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What do you think the #3 most prescribed drug in America is? According to the last statistics we have seen, it is a generic drug for thyroid replacement called levothyroxine. Nearly 20 million people take this generic form of synthetic thyroid hormone. That doesn’t take into account the brand name Synthroid. Millions more opt for this brand of levothyroxine. Did you know that one of the most controversial and contentious issues in endocrinology has to do with the best treatment for hypothyroidism? Most doctors insist that standard treatment with levothyroxine alone (LT4, Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Tirosint, Unithroid) is the answer to a sluggish or inactive thyroid gland.
They reject natural thyroid or supplementation with T3 (Cytomel or compounded slow-release products) as unnecessary or unreliable. Under pressure from patients and colleagues, however, some are beginning to shift their stance. Others, however, maintain that levothyroxine is vastly overprescribed and that most people taking this hormone don’t actually need it.
When Hyperthyroidism Leads to Hypothyroidism:
This reader went from an overactive thyroid gland to no thyroid gland:
Q. After two years of suffering, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. To control the rapid heart rate and shaking, my doctor prescribed propranolol. I was also put on anti-thyroid medicines to try to get my thyroid hormone level under control.
When I had allergic reactions to those meds, my thyroid was surgically removed. Then I began a long, frustrating process of trying different doses of Synthroid. It turned out I am also allergic to Synthroid.
Finally, my doctor put me on natural thyroid extract. The first prescription was like a difference of night and day. Within a week, I began to feel much better.
Now, after a second dose adjustment, my thyroid hormone is nearly at the right level. My weight is starting to get back to normal, my head is clear, my anxiety is almost gone, my heart rate is nearly normal and my bones do not ache. This compounded medicine has saved my life and my sanity. Why don’t more doctors prescribe it?
A. Most endocrinologists are taught that synthetic levothyroxine (eg, Synthroid) is preferred over natural thyroid hormones. That’s because the dose can be controlled precisely.
But a functional thyroid gland produces two hormones, T4 and T3. Levothyroxine is T4 alone, whereas desiccated thyroid extract contains both T4 and T3. Some people report feeling healthier when they take both hormones. That may be due to a genetic difference in their ability to convert inactive T4 to T3, the active form.
You can learn more about natural thyroid as well as the diagnosis and treatment of both underactive and hyperactive thyroid glands in our eGuide to Thyroid Hormones. You will find this online resource under the Health eGuides tab.
Is TSH Testing Misleading?
A letter to the editor in the journal Clinical Chemistry (March 1, 2023) asserts that 90 percent of levothyroxine prescriptions are inappropriate. The author bases that argument on a study showing that TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is highest in the winter and lower in summer. In effect, he argues that unless TSH levels are significantly elevated to around 10 mIU/L or higher, it makes no sense to treat people as hypothyroid.
We were delighted to see an acknowledgment that TSH can vary seasonally, as we have seen this pattern ourselves. We don’t agree that people with elevated TSH in the wintertime have no business taking levothyroxine, though. Our experience suggests that high TSH may correlate pretty closely with uncomfortable symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Many doctors use TSH as the primary measurement to diagnose and monitor treatment of hypothyroidism. Some endocrinologists are beginning to suspect that TSH alone may not be enough. Some people with TSH levels within the normal range while taking levothyroxine still do not feel good. Keep reading for a fuller explanation of why that may happen. Or listen to our interview with international thyroid expert Antonio Bianco. It is Show 1330: Rethinking Hypothyroidism.
Balancing Thyroid Hormones Was a Big Challenge:
Another surgical story:
Q. I had thyroid surgery to remove a goiter in 2005. Then I spent the next ten years in hell on levothyroxine only.
I was on a thyroid rollercoaster. When my thyroid levels were high, my symptoms included hypertension, anxiety, panic attacks and suicidal thoughts. If the level dropped too low, I had no energy, rapid weight gain, low body temperature, high cholesterol, heavy periods and terrible muscle cramps. The doctor said none of those symptoms had anything to do with my thyroid.
BULL! My body was out of balance from being on T4 only. Why would endocrinologists think we need only one thyroid hormone when our bodies make two? I started taking natural desiccated thyroid gland and I am finally getting my life back.
Why Doctors Prescribe Levothyroxine Alone:
A. Most doctors learned in medical school that the body converts levothyroxine (T4) to the active hormone triiodothyronine (T3). However, in the last several years, scientists have discovered that some people do this less efficiently than others. Their enzymes have a harder time knocking the extra iodine atom off T4 to turn it into T3.
Increasingly, leaders in the field recommend individualized treatment including T3 for people who don’t respond well to levothyroxine alone (Frontiers in Endocrinology, July 9, 2019). Desiccated thyroid extract from pigs contains both hormones, although not in exactly the same proportions that healthy human thyroid glands produce.
Learn More:
You will find far more information on this research as well as many complementary treatments and considerations in our eGuide to Thyroid Hormones. You may also wish to listen to our interview with Dr. Antonio Bianco, an internationally recognized expert on treating thyroid disease. It is Show 1196: What to Do if Thyroid Treatment Doesn’t Work for You.
Why Levothyroxine Alone Might Not Be Adequate:
Many people with hypothyroidism (estimates range from 12 to 15 percent of patients or higher) complain of symptoms when they are treated with standard levothyroxine. Even when blood tests (TSH & TH) suggest that thyroid function is normalized, these individuals feel like crap. They complain of fatigue, impaired cognition or “foggy brain,” weight gain, and general malaise.
Until now, many endocrinologists and a lot of primary care physicians were inclined to chalk up such complaints as psychosomatic, ie, all in the head. They did not wish to contemplate a problem with the standard treatment regimen. That is starting to change. A splendid article published in one of the most cautious and respected medical journals in the world, the Annals of Internal Medicine, Jan. 5, 2016, offers a nuanced insight into patient management.
The article is titled “The History and Future of Treatment of Hypothyroidism.” You can access the full article for free at this link. The authors point out that 10% to 15% of patients treated with standard levothyroxine “monotherapy” are “dissatisfied as a result of residual symptoms of hypothyroidism, including neurocognitive impairment…” In other words, patients often complained of symptoms such as brain fog, confusion, fatigue or depression even after their lab tests appeared to be normalized.
Here is just one example from a visitor to our website:
“I have been on Synthroid for 40 years. Over the years, my problems have become worse. My TSH blood test comes back within the normal range, so the doctor prescribes my usual .125 mg Synthroid and sends me on my way.
“When I show him my swollen feet and legs and the stasis dermatitis now forming on my lower legs, he says, ‘You have venous insufficiency. Wear compression stockings and elevate your legs as much as possible.’
“When I had two separate incidents of depression and anxiety, I was prescribed the antidepressant Paxil. I took myself off that after one year when my legs swelled up even more than usual.
“I suffer from constipation, lack of energy and lower back pain and have not been able to lose weight for years. My muscles ache all the time and my feet hurt constantly when I walk very far.
“I ‘ll be 66 years old in a few weeks and I feel like I am 80. I read all the articles and am very aware of the foods I should and should not eat. All my doctor cares about is the TSH test, and as long as the result comes back within the normal range he is happy and assumes all is well with my thyroid.” K.H.
How Do We Get from T4 to T3?
To understand the complexity of thyroid supplementation, we need to take a quick detour into some basic biology. Don’t panic! We will do our best to make this understandable.
The thyroid gland makes a few hormones but we are only going to focus on two, T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). The numbers T4 and T3 represent the number of iodine atoms ( 4 and 3 respectively) attached to the basic hormone structure.
Thyroxine (T4) is a prohormone and is relatively inactive. It has to be converted to T3 by the body. An enzyme removes one of the iodine atoms to accomplish this. As much as 80% of T4 is converted to T3. T3 is three to five times more potent than T4. So the efficient conversion of T4 to T3 is critical, and levels of circulating “free” T3 are essential to well being.
The Discovery of Genetic Variation in Enzymes:
Okay, before your eyes glaze over, let’s get to the exciting research. A team of investigators led by endocrinologists at Rush University Medical Center (in Chicago, IL) has published studies in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (online, Jan 2, 2015) and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (online, Jan. 8, 2015).
Their animal research involved removing rat thyroid glands. When the scientists tried to normalize hormone levels with levothyroxine alone, they were unsuccessful. The animals demonstrated signs of hypothyroidism, especially within the brain, which might account for why some humans complain of cognitive dysfunction on T4 alone. The investigators were able to normalize circulating T3 levels and improve symptoms by supplementing T4 with extra T3.
Their human study uncovered genetic variability in patients suffering from hypothyroidism. They estimate that the mutation exists in 12% to 36% of the population. It makes it harder to convert T4 to T3. The scientists detected negative brain changes in patients that have difficulty making the T4 to T3 conversion. Such patients generally prefer a treatment regimen that involves both levothyroxine together with T3 supplementation (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (May, 2009).
Old Beliefs Die Hard About Levothyroxine Alone:
A few generations of endocrinologists and primary care physicians learned that the only thing that matters when monitoring thyroid function in hypothyroid patients is TSH levels. And the only treatment needed is levothyroxine alone. Changing such entrenched beliefs is not easy. Although many patients do just fine with such an approach, there appear to be many others who do not. The overview in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that a more nuanced, personalized approach may be the wave of the future for people with hypothyroidism. Consensus is building among endocrinologists to support better research on combination therapy (Thyroid, Feb. 2021).
Patient Stories
Pat says:
“I had blood work done a few months ago for thyroid function. My primary care physician states that the test showed that my TSH was normal…12.9.
“I said, ‘what about the test for t3 and t4 levels?’ The doc stated that further testing wouldn’t be required if the TSH levels were in normal range. From what I have been reading, 12.9 seems to be a high normal. Is there some verification on what the normal range is for TSH?
” have been loosing hair, have dry skin, fatigue, and depression, which could also be attributed to the high blood pressure medication that I’ve been using (amlodipine), which I have titrated off of. My blood pressure is still high, (withdrawal symptoms or the rebound effect). My life is continual stress along with all the other work and effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
Neil in the UK shared this:
“I’m a 55 year old man. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2011 (TSH 98). My doctor prescribed levothyoxine alone and my hormones tested balanced after 6 months. I was still tired, with foggy thinking, aches and insomnia.
“They tested me yearly and I remained within normal limits. I’ve no idea what my T4 and T3 level are as the Dr. won’t tell me. Last autumn my TSH was 9.5 so they increased my dose of levo from 150 mcg to 175. My TSH fell to 0.05 so they cut me back to 125 mcg. My TSH is now 70.
“For the entire time I have been on levothroxine I’ve felt bad no matter what my TSH levels are. I don’t know what to do in order to feel better. They don’t offer T3 in the UK.”
Other Patient Stories:
JF wrote about her daughter:
“My daughter has had hypothyroidism since she was 12. She is now 28 and took Synthroid up until 2 years ago. She felt lousy and was tired and her hair fell out and she had dry skin, even though they said her levels were fine! Well, she started to take Armour Thyroid two years ago and there was a huge difference!
