Increasing armour thyroid

[Fizzwhizz]

I was diagnosed with Hashimotos and put on armour. I’ve been taking 11/2 grains daily since May and don’t feel great. My most troubling symptoms were mental like low mood, brain fog etc. I ditched HRT in Feb as it was making me feel worse and worse. Would I be ok to try an increase to 2 grains (tablets) daily? I’m under a private GP so have a review booked in August but it’s a long wait till then feeling so rubbish. I jusr feel sluggish, slow, flat, down, though I don’t feel quite as cold all the time now. I was taking B vits which helped but they seem to give me liver pain so I’ve had to stop those. I was wondering if I do still need HRT but would like to try optimise my thyroid function before I add anything else in. Any advice please on upping to 2 tablets a day? Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change in Armour

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

On Armour ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Fizzwhizz in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, I find it really confusing though as shouldn’t I be dosed to achieve symptom relief not according to my blood test levels? Ironically before I started taking the armour I was experiencing a swing with hyper like symptoms. I actually preferred feeling like that than I do currently but obviously don’t want to overdo the armour.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Fizzwhizz]

We have to increase dose SLOWLY

Rest of endocrine system has to catch up

Extremely common to feel more hypo on starting dose as levothyroxine, or especially on NDT like Armour, as these don’t “top up” your own thyroid output, but instead replace it

Starting on Armour, as this contains T3, TSH will have dropped significantly in effect shutting your own thyroid out put down or off completely

Some Hashimoto’s patients do find antibodies can increase on NDT.

Standard treatment to start on is levothyroxine

ESSENTIAL to regularly retest and maintain optimal vitamin levels

What were most recent vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results

What vitamin supplements are you taking

[Fizzwhizz]

Ah, ok, thanks, that makes sense. I’m only taking vit d plus k2 now. I was talking ineggus b vit complex and b12 but was getting pain under my right rib. Now I’ve dropped those no more pains but I do feel flat and low. It could be menopause too but I felt so bad on HRT then I ended up spotting so I binned that. I’ll just have to try and be a bit more patient with everything but it’s not nice feeling so flat all the time.