to be honest i can't say i feel any better, i have periods of feeling better'ish but they are tainted by this slightly poluted feeling, or fluttery palp feelings... i had better well periods before i started the stuff... and the bad times are just as bad, if not more emotional...

what i've been told is probably happening with me is i'm not converting it into T3 properly or not absorbing properly.. could be the same for you, the desecated porcine stuff has both t4 and t3 so you body doesn't have to convert it to t3. maybe worth talking to your Dr about a this,

i absolutely understand what you mean about the depression/social anxiety stuff. i've had it soooo bad lately, I keep crying over everyone... not what you want really; a sobbing 180lb bald bloke... i have hashi's so it comes and goes.. i think i prefered riding it out with the levothyroxine...