Aa
Armour
I have just found out that I have a hypothyroid. My doctor put me on Levothyroxine 50mcg. I've been reading alot about Armour and that it is natural and it is better than Levothyroxine. It also is suppose to help you loss weight better. I haven't got to talk to my doctor about changing it yet. Why do doctors not want to prescribe it?
I am very sure we can help you get the testing and treatment needed. I'd like to start by having you post your typical thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report. Also, what is your daily dosage of Synthroid?
Most important is to find a good thyroid doctor. That does not necessarily mean an Endo. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. If you will tell us your location, perhaps we can suggest a doctor that has been recommended by other thyroid patients.
Most important is to find a good thyroid doctor. That does not necessarily mean an Endo. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results. If you will tell us your location, perhaps we can suggest a doctor that has been recommended by other thyroid patients.
Levoxyl (T4) works fine for me, and I don't think I'm in any way unique. It doesn't work for everyone, but it does work for many.
Agreed...cells can only use T3. However, we currently have no test to measure tissue thyroid levels. Obviously, what we do have (FT3, FT4 and TSH) are inadequate.
Antibodies block the conversion of T4 to T3? Please provide a study that demonstrates this. With Hashi's, antibodies attach TPO and/or TG. This has what to do with conversion?
30% of women over 50 have Hashi's? Once again, documentation, please
T4 isn't worthless. It isn't for everybody, but it works for many of us. I've yet to hear that straight T3 works for anyone long term..
I totally agree that TSH is useless to monitor hypo patients. FT3 and FT4, however, can be useful, and symptoms are of utmost importance. Did I say that TSH was a good measure of thyroid status? I don't think so. If you knew what my TSH is, even though I am euthyroid, you wouldn't even make that accusation.
Agreed...cells can only use T3. However, we currently have no test to measure tissue thyroid levels. Obviously, what we do have (FT3, FT4 and TSH) are inadequate.
Antibodies block the conversion of T4 to T3? Please provide a study that demonstrates this. With Hashi's, antibodies attach TPO and/or TG. This has what to do with conversion?
30% of women over 50 have Hashi's? Once again, documentation, please
T4 isn't worthless. It isn't for everybody, but it works for many of us. I've yet to hear that straight T3 works for anyone long term..
I totally agree that TSH is useless to monitor hypo patients. FT3 and FT4, however, can be useful, and symptoms are of utmost importance. Did I say that TSH was a good measure of thyroid status? I don't think so. If you knew what my TSH is, even though I am euthyroid, you wouldn't even make that accusation.
1 Comments
OK. So, what may help me? I do not feel that I have ever been properly evaluated and, therefore, am not on what I really need to be on to properly manage my hypothyroid disease. I have been on levothyroxine (for several years) and am currently on synthroid (for several years now) Ever since being diagnosed with this disease, back in 1982, I have had insomnia. It is now 3:40 AM and I've been up since 1:30. No doctor (either Internist or Endocrinologist) has paid much attention to this fact or any of the others that have been plaguing me - the inability to manage my weight no matter what I do, the high constant feelings of being stressed even when there is no reason to be stressed, bad temperament (most likely due to sleep deprivation), tiredness, constipation, brittle fingernails...the list of negatives are mainly ignored by doctors as they continue to ask how I'm doing, but not wanting to really address why I'm not doing so well and being "happy" when the "numbers" are good and totally missing that what I'm being given is NOT working because at this point I am just kept going for their benefit, the next visit. So, I recently stopped going to the doctor, moved, and have not been to a doctor in a while. I keep telling my former doctor that I will be in soon. I feel I need to see someone who is actually willing to do the work I cannot do. At this point is natural medicine the answer? Could Armour help me? If so, what type of doctor would be most inclined to have me try it? My numbers haven't been checked for over a year now so I need to find someone soon, but refuse continue to be anyone's cash machine.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm not sure if goolarra will be available to respond to your post, so I'll jump in and if she sees your post, she'll respond as well.