“She feels better and was also able to lose 60 lbs over the past 2 years. She couldn’t lose any before, as hard as she worked at it. I highly recommend Armour instead of the Synthroid!”
Shasha wishes she could go back to Armour Thyroid as her treatment:
“I have struggled with thyroid problems since I was 8. At age 57, I’ve had thyroid cancer twice, 2 surgeries & now high dose radiation/ablation. My last surgery was 18 months ago & I have gained 18 pounds since then.
“I have no energy & struggle to stay awake. My hair & nails are falling off. I’ve been getting weekly iron IV infusions yet my red blood cell & ferritin levels as well as thyroid levels remain low.”
“For years I took Armour Thyroid & was happy & healthy. Now I’m told I MUST take Synthroid even though I feel it’s ruining my life. I’m in my doctor’s waiting room now; I plan to show him these articles & ask for Armour. It’s hard to imagine the damage levothyroxine alone has done to my life unless you have lived it. I urge all people taking Synthroid but feeling poorly to tell their doctor & give Armour a try.”
Diane also prefers Armour Thyroid:
“I have taken Armour Thyroid, Synthroid and Levothroid at various times. The ONLY one of the 3 that did not give me major side effects has been the Armour Thyroid. I have much more energy, no headaches and no fatigue like I have with the synthetic products.”
We are not beating the drum for Armour Thyroid or any particular brand of natural or synthetic thyroid hormone. Some doctors prescribe levothyroxine and supplement it with Cytomel (T3) or with a special timed-release T3 formulation that compounding pharmacists can make. This creates more balanced T4 and T3 levels circulating within the body.
Learn More:
If you are intrigued by this thyroid discussion we think you will find our newly revised extensive eGuide to Thyroid Hormones of great interest. Not only does it go into much greater depth regarding treatment options, it provides information about thyroid testing that you may not find anyplace else.
Thyroid hormones are essential for normal body functioning. Getting the balance adjusted is a little like Goldilocks and the porridge; not too hot, not too cold, not too much and not too little. We want you to get it just right, whether you are using levothyroxine alone or a mix of hormones. Here is a link to our new guide.
Share the Information:
If your physician wants a more authoritative resource, suggest she check out the article in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The authors are endocrinologists. And if you really want to understand this complex story, take some time to listen to our extended interview with one of the authors, Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD. It is free and your doctor may wish to listen as well. Here is a link.
Please share this information with anyone you think would be interested. Comment below in the “Add My Thoughts” section and please vote on this article at the top of the page. We appreciate the feedback. We hope our Guide to Thyroid Hormones will also provide an in-depth understanding of this complex topic.
Carol
Ladies, go to a female Doctor who will relate to this common issue more so then any male Doctor ever will !
Arie
I have read that they are discontinuing Armour thyroid in 2029. I hope I am wrong.
Crystal R
Was skinny as a rail until age 23. 5’9 and 125 lbs. Suddenly started gaining weight. That was 1971. In 2002, I finally was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. Brother has it and went into thyroid storm. My daughter was found to have a TSH of 170 in 2001. She was sent to an Endocrinologist. Dx was Hashimoto’s. That’s when I asked my doc to check mine. TSH showed hypothyroidism.
It took me 10 yrs to get a referral. Finally got an Endocrinologist in our area. Meanwhile I was being treated by PCP with Synthroid but felt like crap. Talked to her, and she was willing to give me a trial of Armour. Also checked my antibodies. Positive for Hashimoto’s. I’ve done much better with Armour. My Endocrinologist has left the area, and I have a new PCP (My old doc retired!) Anyway, the new doc respects my medical knowledge and has continued me on Armour.
Ann
FINALLY! FINALLY!!!
I was a strong healthy 44 when an autoimmune attack nailed my thyroid. I’m now 58 and trying to recover from the destruction done to my life over this. About a year ago I showed a wellness doctor, NOT my endocrinologist, testing I had paid for myself. It showed everything possible, even reverse T3 which can do funky stuff too if person is stressed out, and he agreed to prescribe a slow-release compound. My body came back to life.
And all those years, well, when you’re told nothing is wrong with you, you often agree to try an antidepressant. I don’t regret trying one or even a second, but past one or two tries there’s no point for me, another than the quiet fact no one discusses, much less the approximately 15 or more I was tried on: I gained, then had to lose over 100 lbs of drug weight, and have just pounds 20 to go now.
I knew there was something to it when I found out more than one doctor I consulted gave their own family members Armour! And I don’t think it has anything to do with pig vs medicine. It’s all about conversion. I’m still weak as a kitten because of the exhaustion that kept me laid up, and it’s not so great for the self-esteem over time either. Or the stigma of “hard to treat depression” that eventually you get saddled with. One of the worst parts is when you can’t think well, you can’t be a good advocate for yourself. I almost gave up.
It’s been hard trying to re-enter life after so long. But now I KNOW this is a real issue and hope it catches on fast. My body absolutely responded to the different med. I don’t get why the MTHFR gene mutation was so readily accepted, and these studies from 2019? weren’t accepted just as quickly.
Thank you for publishing this well-documented article!!
Jeanne
This could have been written about me. After 15 years on Armour I was suddenly told by two naturopaths (ND) that I needed to go on Levo because of my age (68 at the time). Armour was supposedly somehow out of favor for seniors, even though I have no heart issues to speak of. I could not get a prescription from either ND for Armour so I took the Levo. Almost instantly gained weight, slugged through mornings, slept longer and longer, alarming hair loss – you get the idea.
After a year and a half of this I FINALLY found an ND who would put me back on Armour, and the change for the better happened pretty fast. My thyroid panel clearly showed I was not converting enough T4 to T3.
Jay
I was prescribed Armour over a decade ago and still experienced fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, hair texture like straw, weight gain, body aches, muscles cramps, brain fog so bad people asked whether I’d had long COVID (which is no, btw), insomnia–the works. Like everyone else reporting here, the docs just drew blood and said, “within normal range, stop whining and go home.”
Then the insurance company insisted I be switched to levothyroxine, and everything got ten times worse. On top of all of those symptoms exacerbating, my fingernails grew out with deep divots in the nail beds, and split off in layers, like poor-grade plywood delaminating. Showing this new symptom, and my accelerated hair loss, to my doctor, I FINALLY got her to prescribe Armour again. I knew that insurance wouldn’t cover it, and I’d have to drop $200 per bottle out of pocket, but it did help a little.
I’m so frustrated with the entire medical profession that I don’t know why I even bother showing up for check-ups. And I’m only 66. My family lives well into their 90’s. I hate to think that this is what the next 30 years of my life will be like.
Judy
When my doctor added Cytomel a few years ago, it was a game changer: I suddenly felt normal, had good energy, problems with constipation and dry skin, etc. cleared. Now my TSH is really low. I have no symptoms of hyperthyroidism, but I know my doctor is concerned. (No heart issues, weight issues, weakness, hair loss, heat sensitivity….)
Anyone else have this happen? Fortunately, my doctor is willing to listen, but….
Paula
I’ve been off generic Synthroid for over a year, since I’ve added 3 drops of liquid iodine per day.
My doctor said to start with 1 drop per day. I was surprised that I had energy immediately with one drop/day.
Jackie
I have Graves’ disease–a hyperactive thyroid–but the discussion I had with my doctor about the amount of thyroid-suppressing methimazole I should be taking also hinged on what constitutes a “normal” T4 level. I told her that despite having a T4 value in the “normal” range, I was sluggish and sleepy, slowly gaining weight and losing hair, and always slightly constipated. She thought this was not a problem; I disagreed. I’ve decreased my methimazole intake slightly, and already feel better. If after a month I have no negative symptoms (e.g., tremor), I’ll “confess” to taking my treatment into my own hands.
This is my second go-round with Graves.’ The first lasted two years, and then I was in remission for thirteen years. This bout has lasted about a year so far. My doctor, like the endocrinologist who treated me the first time, is urging me to have my thyroid removed, after which, she assures me, I can live a lovely, normal life on synthetic hormones. After reading about all of the problems people experience trying to manage hypothyroidism, I continue to resist her suggestion.
I wish all endocrinologists could experience what it feels like to be both hypo- and hyperthyroid. I don’t think any would be blithely dismissive of a patient’s concerns if they knew first-hand how miserable both conditions can be.
Marilyn
After a thyroidectomy my doctor had difficulty getting my thyroid levels stabilized. The TSH levels would be elevated, the T4 levels within normal levels, but the T3 was low. Increasing my Synthroid dose didn’t resolve the issues but adding a low dose of Liothyronine brought all levels within normal limits and resolved my symptoms.
Zoe
I am solicited at least once a year by my doctor and insurance company to get me off Armour and onto synthetic medication. I fear that at some point I will get kicked out of my doctor’s practice. I tell them every time that I will not change medication but they are always pushing. It’s a rotten system.
D'Lain
I just read an article from Web MD saying that Calcium Carbonate can decrease the absorption of Levothyroxine. I was on the L. and took the antacid tablets. Next blood test after 6 months on the L. showed my T3 level only going up a very small amount. I was at the bottom of the scale. I asked to have a larger dose so my doctor increased it by 25%. Then I started to get a jittery feeling in my body that was similar to the jitters you get when you have low blood sugar and need to eat something. I went back on the lower dose and still got the jitters. I did not take it for one and a half weeks and then took one pill and got the jitters again. Funny that I went 6 months with no problems in the beginning. I dont know what my doctor will give me next. I have an appointment coming up and am now more tired than I should be so I must be in hypothyroidism by now. No other symptoms except dry mouth often.
Au
Is there a way to measure your T3 level? Could changes be caused by the generic? Any better results with real synthyroid?
Ariel
Over the years I have had different endos. They all balked about putting me on Armour Thyroid. Excuses: it all does the same thing, it takes a long time to get the thyroid adjusted with Armour. Finally, I got a dr. to put me on Armour.
For me, it was as simple as using the same dose of the generic but no problems. At my last blood test is still reading on the low end and the dr says that is ok because it is in normal range. I have been on it for several years now, and I feel better. For me Armour works!
Maureen
For years my Internal Medicine PCP would only use TSH levels and prescribe Synthroid to treat my hypothyroidism, despite my continued complaints of brain dog, weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, and dry skin. I was repeatedly told to eat less, exercise more, and get better sleep. I became very depressed and honestly felt like I was dying a slow death. I began researching and, armed with more knowledge, suspected I may have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease. I also found information about patients not getting relief from T4 only, and that adding T3 made a difference big difference in how they felt.
