Will I ever feel myself again???
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| Mon, 02-12-2007 - 12:40pm |
I have Hypothyroidism (Hashimotos) now and have for the last 5 years. I originally started by having Hyperthyroidism (Graves) about 5-7 mos postpartum after Kristina. They did the radio-iodine treatment which knocked it out the other way.
Now my question is this - do you all use SYNTHROID (LEVOTHYROXINE) or do any of you use Armour Thyroid medication to keep it under control? I have been doing some research and I have learned that Synthroid only has the T4 hormone and not the T3. Armour has both and is a more natural product. However with Armour you need to take the meds 2x per day where with synthroid you only need to take 1x. I've also recently heard that coconut oil (ingested and/or massage) can help to keep thyroid levels up naturally so I think I will try that.
I guess where I'm going with this is does anyone have an experience with taking the Armour and did you notice an improvement in your energy levels/mood/etc after taking it? Ever since I started having hypothyroidism I have not felt myself and it's not seeming to get better even though I'm told my thyroid levels are fine. (not sure on numbers). I'm a "good girl" and I take my synthroid on an empty stomach at the same time every day and I'm really frustrated that I'm just not seeming to feel better. I have been on 137MCG for the last 6 months and my levels according the the doc are "normal". My levels did go a little wonky during pregnancy but prior to the pregnancy I have always been on 137MCG (prior to that dosage coming out I would take 150MCG one day and 125MCG the next). If I could go back in time I would probably never have had the radio-iodine or at least not as quickly (of course I WAS losing 1/2 lb per day and wasting away but I wish that the consequences weren't so crappy).
Any advice? Any other experiences? Am I the only one who still feels crappy even while on synthroid?
Thanks,
Katrina
Mom to Kristina (almost 6), Brant (3 1/2, T21), and Owen (9 months)
family blog: www.mum2brakri.blogspot.com


Hi Katrina,
Welcome to our board.
I can't speak from experience but others on this board have been on Armour and it has worked for them.
I take Armour and I love it.
My mom has taken Armour and Synthroid, and she prefers to take Armour.
My grandmother takes a combo of Synthroid and Cytomel.
The problem with Cytomel is that it needs to be taken several times per day because it causes the T3 to spike up and down. She is on a daily rollercoaster of feeling energetic and then crashing as the T3 is used up.
Armour is more natural, it has T3 and T4, but it also has T1 and T2. Doctors will tell you that T1 and T2 have no effect. But they don't know how the thyroid works exactally, so I'm not so sure that they are correct. With Armour, the body has to break down the medication a little because it is in natural form rather than pure, synthetic form. This gives the medication a bit of a timed release effect, so that you don't have the ups and downs like with Cytomel.
The medical/pharmeceutical community tried to convince doctors not to prescribe Armour for a while, so it was hard to get it. Their argument was that the exact amounts of T3 and T4 were not as precise as those that could be obtained in a laboratory. It makes sense chemically, but the anecdotal evidence (evidence based on reports from people who use the medications) shows to the contrary. Some people do much better with Armour than with Synthroid.
Basically, you need to find out what works for you. Use your test results as a guide, not as the rule. Those "normal" ranges are out of date and do not apply to most of the people I know with hypothyroidism. Find the range that you feel best in. Find the meds that make a difference to you as an individual. Find a doctor that treats your SYMPTOMS, not the lab results. And finally, your hormones and body chemistry are going to change naturally, so be prepared to change your therapy with it.
Kelli
I am new to this hypothyroid problem- just started taking meds 4 days ago. Levothyroxine....Tell me more about coconut oil !!!! I am a certified herbalist and always looking for alternative treatments!!
Hormone levels fluctuate, and doctors will say levels are "fine" even if they are at the lowest level possible of the "normal" range - which is far from "optimal".
Take a good look at not just your TSH, free T3 and free T4 levels,