Finally Adjusting My Thyroid Meds – Switching to Armour! Experiences?

[spookyscaryskeletons]

Hey everyone! It’s been a while!

I’ve been seeing the same provider for my Hashimoto’s for years, but she’s always based my treatment strictly on lab results rather than my symptoms. Surprisingly, yesterday, she finally agreed to adjust my meds based on how I’m feeling!

I explained that I’m still dealing with brain fog, low motivation, and depression, which my primary doctor wanted to treat with an antidepressant. I told her I’d rather try adjusting my thyroid meds first, and to my shock, she completely agreed! This was such a different response from my usual visits.

Right now, I’m on 75 mcg of Levothyroxine, but she’s switching me to Armour Thyroid and increasing the T4 component slightly. 60mcg is the dose. We’ll check my labs again in 8 weeks. She said I shouldn’t notice any side effects, but I wanted to check in here—has anyone switched to Armour? What was your experience like?

She also mentioned that if we ever need to switch back, she would add Liothyronine. I’ve taken it before (5 mcg, prescribed by her), but when I told her I didn’t notice any difference, she just told me to stop taking it. Now she’s saying that was a low dose and could be adjusted… funny how things change, right?

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

how great to have a supportive doctor willing to try and adjust things to suit you. Sounds like a keeper!

Isn’t 60 mcg Armour a lower T4 equivalent than the 75 you are on now and likely not to be enough, given you wanted to up your dose. Did she expect you to switch right over?

Hmm 🤔 this doesn’t quite make sense to me so I’m tagging radd and SlowDragon who definitely know more than I do.

[spookyscaryskeletons in reply to Regenallotment]

Oh no, I just assumed it was a bit higher because that's what the doc said. And yes she said to switch right over. I started today. Interested to see what others have to say. Hopefully this change in heart by the doc isn't a complete bust. Thanks for responding.

[FancyPants54 in reply to spookyscaryskeletons]

Hi

60mcg of Armour = 1 grain (tablet) and 1 grain tablets contain 38mcg of T4 and 9mcg of 3. Your doctor is putting a lot of faith in that 9mcg of T3 to make up the difference in lack of T4. You certainly won't feel like you've had an increase. If we assume T3 is 3 times strong than T4 that 9mcg could be worth 27mcg of T4. Added to the 38mcg of T4 in the tablet you might pull in around 65mcg of T4 value. But that depends on your conversion rate. There's a lot of question marks there.

I was on 125mcg T4 and switched straight over to 2 grains (120mcg) of Armour.

I think you will need more. But presumably you are able to get another prescription if you need it?

[spookyscaryskeletons in reply to FancyPants54]

Thanks for the response and info! I presume I can adjust my meds again judging by the response from the doc at my last visit. In the past she has not been willing to negotiate at all. So I guess we will see.

[radd in reply to Regenallotment]

spookyscaryskeletons

60mg is 1 grain NDT and as stated by the manufacturers bio-equivalent to 100mcg T4.

However, myself and others have found a more likely bio-equivalence to be about 80mcg T4.

Therefore, a switch from 75mcg Levo to 1 grain NDT should work great. As you have previously medicated T3 you can do a straight switchover and retest in 6 weeks.

[spookyscaryskeletons in reply to radd]

Thank you! I'll report back withy lab results

[FancyPants54]

You asked if anyone had done the switch. Yes, I did. 125mcg of Levo to 2 grains (120mcg) Armour. Straight switch. It was a bit rocky at first but not helped by me getting a really bad cold almost immediately. It lasted weeks. 2 years later I'm still titrating my doses. For me Armour plummeted my FT4 results and yet if I try to raise my dose I get very anxious and my heart rate speeds up. Which for someone with a permanent heart arrhythmia is not good.

I'm very under dosed when I get my blood results back but as I said I'm struggling to increase my dose. I'm adding in some Levo to try to bring my FT4 level back to something sensible as I don't feel good with it too low.

It's not been a miracle cure for me. I had so hoped it would be. I still have very little energy, no stamina, I've gained a terrible amount of weight over the years and now get swollen legs and ankles. BUT I find the T3 in Armour to be gentle and not to plunge me up and down like liothyroinine T3 does.

Good luck. Many love Armour when they haven't got on well on Levo. I'm not normal. But I do think you will need more. But there's no harm in starting a bit lower and getting settled and then if symptoms creep back go and see her and ask for more.