I researched to find an endocrinologist who would test for thyroid antibodies and prescribe T3 (they were very few and far between). Sure enough, my thyroid antibodies were very high, and I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The endocrinologist added T3, and I began to feel much better. I had reached a plateau where my improvement stalled out a bit, so it was suggested I look into the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol Diet). Following this protocol for 30 days, I dropped 15 pounds. It addressed the inflammation taking place in my body, and showed that eliminating gluten and dairy from my diet would continue to help me lose weight and feel dramatically better. I now follow a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, and found that sticking with a Paleo way of eating keeps me feeling at my best.
Finding out that I had an autoimmune disease by finding a physician who test for thyroid antibodies, and who was also open to prescribing T3, was a game changer. Eliminating gluten and dairy from my diet was the cherry on top. I advise anyone not finding relief on T4 to research and become an advocate for yourself, because many physicians only know to check TSH levels and prescribe T4.
Rivka
I am completely frustrated with how the medical field deals with hypothyroidism! I was 9 years old when my ophthalmologist sent me for a complete physical, suspecting diabetes. I started out on Armour Tbyroid then and have taken it most of my life. The times I’ve taken Synthroid, I’ve bottomed out, and I mean, to the point of barely registering on the tests! In the 90s my doctor put me on Thyrolar, and I took it for a couple of years when it was suddenly pulled off the market due to “plant contamination”. Apparently it is now back on the market, but I cannot find ANY doctor who has ever heard of it!! My good doctor has since retired and moved to Arizona so I am out of luck there! Here is an alternative to levothyroxine and Armour, so WHY doesn’t anyone know about it??
Lynne
I take Armour, as I have no thyroid. This medicine is not covered by Medicare. Does anyone know how to change this?
Barbara
If a healthy thyroid gland produces both T4 AND T3, why do endocrinologists think that T4-only meds are the best and only treatment?
For a variety of reasons: peripheral tissue conversion of T4 to T3 varies widely among patients, and many hypothyroid patients need more T3 in their meds to compensate for low rates of T4 to T3 conversion.
Janie Bowthorpe (Stop the Thyroid Madness) and Paul Robinson are thyroid patients, thyroid patient advocates and have written books, websites and maintain thyroid patient online support groups.
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/why-so-many-thyroid-patients-fail-to-recover-on-levothyroxine-t4/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/some-thyroid-patients-cannot-regain-health-with-t4-thyroid-treatment/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/the-hypothyroidism-numbers-trap-thyroid-production-t4-and-t3-and-conversion-rate-t4-to-t3-not-fixed/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/new-research-some-thyroid-patients-do-need-liothyronine-t3-medication-to-recover-from-hypothyroidism/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/we-need-a-better-wagon-why-the-current-approach-to-thyroid-treatment-is-flawed/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/why-do-i-still-have-all-the-symptoms-of-hypothyroidism/
https://paulrobinsonthyroid.com/how-success-in-treating-thyroid-patients-should-be-measured/
Kristine
I’ve been on natural thyroid treatments for years because I’m allergic to the fillers used in Synthroid…gave me headaches, shortness of breath, and a constant dry cough. Armour is the answer.
B
I agree that Synthroid can leave many with brain fog and lack of interest almost numbness. I changed to Armour and feel like I am starting to enjoy life again.
Lisa
Washington DC
As I read all of these experiences with Levothyroxine, I am frightened to death over the fact that I am scheduled to have my thyroid gland removed next month due to compression symptoms.
Am I putting myself on death row???
I am so confused. I don’t want to regret removing it, but in the meantime, I do need to breathe!!
Terry Graedon
Lisa, most people who have thyroid surgery do pretty well after some adjustment. They don’t write comments online because they are feeling well. So, talk to your doctor about your concerns and make sure you have an endocrinologist who will work with you on the replacement thyroid medicine so that you feel good. Best of luck!
Jennifer
Recently I was diagnosed with thyroiditis and people with thyroiditis can experience the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I feel tired all time and no energy, I get dizzy and lightheaded, I feel like my equilibrium is out of whack. When I’m walking I feel like I’m leaning to one side, feels like I could fall over.
I have muscle aches and pain, especially in my legs sometimes. My doctor is supposed to set me up an appointment with a thyroid specialist. I will be so glad when she does cause I am sick and tired of feeling this way, it sucks when you feel lousy 24/7.
I have been like this for a very long time now, but I never said anything cause I was too afraid and I didn’t want nobody to worry. It’s my own fault why I waited this long to say something, but I am so glad I am getting something done about it now. I do not wish thyroid problems on nobody.
Mitzie
Houston
I tried to take Levoxyl and it made me feel terrible, so we switched to Tirosint. I was doing okay on it until recently. In Feb 2018 I was on 100mcg and my TSH was 2.05 so we increased my dose to 112mcg and shortly after, I began to feel lousy. I tried skipping a day or two, then taking 100mcg and I feel horrible. So now I’m inclined to skip it all together and leave my endocrinologist for my regular MD and ask to start a low dose of Armour; I’ve never taken this medication, however, I’m willing to try it, if in fact, it’s necessary to bring my levels into range and will make me feel better than this. – I’m exhausted — depressed — frustrated — overwhelmed — irritated by the whole thing.
Dee
San Diego
I need help… my TSH is at 36 due to a compounding pharmacist giving me the wrong medication. I’m now taking 39.5 micrograms of Tirosint per day, the only medication I can currently take. I need to take more thyroid medication but my body, for some reason, is blocking my taking any more medication. If I take 1 more microgram a week I get extreme hyper symptoms. It’s physiological. I’m on high doses of blood pressure medication and beta-blockers. I had my thyroid removed many years ago. Five doctors have tested everything and can’t come up with an answer. Top doctors in San Diego and Los Angeles tell me that if I can’t get more medication in me there is strong possibility I could die.
To make things worse, in October 2017 I was diagnosed with lung cancer and need surgery but with my TSH number so high doctors have said I would not wake up after the surgery.
Has anyone had a problem like this and has found an answer?
Noelle
California
I’m a woman age 67 soon to be 68. The doc put me on levo which lasted a week. Then told doc that I had pain in my back and under breast area. Now for 4 days on armor I feel better but did you know hypothyroidism is 90% diet? 10 % stress? I’m cleaning up my diet which was poor. I now eat NO WHEAT or sugars, use green stevia; eat carrots, celery, asparagus, avocado 3 times a week, at least oils like coconut and olive. I use almond flour and almond or coconut milk.
People can feel depressed and suicidal with thyroid problems and mood changes. Good luck.
Jeana
Elk River, MN, USA
I have been on levothyroxine 75mcg for 3 years. I still feel like crap and don’t really live life. The levothyroxine really helped for a few weeks but then the symptoms came back. Since my levels are better, my doctor thinks that I’m fine. I’ve tried convincing him to add cyntomel or switch me to armour. He’s only looking at blood tests and not listening to how bad I feel. I think he thinks it’s all in my head. I just want my life back.
Sue
NV
I was on levrothyroxine for years – still felt terrible and couldnt think clearly. It was hard to do my job. I kept going to the doctor and told her how bad I felt all the time and the terrible brain fog. It was hard to hold a conversation! Anyway, finally the doctor said she would try me on liothyronine in addition to my levrothyroxine. It has changed my life! I feel normal again for the first time in 14 years. Please have your doctor consider this option.
janine
South west UK
I had a sub thyroidectomy over 30 years ago for graves, they said i had normal bloods after it for years! but to be honest I never ever felt 100%, my hair never grew longer than shoulders it snapped off at that lengh, my skin was dry and I had not the normal energy of a 20 yrs old.
I tried to have a baby when 27 yrs old, but just couldn’t fall pregnant so i am guessing thyroid must of been to low for many years my thyroid was tested at the time but only the TSH which I should of had T3. T4 as well as i had a thyroidectomy .I have no children thanks to the TSH test
Tt the age of 40 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism , I hadn’t put any weight on but was extremely tired i had slept solid for 2 weeks, I was put on Levothyroxine and i have slowly been falling to pieces on it,
I never once felt well on it and was only put on a dose of 50mgs and left I was never told to go have bloods , so eventually I ended up in a mental hospital for hearing things.
I am guessing this was my under treated thyroid that done this as no thyroid test was taken when it happened !
, I put my dosage up myself to 100mgs as was falling asleep again and was a bit better with raise I again a few year later raised it again up to 150mgs as again coma like sleeps, all levothyroxine seemed to do was stop me falling asleep 24/7 I was still aching all over, bad heart burn, fibromyalgia pains all over, extremely itchy shins , my hair was thin and i had been putting on loads of weight since taking Levothyroxine, the GP who was quite useless thinking back on how he treated me always told me it was because I wasn’t exercising ( I had a dog and walked over an hour per day so it wasnt that at 1st later i couldn’t walk due to pain ) and i was eating too much, I hardly ate a thing as i don’t like being fat as was only a size 8 and i had crept up to a size 16-18 uk size thats huge I was wearing tents not nice clothes.
I crash dieted all the time just so I didn’t pile even more weight on! I also stopped my periods about a month after starting Levothyroxine to which I was glad as all my life I had suffered with heavy periods and endometriosis, then I started to blow up with huge amount of water retention which I was given diuretics for and used to spend from 7 am to 2pm sitting on the toilet getting rid of fluid every day, I asked for HRT at 41 yrs but was told i couldn’t have it as i was prone to water retention. I was given anti-depressants on numerous occasions through out my life but they made me so spaced out they really did not agree with me I wasnt depressed I was fed up of how my body was feeling not fed up with life!
Every time I tried AD I felt even worse so I stopped them (which GP was never happy about I think he wanted me so spaced out I would or couldn’t be bothered to complain how i was feeling and thought I would go home sleep all time and leave him alone I feel like suing him for loss of my life as he should of spotted all my symptoms were hypothyroid but he chose to blame everything but, I was never told their were other drugs available for hypo ..anyway on AD felt even worse and lazier on them, I was given several different ones and none of them worked, I tried to explain to the GP what i was feeling was tired, no energy. Aching, brain was haggled, memory was not what it was again this was what everyone felt like its my age get used to it as it will worsen is what he said!
I was only 42ys which isn’t old its quite young life begins at 40 they say mine stopped completely! I was feeling 90yrs old even my mother who was 70 at time had more energy than me,, my voice was deep and husky I couldn’t think straight, I was sent to a psychiatrist and they diagnosed me with ADHD I was put on Dexamfetamine I did feel a bit better I lost a little weight, i could think better and I thought that was what the problem was and was better but still not right, hair was still thinning skin bad and my aches and pains were still happening and getting worse,
I put myself back in a mental hospital as was hearing things again, spent a few days in hospital ate properly and was out with in days I was taken off the ADHD drugs as they blamed them for me hearing things I knew it wasnt them as at times before though I heard things, but was only after being prescribed Levothyroxine not before that! I think was def my under treated hypothyroid. and seemed to be if i was under stress when i lost love ones etc that the voices happened. but the last time it happened and they took ADHD meds off me was in the middle of moving to a new area, I then lost all my energy I was even more brain fogged.
