Hashimoto's & Levothyroxine vs. Armour

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Has anybody with Hashimoto's switched from Levothyroxine to Armour or from Armour to Levothyroxine? If yes, did you have success or not?

I'm asking because my TSH gets tested annually and was within range in Oct. I don't think I've ever had a T3 or T4 test, but I really don't feel like I'm in optimal condition. I see my endocrinologist next week, but would like to know what others have experienced. A friend (outside of MFP) with Hashimoto's recently changed from Levothyroxine to Armour and tells me he feels much better with Armour, after a short adjustment period for the Levothyroxine to fizzle out.

Fuzzipeg

The levo fizzel is a known, given a higher dose feel good for a few weeks to then feel like you have gone over a cliff sort of thing. I don't think in general much notice is taken of it, except by us.

I was in the position of adversely reacting to the liquid levo, it burned as I swallowed. I'd had problems with the NHS pills years before and refused to take them because my physical abilities were reduced. Which is why I have as many problems as I do. Again I was told there was nothing else I could have.............. So no medication. But the doctor told me I needed something but could not offer me anything himself but he could test why I had the issues with the liquid!!!!

Fortunately I'd already made contact with a Clinical Nutritionist with a Medical degree, we were already working on inflammation after blood tests etc. She was able to offer NDT in a food supplement capsule, we were able to achieve a dose close to the t4 I was on. Its not exactly the same as Armour. I'm also using pituitary support because of my history. I'm a few week in on both, started the thyroid support, two weeks later half a dose of the adrenal, full dose at two weeks. I'd been without medication for a week and felt as if I was in free fall then as soon as I took the first pill it took up the slack and now I'm feeling much better, have a way to go but at least I'm on the bus at long, long last and not in limbo which was how I felt on levo.

I hope you are able to get the tests you deserve, t4, t3 reverse t3 because not all t4's necessarily change to usable t3 in every one. There are other tests which are helpful. Tsh on its own is a poor indicter. You may need to find another doctor and/or endo. I think NDT is more readily available in the US. STTM, Stop the thyroid madness, site does have a list of US Doctors who have a reputation for assisting thyroid persons in their most effective way. I hope they have someone reasonably close to you. Best of luck, I hope you will be able to make a case for yourself if this is what you want. It will probably help that you are a man, possibly a more interesting prospect to treat.

A caveat Some people find themselves feeling better on t3 only. Paul Robinson, a Brit wrote a book on his experiences and how he worked his way to this prescription with the help of a very special UK doctor.

ECTexan

I tried to switch to Armour. I took it in conjunction with levo for about 3mo. I felt fine at first, but then I started to get hives all over my body. Turns out I was allergic so I had to quit the Armour and go back to Levo + Cytomel. It's worth trying the Armour, though, I think. A lot of people say it works better.

bluepotatoes66

I switched from Levo to Armour. I had the levo fizzle (thanks Fuzzipeg for that term) for several years before I did some research and realized that I had options (Stop the Thyroid Madness was one of the key sites). So I switched to Armour a few years back. The key is finding a doctor/endo who is willing to dose based on symptoms, not merely on tests - I've had to adjust my own dosage to get somewhere close to ideal feeling (yeah I know, shame on me). But even on a subpar dosage, Armour helps far more than levo does for me.

At the beginning of this year I was facing possibly having to go back on levo (insurance reasons, see my post for more) - I messaged the doctor and went in to an ARNP to make it clear that that was not happening without a T3 med in addition. Even that would have been less than ideal because Armour also has T1 and T2, as it is derived from animal origins (porcine for Armour, some others use bovine due to dietary restrictions).

I do recommend getting free T3 and T4 tested alongside the TSH. They are better indicators of how the thyroid is actually functioning. TSH levels measure how much of that particular hormone the pituitary gland produces to spur the thyroid into action - so you can see why it might not be the best measure of thyroid health.

It is very common for people with the most common form of hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) to have some symptoms of hypothyroidism years before the TSH numbers indicate it, but if the doctor tests T3 and T4 in addition to TSH, they might get diagnosed and treated far earlier. Personally, I've shown symptoms (constant coldness and poor nail health) since I hit puberty - when I was finally tested at 18 (because my new doctor noticed that my thyroid was swollen - big hint there that something was up) I showed normal TSH. A few years later I went in after a significant and unexpected weight gain, and asked that they test again - voila, my numbers were finally clinically diagnosable.

Feel free to message me if you want to know more about my thyroid history or about the treatment options - I may not be a doctor, but I have done quite a lot of research on this subject.

lorcart

I just switched and I feel like I'm being OVER dosed. I'm now hyperthyroid and I'm feeling pretty miserable. My doc keeps LOWERing the dose and I keep getting more and more hyperthyroid! I felt amazing at first. Now I'm itchy, my heart races, I don't sleep...I'm miserable. Not sure which is worse!

