converting from levothyroxine to armour

[manylookers]

I would like to take armour hormone and not levothyroxine what is the dose I would take of armour if i'm taking 125 microgram of levothyroxine

[Barb135]

Also, if you have them, please post your most current thyroid related blood tests so we can get a better idea of your testing protocol.  Be sure to include reference ranges, with any labs posted.

[Barb135]

What "side effects" are you getting from the thyroxine?  Side effects are, typically, those of over medication or under medication.  

Also, please clarify your current dosage.  Thyroxine is dosed in mcg not mg, so if you're taking 12.5 mcg, that would 1/2 of 25 mcg, which you would have to obtain by splitting a 25 mcg pill or only take a pill every other day.  1/3 of 25 mcg would be 8.33 mcg, which you would also have to obtain by splitting a 25 mcg pill 3 ways, which is very hard to do, or only take one pill every 3 days.

What "natural replacement" are you switching to?  Most desiccated hormone pills contain 60 mg/gr.  Desiccated hormones have a lot of T3 in them vs thyroxine, which is only T4.  There is no "natural" hormone with 140 gr or 390 mg that would match 12.5 mcg of thyroxine.

We can not advise you on anything until we know exactly what dosage you're taking now, and the medication you plan to switch to.

[wiserlady]

Am taking a very low dose of thyroxine but still getting some side effects. Cannot take more, the side effects are awful.  Right now 12.5 or a third of a 25 mg tablet each day. Am switching to a natural replacement. One of them are 140 gr per tablet, the other 390 mg per tablet. How much of those do I take to match it?>  Please do not ask me to ask doctor etc,  they have no idea!

[gimel]

Depending on which assumption is made about the relative effect of T3 to T4,  there are basically two conversion factors used.  One says each 100 mcg of T4 med like Levo, is approximately equal to one grain of Armour or any other NDT type med.  Another source says that the conversion factor should be one grain of NDT med for each 75 mcg of T4 med.  So the equivalent amount of Armour for you would be somewhere between  1 1/4 and 1 2/3 grains.  If you are still having hypo symptoms currently, you might try to get the doctor to prescribe 1 1/2 grains and see how that worked for you after a month or so.

Be aware that whatever dosage you switch to, to minimize any possible reaction to the change, I would not make the change all at once.  I would make the change in two stages.  Further, whatever T3 meds you take, due to the quick effect of T3, you should split the dose into half, and take in the morning and early afternoon.