I managed the move somehow with help from a friend or would of still been sitting staring into space , but never un packed in new house as I just couldn’t get out of bed and ached so much my memory was bad I spent a year in bed and eventually made it to a new dr I wrote a list of symptoms, he said it was my hormones and put me on HRT (I had finished periods well over 10 yrs ago and over the hot flushes so think that was a bit late) the HRT made me have more water retention but i had a tiny but of energy I could walk to the shop but was back in bed after 40 mins as was worn out.
I also got sent to a NEW ADHD clinic which took them another year of deciding I could go back on tablets again, I got them but a pro drug Vyvanse, this time which didn’t work as well as old tablets, but they worked for 2 hours so most days but not all days, this gave my mind 2 hrs to sort things out like paper work but i had zero energy to get up etc.. I don’t think I do well on pro drugs…
So another 2 years pass I am now 54yrs old and still struggling with weight, hair getting thinner, aching like a 90 yr old. My back has been causing me vast amounts of problems I lost use of left leg due to sciatica and my shoulder was hurting for no reason, macro tests showed that I had anything wrong, so again I was made to feel it was all in my head, TBH at times I did think of ending it all, if this is all life had to offer what was the point on living a life of pain and staying in beds most days.
I managed to get my ADHD drugs put back to dexampfetamine, yes I could think again so I took to seriously researching hypothyroid and found that I was not the only person feeling this way, Was now freezing cold this was summer and my body temp was constantly under 35.0 and i was shivering in the summer, I thought I was going to die of hyperthermia at times . my blood pressure was extremely low my ears kept popping I couldn’t hear anyone but my self talking, I kept going dizzy I was feeling so ill, my gums were always bleeding and i was getting constant pain in my teeth.
I read on T3 and asked GP who arranged to see an Endocrinologist as she was unable to prescribe T3 for me and she said i would probably benefit from it by my symptoms, At last a GP who didnt think it was all in my head ! Hooray at last 13 years later I get listened to, it took 6 months to see Endo and he said would I like to try T3 , of course I did, he reduced my levothyroxine, which I was 150 at this point to 100mgs and he added 20mgs Liothyronine take 2x 10mgs per day
I woke the next morning really excited about taking a drug that may help me at last, I was not disappointed It took around half an hour to work, I instantly felt so much happier everything went brighter it was like i had been in black and white for years, colours were vibrant, I suddenly had energy I jumped of the bed and didnt screech in pain I felt
free from pain, I was like wow why did no one give me this 13 years ago, why was I left to suffer for 13 years, been put on some serious ADHD tabs dead amphetamines quite high dosage as well 70mgs per day, when all i had needed was T3..
I had also done a genetic gene test whilst acting for the End appointment which the results came back 2 days after Endo had prescribed me T3,, so he had prescribed me on my symptoms not my results…
My results of Dio2 gene test were Deiondinase Iodathyyranine Type II Dio2 (T92A) 225014 Heterozygous variant genotype TA. I am told it means I will feel better with T3 added to levothyroxine…
I must agree with it as since i had T3 added in Dec 2017 I have decorated 3 rooms since taking it, so something is giving me energy and making me feel better I am now not bed bound, I have the occasional back pain but think that is damaged through years of pain, my shoulder pain went completely.. I am a different person now or should i say more like before I became hyperthyroid when i was in my teens as I have spent over 35 yrs of not feeling normal and I’ll I got told I look more relaxed and that I’m not about to kill someone they said i was looking well I had colour at last in my cheeks.
It is unbelievable this tiny hormone made me feel well again..
And more to the point its unbelievable that the GPs ignore your symptoms and that pharma are telling everyone that Levothyroxine works for everyone IT CLEARLY DOES NOT IN MY CASE IT LEFT ME ILL FOR 13 yrs. I have lost my best parts of my life because they state it works for all. I do feel very bitter as I am 54 now and i have not had a good life and my life on Levothyroxine made me sicker…
Please everyone if when on Levothyroxine you feel still hypothyroid still, go and find a sympathetic Endo and get treated with T3 as i wasted my life with GPS blaming my age hormones , depression etc you know the excuses for your illness DO NOT BELIEVE THEM GET YOUR LIFE BACK!
It was all the time me getting the wrong treatment Levothyroxine No way can work for everyone we are all built different. GOOD luck all the who are still trying to get T3 prescribed.
Nikki
Lewisville
I have a question: my endocrinologist just started me on a low dose of Levo today and has only given me one refill, and I won’t see her until next week. Is this normal for a doctor to do this? I am new on this hypothyroid thing so I just wanted to know.
Very Frustrated
After reading many peoples comments here, plus I have been on many thyroid forums, and websites, reading about how all of these people just want help…. including myself. I just can’t stand it anymore !!! This is just so frustrating to watch and deal with. This is a silent disease that completely make existance miserable sometimes, even though you can’t see it on the outside. There are SO MANY OF US that are just suffering because doctor’s who think they flippin know it all with their “PHd’s” won’t open their dang minds to look beyond that stupid pill that is supposed to be a cure all!! NOT!
What is it going to take for medical schools to start retraining the doctor’s to not only relearn thyroid/endocrine physiology but also that just because they have a PHd does not make them god and savior, and if they want to truly be as smart and educated as they think they are they would KNOW that and OPEN MIND is one of the most important things you can learn anywhere…. period! LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENTS!!!
Michael
Denmark
Agree. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 2 years ago after feeling tired all the time, and as is the norm they put me on Levothyroxine. Immediately after starting treatment I felt great. For the first time in years I had a spring in my step and an alert mind. It was a wonderful feeling. But I should have known it was too good to be true. That great feeling only lasted a few weeks, then all the symptoms came back. That was 2 years ago, and even though my blood tests show normal levels I have felt like crap non-stop since then. Clearly T4 replacement is NOT the answer, or at least not the complete answer.
janine
it is the same in the UK as well !
Sue
Totally agree with your comments. It took 14 years before my doctor said she would try another thyroid medicine. Liothyronine has been a life saver!!
K
WA
I have extreme fatigue fibromyalgia (cause they can’t find anything else), gastroparesis, hiatal hernia, depression, anxiety,s and now heart palpitations. The Drs throw their hands up and use the word hypochondriac. Currently on levoxyl. Oh yeah, 75 lbs overweight and had radioactive iodine in 1981. No one will dig deeper because my labs come back normal. I just want someone to say, “Oh yeah, this is what we have to do to get you feeling good.” I’m only 54 not 84.
Rose
Portugal
I had my thyroid removed 12 years ago (cancer). Was sent home after surgery with a prescription of T4 and a script for a month of T3. Was feeling okay until the T3 ran out. Several days after being off the cytomel, I began feeling horrible. I literally wanted to kill myself. That´s how depressed I was. I went to see my endo (now ex endo) and informed him of the situation and asked him to prescribe T3, which he refused.
I wasn´t happy with his reply and told him that if he wasn´t interested in helping me, that I would have to leave his care and find someone that wanted to help. He began verbally listing all his `credentials`… How he knew better than I did, and that I should be put on antidepressants. I said “hell no”, left his office and never went back to see him. My GP stood up and helped… Was lucky there… I just want to state that doctors need to listen to what their patients are telling them and not assume that you know better of how the patient is feeling than the patient… That time in my life was pure hell…
susan
phoenix
I have taken low dose thyroid meds for 36 years after birth of child now I am 74 and tests show I am making to much thyroid.Dr. said stop all meds and re test . test came back normal after 8 weeks is it right to stop thyroid meds? I thought I had to be on them for life
mary jane
I tried T3 supplements and they made me miserably hyper. I would never try it again. I found the reason that I felt bad on thyroid supplements was that I had more wrong with me than just being hypo. But visiting thyroid forums made me think it was all my thyroid when it wasn’t.
But – it’s important to realize that all thyroid supplements have periodic problems with potency and the generic is a big problem because your pharmacy can change suppliers and it will affect you – go with a name brand if you can afford it. There are a couple of options.
Jessica
Virginia
I am a 31yr old woman and had my thyroid removed at 29 and somehow I am still very tired very often you might even say it’s too often . Not a day passes that i’m tired
Reenie
Massachusetts
I was always thin, and then was tested for my thyroid. They said I had a goiter. They put me on thyroid pills. I started gaining weight and couldn’t breathe good and my brain felt like it was going fast.More weight gain. 20 years later, they took my thyroid out saying they suspected thyroid cancer because it came back suspicious.
More weight gain. No matter what I did or do ,can’t lose weight, just keep gaining. I have no energy, depressed, full of anxiety, hormones wacky, losing hair, moody, and more weight gain, feel full even if I don’t eat.
Just keep gaining weight no matter if I eat or not. I am reading all this about the T3 and wondering if our own thyroid makes T3 that means we need it, so why do they just give you a thyroid pill and no T3. They work together.
Seems to me, if they don’t give the T3 then you have other symptoms then they have to treat those and they ALWAYS ALWAYS say you have to lose weight. Well, guess what, it was the pills that put weight on me in the first place. And guess what, we NEED that T3 cause our own bodies made it and that means it should be supplemented to us for our bodies to work normally again.
vic
merseyside
i have non of the symptoms associated with low active thyroid but have now been given tablets of Levothyroxine. Has anyone been very active before starting medication. Now I feel foggy and under the weather. Help!
Gail
NH
This is to Vic in Merryside: I too had NO symptoms of underactive thyroid. At 65 years old, I could do yard work, exercises, play with grandkids and felt great – no tiredness. Had blood work done and my doc said I had hypothyroid (she couldn’t believe I had literally none of the symptoms except slightly dry skin – especially on my legs). Put me on Levothyroxine six weeks ago and I feel horrible! After 2 weeks, I could barely do any yard work – would have to work for two minutes and sit to get my energy back. The worst has been the past 2-3 weeks when I’ve had awful indigestion – never had the problem before. Today I ached all day, can’t stand the tightness of my bra (feels like a vice around my chest). Saw my doc today so she could take blood to see if the Levo is working. Told her how awful I feel now that I’m on this and she said, “well it’s bioidentical so it can’t be causing problems”. I’m researching natural remedies and will be switching.
Todd
Green Bay, Wisconsin
I have an UnderActive Thyroid, I’m taking Levethoroxin… I’ve been Depressed, Anxiety, Sucidal thinking, Weight Gain, low Energy, Shortness of Breath while doing anything Active which really is bothersome, what can I do ?
Terry Graedon
Todd, please check with your doctor. It sounds as though your thyroid condition is not under good control, but there might be another cause for your terrible symptoms. You deserve relief.
Denise
Triad NC
I just got diagnosed with hypothyroidism and my PCP just put me on 50 mcg of levothyroxine a day! It’s been 3 weeks and I feel worse than before I was diagnosed!!!!! I’ve gained weight, have terrible headaches, itchy rash on my face, scalp, arms. I’m walking around like I’m numb and in the fog! My legs are achy, and I’m constipated and very sleepy. I tried taking the medicine at night instead of the morning, and I tried taking half the dose, it hasn’t helped, why am I not feeling better and feeling worse? Someone please help me! My doctor keeps telling me that my body will adjust?