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I just wanted to provide an update after seeing the endocrinologist last week. For now, I'm going to stick with levothyroxine and get a T3 and T4 test done. He thinks that, since our bodies convert T4 to T3, the levothyroxine should work. And he is hesitant to try Armour because the methods used to ensure dose are just based on iodine testing, which he isn't convinced gives a consistent dose. He was open to trying it if I wanted to, but based on our conversation, I'm less interested in doing that until the T3 and T4 tests. So I'll talk about it with him next time I see him and will have tests done shortly beforehand.

Fuzzipeg

I'm pleased for you. That you are taking control of your health, being involved in your decisions for health. The doctor is right in that in the best of conditions our bodies should do the conversions on its own, unfortunately some of our bodies refuse to play that game or play it well. I do disagree with him on one thing. All medication is made to an approved standard, if it weren't the FDA or other national authority would not pass it for sale, this goes for t4, t3, combinations and the dreaded ndt and even the common aspirin. It would be unsafe to change one brand of NDt for another one without checking because of the ones available in the UK, (from Thyroid UK site) two of the brands state a different amount of NDT to the others. This could mean a larger or smaller or at best a similar dose depending on the pills being compared.

Some people do do better on combination t4.t3 others do better on t3 only. Someone who is taking t4 and had next to no t3 in their blood probably would benefit from additional t3 or only t3 if low enough. It is not readily possible to tell if the t3 is making its way into the cells, if a reverse t3 test, for blind/blocked/inactive t3 was also taken the difference would show, there would be total, t3, active t3 and reverse/inactive t3 the difference hopefully in the active t3's favour.

While you are waiting for the test appointment and results please look into what I have written, make sure of your own facts and you have the advantage of knowing how well or how poorly your body is working in your opinion and this is your key fact. Knowing if you are satisfied or think you need something more. All the very best to you.

losergood2011

I tried switching from Levo 187 to armor last fall. I went in for my blood test 2 days before Xmas and the doc called me left a message OMG you must feel like crap go to the pharmacy and pick up your old prescription! I did and yes. I did feel like crap. I was bummed but synthetic works ok for me

toadqueen

I have been taking low doses of levo and lio (T3) for several months and both were just raised. I am still not feeling better. I saw a new endo yesterday who will be starting me on Armour and in conjunction with the others. I had tried Armour in the past with little success but I was on a very low dose of that.

LauraCoth

NDT (Armour or other desiccated thyroid hormome brands) can take a while to get used to. This is especially true if your adrenal glands are not functioning properly. Go slowly, is my advice from experience. Don't accept big dose increases. Go for very small increments. This will help your body become accustomed to the new hormones.

I never felt well on Synthroid and Cytomel because they gave me terrible foot cramps, all night long sometimes. I feel much better on my desiccated thyroid hormone -- but it took me a year before the side effects faded completely.

llbreuer2006

lorcart wrote: »

I just switched and I feel like I'm being OVER dosed. I'm now hyperthyroid and I'm feeling pretty miserable. My doc keeps LOWERing the dose and I keep getting more and more hyperthyroid! I felt amazing at first. Now I'm itchy, my heart races, I don't sleep...I'm miserable. Not sure which is worse!

I had issues with severe heart palpitations when I first switched to Armour from levothyroxine. My doctor did a 24 hour cortisol test and found that my adrenals were fatigued due to my hypothyroid condition not being addressed adequately. I had to go off the Armour and treat the adrenals before going back on the Armour. We're still adjusting the dose to find exactly where I need to be, but I haven't had any more heart palpitations since resuming taking the Armour last summer.

321blueeyes

I prefer the way I feel on Armour. I was on levothyroxine for a few years and only felt so-so. The bigger issue for me way interaction with hormonal birth control (first oral contraceptives, then Mirena IUD). Eliminating outside hbc allows my thyroid meds to better eliminate hypo symptoms.

dianalorey

Is there anyone that lives around dearborn hieghts michigan? Preferably a female and in her 50's

Psychgrrl

I tried Armour about ten years ago after reading about. Was on it for about a year. It didn't work for me. I switched back to a synthetic T4 and added a synthetic T3. My TSH didn't change much from the levo to the levo + cytomel, however, I felt so much better. Symptoms lessened greatly.

shellym616

I switched from Levothyroxine to Armour for a while and it didn't work for me. I actually gained a lot of weight and didn't feel any better. Also, my insurance didn't cover it which made it very expensive. So I'm back to Levothyroxine and my weight has gradually gone back down and I'm feeling better.