We're very well aware that a lot of people don't do well on T4 only meds, but we also see a lot of people who do very well on them - I happen to be one who does, with just a small dose of added T3 because I don't convert well, and no, I don't live a stress free life and my thyroid journey hasn't been all sunshine and roses.
We also see a lot people who don't do well on Armour or other desiccated hormones, because they have too much T3 in them... There's no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't do well on them, since I do very well on just 10 mcg/day of added T3.
We all know that AACE and ATA have determined that Synthroid/T4 is the medication of choice and that's what most doctors prescribe. Getting something else, even a bit of added T3, can be harder than pulling hen's teeth for many people.
TSH monitors T4 levels only? Really? For many of us TSH doesn't correlate with either FT4 or FT3.
We're very well aware that TSH is a unreliable, archaic and irrational... we wonder all the time why AACE and ATA are so he!! bent on keeping it as the "gold standard" for thyroid testing, which keeps so many doctors from bother to pay attention to how the patient feels... We'd like more doctors to speak out against TSH being used as the gold standard.
We're very well aware that a lot of people don't do well on T4 only meds, but we also see a lot of people who do very well on them - I happen to be one who does, with just a small dose of added T3 because I don't convert well, and no, I don't live a stress free life and my thyroid journey hasn't been all sunshine and roses.
We also see a lot people who don't do well on Armour or other desiccated hormones, because they have too much T3 in them... There's no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't do well on them, since I do very well on just 10 mcg/day of added T3.
We all know that AACE and ATA have determined that Synthroid/T4 is the medication of choice and that's what most doctors prescribe. Getting something else, even a bit of added T3, can be harder than pulling hen's teeth for many people.
TSH monitors T4 levels only? Really? For many of us TSH doesn't correlate with either FT4 or FT3.
We're very well aware that TSH is a unreliable, archaic and irrational... we wonder all the time why AACE and ATA are so he!! bent on keeping it as the "gold standard" for thyroid testing, which keeps so many doctors from bother to pay attention to how the patient feels... We'd like more doctors to speak out against TSH being used as the gold standard.
As a physician managing 100's of thyroid patients, I really don't feel that levothyroxine or synthroid is a very good choice. I think synthroid is a great medication if you are under no stress....please find that person for me. Your body only has T3 receptors on the organs, and essentially no T4 receptors. So to work properly inactive T4 has to be activated to T3. Otherwise it has absolutely no benefit. Unfortunately stress significantly blocks this, as well as beta-blockers used for blood pressure, statins used for lowering cholesterol levels, antidepressants, amiodarone for controlling heart rhythm problems and of course the antibodies from Hashimoto's thyroiditis will block activation of T4. ( 30% of women over 50 have hashimoto's) Ok so the real question to ask is why would any one even give synthroid when there are so many issues that block its activation making it worthless. Low T3 syndrome, is extremely dangerous and patients feel exhausted. But the only way to correct it is to provide either straight T3 ( cytomel ) or some t3 , like in armour. Lastly, since TSH only monitors your T4 levels and not the amount of activated thyroid hormone, using TSH to follow patients is unreliable, archaic, and irrational. Why not just ask the patient how they feel? Dr C
There is a fair amount of resistance...Some flat out refuse, some will give it to you if you beat them up pretty good, others are okay with it.
Thanks everyone for your comments. Is it hard to get doctors to prescribe it? I've read that alot of doctors are against this med.
Greetings from Hong Kong
I have been using Armour thyroid for the past 7 months. Use 125mg Armour once per day and also take 0.5mg of Thyroxin per day. I am a South African living in Hong Kong. In South Africa I used to use Eltroxin 0.1 mg 3 times a day. Here in Hong Kong I seem to shift between Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid. I struggle to maintain weight. I weigh 44 Kilograms and find that I have tremors.
I do feel better since using Armour thyroid.