Craycray
CT
I was diagnosed hypothyroid in 2000. The doctor put me on Synthroid. None of my symptoms, which are all the same as everyone here, have started changed. Now on armour thyroid nothing has changed, so I don’t know what to do. I’m exhausted plus all the symptoms listed. Nothing got better. I used to ask my doctor why am I taking synthroid when nothing has changed? No answer.
Denise
Ohio
I had a total thyroidectomy about 3 weeks ago…after recovering from the surgery itself, I actually felt better. The problem started when I began the levothyroxine (125) I have been so utterly exhausted and no appetite. I stopped taking it for 3 days…felt better…took half a tablet for 2 days…fatigue and not appetite again. I am so sad that a medication that I must take makes me feel so bad. A friend suggeted that I may have adrenal fatigue and the levothyroxine…just puts too much stress on the adrenals? What does a person do?
Jackie
Stockport
If doctors were given the go ahead to treat hypothyroidism patients with t3 added to their levothyroxine after the proper blood tests full panel rev t3 t3 ferratin,vitamin d,not the bog standard nhs test, etc and they were willing to pay that would help struggling surgerys all over the country and if it turned out that they needed the t3 and even paid for their prescriptions at least that would be a start and I think like myself I would pay it would also put a stop from people self medicating and buying thyroid medications on line where it could be dangerous!
Because myself and everyone else with thyroid complications think it’s because of pricing also there is irrefutable proof that levothyroxine isn’t for everyone and is cruel to offer no alternatives it’s 2017 this should not be happening I took ndt for the first ten years of my life and was always well until it was changed now I suffer like everyone else ! And if you don’t have thyroid issues don’t be quick to assume what they say about levothyroxine is true it’s not ! If the above option was considered I’m sure there would be thousands of hypothyroid patients happier than they have been for years .????????? please help !!!
Debbie
I had a partial thyroidectomy when I was 19 yrs old due to a goiter. I wasn’t prescribed any thyroid medication at that time because my doctor said the other half of my thyroid was producing enough, When I was 25 yrs old, I had the other half removed due to another goiter. I was then placed on Synthroid or levothyroxine. I have been on levothyroxine for 23 yrs. My doctor has been trying to adjust the dosage for about a year now. I have fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, brain fog, restless sleep, joint pain, brittle nails and hair, and irritability. I just found out yesterday that he is lowering my dose again. After reading this, I believe I need a T3 supplement along with my levothyroxine since I do not have a thyroid gland to produce any thyroid hormones.
Jane
Texas
I am new to this process. Due to Graves disease I took radioactive iodine. Then started on Levothyroxine. Weight isn’t a problem though I am careful. But I have fatigue, brain fog, dry skin, inconsistent bowel function. I don’t feel good! My doctor has lowered the dose of Levothyroxine twice and we’ll see if there’s improvement. There has been no discussion of adding T3 med. I want my old self back.
Helen
Alberta, Canada
I have read all this but not gone into the articles yet. I will do that. I am 72; I have been on T4 medication since I was 15 (57 years!!). Only recently, about 2 years ago, did I find a doctor who tested the T3 and found it consistently low, so I’ve been on cytomel since then. All my life I’ve had issues as reported above in the articles – bone wearying fatigue, constipation like you wouldn’t believe, etc. My big worry now is my head and it is worse when I go to bed. It stings, shivers, is in pain though not as a headache. Certain spots in my head feel as if something is stuck there. The feelings are there in the daytime also but more subdued. Is this the inflammatory response from the basic autoimmune condition which doctors will do absolutely nothing for? That is, the autoimmune chronic inflammation has now entered and is attaching my brain? If there is any help anywhere, please let me know. In advance, Thanks so much.
Teal
Columbia, Missouri
I had a total thyroidectomy in 1996. For 13 years I functioned well on levothyroxine with a suppressed TSH at 0.01 – 0.1, though I remember feeling oddly fatigued at times. Then, in 2007, my dose was slowly lowered. I began having “flu-like-with-no-fever” symptoms affecting my entire mind and body. My TSH fluctuated from 0.01 to 7.4, my cholesterol began to rise, my hair got course, straight and began falling out and I had moments when I felt like my body was shutting down. My doctors seemed to suggest I was non-compliant with my dosing.
Unbeknownst to me, I was labeled a “hypochondriac” which only further complicated my health care.
Finally, in 2016, I convinced my doctor to start me on T3. I have had remarkable results and felt as though I’d been given my life back when my TSH was at 0.1 and normal feeeT4 and freeT3. Then, my doc lowered my dose again to raise my TSH and I am feeling sick again.
At this time my TSH is 0.4 with free T4 and Free T3 in the low-normal range. Sometimes I feel fine but about 30% of the time I feel like lead, sluggish with brain fog.
If anything I have a tremendous appreciation for the power of these hormones, but I also have a tremendous concern for the limitations a doctor can have due to prejudice, preconceptions and suspicions and an inability by some to get beyond lab results when communicating with their patient.
I have lost much of the past eight years of my life.
Good news: When they found my thyroid cancer, a routine pregnancy test put off treatment for nine months; that baby is about to graduate from Stanford University.
JP
US
I felt the same way when they added T3 to my regimen. And as time went by it got worse. I started getting severe migraine with aura dizzy spells and sometimes it felt like I was having a stroke although I didn’t. My body is way to sensitive to t3 and I can’t take it. I was on Name brand Synthroid for 30 years and was fine until they kept upping my dose and added t3.
Isha
Rochester,NY
I have been living in US since 2013. Thats when i started putting on weight and feeling tired all the time.
I thought its just the home sickness. I used to weigh 105 lbs and i am 5 feet 1 inch tall. I started going to gym regularly and eating healthy. No change! I tried to do this for 6 months or so and then went to the Doctor, she told me its PCOS and put me on birth control medication. No change! More weight gain, tiredness, hair loss,constipation. I changed my doctor till then i was 140 lbs. She said everything is fine (she thought so). She said continue taking birth control. 2 years passed by. My condition worsened. I now weighed 165 lbs and i have tried getting a personal trainer eat healthy. Follow all the no junk nothing diet.
No change! I changed my Doctor again twice. Same! Then in 2016 i changed my Doctor again and she did my thyroid test. She said she will put me on Levothyroxine and it should help me get back to track. No change!!!!
Its one year i have been taking Levothyroxine. No change in my symptoms.
Why is it so hard for Doctors to understand that there is something wrong and look into this. It was the 5th Doctor that i had changed that i got to know i have hypothyroid. Other never tested me for that. So symptoms are all that point to thyroid. I never knew this till i got to know i have thyroid.
Can someone please help me and suggest some Doctor in the Rochester,NY area or anywhere nearby who actually can see whats wrong and why my T4 levels are in range and i see no change.
Please Help!
Terry Graedon
Isha, TSH levels may be more telling than T4. You need a doctor who will look at how you are feeling as well as what your tests say.
Steph
Ohio
Your story sounds about identical to mine…. just curious if you’ve had any relief since you posted this last year? I’m on 88mcg levothyroxine (just upped from 50mcg). I did notice a change in the “brain fog” after starting the medication but still seem to be steadily gaining weight. So frustrating and depressing!
Crystal
Somebody Please Help me, I had this problem when I was 32 years old and now I am 42 years old
Crystal
Waldorf, MD
I had thyroid surgery in 2007 I had a goiter and they removed the goiter and my right thyroid. My doctor told me that I would be on the medication the rest of my life. Before my surgery I had mood changes unhappy one day sad another or crying, I had out flashes and my hair came out at the top of my head and my stylist suggest that I take the prenatal pills to grow it back and it did. After surgery I felt a good change in me then a couple months later, I was back feeling depress and irritable. My doctor had tool me off my medication after surgery then when I told him how I was feeling he put me back on the synthorid and then off again now I am taking a antidepressant and I really don’t think I need it. I need to be put back on synthorid even if my test comes out normal. I been on almost every antidepressant you can name Lexapro ,Paxil Depakote, Zoloft, Cymbalta. Lately I have been feeling very tired, no energy at all. Somebody pleas help me
CJ
Malaysia
I had goiter since childhood and my TSH level come out normal. By the age of 22, the symptoms is kind of full blown, that it impacts my study in dental school. No one in my family had such illness and it took my years (with Levothyroxine) to actually feel lesser joint pains, dry skin. However, I had difficulty to accept that I have hypothyroid and it affects my studies profoundly that I was later diagnosed having Major Depressive Disorder, and my life turns upside down.
I was started on multiple antidepressants and feel super sluggish, super sleepy and fatigue despite having enough rest. I have changed my antidepressant many times to actually lessen the memory problem and fatigue but it does not seem to improve. I begin to realize last month that my current symptoms seem to remind me of the symptoms of hypothyroid before i was diagnosed. I took TSH blood test and usual it came out normal. This is just driving me mad. I can’t afford to risk my current study (I have drop the previous degree), and start from zero again. I’m 28 but act like my 60+ year old mother.
Dollface
Staten Island, NY
I’m a 56 year old female. I have had hypothyroidism for 5 years now; started at .25mcg of synthroid, and now I’m up to 112mcg. I feel terrible a majority of the time. I am extremely tired (all I won’t to do is sleep); my skin is dry and itchy; and I put on a lot of baby oil and lotion because it’s annoying. My hair breaks off daily to the point I’m now wearing a wig. I keep gaining weight, as they up the dosage. I have brain fog, and I have to concentrate hard on certain things. I twist and toss all night in and out of sleep. Sometimes I can sleep for a straight 5 hours but not all the time. My mood is horrible. I have to push thru each day, and this is horrible for a person. I can’t wait for retirement because going to work and feeling terrible is not good. I don’t want to be on antidepressants because I know it’s the synthroid medicine that makes me feel this bad. I’ve spoken to so many people who say the same thing. This medicine has been around for a very long time. Why can’t they do something about it? I feel like I’ve lost 5 years of my life, not to mention how this has affected my family. My heart goes out to all who have thyroid issues. My prayers are with you all. Maybe someone out there can really help us.
Sheila Turri
SC/USA
Due to Graves disease i had a thyroidectomy when I was 20.
I am now soon to be 53. I have felt like total crap for 33 years.
My primary always did my bloodwork and prescribed synthroid about 5 yrs ago that changed to levothyroxine. It got worse after starting levethyroxine but I never realized that was why..I figured it couldn’t be my thyroid since I was taking the med. Gained 40 lbs and was so tired it hurt I to walk. Then I heard about T3 and cytomel. Went to Endo a year ago she started my on cytomel and made adjustments to Levo. 3 months later no change.
