Overmedicated on Armour Thyroid?

[wano]

Hi all,

I am taking 2 grains of Armour and was told by my doctor that it was equivalent to 9 mcg of T3 and 38 mcg of T4 x2 (so 18 mcg of T3 and 76 mcg of T4). Is that right?

Before Armour I was taking 75 mcg of Synthroid and 10 mcg of T3 split into two doses.

Am I overmedicated?

I'm feeling very tired and moody, lacking motivation and confidence (among other physical issues). Have been on Armour for about 2 months now.

[wano]

B12 is 700 (low range 200), folate is 6 (low 3.5), ferritin is 70 (low 15), Vitamin D is also good. (All due to supplementing.) TSH 1 (low 0.30), T3 4.4, T4 11 (low 9.0).

[Clutter in reply to wano]

Wano,

If those results are based on you taking 2 grains NDT you are not overmedicated and there is scope to increase dose. Most people taking NDT need FT3 in the upper third of range which will usually suppress TSH <0.1.

B12 is good. You could raise folate by taking a B Complex vitamin but be sure to stop taking it a couple of days prior to any blood tests as the biotin in it can skew results.

[wano in reply to Clutter]

It's confusing as I've been getting palpitations, but not regularly, along with pretty intense anxiety (which is in part caused by my forgetfulness as I'm trying to finish a degree - and remember what I've read!).

Confusing because I hear that B12 can also cause these symptoms. I used to have B12 injections when I was younger (before hashimotos showed up) as I was always borderline anaemic.

I've decided to try injections again.

[wano in reply to wano]

I've started taking Brewer's yeast as well to see if it will help.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Wano - yes your doctor's calculation is correct. However, you may, or may not, need the equivalent amount in Armour as with synthetic Levo/T3. What do your thyroid test results look like?

Without the reference ranges, no-one can comment on your vitamin/mineral levels.

[wano in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SS, have added the ranges now.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to wano]

Have you got both ends of the range? Just putting low isn't a lot of help, particularly if the range is very wide. Some ferritin ranges are 15-150, 30-400, some folate ranges have a top end of 30, some 60, etc.So both ends of the range are needed to see where you lie within the range. And is that iron or is it ferritin?

What's your 'good' level of Vit D?

The only one that is obvious is B12. That should be at the very top of the range, even 900-1000 for us hypos.