HELP!! confused about meds

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2003
HELP!! confused about meds
3
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 11:00pm
Hi everyone!

i just started on 50 mcg. of levothyroxine this morning. it gave me a slight headache and i could feel my pulse was a little fast-about 80.

i had been on 1 grain of armour thyroid for 3 years, and my doc suggested i switch to the synthetic drug.

i also visit the fibromyalgia board, and a lady on there who has hypothyroid said this about synthetics:

"Synthetics on contain T4hormone which needs to be converted to T3 to become fully functional, and that sometimes synthetics are not converted because the body doesn't recognize the synthetic medication".

i read that and felt a little let down, as i get so confused about what's right to take.

what thyroid medication has T3 in it, or is converted to T3??

this lady mentioned a european natural med call Nature-Throid, made of pork glands.

now i don't know what i should take!

please, any thoughts would be great!!

thanks,

nita

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-11-2004
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 11:08pm
I would say to give the new meds a week or so - unless your heart/pulse rate becomes alarming, of course. It sounds like the dose might be a little high, but I'd give it a chance. I have had no problem taking the synthetics, but I have heard that they don't work for everyone - but that percentage is EXTREMELY low from what I understand...goodluck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Sun, 10-17-2004 - 11:28pm


My endocrinologist swears it takes the full 6 weeks to see whether a new med/dose is working because of the way the system works. It's a drag to have to keep waiting so long between, but the truth is that the two times I've jumped the gun and had my TSH tested before the full cycle it was lower than I thought it should be given how I felt and then higher two weeks later, if you see what I mean. It really does take a while.

But definately call your doctor if your heart rate increases or you have other new symptoms.

I have been waiting for about 6 months to see whether levothroid will work for me and I probably have 3 more months ahead before my endo will even consider a T-3 supplement.

Good luck,

Dee.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Mon, 10-18-2004 - 6:07pm
Hi Nita - There isn't anyway that you can feel better after a day so you're really going to need to give it at least 6 weeks and perhaps up to 3 months. Since you were already on Amour thyroid and your doc switched you, there must have been some reason that he felt the synthetic thyroid hormone would be better for you. Did he mention that to you?

Sometimes synthetic thyroid medications are not converted because the thyroid is unable to convert thyroid hormone, period, not because the bosy doesn't recognize it. It is really virtually almost identical to your own thyroid hormone. Our body produces mostly T4, which is just like Synthroid, and then converts the rest to T3, which is the other thyroid hormone that Armour thyroid contains.

If you were taking Armour, you were taking both T3 and T4. That comes from dessicasted pig thyroid - which is pretty much what the European one sounds like. Try giving your new medication a chance but most definitely call your doctor is your heart is racing. That might mean your dose is too high. I hope this helps! Cathy :)