Ive been taking intirosint for 3 mnths..TSH is now 6.5. and no change. Not one pound lost and every joint and muscle hurt so bad. my quality of life sucks. so tired I can cry..But cant get good sleep. Been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and add.
At 55, retired and 2 grandsons I so want to enjoy the rest of my life!
I go back to Endo in 3 days.
Anyone with thyroidectomy do better with Armour and another?
Please share because enough is enough 33 years of no energy for life is enough. I’m afraid of waiting another 3 months on another waisted prescription.
Reading all the comments … At least we are not alone.
betty
sa
levothyroxion for me it was best to take it at 3 am and 2:00 pm my supplements. it works for me.
Georgina
New Zealand
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when i was 14, and I’ve been solely on levithyroxine for almost 5 years now. Within a few months of the diagnosis i was already having to take 150mcg of levithyroxine just to get my TSH back to normal levels -and yet apart from a small initial drop in weight (which came right back by the end of the year) , it has made absolutely no difference to any of my symptoms. It’s been infuriating spending the last *half a decade* plagued with constant exhaustion, depression, insomnia, aching joints and mental fatigue, only to have all my problems dismissed because my TSH levels came back normal.
Armour is not available where I live, so no respite for me sadly… but hearing that so many people experiencing similar symptoms to me have been helped by Armour is wonderful!
D. Roberts
Ottawa, Canada
I am 90 years old and had my thyroid gland removed when I was 20 years old. I have used Armour thyroid daily ever since!! thru marriage, 3 children , engineering degree at age 52, 15 years work as professional engineer, and retired for 23 years!!!
With the enormous increase in price for Armour thyroid I am still taking it, but worry about inconsistency, tho nothing has showed up in my lab tests yet. I have never understood why doctors think the artificial stuff is so good and most literature does NOT address the issue of having NO thyroid gland!!!!!!
My daughter had thyroid cancer in her late 20’s, with removal and x-ray(?) treatment following. She has gained weight constantly over the last 40 years. I have not been able to get her to try Armour thyroid , I think mainly because it is I just such a battle with the doctors as her lab tests are OK. She is a Canadian citizen, likes her GP fine, but has worked overseas all these years and is now retired here in Canada. I find it very sad that doctors, including the specialists, are still taught and believe that artificial thyroid is great and that Armour thyroid dosage is inconsistent.
Of course, they say it is not to be used for weight loss and that I understand, but my daughter is certainly maintaining a normal level of activity, eats a very healthy diet (which I have shared for the past 5 months).
My weight has always been about the same, (including the last five months) tho not in some periods where I was clearly overeating. Thyroid dosage about the same, too, at 120 mg per day. I have had periods of being overly tired, but always blamed that on trying to do too much!!
Lori
Dear fellow Canadian, please know that there is a natural dessicated thyroid formula available in Canada simply called “Thyroid” made by Erfa Canada. It comes in 30, 60 and 125 mg (I think). I was taking 60mg 2 in the morning and 2 in early afternoon. But instead of simply swallowing it then having to wait an hour before meals, I took it sublingually (put it under your tongue to dissolve) which only takes about 10 minutes, depending on your body temperature, but then not only are you free to eat, you will actually absorb most of it directly to your blood stream instead of only half of that after going through the process of digestion. You may have to consult a naturopathic doctor if your regular doctor is just another one of “Big Pharma’s” puppet! Also you will find lots of info on “Stop the thyroid madness” website. If you cannot get the dedicated thy, the next best thing is to get a “thyroid support formula” which is a natural supplement geared to help your thyroid make it own hormones work more efficiently. One to try that had great reviews on iherb is “NOW foods Thyroid Energy”. Good luck to you.
Marilyn
Georgia
I’ve suffered from hypothyroidism for 27 years and I’ve only been on levothyroxine the entire time. Over the course of so many years I’ve pretty much been on every single dosage and especially when I was pregnant both times my TSH was crazy so if anyone on here expects to get pregnant be ready. I used to see an endocrinologist in Atlanta and she would test my T4 free T3 and TSH and the only one that I found out was most important was the TSH and since I can’t drive two hours to Atlanta anymore I use a family doctor to monitor my thyroid and she has gotten my levothyroxine regulated now and my TSH is 1.8 the last time she checked it and she checks it every 3 months. I have come to discover that depression is pretty much part and parcel of having hypothyroidism as well as fatigue and occasional weakness and dry skin and thinning hair because levothyroxine is synthetic hormone. Hypothyroidism is a chronic condition so I’ve learned to do the best I can with this life that God has given me. Some days I can’t get out of bed and the next day I have all the energy in the world. And I am sorry to say that unless someone you know has lived with hypothyroidism they’re not going to understand what you’re going through and how you feel especially coupled with major depression like I have and anxiety disorder. My teenage daughters do not understand why sometimes I do not have the strength to get out of bed. Nor does my mother understand why I have so many prescription bottles but with one for hypothyroidism 2 for antidepressants and 2 for high blood pressure which can be caused by hypothyroidism btw. So feeling like crap some days is just something that we all are going to have to live with but ironically January is thyroid awareness month and I found out my cousin has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. She was put on Synthroid but a warning, taking too much Synthroid may give you osteoporosis so even if it gives you more energy you can wind up with a broken bone.
Simon
London, UK
Thanks for sharing this information. I’m a 49 year old male from the UK and went to see my GP about a varicose vein issue. I was concerned about Diabetes. I am pretty fit, slim and lead a relatively healthy life, so was rather confused. 6 months previous I had decided on ethical and health reasons to give up meat, dairy and eggs. I consider myself to be very informed and felt I was eating a balanced healthy diet.
Blood results came back and everything was fine apart from Thyroid markers. I was immediately put on a low dose of Levothyroxine and sent for a second round of blood tests. High antibody levels were flagged up, so I have now been referred to an Endocronoligist, but have a 3 month wait.
Levothyroxine dosage has been raised, but I’m feeling absolutely no different from before. Always had energy level issues and several bouts of depression. I rushed out this morning after reading about iodine deficiency and got some kelp based supplements but having read a couple of articles am now worried that they may be ineffective or even dangerous.
As this is all new to me, I’m worried about taking drugs for the rest of my life and even concerned that perhaps 6 months of veganism may have caused this. Even more concerning is the fact that so many people have spent years on prescribed drugs with no obvious improvements.
AJ
US
My aunt feels just like you–great some days, and not so good others. She was fine until she had her thyroid removed, and they can’t seem to get her medication right. Thank you for sharing your story ♡
Georgia
NC
When I first discovered that I had hypothroidism, my doctor prescribed Synthroid. I still did not feel my best, developed brain fog, thinning hair and weight gain. Took Synthroid for 4-5 years and wasn’t happy with the way I felt. Read up on T3 and T4, and discovered Armour Thyroid. I decided that because there are more aspects to the thyroid than 2 synthetic hormones (T3 & T4) that a thyroid medicine taken from pig thyroid has a broader range of thyroid hormones and this range would be more useful to me. My kind doctor agreed and I have been using Armour Thyroid for 5-6 years, and feeling ever so much better.
Dolores
WI
After nine months of testing I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and hypothyroidism in my early twenties. I was started on Armour and did extremely well. I had to go for testing periodically to make sure my levels were where they should be. I have also taken Cytomel. Then I changed doctors and was put on Synthroid. It has been all down hill ever since. I have gained weight, I have lost most of my hair, my nails break and crack, I have skin problems, I cannot sleep when I should (they said I have sleep apnea, how if you can’t sleep?), I have numerous other problems related to the Polycysctic diagnosis. Yet, I cannot get my doctor to change to the Armour or Cytomel with Synthroid because the TSH test results are in normal range. I am 80 and I’m trying to live a long normal life, but it is hard. I know what is wrong, but doctors refuse to listen to me. I know what is going on with my body. I know what it feels like to be doing well on the right medication. But the use of Synthroid or the generic is because it is easier for the doctors. They do not have to do the periodic testing to make sure your levels are OK. How can I find a doctor who will do the right thing and help me have a normal life?
Bonnie
NC
My frustrations are that from the get-go of having thyroid issues, I have developed severe lymph edema of the legs and ankles. Now it is in the hands and face. My weight has ballooned 20 lbs in the last year and all of my family & friends tell me that I do not eat enough to set up a healthy metabolism. I have cut out most sugar from my diet and cook and eat the Mediterrean way. On the average, I exercise about 1-1 1/2 miles per day plus do water aerobics as I can. My Drs say that I am doing all that I can do but my weight keeps increasing. Interesting note is that I’ve been on Synthroid brand name for almost 10 years and have had the hardest time with weight loss. Drs do the lab work 2-4 times a year and although they fluctuate, they always say that I’m within normal range. Last bloodwork, endocrinologist says everything was in normal limits and when I saw my tests on the patient portal, my numbers had changed. My PCP Dr at the same medical institution said that my T3 was way out of line and she would recommend discussing meds with the endo Dr., but surprisingly this number was not on my portal and not up for discussion from the Dr. Why is it so difficult to get them to agree to a drug change or dosage amount when I have the lethargy, weight gain, brain fog, etc. components? Any revelations from anyone? Thanks!
Deb
Murrells Inlet, SC
Since so many people fall into the “unhappy with Synthroid” group, wouldn’t it be smarter to run a study where these people be put on Armour and studied? I haven’t complained to my doctor but have been a Synthroid taker for about 10 yrs. I have no positive results to report. I do not have swelling or much of a skin problem (lucky me), but have lost no weight and have gained no energy.
ariel
USA
T4 and T3 for years I was taking Synthroid. T4 my hair was falliocng out, very dry skin, depression, bruising on skin , etc. Finally, he added T3 it seems to help. Dr. says I am not taking enough synthroid to use Armour as I have heard that works much better. Yet my endo dr thinks it works the same as synthorid. I have heard people say Armour works much better.
I am so thankful for People’s Pharmacy. I have learned so many things that has helped my health!
Barbara L
Dallas,Texas
I have had hypothyroidism for 30 years. I have taken synthroid, levoxyl, levothyroxine and armor thyroid. I was even overdosed for a few years on armor thyroid. I have seen endocrinologists and doctors on this issue and none of the medicine they prescribed worked for me. I could never lose a pound and was treated like I was the problem even though I worked out twice a week and also did walking.
Finally, I went to a Wellness office that had a Endocrinologist PA. She was modern and understanding to the problems I had been going through. She prescribed “WP Thyroid” which is a desiccated (dried) thyroid medication. I have been on this for the past 16 months and have lost 30 pounds. I feel much better and continue to exercise. I am 65 years old and the only medication I take is my thyroid medicine.
BL Dallas, TX
Sherry
Seattle
I have a slight goiter and have been diagnosed with thyroid nodules but my TSH is in the normal range (probably due to my body making nodules to keep the thyroid working). My doctors are happy with all that, but still I had all the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Read some articles and started taking high doses of iodine. Guess what!! My slight goiter is going away, sleeping better, starting to lose weight and have lots of energy.