I would love to know what I can take to lesson these as people often ask me if I am cold. I often do feel verry cold and then the tremors are even worse.
I have been using Armour thyroid for the past 7 months. Use 125mg Armour once per day and also take 0.5mg of Thyroxin per day. I am a South African living in Hong Kong. In South Africa I used to use Eltroxin 0.1 mg 3 times a day. Here in Hong Kong I seem to shift between Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid. I struggle to maintain weight. I weigh 44 Kilograms and find that I have tremors.
I do feel better since using Armour thyroid.
I would love to know what I can take to lesson these as people often ask me if I am cold. I often do feel verry cold and then the tremors are even worse.
I have been on Armour for about 6 months now. It does take some time to get your dose adjusted correctly but I also did a lot of reading on levothyroxine versus Armour and I went on the Armour website and found a doctor in my area that works with Armour. The other doctors do not want to work with it because most of them are involved with the companies that produce Levothroxine and in my opinion probably get kickbacks for prescribing it. Also, Newer doctors have been trained on strictly the newer meds. Armour has been being produced for over 100 yrs and doctors now a days don't know how to prescribe it. They think all you need is medicine with T4 only in it like Levothyroxine when I think a lot of people need both to get feeling back to normal and to have energy again and be able to lose weight. I also have seen that the levothyroxine has a list of side effects with it. The armour has no side effects as long as it is dosed correctly. I hope I was able to help. Good Luck.
2 Comments
I have had HYPOthroidism since 1998. New Doc has changed me from Levothyroxine 175 MCG daily, to Armour 90 MG daily. Are these two meds equal in strength?
Absolutely not. There have been two scientific studies suggesting that T3 has about 3 times the effect of T4. Even the ATA/AACE Guidelines for Hypothyroidism recognizes T3 as having 3 times the effect of T4. So your 90 mg of Armour is equivalent to only about 99 mcg of Levothyroxine. This is calculated as follows: 90 mg of Armour contains about 58.5 mcg of T4 and 13.5 mcg of T3. Multiplying the 13.5 by the factor of 3 equals 40.5. Then adding the 40.5 to the 58.5 equals 99 mcg of T4.
You can also read about this in Rec. 6 on page 11 of the following link.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
You can also read about this in Rec. 6 on page 11 of the following link.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
There are any number of reasons...some of them founded, others not.
My endo's argument, which convinced me was this: Armour contains T4:T3 in a ration of about 4-5:1. The normally functioning human thyroid produces T4:T3 in a ratio of about 20:1. So, when taking Armour, you're getting a whole lot of T3, which can make it hard to regulate. Furthermore, most people do well on synthetics. If some T3 is needed, it's easier to regulate by adding some T3 as a separate pill. Also, if on Armour, be sure to have your free T3 monitored regularly.
Synthetic T4 is the therapy of choice for those just starting thyroid hormone replacement. If it doesn't work for you, you can always try something else.
The synthetic vs. natural issue can get quite heated at times. Both sides have their supporters and detracters. There's no doubt about one thing: there are some people who have been helped by each. The best thing we can all do is encourage our doctors to keep as many options open as possible.
My endo's argument, which convinced me was this: Armour contains T4:T3 in a ration of about 4-5:1. The normally functioning human thyroid produces T4:T3 in a ratio of about 20:1. So, when taking Armour, you're getting a whole lot of T3, which can make it hard to regulate. Furthermore, most people do well on synthetics. If some T3 is needed, it's easier to regulate by adding some T3 as a separate pill. Also, if on Armour, be sure to have your free T3 monitored regularly.
Synthetic T4 is the therapy of choice for those just starting thyroid hormone replacement. If it doesn't work for you, you can always try something else.
The synthetic vs. natural issue can get quite heated at times. Both sides have their supporters and detracters. There's no doubt about one thing: there are some people who have been helped by each. The best thing we can all do is encourage our doctors to keep as many options open as possible.
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