Armour thyroid Meds

I have Hashimoto's. I take 90mg of Armour but it has fluctuated. I have to get my level's checked every two months because my TSH is still too high. Once I got on Armour though, I noticed increased energy. The only thing I don't like about is it is not vegetarian.

I have hashimotos and have been on synthroid since August 2011 and cytomel since June 2012. I've asked my endo to increase my T3 since it's still at 79 even with the Cytomel, but get the whole, "your tsh is fine, your symptoms aren't caused by your thyroid". I have to send my bloodwork requests back to them each time to add T3 to the order.
I can't fathom why a doctor that specializes in this can be so flippant. I've gained 25% of my body weight in this time frame even while eating right and working out. It's maddening. I'm going to a lecture this weekend about hormonal health and hope to learn more and be able to take knowledge to the endo to try to push her to think outside the box. I'm extremely intereseted in the Armour since I'm not converting the T3 like I should be.

FIRE your endo. Go find a good general practitioner who will actually run free T3 and free T4 and take your symptoms seriously.

My free T3 is 2.7, which is in the "normal range", but on the low end.

Low end of free T3 = HYPO!

You optimally want your free T3 in the top 1/3 of the range.

There is so much thyroid conspiracy theory out there, ugh. I just added synthetic T3 to the synthroid I've been taking for over 10 years. Almost immediately felt better, hoping it's not a placebo effect situation. I asked my dr for armour, and he said he's had more success with just adding the synthetic T3, but if I didn't like it- he'd switch me to armour.

Just note your medical condition should also decide if you are on T4, T3 or T4/T3 combos as well as blood work. I am currently on both Synthroid and Thyroid ( Armour).
Most of my weight gain is actually from being hyper. ( yes it happens mainly in those who get Grave's younger). I do not have Hashimotos ( did biopsy to confirm) but I am currently hypo because I was over treated for hyper plus I have both blocking and stimulating antibodies.
Currently I have thyroiditis to the point where I can not exercise and I am living off of tylenol. It is a very fine line between getting the TSH low enough to rest the thyroid and keeping the T4 and T3 within range to prevent hyper. I do blood work every 2 weeks.

What you do want is a doctor that will work with you, regardless of medication choices, and a copy of all your blood work. Everyone has their own set point so when you get your blood work write on it how you are feeling. You will find your set point and then it is easy to tell what medication is doing what.

Just note your medical condition should also decide if you are on T4, T3 or T4/T3 combos as well as blood work. I am currently on both Synthroid and Thyroid ( Armour).
Most of my weight gain is actually from being hyper. ( yes it happens mainly in those who get Grave's younger). I do not have Hashimotos ( did biopsy to confirm) but I am currently hypo because I was over treated for hyper plus I have both blocking and stimulating antibodies.
Currently I have thyroiditis to the point where I can not exercise and I am living off of tylenol. It is a very fine line between getting the TSH low enough to rest the thyroid and keeping the T4 and T3 within range to prevent hyper. I do blood work every 2 weeks.

What you do want is a doctor that will work with you, regardless of medication choices, and a copy of all your blood work. Everyone has their own set point so when you get your blood work write on it how you are feeling. You will find your set point and then it is easy to tell what medication is doing what.

Ugh, sorry to hear of your troubles - I was hyper (graves) on/off for 20 years before my thyroidectomy this past fall. I also gained weight while hyper! I was very extreme at that point and basically eating sugar ALL day just to get enough calories and energy into me. I know the key for me, and many people with autoimmune disease, is all about stress management. Yoga and acupuncture (and some massages) really made a difference for me.

If they ever start talking to you about permanent solutions, please consider more than just RAI as an option! I am SO happy with my choice of thyroidectomy over RAI. I was positive for stimulating TSH receptor antibodies, and 3 months later they're almost gone! I also had mild graves ophthalmology so definitely couldn't do RAI. I'm thinking your thyroid might be in the process of burn out though, with both the TSH receptor antibodies doing damage?

