Switching to Armour from levothyroxine and T3.

[Beverleyb]

I have seen endo and she has recommended I try Armour 2 1/2 grains, I take 125levo and 20 T3 at the moment . I have noticed quite a few members take Armour. I have been told to take it in one dose, is that usual way to take it,(not split)? I would appreciate anyones experience and preference in switching meds.Many thanks Bev.

[Essexness]

My endo told me to split my dose as the T3 in Armour is short acting & if you take it in one go it could also cause problems. I think the PIL with the bottle also suggests splitting up the dose. I've recently increased to 1 & 1/2 grains & take this in 3 doses of 30 mg spread over the day. Seems to be working ok.

[Beverleyb in reply to Essexness]

Thank you for replying, it's all trial and error isn't it?

[Femme1]

Hi Beverley. I take N.D.T and currently at four grains, I have always tried to split my dose , all that I have read states it's better to multi dose as this better reflects how the body naturally creates thyroid hormone (when working properly) throughout the day, instead of one big hit. I take mine at 7:00 am before I eat, and another about 3:00 pm, trying to time around an empty stomach for a few hours before taking and then not eating for about an hour after. This seems to work for me. Stop The Thyroid Madness website has good info regarding dosing.

I also wait until about seven P.M. to take my vitamins and minerals due to the fact some of these inhibit thyroid meds from being fully utilised by the body. Hope this helps

[Beverleyb in reply to Femme1]

Thank you for replying Femme1, I will have a look at stop the thyroid madness website, it seems a good idea to take vits in the evening .Bev.

[Stourie in reply to Beverleyb]

B vits can tend to keep you from sleeping.

[carolr in reply to Stourie]

I though they were supposed to help you sleep like horlecs restful nights sleep.

It probable u are allergic Q10 hypes me.

Carol

[Stourie in reply to carolr]

Hi carolr I googled that and it seems to keep some awake and not others so the jury is out on that one.

[bossbird]

I'm on 5 grains armour and 20mgc t3 if I don't spread through the day I get pulse in my head my endo told me to do this or you will get highs and lows

[Beverleyb in reply to bossbird]

Thank you bossbird !

[shaws Administrator]

Yes, that's the usual way. You are indeed fortunate your Endo has recommended Armour. I take my dose once per day and feel very well and have a restful mind. I have a life apart from hypothyroidism. I don't have to carry pills around or alarms or remember 'did I - didn't I' take the split dose.

Here are some excerpts by an Expert in metabolism, scientist and logistician and whose patients took their medication once per day as he and his team found that this was the most successful. He would never prescribe levothyroxiine. He only took the patients' TSH etc blood tests inititally before treatment but how the patient felt after medicating (plus pulse/temp etc) was the priority in whether to adjust the meds.

1.

The endocrinology specialty first promotes the belief that only a steady blood level of T3 is normal and healthy; it follows through with a second, corollary belief: that is, if the T3 blood level peaks briefly, as after taking Armour, the patient is in peril. He’ll probably have troubling heart palpitations, but worse, he may drop dead from a heart attack. The way around these potential problems, says the specialty, is to use T4 alone, as in Synthroid

2.

For most patients, the brief peak T3 level from T4/T3 or T3 products is entirely inconsequential. I have observed— scrutinized is more accurate—many hundreds of patients who were using Armour or plain T3. Not a single one complained of troublesome palpitations during the peak T3 level. And not one reported a symptom during that peak T3 time that intimated an impending heart attack. In fact, no patient reported a symptom that suggested even a mild heart dysfunction.

The belief that the peak T3 level is troubling or dangerous for most hypothyroid patients has no scientific grounds. But as a scare tactic, it is an excellent marketing strategy. The belief has undoubtedly frightened hundreds of thousands of doctors, such as yours, into prescribing Synthroid in lieu of Armour. And as a result, it’s led to the sustained suffering of millions of patients, such as you.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Beverleyb in reply to shaws]

Thank you for the information, very interesting read. Bev.

[boo16]

It is indeed a scare tactic, I would say. When I was on levo as prescribed I started to feel terribly ill with the most dreadful heart palpitations and blackouts, so much so that I am now under a cardiologist and have a 'loop' monitor insterted to constantly monitor my heart.

9 months ago I decided to give it a go and change to NDT. Is it just a miracle that my heart palpitations stopped? I don't think so. I have never had a further blackout or hospital admission. I have another appointment in two months. Should I come clean or just carry on as the only check I get is a TSH?

