Amour increase, bad side affects. Help please !!!!

[AAP10]

I have five days taking 1 grain 60mg of amour thyroid. I previously was on 1/2 a grain. I was feeling fine on 1/2 grain just a little fatigue towards the ending of the day not a major problem.

I have 4 nights fully awake. I snooze off in the morning for only two to three hours only. In a mental stand point I am super anxious, irritable, and my mind doesn’t stop thinking. I am literally on over mode. Yes, no fatigue but I feel like I’m running inside myself. I don’t like feeling like I’m out of control or going mad. I physically feel with energy but at this cost NO WAY! Could anyone relate to these feelings ? I didn’t take my dose this morning. I feel a tad less agitated . Should I go back to 1/2 a grain or perhaps ask for a prescription of tirosint and t3?

I was on levothyroxine before and that didn’t work for me.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Increases should be 1/4 grain at a time

[AAP10 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

[Jazzw]

When I first started NDT more than 6 years ago now I went straight from half a grain to a full grain with no issues but some people can’t go that fast and need to do three quarters first. I know it’s faffy having to break the tablet but it sounds like it needs to be done.

Also—what are your ferritin levels? I’ve observed over the years that people who struggle to raise their dosage of thyroid hormone are often low in ferritin.

[AAP10 in reply to Jazzw]

Ferritin: range 16-154 ng/ml result 31. Will do, thank you 😊

[pennyannie in reply to AAP10]

Hey there :

Just to say that I need my ferritin up at around 100 for optimal thyroid hormone replacement to work - and when I start NDT I went up in 1/4 grain increases.

[Jazzw in reply to AAP10]

31 is very low (the range is very misleading). I’d be aiming for 70+. That said, before starting to take iron tablets it’s a good idea to get a full iron panel done.

[reliablerebel]

sounds like typical overmedication symptoms. Try dropping back to half for a week or so and then raise by one quarter.

[AAP10 in reply to reliablerebel]

Just wondering when I cut the pill in quarter's it’s pretty much breaking apart into inappropriate portions. Is that okay that it’s not exact ?

[reliablerebel in reply to AAP10]

yes, just do the best you can!

[AAP10]

😊thanks !

[jrbarnes]

You were on Levo before but you never increased. When I first started on Levo I took 50mcg for 6 weeks, then 75mcg for 6 weeks, and then 88 mcg for 6 weeks, which is where I settled. Eventually as the rest of my thyroid gave out I needed some help so I tried natural desiccated this year but I couldn't find a dose that fit my needs due to the set amounts of T4/T3 and that's when I decided to go to a Levo/T3 combo. If you do that you will still have to get started on a brand of Levo that works for you and slowly increase it every 6 weeks until you get the T4 levels to an optimal range. At that point you can then add T3. If you have issues with acid reflux you may want to try TirosintSol. I just saw that you're in the US as well. I've had success with Levoxyl which is a brand by Pfizer and also Euthyrox by Merck ,which doesn't have any dyes, lactose or gluten and is available at Walmart for $4. I currently use the Sigmapharm generic T3 and so far with good success. Each pharmacy carries a different generic and they all have different fillers. I had to call around and ask. My current regimen is 75mcg of Euthyrox and working my way up to 10mcg of T3. You may just need a few more increases in Levo before you decide you need T3 added. good luck

[AAP10 in reply to jrbarnes]

Thank you. I decided to discontinue levothyroxine altogether because of the side effects. If the Armour thyroid doesn’t work out I’ll definitely try the TirosintSol with t3.

[pennyannie in reply to AAP10]

Sorry to butt in but until you get your ferritin up to around 100, as no thyroid hormone replacement works effectively if I don't keep ferritin, folate, B12and vitamin D at optimal levels.

My NDT does break into 1/4s but it's not as accurate as you might like :

I' m now on 1 + 1/2 grains and some days these are more like 2/3rds or a 1/3rd but over a couple of days it evens itself out, and of no concern.

[AAP10 in reply to pennyannie]

Yes, I agree I’m taking supplements. The endocrinologist said it takes months for ferritin to go up.

[jjf255]

Try splitting your dose. Take your first dose at least an hour before any food or coffee or tea in the morning. Then your second in the early afternoon. Your body has to get use to the extra T3.

[asidist]

i’m not on ndt but wanted to mention i notice a difference in .625 mcg increase of T3. i’m probably exceptionally sensitive to thyroid hormone, but 1/2 grain increase is the equivalent (armour says) of 19 mcg t4 and 4.5 mcg t3 - that’s a huge jump. so i agree with the above advice to drop down to half again for a week or so before raising to 1/4, or i’d say even 1/8th if you want to be super cautious about it. my T3 tablets are the tiniest i’ve ever seen but i made an investment in a good pill cutter and “do the best i can” as another poster put it! don’t get me wrong it’s a pain in the butt and if it crumbles too much i toss it (my doctor prescribes a little extra to account for crumbling), but it’s worth it to me if it makes me feel better.

[AAP10 in reply to asidist]

I totally agree, thanks !