My thyroid seems worse with every dose increase.

[tresa56]

I could not take levo/synthroid..It made me feel too bad. One time on synthroid I had good numbers still felt awful.

I switched to armor. It seems the dose will make me feel good for about a month...then I start getting worse and worse..The next month they check my thyroid numbers and they are higher than before. TSH

7.72 H mIU/L

Reference Range

> or = 20 Years 0.40-4.50 ... Show More

T4, FREE

0.7 L Reference Range: 0.8-1.8 ng/dL

T3, TOTAL 85

Reference Range: 76-181 ng/dL

I think thats almost the worst that they have ever been. I am not eating or drinking near taking the medicine or taking other things near it ect... I am starting to feel super fustrated =)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much Armour are you taking

Day before test ALWAYS split dose in two and last dose 8-12 hours before test

Results show you need dose increase

Do you currently split your dose

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 too

[tresa56 in reply to SlowDragon]

No I don't split it. Doc told me to take the whole thing on a empty stomach...I occasionaly get tested for vitamins..My vit is coming up..Ferritan is low but iron is acceptable..not by much and my b12 is good now.

[waveylines in reply to SlowDragon]

Not necessary with NDT Slowdragon as it has a much slower uptake then synthetics. The 24 hrs gap is the rule for NDT. This is what my endocrinologists have always advised and also there was info put up about this by one of our medical researchers not long ago.

[pennyannie]

Hello Tresa :

Well, as you start to feel worse again at around a month - it likely means you need to increase your dose of Efra :

With NDT you need to slowly build up your dose weekly/fortnightly - increasing by 1/4 grains.

I increased by 1/4 grains weekly - until I felt I'd overshot a little as I felt a bit uncomfortable in my body -

So I then dropped back down to the previous weeks lower dose -

stayed on that dose for 6-8 weeks and then ran blood test just to see where my Free T3 and Free T4 were, compared to when on T4 monotherapy :

Results on NDT should look different from those when on T4 and mine totally swopped around as I had a T3 at the top of the range with a T4 at around 25% - and felt much better.

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals, ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin d are up and maintained at optimal levels.

[tresa56 in reply to pennyannie]

Did a doctor have you do this? Mine is having me take a dose for 6-8 weeks and then restest...I take vit d, iron, and b12..My vit d is coming up slowly...Last time we checked my iron was acceptable. and myb12 is good.

[pennyannie in reply to tresa56]

No - I self medicate :

Well in that case your doctor will likely increase your dose as your levels are too low for you to feel well :

Since you are supplementing the vitamins and minerals it may take longer before you to feel the benefits of the thyroid hormone replacement.

When I was researching low ferritin i read no thyroid hormone works well until ferritin is over 70 - I now aim for 100:

Not knowing your ranges over there - but I aim for a folate at around 20 ; active B12 - 75 ++ ( serum B12 - 500 ++ ) and vitamin D t around 100:

[tresa56 in reply to pennyannie]

my ferritan is low normal at best.. But i take the iron supplement everyday. I don't think there is a particular one just for ferritan

[pennyannie in reply to tresa56]

I'm not sure what you mean but there are many in the market place -

I found I was less inconvenienced by taking an iron bisglycinate supplement - commonly marketed as " a gentle iron " supplement as it was not so harsh on my stomach.

[waveylines]

Clearly you need an increase. You don't say how much Armour you are taking. It's in grains. One grain is 60mg ( 38mcg of T4 & 8mcg of T3).It's usual to gradually increase the dose over a period of time, checking levels every 6-8weeks) this is called tilltration.

If you recently switched from synthetics to Armour it sounds like they may have started you with a lower dose. How much levothyroxine were you taking and how much Armour are you now taking.

[tresa56 in reply to waveylines]

i was taking 100 of synthroid..i started on 60 of armour...I then did 90..I am now doing 120 since yesterday

[waveylines in reply to tresa56]

So a 120 of Armour is 3 grains. If you need any further increases after this I would do smaller increases. I grain contain 38mcg of T4 & 8mcg of T3. Obviously ever increase should have 6-8 weeks gap to allow the body to adjust.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to waveylines]

A grain of Armour is 60 milligrams. Therefore 120 milligrams works out to be two grains!

[waveylines in reply to helvella]

Ah your right Helvella.... Glad you corrected my error. Thank you. 😊

[tresa56 in reply to waveylines]

How many grains do most people get up to...does it take alot more compared to the synthetic?

[waveylines in reply to tresa56]

Sorry tresa as Helvella said you are on two grains not three! Re dose it varies like it does on the synthetics. It's all about finding the optimal dose for you. The dose your on now is probably roughly the equivalent you were on on levothyroxine.... However this time you have T3 in the mix. It does take time to build to the best dose for you so hang in there.

[tresa56 in reply to waveylines]

I am trying..I feel like it is taking forever

[waveylines in reply to tresa56]

Completely understand. I felt like you. I went through levothyroxine first, then had the Liothyronine added in before moving to NDT. Took ages. I felt frustrated. I have to say I didn't start to see improvement until I got over the 2 grains.... But that's me! Some people are happy on one, right up to people taking 4 grains or a few even more. . But it's most important you go with your signs symptoms how you feel and blood test results.

You will get there....

[tresa56 in reply to waveylines]

I am trying...On synthroid i got to a point where my numbers were good but i felt super crappy...worse than I do now actually..

[waveylines in reply to tresa56]

Well there you go you feel better than you did on levo so that something and a good start. Make sure the other Co factors are optimal as well: B12, folate, ferritin & vitamin D. These help us to utilise the thyroid hormones and are commonly low in range in hypothyroidism. A lot of people find going gluten free also helps.

[tresa56 in reply to waveylines]

I have been taking supplements for all that...My vit d and iron has been low for a very long time.