[Beverleyb in reply to boo16]

That's an awful thing to happen,pleased you are ok on NDT.

[shaws Administrator in reply to boo16]

I would come clean. For instance if you have a stay in hospital would they tell you that you should be on levo alone and switch you over?

I have thought about that recently as I would imagine that many hospital Endocrinologists may tell us that we should be treated within the guidelines of the British Thyroid Association. You will read a statement about Armour in this link. It wont let me copy and post the portion which Dr Lowe deemed as a False Statement.

british-thyroid-association...

I am glad you are doing so well. Levo gave me awful palpitations too as well as a myriad of other symptoms.

[boo16 in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws, if I have another admission to hospital I will come clean. I have never seen an endo.

During my early admissions I wasn't aware that anything other than Levo existed and I was checked several times to see if the symptoms were down to thyroid. I was told all was well, but it was only after I manages to get a copy of my medical records I found that despite being so ill during each admission, the lab had only tested my TSH and nothing else.

I can't say I am doing so well at the moment and not sure where to go from here. Currently taking 2.5 NDT but am feeling awful and have been for several months.

I have put on weight this past six months, never been this heavy as although I am hypo I remained relativly slim. My pulse is low in the 48/50 mark (last time my loop monitor was checked a few weeks ago, the technition stated that my heart rate during the night was dropping extremely low, but no need to see the consultant just yet!)

My temp is between 34.5 and 35.2 - went up to 36.2 when I had a kidney infection wow!. My hair is falling out rapidly and the rest of my eyebrows have disappeared. I am totally exhausted and drowsy all day, brain like mush. Lost all short term memory and my long term memory is disappearing which is frightening. I am starting to feel that I have dementia. Feel out of breath as well. If I go to the GP, all I get offered is antidepressants.

A few weeks ago I had a thyroid blood test at GP and although I requested that they do my T3, the lab refused. I was hoping that if they did, it would help me calculate the correct dose of NDT. My tsh was 0.10 and my T4 was 11 (range 10.5 - 24), so not sure if I should increase further. Bit lost at the moment, not sure what to do.

[stockman27]

Hello, you are very lucky that a Dr has recommended you to take Armour!! Just out of interest does you endo supply you with the med either on Private or NHS prescription.

Many thanks

John C

[Beverleyb]

Hi John C , my endo gave me a private prescription,it cost about £85 for 3months supply.

[Beverleyb]

Thank you for replying, I was surprised she offered me Armour,as I said in previous replies it's all trial and error. Bev.

[Glynisrose]

On no circumstances take the whole dose as a replacement! Build up from 25 mcg per day till you get to the full dosage.

I take mine at night as I can be sure then my stomach is empty, which is the best way to take any thyroxine.

I have heard of people who split their dose throughout the day but have never tried it myself, I think it comes down to using the method that suits you best.

[Hidden in reply to Glynisrose]

Please see my comment below to Blake

[Beverleyb in reply to Glynisrose]

Thank you for replying,I think I will split my dose and see how I feel.

[Blake]

No, you cant just jump in that fast. You have to start on about 1 grain and raise up slowly. Please visit the Stop the Thyroid Madness web site for details. Also you are going to be having too much T4 in your body, you may end up with a reverse t3 problem. You will need to make sure your adrenal function and your iron levels are good. It seems complicated, but its not all that hard really. Also Armour was re formulated, so its not the best choice. But you can use the same prescription to get other brands that are better, like EFRA. Just learn all that stuff please, its all in the website

[Hidden in reply to Blake]

Dr S told me to just switch over one day from taking T4 to taking Armour the next - I think this is what Beverley means?

[Glynisrose]

No, you MUST NOT instantly replace your levo with NDT, it will cause many more problems than it solves!!

[Hidden in reply to Glynisrose]

Really? Please could you explain why not? I did it like that and whilst it took a few days to adjust I was fine :-s I was under the care of Dr Skinner so it's not like it was just some random endo who didn't know what he was doing who told me to do it. I'd be really interested to hear your reasoning though, as it turns out Armour was not the 'fix all' for me.

[howlyn in reply to Hidden]

IF DR Skinner had you under is care then you were right to do what he said i always did

[Glynisrose]

If you just swap then there is the danger that your body will overreact to the sudden T2 and T3 I found that even taking a small amount of NDT I felt better but when I built up to my current dose it was fabulous!!