I was on sythroid for the past 8 years my Dr told me my t-3 levels were non existent so said she could give me an extra pill to add it or switch me to armour that has not. I was taking 75mcg of synthroid and she took me completely off of it and put me on 60 of armor..... it’s been all downhill from there!
I wanted to loose 15 pounds for my wedding in July. I am eating 100% clean and I (as always) am in the gym 5-7 times a week. I’m eating under 1200 calories a day and I burn 3-700 at the gym consistently.
So what’s the problem? I have 4 weeks left and only lost 3 pounds but my stomach (usually flat) is huge???
I’m at a loss I today took a double dose of armour and 50 mcg of synthroid. I have an apt at the end of the week. I’m tired all the time and very moody, something has to change. Advice??
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Lebette
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Eat more and go to the gym less. I'm not kidding. You are negatively affecting your conversion of T4 to T3. Conversion needs calories. You are burning up too many calories in the gym, considering how many you ingest. You probably now have a very low level of T3 - have you had your FT3 tested?
Yes, that’s what prompted the change to Armour, since then it has gone downhill. It’s likely that I am on to low a dose. I am do to be tested. I thought I might start a new regimen prior to that and see what my levels are?
If you're still on 60 mg, then I expect is is too low a dose, yes. You increase Armour in much the same way as you increase levo - except that it's 1/4 grain every two weeks - until the symptoms are gone. You rarely stay on the same starter dose. Taking you off 75 mcg levo and putting you on one grain of armour, probably gave you a slight reduction in dose, anyway. Doctors don't seem to be very good at medical maths.
Hurt you, no, but you'll probably be producing expensive urine. It's doubtful your FT4 would go up very high, as you're taking Armour, but should it reach the top of the range, it will start converting into rT3 instead of T3, and there's not much point in that, as rT3 is inert. But, as I said, wait and see your next labs.
While we're waiting, do you have any old labs you can post?
Sounds like you may be taxing your adrenals by taking so much Armour (T3) suddenly, restricting calories and doing too much exercise. Malfunctioning adrenals will cause weight gain on the stomach area. It will also cause fatigue.
You say you are eating 100% clean. What does that mean? Are you eating any grains or dairy? How much fruit and other sources of sugar?
I carried extra weight until I cut out ALL grains, dairy and processed sugar (including reducing foods like fruit containing high sugar) and then lost weight without really trying.
By that I mean I was eating the same amount of calories (or more) and exercising less and still losing weight.
And I carried a little extra weight on my stomach almost my whole life (even when weight was not a problem) until I cut out these foods.
I only did that yesterday and I agree it seemed to much my emotions were all over the place and I was even more tired. I’m going to split up a 60 if Armour today and take it in the morning with a 50 of synthroid and take the other half of Armour at night.
I have so much I would like to write to you but no time. If you look at my posts to others you will find some helpful information. In particular I write about how hypothyroidism effects digestion so you can try taking digestive aids which may help with weight loss if you are not digesting optimally (i.e.. Betain HCL & pepsin, and a general enzyme capsule to start). In addition if you are sub optimally digesting you are probably deficient in vitamins and especially minerals. I would start by focusing on minerals and in particular selenium in the form of selenomethionine 200 mg/ day which helps with conversion of T4 to T3. Zinc also helps with conversion but you must use with caution to not cause an imbalance in the zinc to copper ratio. Magnesium is required in many reactions in the body so that would be helpful in addition to taking a trace mineral supplement.
Possible vitamin deficiencies / additional supplements that may help are the B vitamins, especially folate and B12 which are critical in so many processes in the body. You can read about what types to take in my other posts.
Lebette. I thought you were on Armour only because you are a poor converter? If so, what's the point of adding in more T4 that you can't convert? 50 would probably be too much, anyway. 25 would be better if you really feel you need to add levo. But it might be better to add T3.
In any case, don't change anything until after your labs, or you'll have to wait another six weeks to do them.
I grain of Armour is not a high dose. It only contains 9 mcg T3. I don't think that will strain your adrenals.
So, your 1 grain dose is roughly equivalent to 65mcg - 74mcg T4.
Another factor is that some people have complained that Armour isn't actually as potent as it was when it was made by its previous manufacturer, Forest. I've never taken it so I wouldn't know if that is still true.
If your doctor starts saying that your TSH will be suppressed on a higher dose of Armour, then you might like to read this post and print out some of the links :
That dose of Armour is 1 grain and is "equal" to less than the amount of levo you were on, so no wonder you feel rotten. You can take levo and Armour together, but you are more likely to need T3 added to the Armour (or just a 1/4 grain increase in dose every couple of weeks until you feel well). If your free T3 is low, no point in adding levo as you won't convert it.
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