From levothyroxine to armour thyroid - bad headache

linux40

Hi,
Just went from 125 mcg levothyroxine to 2 grains armour thyroid a couple of weeks ago. I`ve been using armour before and know that my body and mind works so much better on those, plus it`s way easier (for me that is) to lose weight ....but I got pursuaded by my doc to try levo again....which was a bad choice, really.

Well, to the point - I´ve switched back, going straight from levo to armour, no pause. And my head is almost exploding every day. I go to bed with headaches, and I wake up with it. Headache-drugs wont help at all. Been like this for approx 10 days now.
Now I`wondering if I might be overdosed, since I might have levo still in my blood? Or am I underdosed, since I used to be on 3 grains of armour....and since headache is one of the syptoms for undermedicated hypothyroidism.

My doc`s on holiday, that`s why I`m asking you guys. Hopefully someone knows...
TIA

Fuzzipeg

I'm sorry there don't seem to be many of us about at the moment. I hope you did take yourself off to see a doctor. Headaches do not only have to be related to thyroid though you probably do have dose issues or cross over problems. Please get proper medical advice.

linux40

Thank you so much for your reply. I went to see my doc. He told me, switching from levothyroxine to armour thyroid can give mild hyper-symptoms untill the body adjusts to the new meds. My body is given (almost) pure T3 straight, and some can`t tolerate it untill the levothyroxine is totally gone from the blood...He told me symptims could last for about a week, and he was so right. All symptoms gone now, no headache, and feeling better
Thanks again for answering me.

CSARdiver

Good for you!

I was just going to say wait 5-7 days to allow the hormones to balance in serum, but late to the party. 5-7 days is normally how long you can expect a hormone reaction to last and they are fairly common whenever making adjustments, especially with the dominant hormones.

linux40

CSARdiver wrote: »

Good for you!

I was just going to say wait 5-7 days to allow the hormones to balance in serum, but late to the party. 5-7 days is normally how long you can expect a hormone reaction to last and they are fairly common whenever making adjustments, especially with the dominant hormones.

Never too late for a good reply Thanks a lot. Yeah, I know, I should have waited really, Don`t know how snart it was to go straight from the one med to another..but now it`s done, and it was a no-good experience. Heartbeat, headaches and totally worn out by nothing.
I`m over it now, and it`s good. Thanks again for your reply

BeckFair

I've been hearing people say they prefer Armour Thyroid. What's the diff?

editorgrrl

Armour is desiccated pig (or pig + cow) thyroid glands. Synthroid is synthetic T4. Cytomel is synthetic T3. Armour contains T1, T2, T3 & T4.

indianarose2

Sorry I didn't see this earlier as well. I had the same thing happen to me when I switched. It was awful. My doctor failed to warn me. Kind of po'd about that... I just needed to take 1/4 doses then half then full over the course of a few weeks. I feel a lot better on desiccated as well. So much smoother emotionally. It is hard to describe.

editorgrrl

I just want to thank all y'all for this thread. I'm sorry there wasn't a reply in time to help @linux40, but you've all helped me! My endocrinologist never tells me anything, so if I can finally persuade him to let me try Armour I never would've known about the headaches.