Armour thyroid: Anybody take or taken this stuff???????????????????

[--->>405<<---]

doc wants me on armour thyroid to get it "optimal".. he said it isnt hypothyroid but isnt optimal either and said itd help with well being and weight and other good stuff.. has anyone ever taken this stuff and if so how is it what were/are ur experiences?? thx

[SEOINAGE]

Can't say that I have. Taking generic synthroid , which from what i have studied isn't as good. Personally I don't know what your numbers are, but I wasn't too far off of ok range, and I don't think it is worth it, looking to coming off of it and going the trt route instead. You haven't been on TRT long correct? maybe wait and check thyroid levels and TSH again later on down the road and see if being on TRT effects it.

[--->>405<<---]

Thx for the input seoinage.. Would u mind telling me what u mean by "not worth it?"

[SEOINAGE]

well my levels really weren't that bad, but not optimal, I haven't given it enough time on my upped dosage yet, but so far I haven't noticed any benefit. not to mention with synthroid you rely on just t4, so you have to rely on your body to convert it to t3, I'm new at this so still trying to understand it so I could be wrong. So far I haven't felt any improvement and if anything i feel worse and libido is down. Probably will start trt in the next several months instead and see if that is better for my symptoms, and if I still feel a little off and thyroid isn't improving try that again. But the big question is how far from optimal are you, why shut down your thyroid if its doing an almost ok job. I looked up some other numbers and even last april it was much better, and I am thinking I might just need to make diet changes and do something much more minor than thyroid repla***ent. It is really up to your specific circumstances, I personally hate taking medication, so unless it is really making a big difference I wouldn't want to do it.

[SlimmerMe]

I was on synthroid for years and once I switched to armour? Man o man. What a difference. The t3 really does help prevent the low afternoon swings plus helps with metabolism. Night and day.

Have you read the book, Stop the Thyroid Maddness?

What is your TSH? curious as to what the doc considered okay but not bad. And do you have any symptoms?

[--->>405<<---]

Ill have to get labs from doc.. Im curious too..

So ur on armour then slim? My main concern is feeln like a crackhead.. With the rapid pulse and palpitations ,anxiety and sweating and chestpain symptoms that r possible... U didnt experience any of this i suppose??

Hes got me on 60mg once per day in am on empty stomach... What dose r u on if u dont mind ?

I have no idea what symptoms i could have ??

Is the tsh one that ranges between 0.45-4.50?? If so mine was 0.73 i remember that number associated with thyroid.. But i also remember my doc mentioning t3 i think and sayn that was more important.?? Dont quote me on whether it was t3 or t4 im pretty sure it was one of em...

[SlimmerMe]

Ill have to get labs from doc.. Im curious too..

So ur on armour then slim? My main concern is feeln like a crackhead.. With the rapid pulse and palpitations ,anxiety and sweating and chestpain symptoms that r possible... U didnt experience any of this i suppose??

The opposite happened to me. The synthroid /t4 is what gave me the palpitations. NOT the armour. Keep in mind armour is desicated porcine thyroid which is the closest thyroid to the human.

Hes got me on 60mg once per day in am on empty stomach... What dose r u on if u dont mind ? Same dose and on an empty stomach and try not to drink any OJ or coffee since messes with the uptake. I take mine in the middle of the night and go back to sleep. It actually helps me sleep oddly enough.

I have no idea what symptoms i could have ?? Fatigue especially in the afternoon. Cold/hot. Slow metabolism. And more.

Is the tsh one that ranges between 0.45-4.50?? YES If so mine was 0.73 that is not low at all actually. Keep in mind TSH is read inversely. High is low and low is high. So it is odd he even mentioned it quite honestly. Most docs think 3-4 is fine and not low and now the range has changed forcing them to wake up. Ideally anything under 1.0 is GREAT. Otherwise you can end up going Hypo thyroid. Please look to see if .73 was your TSH. i remember that number associated with thyroid.. But i also remember my doc mentioning t3 i think and sayn that was more important.?? Dont quote me on whether it was t3 or t4 im pretty sure it was one of em...

Hope this helps some 405

[--->>405<<---]

Im almost positive it was 0.73. Im good at remembering numbers esp ones that have to do with me being fat LOL.. Thats why i said what i said about him wanting to test my free t3 & free t4... I think when i first met him he said the tsh isnt as important and the free t3...

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And yes i know below .45 is hyper and above 4.50 is hypo.. Thats why i thought i was good too... But like i said he stressd that free t3

[SlimmerMe]

IMHO: your t3 would REALLY have to be off for him to prescribe armour knowing your TSH is .73.
The thyroid is not something to mess around with so I would ask him why. The last thing you want to do is go towards hypo thyroid.

[SlimmerMe]

And yes i know below .45 is hyper below is hypo and above 4.50 is hypo.. above is hyper Thats why i thought i was good too... But like i said he stressd that free t3

bold

[SEOINAGE]

Interesting, and I think that is half my problem cause i am on just a t4 repla***ent not both. I was 2.74 last april, and in the 3.0 range lately with worst at 3.57 before treatment. I'm just think if i can somehow swing it below 3 there might not be a need for therapy. i dunno why the doc would prescribe if you are under a 1, my doc wanted to get my tsh close to a 1. like slimmer said wonder what your levels were. mine only checked ft4 and it was in range but low. i just need to know how to come off this stuff safely cause I don't want to take synthroid anymore.

