Armour Thyroid

[nanc1234]

Tsh ranges from 7-12. T4 is low at .53 and total T3 is normal at 111. Levothyroxine causes no sleep and headache. Tirosint and NP And Synthroid cause vomit. Armour causes disoriented, legs and arms swell so bad struggle to move. Had Doppler X-ray showed no clot, feel dizzy and not here on Armour.

51 yo female poor health. 3 Fundoplications with gastroparesis and sibo and teeth and toe nail loss. Anxiety and cry daily. 200 USA lbs overweight. Single mom disabled bankrupt goin homeless someday. Never in life have I ever got tsh to 1-2. Once 3 Comprised gi made Thyroid worse a lot. All classic hypo symptoms. All other nutrients fine on bloodwork. Gi and Thyroid blood show constant inflammation which I think will spread to other organs as my immune system kills me slow.

[Spareribs]

Hello Nanc

I'm sorry you are in such poor health.

Please can you clarify your latest blood test results TSH, FT4, FT3, (TPO & Tg antibodies if you have them) and what medication you are currently taking - for folk to help you.

Also post your B12/folate iron/ferritin & Vit D results if you have them - thyroid medication needs adequate vital minerals to work with. e.g. Dizziness can be associated with low B12.

[nanc1234 in reply to Spareribs]

Hemoglobin is 13.9 normal. Hemacrit is 40.9 normal. Vit d is 40 normal. Cortisol is normal at 11.6. B12 is high at 968 due to protein shakes. Last August antibodies normal at 1. Believe my fundos and gastroparesis and sibo prevent hashi remission.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

Nanc, there's no such thing as 'normal'. Can you give us the ranges, so that we can interpret the results, please.

It would appear that you're under-medicated on Armour, but you don't tell us how much you're taking. It's usual for FT4 to be low when taking Armour, but we really need to see an FT3 test. The Total T3 gives no useful information, so impossible to tell in you're on the right dose. The FT3 is the most important number, when taking Armour.

[nanc1234 in reply to greygoose]

U r right I should have had ft3 too. Tsh 7.31 with ranges .45-4.5. Total t3 is 111 in lab of 79-149. T4 is .53 in lab of .6-1.3.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

OK, so your TSH is much too high, as you know. The FT4 could suggest under-medication, as it is below range. But the Total T3 tells us nothing at all.

So, how much Armour are you taking? And how do you take it? Do you take it on an empty stomach and wait at least one hour before eating or drinking anything other than water?

We also need ranges for your vit D and cortisol.

[nanc1234 in reply to greygoose]

Armour is 30 mg in am yes one hr before food. Vit d is 40 in range of 30-100 and cortisol is 11.6 with AM specimen range of 6.2 to 19.4 and PM specimen range of 2.3 to 11.9.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

OK, your cortisol could be higher, but it's not too bad.

Your vit D is much too low.

And I very much doubt that 30 mg Armour is enough. Have you tried raising it?

[nanc1234 in reply to greygoose]

Haven’t raised it. My leg arm swell and chest pains with disoriented feelings too intense so not consistent.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

Your legs and arms swell when you try to raise your Armour?

[nanc1234 in reply to greygoose]

No. When I take any thyroid Med I go into allergic reactions. Something toxic in pills.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

I see. Have you tried taking an antihistamine tablet before you take your Armour?

[nanc1234 in reply to greygoose]

Not yet. Would Claritin be that ? Thx for your time in chatting. Appreciate it.

[greygoose in reply to nanc1234]

Claritin would be one, yes. But there are many others. Ask your doctor or your pharmacist.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Essential to get vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested and do you have high thyroid antibodies (this is Hashimoto's)

If so then strictly gluten free diet likely to help a lot

Low vitamins are highly likely with Hashimoto's

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ask GP for coeliac blood test first

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