Danelle
Seattle
Hello, I was hoping for the clinics name if possible? As I live in the Seattle area, any info would be greatly appreciated.
Teresa
29483
Not sure what to think, my doctor swore up and down that I have Graves disease even though as she admits, I had no symptoms. She put me on something to cool down my thyroid and then she insisted that I have it destroyed with the radioactive iodine.
Looking back and doing some research, I think it could well have been just an episode of hypothyroiditis, all I know now is I’m on levothyroxine and I’m miserable. My hair is falling out, severe dry skin, brittle nails that peel off, skin also peeling off in sheets like I had a sunburn….face stays red and very flushed. Muscle cramping and spasms that are literally debilitating, they wake me up screaming and biting my pillow, I try to get up to walk them out but can’t. …horrible.
Rebecca
Washington
Armour users beware: I know personally three women, all in different parts of the country, one of whom is a nurse, who went to the ER as a result of the inconsistent dosing of Armour thyroid. In all cases, the users were getting way too much of the hormone, causing them to experience heart attack symptoms. Once this was discovered, and they were changed to a stabilized dose of generic levothyroxine, all their symptoms subsided.
Paula
I had my thyroid removed in 1996 and was prescribed Synthroid. I experienced fatigue which my doctor kept dismissing. Around that time you were writing for the LA Times and you wrote that adding Cytomel could make a positive difference…..at first my doctor dismissed it….and then six months later he highly recommended it! Adding a small amount of Cytomel has balanced my fatigue to occasional. I credit you for being at the forefront of new research…..twenty years ago!
Mary
Since Armour is so high priced now, you can ask for Nature-throid instead. And most insurance will not cover either of them as far as I can tell. Mine used to cover it.
If you live in Canada, there is a different natural option. I think it is ERFA?
Jan
Here in France, my GP won’t prescribe a generic claiming that it’s not good in the long run for patient’s health. However, when I’m working back bin the UK, the Pharmacists Association claimed that there was a huge problem with levothyroxine: i.e. ‘availability’ issues.
Apparently, in laymen’s terms, this means that the guidelines for manufacturing levothyroxine can change and is not consistent across the various corporations that provide via the NHS. Given that pharmaceutical companies are now global, it suggests an investigation into the actual viability of what these people are making; are they deliberately making us worse so their profits increase?
Susan
My problems with synthroid and Armour are different than the ones described here. I had taken synthroid for years before I started having severe jaw and chest pain. I first thought I was having a heart attack, but it wasn’t my heart. I then had a ultrascan of my aorta, spline, liver, etc. Everything was normal.
When I stopped taking synthroid, the pains stopped. At that time, I was switched to armour and the pains started again, within a week. I have not been on any of this stuff and have no jaw or chest pain since. It has been over a year and I feel great.
JUNE
Northamptonshire UK
If you read the book MICROBIOME solution, which is easily available on Amazon, it gives a great insight to many conditions to do with the Thyroid plus suggestions on lifestyle/diet changes which I have found to be excellent. I had my Thyroid removed many years ago and to date this is the most informative book ever. JD
Mimi D
NC
I am a 62 year old lady who has been on levothyroxine for many, many years. I have had severe brain fog, my hair is falling out, my feet and legs are swollen and I can’t seem to keep weight off… I had gained over 30lbs by the time I got married (not too awful long ago) and it’s hard as the dickens to lose any of it. I don’t eat bread or starches, fried foods, beef or pork… I can’t understand why my doctor won’t do anything about it.
I am feeling like I’m as old as the parents I take care of who will be 88 and 90 this year… I am frantic!!! I am going to ask my physician to try me on the Cytomel to see what it does and if it help… If she won’t help anymore, should I change physicians????? Suggestions Please!!!
Frances
California
I’ve used Armour for years. Sadly, last year, the Forest Pharmaceuticals, makers of Armour, were bought out by some big pharma company. The price doubled. OK, I could live with that but the last time I was tested, my TSH was a whopping 37.
The doctor who prescribed the Armour and I realized that quality control was now severely compromised by the new company, no doubt to force everyone off of Armour and onto the big pharma products. My doctors says he will immediately stop putting his patients on Armour. I would be very cautious about using the new product. Not the same as the old.
p
saskatchewan
I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid 12 years ago and put on Synthroid. 8 years ago I stopped taking the meds as I couldn’t handle how I felt. Always fatigued, depressed. This past July I had a multi nodular goiter removed (complete thyroidectomy) and they preserved two parathyroid glands. Im back on Synthroid and they have been adjusting my dose on a weekly basis. Two weeks ago I asked a dr. to check my T3 he refused said it wasn’t necessary, yet my TSH had dropped from 33 to 8 and my T4 had gone from 14 to 28 in a week.
Yesterday I saw another Dr, he believes I am having a reaction the the synthroid and prescribed Benalyn at bed time.
I have horrid symptoms from night sweats to severe leg and foot cramps, muscle and bone pain, anxiety, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog and the worst is my eyes, they burn and my vision is blurry. So now I’m going to try a new treatment for dry burning eyes. I have had 7 different presciptions for contact lenses in the past 12 months.
My Optomotrist didn’t know I had an issue with my thyroid till I explained that this week. If I wouldn’t have asked her about the possible link I doubt she may have caught it.
So know, I need to find an alternative to this medication to feel somewhat normal. Have read about Amour will have another dr;s apt tom and can hopefully figure out another plan so I can feel healthy enough to go to work.
I’ve been my own.
Vikki
VA
I have suffered with extreme fatigue, weight gain and memory loss for years. My TSH level is just barely within the normal level. I take 25mcg of levothyroxine. I am just getting some help after years of going to different doctors and being told that even though it is barely within the range, it is still “ok”.
My pain management doctor has been gently nudging my pcp to help me. My pain management doctor also said I needed an additional med, not just the levothyroxine. In fact he had an entirely different medicine in mind all together. He does not want to go against my pcp, but after reading all these articles I am going to bring up the subject again. Thank all of you for sharing your stories. I no longer feel like I’m some kind of blubbering idiot, that some doctors have made me feel like.
Stephen
02745
My doctor is a T4 only, along with all in their network. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism several years ago and put on Levo. Within 2 months I had gained 25 pounds, but my TSH level went from 6 to 2 while on the drug. Prior to taking this poison I was racing bicycles and doing very well. Within a month I was being dropped from every race. When I complained, the doctor said that numbers were perfect, but he would put me on more meds for all the other symptoms that showed up.
T4 only is a money maker for the medical industry looking to keep many people in ill health. The medical industry is making more money sending you to specialists and prescribing more drugs to alleviate all the other symptoms associated with Hypothyroidism that have resulted from taking T4 only!
I stopped the medication after a year of being on it, and the bad symptoms went away. My TSH is still slightly elevated at 5, but as long as the T4 only docs refuse to solve the conversion of T4 to T3, I will refuse to become one of their LAB RATS!
Cortney
Boone , NC
I’ve read some forums about thyroid function but my situation is a bit different than most I have read. I grew up in Ohio & had a goiter since my first really good check up when I was 18 but I was without insurance & blood work is very expensive So I just ignored it at 18 I really didn’t feel bad or know how important your thyroid was.
Then around 24 or so I found a program here in NC where I now live that helps people that can’t afford insurance get the help they need from Drs that offer their help to the program. So I had the tests done & my thyroid was really out of whack & at first they thought Graves’ disease but it turned out after testing for cancer & other issues it was just hyperthyroidism
The only dr I could see in this area was a ENT he put me on meds for this but it didn’t work for my depression I had had for many years or the night sweats I was having. I started to think it might be early menopause but my dr had said that other than his cancer patients the ones with an overactive thyroid had the hardest time with how hard it can be in your body when your thyroid constantly working in hyperdrive.
He said that overactive was harder to control with meds & that he suggested radioactive iodine oblation or surgery. I’ve been very lucky not to ever gone through surgery or broken a bone so with his suggestion I did the oblation. He said it would take up to a year to take effect completely which it did .
I can’t remember how everything came about after the oblation just that I didn’t need the mood stabilizers I was on anymore but I was gaining weight for no good reason. So he put me on synthroid & checked my blood work very regularly. But I was up to 135 pds I had never been heavier than 115 my whole life & lucky to get to 101pds in high school & at 25 that just wasn’t right but they told me once we got my levels right i should get back to my normal weight which is what I should be at for my height I’m only 5.1″
So once we got me to 150 mg of synthroid & my levels right on that dose I got back to my 115 in no more than 2 months. I was fine on that dose for about a few years. Then about a year & 1/2 ago I started putting on the weight again I had lost my insurance help with the project here because I was working full time & making just a little too much to still receive their help so I had gone without getting my blood work done for a year or two.
Finally I was able to make the appointment with my ENT dr that helped in the beginning & my levels were very low & we tried the armour thyroid for about 6 months with no change in my fatigue or weight so I went back to the synthroid by this time I had gotten insurance through the marketplace & to see my ENT its $40 & I can’t afford that so my primary has been dealing with my levels I’m not even on the 150 with her I’m only on 125 & my levels are supposedly fine
2 months ago I saw her & asked her to check my T4 & T3 but she said they were fine too I’m so at a loss with what to do. I’m now up to 152 pds & feel so bad all the time my mind & muscles fatigue so easily. I started exercising & still my weight rises my dr keeps telling me I’m getting older & my body is changing & this is why I can’t get the weight off but I’m only 32 all the women I have talked to said they looked & felt their best in their 30s & it’s not like I’ve had kids or changed my eating habits.
I started taking an iodine supplement from pure formulas that has 5mg of molecular iodine 5mg sodium iodide & 2.5mg potassium iodide & a multivitamin with kelp selenium & L-thyrosine. Ive been taking those about a month now & in the last month gained 10pds I’m desperate for my height I’m considered over weight & I can’t even look at myself in the mirror or afford new clothes.
There isn’t an endocrinologist anywhere close to here I can get to so I need some advice on another medication I can try or some free literature so I can learn more about similar stories from people who’s thyroid had been overactive & had an oblation & problems with their weight years later I know what is going on with my body is my thyroid but I don’t understand why both of my levels are in normal range & why the iodine isn’t helping with my synthroid & unless I have some good reasons my dr won’t take the time to help unless someone can give me some advice or credited articles I can show her. Thank you for reading
Amanda
Virginia
Hi Cortney,
I know this is an old post,but I really empathize with your struggle. I’ve had similar weight gain (at 5’2″) and terrible fatigue. My dr is fiddling with my meds but I am still exhausted. I just wanted to say keep at it, I understand how you feel. Possibly read about the benefits of quitting gluten for hypo people.
