I was on 105 of Armour
My doc decreased due to such low Tsh
Which she is ok with low but felt this was to low
I know the ft3 is still low
I still feel low energy, cold hands and feet some hair loss
Is there something else I can do to get the ft3 up
My medicine is now 90 of the armor
Thank you
ltileguy
A doctor who prescribes NDT should know that taking it will lower, even suppress TSH, that's just what it does.
If your FT3 is low and you have hypothyroid symptoms, then you need your NDT increasing to give you a good FT3 result, this is the only result that matters when on NDT.
But can the tsh go to low while taking armor
Well, Armour is NDT (did you not know that?), so yes it will go low.
Yes I understand that
I am asking can it go to low on armour
I am asking can it go to low on armour
And I have answered that yes it can, twice.
So let me ask this another way
Can a tsh on armour be to low to be dangerous
Itileguy
It depends on what you mean by dangerous or what scare stories your endo is feeding you.
My TSH level is <0.005 and despite what doctors like to tell us about suppressed TSH, I don't have osteoporosis, I haven't had a heart attack, I don't have atrial fibrilation (nor have I self combusted).
TSH is a signal from the pituitary to tell the thyroid to make hormone if it detects there's not enough. When the pituitary is satisfied then it doesn't send the signal and TSH will be low.
Hello Itileguy
I am self medicating with NDT and my TSH is at 0.01. but my T3 and T4 are in range :
When I was on Levothyroxine - T4 - I felt at my best when my TSH was at 0.01. but was dose reduced although my T3 and T4 were in range and then I became very unwell :
I am with Graves Disease post RAI thyroid ablation, a treatment I deeply regret.
The guidelines and ranges were introduced by Big Pharma alongside Levothyroxine in the 1960's. as the new, better treatment for hypothyroidism.
Prior to this date NDT was the successful treatment for over 100 years and offered to hypothyroid patients and it was dosed to the relief of symptoms. Slowly the dose was increased until the patient felt better, there were no blood tests or ranges, just common sense, and treating the patient and believing the symptoms being experienced.
The TSH was originally introduced as a diagnostic tool to identify people who were suffering with hypothyroidism.
Once on any form of thyroid hormone replacement the TSH is pretty meaningless if used in isolation as it is the T3 and T4 blood test results that should be used to dose adjust.
It does sound as though you need an increase in thyroid hormone replacement, and looking at the above your T4 is barely in range, at just 2% through the range, so would think you might feel better on a slightly higher dose which in turn should give you a slightly higher T3 which is currently running at a little over 45% through the range.
Conversion might be improved if your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are maintained at optimal levels, but don't think this necessarily applies to these results, and simply think you need a little increase.
Thank you so much
That explains a lot I was going to ask for an increase to 120
Because I just felt like my symptoms were not total better
But I got decreased
So I will try again with doc again
Hey there,
In the first instance go back to the dose you were on before.
Let that settle in over the period of about a month / six weeks.
Then, if you are still with symptoms, take another small increase up and then wait again until the NDT ' beds itself in ' :
Increase or decrease by only a quarter of grain/tablet at any one time.
How long are you leaving between the blood draw and your last dose ?
Do you take your NDT in 1 dose or do you split the medication throughout the day ?
I have been on 105 for 6 months
Before that I started at 15 and increased to 105
And felt good but not great
So I was going to ask for a increase of 15 to try
But doc was going by tsh being so low that she decreased by 15
So I called today to see if I could at least go back up to 105 and maybe try to get her to go up another 15 at next appointment making it a total of 120 to see if it would make me feel better
I feel like I’m just on cuspid
I take at 4 in the morning
I go every 6 months
Yes, well, it seems your doctor is treating you by just looking at the TSH -
The TSH is just 1 of 3 markers that need to be looked at, and the least important -
Your option is to try and educate the doctor, or change doctors to somebody not fixated on TSH numbers, or do it for yourself and self medicate :
How would I go about self medicating
I read very little
As I thought if my doc would prescribe armour I would be able to get to the point of feeling good
Well, you do need to read a bit to know what you are doing but basically if you can buy your own NDT you can dose and monitor yourself.
Just keep a check of where your T3 is, and as long as your have no ' hyper ' symptoms just add a quarter grain/tablet at a time, wait a couple of weeks for it to bed in, and then see how you are feeling, and if you feel any improvement or not.
I'm guessing you are in the States ?
If so, you might find a ' functional ' doctor more receptive, and not fixated on a TSH which as we both know is totally the wrong way to monitor and dose thyroid hormone replacement.
I had asked you a while back about self medicating I’m on 2 grains would you just stop the armor all together and then use the other
?
Thank you
Hey here - so you are no on 2 grains of Armour - do you feel any better than when we last spoke - I read it's advised to say on 2 grains for 6 weeks and then run a blood test to see if yor T3 has improved from your bench mark number:
I don't fully understand your question - stoppint Armour and then use the other ?
What do you mean ?
