Good morning
I have recently changed to Armour Thyroid. Latest results.
TSH 9.42
Free T3 is 4.3
Free T4 is 6
It’s a few weeks before I can see doctor. I would be grateful for suggestions, questions I should ask, changes I should consider.
Thank you
Kind regards
Bev
How many grains are you taking?
1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon
Ok I always took 1 1/2 grains first thing and a hour before food with water. Have you tried taking 2 grains first thing before food?
Thank you for your reply. I haven't tried any variation of routine yet. Good to know it may help though. I will note to discuss with doctor as an option.
Good idea 👍
NotElissa, It would be more helpful if you explained why you think ShandyBalloo should try taking 2 grains first thing before food.
Hello ShandyBalloo and welcome to the forum :
What were your bench readings / ranges for TSH +T3 + T4 before taking Armour - which is a brand of Natural Desiccated Thyroid -
I read you have Hashimoto's - a thyroid Auto Immune disease that causes erratic own thyroid hormone production as your immune system attacks and systematically destroys your thyroid - causing swings in symptoms - that ultimately leave you with hypothyroidism as the thyroid glands production of thyroid hormones is diminished by this AI disease -
Are your eys ok - or swollen, dry, a bit gritty, light sensitive - or streaming ?
What were you taking prior to switching to NDT - and at what dose ?
Contact your Dr who’s managing your treatment
Have you only got 1 grain tablets
You probably need to increase by 1/4 grain initially
Retest in 6-8 weeks
Essential to also test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
What vitamin supplements are you taking
What were most recent vitamin results
Hi, I do have only one grain tablets.
Previously on NDT Erfa 1 grain combined with levothyroxine 50. Now on Armour Thyroid only without levothyroxine.
Previous results 14 November 2024
TSH 4.45
Free T3 4.0
Free T4 9.1
Vit D 51.6
Ferritin 49
Folate 5.3
B12 171
Latest results only Thyroid tested:-
TSH 9.42
Free T3 4.3
Free T4 6
Now taking Supplements Vitamin D 12000 iu daily and Multivitamin.
So in November you were on far to low a dose
Low vitamin levels as direct result
Vitamin D
If it’s 12,000iu daily….That’s an enormous dose vitamin D
Or did you mean 1,200iu daily ….which would make more sense
Strongly recommend you retest now
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via
Multivitamins NEVER recommended on here
Too little to correct deficiencies
Ferritin 49
Far too low
Folate 5.3
What’s range. Either very low or deficient depending on range
B12 171
What’s the range
Is it Serum B12 or Active B12
If it’s Serum B12 it’s very deficient and you need testing for Pernicious Anaemia
From what I can see on the report/“:- Folate (serum) result should be greater than 7 nmol/L (result is 5.3)
Total B12 range 145 to 569 (result is 171). I assume its serum B12 - report just says Active B12.
Would pernicious anemia have any link to previously needing iron infusion?
Current dose Vit D3 4000iu x 3 per day. Thank you. Will request a retest for Vit D.
Sorry - report just says Total B12 (not Active B12)
You total B12 very low - and you need to be tested for Pernicious Anemia before supplementing anything - and depending on the results of the investigation you may qualify and feel better on prescribed B12 injections.
Active B12 is the amount of B12 readily available to be used within the blood stream -
An iron infusion is arranged when your ferritin level is too low and after further investigations are a negative for any other health issues - and the NHS arrange an ion infusion.
Both low B12 and low ferritin are compounding your ability to convert well any thyroid hormone replacement and the root cause of both B12 and ferritin needs to be understood, recognised and managed by the NHS long term.
Both folate and vitamin D need supplementing to bring up your levels as detailed previously.
Wonderful and clear guidance, much appreciated. Thank you!
Some people with Hashimoto's tend to do better on Efra - as it is said to contain less fillers and therefore less triggering on their Immune system response ;
No thyroid hormone replacement works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals - those of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels - and everywhere I researched said that no thyroid hormone replacement worked well until ferritin was maintained at least over 70.
I take NDT and need to maintain my ferritin at around 100 - folate 20 - actove B12 125 ( serum B12 500++) and vitamin D at around 125 -
You might like to read around Hashimoto's and many forum members follow the research and suggestions of Dr Izabella Wentz who writes as thyroidpharmacist.com
Thank you, this is very good to know
Vitamin D 51.6 nmol
NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required
panmerseyapc.nhs.uk/media/2...
GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.
Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol
leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...
GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)
mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...
But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...
vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Test twice yearly when supplementing
Can test via NHS private testing service
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.
There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average
Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7
Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Recipe ideas
bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mag...
Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium
drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
healthline.com/nutrition/vi...
Hi, I do have only one grain tablets.
Contact you Dr for prescription for 1/4 grain tablets
Yes, this seems a good call.
Blood Results
Advice on latest blood results
Blood Results
Advice on recent blood results
