Help

Juliegray1963

Hi. I have been on mfp for over 40 days. I am soon to be 52 and no longer have a period. I have been dealing with hypothyriod for 2.5 years now. I have been on synthroid alone, cytomel alone and also combined (synthriod T4 and cytomel T3). I had my tsh checked today and my numbers are 2.5. I still have weight gain, EXTREME fatigue, brain fog and sensitive to cold. I wanted to try Armour and the dr. said I am already taking T4 and T3 and changing to armour wont help. He said he would change my meds but that it wont help. I am wondering if any of u encountered this? Have any of u been on sythriod AND cytomel at the same time and switched to armour? Just not sure what to do. Thx

editorgrrl

It took me a year & a half to persuade my endocrinologist to prescribe Cytomel, even though my T3 was really low. You're the first person I've ever heard of who took just Cytomel. The human body can usually convert T4 to T3, which is why so many endos prescribe just Synthroid. But not everyone can.

I've never discussed Armour with my endo. I don't eat pork, so I don't want to take desiccated pig (or pig + cow) thyroid glands every day. But I've read plenty of stories in this group of people who feel so much better on Armour.

My impression is that endos are reluctant to prescribe Armour because dosage is based both on levels and on symptoms. My endo really seems not to care at all about my symptoms. He's a man (most thyroid patients are women), and he just does not listen to me. It's so frustrating!

lindsey1979

I've heard of people doing better on Armour/Nature-throid, though there doesn't seem to be much of an explanation why. When I was diagnosed with Hashi's, my doc gave me the option. He said that for whatever reason, his Hashi's patients seemed to do better on the natural stuff. He said he couldn't explain it exactly, but that was what he's observed in this practice over the years. He said he thought it may have to do with the autoimmune nature of Hashi's or perhaps the other thyroid hormones (T1, T2, etc.) which you get with the naturals but don't with the synthetics had some effect that they currently don't understand or know about.

I started with Nature-throid, so I can't compare with the synthroid/cytomel combination, but I do well on it -- so I'm sticking with it. I've seen many stories from others that started on synthroid or synthroid/cytomel combo and for whatever reason, fared better on the naturals.

Your doctor shouldn't really care about the medication preference. If he/she does, ask her/him why.

Juliegray1963

Thx u guys! I really appreciate it!

Fuzzipeg

I'm an observer of peoples progress on natural thyroid.

As someone who's disregarded pre-existing hypothyroid symptoms went out of control, following a radical hysterectomy I would say to anyone, If you are offered the option of natural try it. It contains both T1 and T2, medics have no explanation of their function and I assume this is the reason why they are disregarded. I believe it was my loss of t2 particularly, which pushed my health over the edge my T4 were already suspect, the issues amplified from week one. I was told, "what do you expect after that opp!!" No real help was offered.

Unfortunately, as Charles Darwin's tree of life would probably indicate, our DNA is close to the porcine and bovine inhabitants of our planet which is why they need their thyroid hormones in the same proportion as we do. Historically medics had access to the natural form of thyroid hormones when synthetic simply did not exist. Treatment way back was very much by trial, take this small amount and see how the symptoms go. There were not blood tests to apply. Now the product is equally as controlled in production as the synthetic forms. Because the natural combines all 4 thyroid hormones it is impossible to compare this like for like with synthetic because the T1 and T2 applications are unknown. The initial dosage of the natural tends to be lower because the changes it makes to a person need to be observed more closely, remember the effects of T1 and T2 are unknown, they must be of some benefit even if scientists have not found them yet.

Even though I've chosen not to eat meat because the eyes of the animals we eat are too similar to our own (Darwin). I also decided were it proved to me my health required me to eat animal protein I would have to do it and mentally thank the animal or fish for its contribution to my well being. I know I will never be offered Natural Thyroid here in the UK or Europe for that matter, but I do believe more people would achieve better resolution for their thyroid issues if it were offered, and they were ideologically able to take up the offer.

Stop the Thyroid Madness web site will have some information on Natural Thyroid treatment.

What ever your thyroid symptoms it is all about achieving what is best for yourself.