[--->>405<<---]

And yes i know below .45 is hyper below is hypo and above 4.50 is hypo.. above is hyper Thats why i thought i was good too... But like i said he stressd that free t3

bold

Normal range is approximately 0.5 to 5.5. (However, as of Spring 2003, some experts are calling for the range to be revised to .3 to 3.0). If the TSH level is at the lower end of the range, or below the range, your doctor may determine that you are hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid.)

If your doctor ran a test called Total T4 or Total Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 4.5 to 12.5. If you had a high reading and a low TSH, your doctor might consider that indicative of hyperthyroidism.

If your doctor ran a test called Total T4 or Total Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 4.5 to 12.5. If you had a high reading, and a high TSH, your doctor might look into a possible pituitary problem.

If your doctor ran a test called Free T4, or Free Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 0.7 to 2.0. If your result was greater than 2.0, your doctor might consider that indicative of hyperthyroidism.

If your doctor ran a test called Total T3, normal range is approximately 80 to 220. If your result was greater than 220, your doctor might consider that indicative of hyperthyroidism.

If your doctor ran a test called Free T3, normal range is approximately 2.3 to 4.2. If your result was greater than 4.2, your doctor might consider that indicative of hyperthyroidism.

[--->>405<<---]

i sent an email to docs asst requesting all lab results so ill post them when i get them

[SlimmerMe]

And yes i know below .45 is hyper and above 4.50 is hypo.. Thats why i thought i was good too... But like i said he stressd that free t3

CORRECT

You were correct the first time. Suppose I was sleepy is all I can say. Either way, .73 IMO does not suggest a need for any medicine. Anything under 1.0 is IDEAL. So you are already there. Again, that is if your t3 is not completely off which we await to see.

[--->>405<<---]

double post

[--->>405<<---]

ok slim i got my results with a slight change on tsh:


TSH:1.300 (0.450-4.500)

free T4:1.35ng/dl (0.82-1.77)

free T3:2.8pg/ml (2.0-4.4)

so it appears my T3 could be better.. and my TSH has gone up from 0.73(baseline) to 1.3 after being on test for 6 weeks...

[SEOINAGE]

yeah i dont see any reason why you would take thryoid repla***ent.

[--->>405<<---]

its not supposed to be thyroid repla***ent its supposed to be thyroid optimization

[SEOINAGE]

its not supposed to be thyroid repla***ent its supposed to be thyroid optimization

See there is where I might not understand how it works. I assumed if you had exogenous thyroxine, in turn your pituitary would release less tsh causing you to produce less of your own t4 t3 whatever, hence repla***ent to a degree. I wish I knew more about how everything worked, also curious if your thyroid shuts down like other glands, and if stopping medication it could go back to normal. Not trying to be a jerk or tell you don't need something, those are just my opinions, even if they aren't based on what actually happens, which I would re-evaluate if I had a clue how everything works.

[--->>405<<---]

hey no prob man.. i dont know either.. im not trying to be a jerk either just telling u what i thought it was gonna be i think ill have to check into it further.. def dont wanna shut my natty thyroid down to gain a point and a half or something like that thats why i posted this thread.. i figd since this is a hormone forum i wouldnt be the only one here with a doc that wanted to optimize my thyroid..

[SEOINAGE]

Yeah I haven't had much success with my thyroid questions either.

[--->>405<<---]

have u noticed being leaner because of the synthroid ? or being able to eat more without as bad consequences?

[SEOINAGE]

not really, dose was too low I think. But it makes me hungrier, and some days I wake up nauseous cause I'm so hungry. I gained a little weight at first, then lost some cause i was sick, then evened out really. Not on it long enough to tell. But really I either want to drop it and start trt in a little while, or switch to armor thyroid.

[--->>405<<---]

why r u not on it and trt?? is ur test low?i mean my doc handles thyroid and test and prob other stuff too..whatevers low

[--->>405<<---]

shoot he told me hed give me viagra if i needed it..

[SlimmerMe]

hey no prob man.. i dont know either.. im not trying to be a jerk either just telling u what i thought it was gonna be i think ill have to check into it further.. def dont wanna shut my natty thyroid down to gain a point and a half or something like that thats why i posted this thread.. i figd since this is a hormone forum i wouldnt be the only one here with a doc that wanted to optimize my thyroid..

oddly enough most people have to BEG for a thyroid prescription even with a TSH level around 3-4.
Many docs and I mean many think as long as not over 4.5 then fine. I know your doc wants you to be at an optimal level but I can also say that even at 1.3 that is still REALLY a good level. I understand his thinking but also wonder if taking armour is something you actually really need for now. Sometimes best to leave alone. But I could be mistaken here.

[SEOINAGE]

why r u not on it and trt?? is ur test low?i mean my doc handles thyroid and test and prob other stuff too..whatevers low

Test is low but still in range. Symptoms are similar to hypothyroidism. He basically gave me a choice of which to do first. And since we are trying to get pregnant right now I figured I better do the thyroid first since I don't think I will get the hcg prescription full time, only for when I want kids. which frustrates me cause he says it can take like 4 months to start working, and he would stop test during the time.

[--->>405<<---]

Shoot man i got 10 weeks hcg without insurance coverage for $35 dollars.. Thats $3.50 per week.. 5000IU vial ...

Im no trt expert but if he wont give u hcg full time u need a new doctor IMO

Yeh slim i havent started taking it yet and thx for the advice

I still have some looking into to do..

[Brohim]

405 is sounds like you got a cool doc. Where did you find him. lol