Good to find this thread! I have just upped my armour thyroid dose - I am hypo but not Hashimotos - and missed my period. Has anyone else had this problem (btw - I am NOT pregnant
Also does anyone else use bio-identicals with Thyroid. I am trying to navigate this new stage in my life and would really like to find some women who have been there and done that. Thanks!

My story- Had a ovarian cyst rupture May 22, 2012. Had a (first time ever) SEVERE Panic Attack! Went to the ER. That day changed my life! I have not been able to get my panic attacks, which is now severe anxiety to go away. I did not know where to turn or what to do, so I went to see my Gyno/OB doc about a week after. She gave me the regular "blah blah blah story"... every woman has cyst ruptures, every woman has hormone fluctuations. I could run hormone tests on you but it won't do any good and you will be wasting your money. (we didn't have insurance but yet had the cash to pay for whatever was needed to be done.. my husband and I just wanted my/our Life to be normal. My husband tried to tell her that it wasn't a mental health issue, that it had to be hormonal. If it was a mental health issue, there would have been signs leading up to it.. this exploded out of nowhere. Before this, I was very independent, took care of our children while he was away every week for work. Loved spending time alone... (who doesn't when they have kids...lol) But on this day he could not leave my side. May 22, 2012 at 11:00AM, after I got out of the shower and felt like I was going to die! Literally... like I was going to die, not from pain alone, but this sensation of pure doom! She looked at me and said "YOU need to go to The Mental Health Center, as in leave my office and drive straight there. You are going crazy and need professional help!! I was completely devastated. I thought as a woman and as a gyno, she would be more sympathetic to what I was going through. It took me about 2 months to find a doctor who would actually listen to me and run a complete hormone panel on me. (My TSH was 1.33 Free T4 1.05 and Free T3 2.6) Was diagnosed Hypo July 2012 and have been on Armour 60 mg 1/daily Along with Magnesium, Vit C, iodine, Selenium and Zinc. I have been eating the Perfect Health Diet for over a year. Walk 15,000 steps or 2 hours morning and late afternoon.. (whichever comes first-sometimes it doesn't take 2 hours) on the treadmill a day. SO.... here is my issues.. I still feel like someone shoved me in a crap shoot and has left me there to mold! I take my Armour Thyroid around 5 am because I am usually up at that time.. I "try" to go to bed at 9-9:30 pm. If I go to sleep I wake up at 1 AM and am awake the rest of the night. If I can't go to sleep I am usually up until 5 or so.. Problem is, my 4 year old gets up between 7:30 and 8! I AM EXHAUSTED! I do not know when to take it, how to take it, what to take in conjunction with (any of the other things I am taking), what to avoid that would interfere?... how much time to wait to take what..when to take what and well, everything!! I think all this figuring out is causing me more anxiety! I have read so many things.. Stop the thyroid madness, living successfully with hypothyroidism, online stuff.. etc. everything is SO CONFUSING! I have gained weight since then. I feel like I am in adrenal failure or something. Is my cortisol too high or too low?.. Do I chew the armour thyroid or not? Do I chop it into and take some in the morning and some in the afternoon? Do I need a higher dose? ARGHHHHH!!! Any and all advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much, Patty

oops, sorry if I posted in the wrong forum..

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When were your levels last tested? Does your doctor test free T3 and free T4? If you're still exhausted you're likely on too low of a dose. I would ask to get your free T3 tested - make sure to take your meds AFTER your morning labs.
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I had a complete blood panel done - Free T3 7/9/12 it was 2.6 and on 9/27/12 it was 3.5
Free T4 7/9/12 it was 1.1 and on 9/27/12 it was 1.3
TSH 7/9/12 1.33 - 9/27/12 0.31
I had a whole lot of other tests done too such as ... (the ones that "stood out on levels"-)- progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, FSH, RDW, DHEA Sulfate and Absolute Eosinophils

I have tried reading up on what each means and what could be the cause and I am thinking I have some huge worm in me taking over my life...LOL (trying to find humor in my misery )