Thyroid Disease suffers

[Chicabee19]

Brahma... have you considered that the fake thyroid meds are as bad as the generics? Have you ever thought of switching to Armour? If you have no thyroid gland at all, I'd be concerned that your blood levels of T3 are not optimal on synthroid. Have you had T3 testing?

 

[RockyToggRanch]

My doc tests my t3 and t4 every 6 mos. I thought synthroid was the only non-generic thyroid med? Sorry, I didn't read every page of this...in and out of the house..just to warm up. I was at the doc yesterday to have stitches removed from my hand and asked him then to recheck any labs. He said my thyroid was fine in August, but he'd recheck my bloodcount. Aparently my iron was low.
I agree with not wanting to take daily pills. Now I have 2 bloodpressure pills and the thyroid pill. and he makes me take a multivitamin due to the iron thing. As great as I think he is...NO ONE has ever mentioned diet to me. Ever.

 

[Chicabee19]

Yes, Synthroid is non-generic, but it is a synthetic chemical that contains only T4.

Armour contains T1-7 and calcitonin, which we need for our bones.

I would be very concerned about taking only Synthroid if I had no thyroid gland at all.

Do you know what your T3 and 4 levels were at your last test? I'd be curious to see the lab numbers.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I don't know what the numbers were, but I can call on Monday and find out. I've always just trusted my dr. (I know that's not always wise).

 

[ksacres]

Wow, reading this thread, I finally feel like I'm not going crazy! I was diagnosed with hypo and put on levothyroxine. Since then, I've have crazy calf cramps, tingling/pain all over and inside my head-not like a headache-just odd pains, and a "tightness" in my throat that feels like I ALWAYS need to clear it, or like I'm choking. I hear what you are saying with the "mental fog" thing. I sometimes completely space out and have no idea what's going on. I sometimes can't find the right words to say, it's like my brain is struggling to catch up!

I too, have been going on what my Dr says, but I don't think they are giving this the attention it deserves.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I agree with the brain fog. Since this whole thing started my short term memory is absent.

 

[Chicabee19]

Once I got on Armour, I felt like I "woke up" after more than 20 years on the synthetics. My ND calls them "garbage". I had virtually ALL of the problems you can get from non-optimal T4 and especially T3, like Plantar Fasciitis, muscle tightness in the shoulders/neck/jaws, extreme constipation, too much weight on a ridiculously skimpy diet, fatigue, sleep problems, and so on.

ksacres - you should consider switching to Armour.

If you are already on Armour and still having awful symptoms, you could have thyroid resistance and possibly need more, or need to support adrenals.

ALL of the information you could possibly need in figuring out your thyroid health is available online. Check out stopthethyroidmadness.com.

On the subject of doctors -- a lot of people go to their doctors without any knowledge about their own health issues, and expect him or her to know everything about medicine. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth, and can be especially problematic when it comes to thyroid information for some strange reason.

If you do plan on approaching your doctor about switching to Armour from synthroid or levothyroxine, be prepared with ammunition.

I suggest that when you go in, rather than being meek and asking the doctor what he/she thinks about Armour, go in strong and confident and say "I want to switch my synthetic thyroid drug to Armour natural thyroid. Please write me a prescription for that today".

If he/she resists and tries to talk you out of it by saying negative things about Armour or about you (very common, by the way), say that you have done a great deal of research on the subject and you feel this is the best thing for your health.

I would not continue seeing a doctor who proves to be on the synthetic big-pharma payroll by trying everything in their power to discourage use of Armour.

If you can't get your doctor to give it to you, and you are unable to find a doctor who will, you can resort to self-treatment. PM me if you want more info about that!

 

[ksacres]

I'm on the synthetic. The only thing that worries me about the Armour is the prion thing. I am NOT meek and mild, no worries about that! And, I'm also not "overweight" heavier than I was a few years ago, but I'm still in the high but healthy range for my height. Actually, I'm about 20#'s heavier than I was three years ago. I'm only 24, and I was just diagnosed about 5 months ago. But I haven't had a "normal" period in about 6 years. They were ALWAYS heavy with cramping, and lasted weeks- a few times I have bled for three months strait. Dr's always said it was nothing to worry about, and that I could have birth control, a dnc, or nothing. They never looked into it beyond that. I haven't had a period AT ALL since starting the Levothyroxin.

 

[FisherMOM]

yippee!! Remember I said they could not get Armour at my pharmacy? Well, they DID get it in the next day, and I started today.

I am so hoping to feel better soon!

 

[onebuggirl]

My mom was on the expensive name brand and then switched to the generic...yeah she was messed up for a long time. She got back on the more expensive meds and is better! It is very important now that she makes sure the drug store gives her the right one because they have switched it and it takes a long tim to recover.
Stinks that she has to buy the expensive stuff for the rest of her life!