Follow elimination diet
Brought hs-crp down from 9 to 3
But my alt level went up 41. Ref: 6-29
Tsh 0.02. Ref:0.40 - 4.50
Ft4. 0.9. Ref: 0.8-1.8
Ft3. 2.8. Ref: 2.3-4.2
Rt3. 13. Ref: 8-25
Was on 120 armour but tsh was 0.01 she can’t dose it that low it’s to be 0.04 so I skimmed alittle off hoping to please her and not have symptoms again
She Hoped the inflammation going down would make med more productive
. It didn’t
Haven’t had my appointment with her since this last draw
But I feel awful with my ft3 being that low
All other test are fine
Wondering about sourcing other place?
Take my health into my own hands
What do you think ?
Just so frustrated
Well, if you can increase you Armour you should see an improvement in your T3 level as it is low T3 that causes the symptoms of hypothyroidism - just as a high T3 can give the symptoms of hyperthyroid.
Your TSH will become suppressed / low when on any form of medication which includes T3 and i would have thoght your doctor would know this fact.
I don't know what " alt ' is - but it's gone way over the range ?
Your inflammation has reduced but there still a way to go ;
What have you been diagnosed with ?
Alt is a liver enzyme but I believe it’s up because I have chronic pain and use Tylenol and ibuprofen sometimes Which seems to effect my alt level
I’m at a lose as to finding a doc that won’t dose according to tsh
So was thinking I would source myself
But was unsure where to look
I did find one place which seems what others use
Would I have to tirate the armour completely or just start with new one the next day before starting
Well if it is another NDT the only difference might just be marginal -
look at the breakdown on T3 and T4 in the Armour and then compare this to that of the one you are planning to buy :
Depending on product there can be a small defferences in the mcg of T3 and T4 but wouldn't think it that much to worry about.
Do u worry much about fillers from other countries
No : I don't seem to have any stomach issues, intolerances, or allergies to anything .
Thank you so much for your help 💕💕
How many grains of AT are you on? Do you have any hyper symptoms?
90
And no hyper symptoms
Armour Thyroid comes in grains ....1,2,3 etc. and each grain contains so much t4/t3. Are you on another natural thyroid brand?
Not quite 2 grains
Ok, I’m in us we go by grains anyway I was on 2 grains almost for a year and did pretty good although it should have been raised a bit and then my Doctor introduced cymbalta and they sent me into hyper territory I shook so bad sadly I was not aware that antidepressants react to my thyroid Meds and caused my lab numbers to be super low. Armour thyroid will cause a low TSH and your prescribing doctor should know this and I bet he does this is how they reduce your medication tactic by telling you your going to get osteoporosis and heart disease.
Are you taking any other meds?
That’s what I’m thinking
Doc said if too much med can cause shaky,heart palpitations
But now saying if to much med can also have the same symptoms as to little go figure 🤦🏼♀️
She wants to reduce your meds more ? The only way to get FT3 up would be to increase your meds which will only further lower your TSH and you already know she won’t up your meds based on current TSH. Maybe she would be willing to add a small amount of T4 to the Armour although this is probably going to result in a NO too.
Have you tried splitting your dose?
I know right
I am hoping she’ll at least let me go back to 105
Then maybe I can at least get her to increase by 15 more later
So frustrating
I was thinking of trying that come afternoon
I’m just so tired
I split my dose and I feel like it does help....but, I can certainly understand being tired all the time.
Ok so this is what my doc did
105 Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday then down to 90 the other days
Said she would meet me half way
Ever heard of this and could explain
Thank you
The doctor reduced your Armour by 60mg per week? That’s a lot to lose at one time most people here advise to reduce slowly. Have you tried to split your dose yet? Are you feeling any better?
No
I take 90 everyday but on mon, tues, and wed
I add 15
Feeling better ? Still don’t have enough energy and noticed a little bit of irritability on a few days
If I split would I just cut the 90 in half
I use to take 2 grains and take one in the AM and the other late morning.....I'm not sure how well they would split.
I re-read this post why are you on thyroid meds? Do you think by increasing your FT3 you will feel better, less tired?
My labs before starting medicine
TSH 1.57. 0.450-4.500 uIU/mL
T4,Free(Direct 1.00 0.82-1.77 ng/dL
(T3), Free 2.5 2.0-4.4 pg/mL
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab 8 0-34 IU/mL
Thyroglobulin Antibody 2 <1.0 0.0-0.9 IU/mL
My daughter has has hashi and hypo since 13 years old
Doc thought as preventive since my symptoms of no energy, fatigue for days on end , cold always
Hair had started falling out and depressed
I have felt so much better since starting just feel like I could feel a tad better
She didn’t diagnose with hypo but prevention
Prevention... wow ! I really don’t know
What the answer would be to make you feel better. I’m kind of in the same boat except I have no thyroid and tired all the time.
Do you take Vitamins or had them tested?
D ,selenium , zinc, b12 , mag
I do take d and sele, and zinc
I just wish she would let me go to 2 grains and see if it helps
Well she seems to like to make deals.... when you get your next test ask her to increase you to 2 grains for 2 months and if no good you will go back to original dose.....I think the problem your up against is Armour is going to drop your numbers.
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