Donna
Michigan
I’ve had Hashimoto’s for over 30 years and was successfully treated by an internist. However, he retired and I am in a trap set by internists, endocrinologists and wellness centers. I’ve been to 5 doctors and all 5 had the same routine. Either they are right, or they cannot think out of the box. If I could find the manual for, “How To Treat Hypothyroidism, 101″… I would start a bon fire. I
All 5 assumed the previous medication was too high based on the prescription, ahead of blood work. All 5 counted on TSH as the marker for wellness. All 5 reduced the medication to 25% of the original dose and started down the identical path: reduce the medication, wait 3 months, order blood work, scratch their head, increase the dose, wait 3 months, order more blood work …Get the picture? Just 2 round = 6 months of wasted life. It’s been 2 years since the internist retired and I am physically and emotionally devastated. My immune system is compromised and get sick constantly. I am alive, but not living. Time to call U of M for real care.
#feellikeatestdummy
Sue
Colorado
Our family doctor diagnosed my son as hypothyroid 15 years ago. He proceeded, at my request, to titrate him up to his current dose of desiccated thyroid. This has been a life send for my son, as his symptoms before diagnosis were terrible.
Now, however, he has had to change doctors, and for the last several years the new doctor has nagged him constantly to lower his dose. His TSH is 0.003 BUT, his Free T4 is spot on normal.
They refuse to check his Free T3, however, up until 4 years ago, the current dose always resulted in perfectly normal Free T3 when we had our annual blood tests done. I have always been told that once you are on thyroid hormone replacement, it is irrelevant to do a TSH. My son’s new doctor, however, claims that TSH keeps the bones strong and it is necessary to have at least a result of 1.0. Every time my son tries to lower his dose (because of these scare tactics), he has terrible symptom recurrence.
Because of this, our family doctor continues to write my son’s prescription for desiccated thyroid. Can you offer any insight to this claim that you need TSH for strong bones? I’ve never heard that.
Laura
The way thyroid patients are treated is an absolute scandal.
Doctors refusing to test, allowing themselves to be manipulated by pharmaceutical companies into only prescribing certain medications instead of the one the patient actually needs, telling thyroid patients that their symptoms are all in their heads and prescribing anti-depressants, treating by TSH test results instead of actually listening to the patient’s symptoms. The list goes on and an, and people stay ill for decades longer than they need to..
In 50 years, the medical profession will look back and think of all of this as akin to bloodletting.
Fortunately, here in Canada, more and more doctors are getting with the program. It sounds as though the USA and England are still in the dark ages.
It’s nothing short of patient abuse.
Diane
Port Orchard,WA
I too went from doctor to doctor asking to get my t4 and t3 checked. The answer was always no because my TSH was always in the “normal range”. One doctor actually told me it was all in my head, and prescribed xanax.
Finally I went to a Naturopath who prescribed Naturethroid, a natural desiccated thyroid. All the symptoms started going away.
Unfortunately, the cash fees got to be too much so I went back to the medical profession and got prescribed Levoxyl. My muscles got so stiff and sore I could hardly move. And my hair was falling out in wads. I had a lot of blood tests done for other diseases, but low thyroid is a great imitator!
I quit the Levoxyl and went back to Naturethroid. In the last two months my hair has stopped falling out, my eyes no longer burn with dryness, and I’m sleeping better. But my muscles are still sore and weak. I am taking all the companion vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs, and trying to be patient. I also went to STTM(stopthethyroidmadness), book and website. Very helpful. So many people being treated like numbers instead of people!
Tracey
i was diagnoised with an underactive thyroid 10 years ago and had my thyroid glad removed. I have been taking Levothyroxine for 10 years now and I am feeling constantlly anxious, can’t sleep, depressed. I am thinking about coming of my meds to see how that makes me feel. I have tried everything from changing my diet, excersise, sleeping pills, anti depressants and not one has a doctor said this may be side affects of these meds. All they want to do is give you pills and not think about your health! Does anyone know any natrual suppliments that can help with this?
Thanks
Pat
I had blood work done a few months ago for thyroid function. My primary care physician states that the test showed that my TSH was normal …12.9.
I said, “what about the test for t3 and t4 levels?” The doc stated that further testing wouldn’t be required if the TSH levels were in normal range. From what I have been reading, 12.9 seems to be a high normal. Is there some verification on what the normal range is for TSH?
I have been loosing hair, dry skin, fatigue, depression, which could also be attributed to the high blood pressure medication that I’ve been using (amlodipine), which I have titrated off of. I’m trying some natural remedies, like beet juice, hibiscus tea, lemon water. My blood pressure is still high, (withdrawal symptoms or the rebound effect) my life is continual stress (Takata airbag recall to deal with now), along with all the other work and effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Thank you all for your helpful comments. They are greatly appreciated.
Martha
new jersey
I have //hashi.. . I am on a compounded thyroid medication t3 (TRIIODO-L’THYRONINEy) T4 SR 15 MCG/125MCG capsules the t4 was elevated. I was gaining so much weight. My stomach was always bloated. I also have fatty liver. Just went for ultrasound to check my liver and it was all ok. Stopped the thyroid meds 6 days ago, so far I feel 100% better .. I don’t know if it is a good idea. I guess I will wait and see. I would blow up that I couldn’t breathe. I am a size 6 normally, then when I blow up, I can’t zip the pants. Was given a diuretic. Didn’t take it yet. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want the meds anymore.
Lesley D
Netherton Liverpool
I am to a sufferer with under active thyroid along with menopause and bipolar I am on 100mg of levithyroxine and feel absolutely drained 5 inches of hair fell out I am going more out of my mind this is a great website to educate us I am going to get t3 off my doctor hopefully and a bit or lot of energy fingers crossed will get back I will let you know thanks again
Kelly
Gray, La
My daughter, now 9, was diagnosed at the age of 4. She has been on levothyroxine ever since (50mcg). Thyroid issues including cancer run in my biological family, my biological grandmother passed away from thyroid cancer. This article is very helpful as I now have more to talk to her endocrinologist about.
Meg
CA
I have had Hashimoto’s for about 30 years. I take .75mcg levothyroxine. I am 63 and have gained 30 pounds which I cannot lose, even restricting calories and exercising daily. I have no energy and have to drag myself out of bed. My legs and ankles swell. I feel I have aged tremendously. What can I do? I appreciate any suggestions.
Mary
Was suffering rapid heartbeat for months without help from my doc. Kept returning and not considered a problem, yet my heart would not slow. Each visit, my low BP kept rising until 160 over? Still no recommendations from doc–just shrugs.
Finally, I went to a health day and had my thyroid tested. Found TSH to be over 12.
Went back to doc who began ordering T3 and T4. Had thyroid scan to rule out cancer, yet was told I needed to have my thyroid radiated. First told Hashimotos, then Graves, then HYPERthyroidism. Visited many alternatives without result. Head shaking. Finally, saw an Ayervedic doc who gave me 2 sets of herbs [one called MenoX–for menopause causing balance problems] and my blood was normal in 8 weeks. What a horror I avoided.
Now, some years later, I had a thermogram rather than a mammogram. The thermogram showed thyroid problems, which could be the reason for weight, mood, tiredness, even anxiety. So, now what is to be done since free T3 and free T4 have been supposedly ‘normal’? Heard a lecture by a Functional trained Chiropractor and he said one test not done is reverse T3. Have never heard of this one. Is this test of value? A simple explanation of this test would also be appreciated.
This has gone on for far too long. What is to be done now, the next step?
But how will I ever know if you reply since your new format does not give the selection to be notified of new postings? How will I ever know if others have experienced similar and what their experiences have taught them? Always a huge help.
Very sad, but not having this option has kept me from being active on this site.
Mary
To my above comment: After reading more of the comments, I need to add depression to my list as well as serious weight gain.
Eliz
San Antonio tx
I’ve been in synthroid off n on, drs have tried all doses, my body rejects all thyroid meds including armour, I’m allergic to pig. With synthroid I’m barely alive, my intestines paralyze, chronic fatigue, brain fog, n the list goes on. I feel better when I drop the meds. I just try n eat foods that will help my thyroid, I think the thyroid meds will eventually kill me. Fed up
Barbara
North Carolina
My thyroid was removed totally, 38 years ago. I did very well on Armour Thyroid (120 mg) replacement all of those years. Recently, my endocrinologist insisted that I take synthroid. It made me feel awful. Finally he put me back on Armour, but continually reduced the dosage to (90) mg just five days a week, insisting that the blood work showed that I was getting too much. I reached the point that I was so fatigued that I could do nothing and saw another specialist who read my records. Her diagnosis was that my thyroid dosage was too low. Now I am taking (90) mg daily, seven days a week. In three weeks I have begun to feel better. Quality of life is important!
Kathy
Florida
I began Armour Thyroid about 15 years ago and it worked fine until I hit menopause. My doctor changed the dose, but the TSH was up and down. I was sent to an endocrinologist who insisted that Armour Thyroid does not work and is expected to be removed from the market. Levothyroxine was prescribed, it had me back in normal ranges, but I still did not feel right. After a few years, I changed doctors. I am now back on Armour Thyroid and felling better. I have the thyroid checked every 3 months and often the dose needs to be slightly adjusted, but it’s better than the levothyroxine any day!
Sheila Turri
If you happen to see this can you please pot if you are still on the Armor and how it works for weight loss? I gained 40 lbs on levothyroxine!
marion
elizabeth nj
my name is marion and I am from Elizabeth nj I am on armour 45 from a coumpounding pharmacy I still have problems I tingle and I wonde r if it is from the meds iwant to try to find another thyroid doctor the one I have he is not helping me like he should be the other armour made me itch and not iam doig coumpoundin g if any one has any advice they can give me that woul d be nice
Sue
usa
If T4 is not being efficiently converted to T3 and the conversion requires an enzyme, why not take a supplement that supplies that enzyme rather than adding an additional hormone?
Terry Graedon
We have not seen research showing that you can take the enzyme and get the desired effect. It’s not clear that the enzyme is available or could be taken orally.
Jolene
California
I was told that the FDA removed this from the market. I did take this about 4 years ago, and yes it does work well but they gave it to me without anything else. I would sure like to know if it is back out on the market and if so is it something I can get in California.
Joan
St Petersburg Fl
The FDA took Armor and other similar brands off the market for “further testing” it had been grandfather in for years. When it came back on the market the price had gone sky high. Now the cost has leveled out to a reasonable amount. Armor and NP thyroid are natural thyroid medications, derived from a pig. My Dr was having trouble for a few years trying to get my levels right on the synthetic thyroid. About 2 months ago when I went for a normal check up i told him that i was so tired all i wanted to do was sleep. I was losing my hair and legs were swollen. DR talked to me about taking Nt thyroid and explained it. He said he had been on it himself and found a big difference. He did a blood test and my thyroid numbers were way off. He called the day after the blood test and put me on NT thyroid. It took almost 3 weeks when all of a sudden I realized, hay I’m feeling better. I was doing things and my friends were commenting on how I sounded better even on the phone. I am 76 and cannot walk well due to Rheumatoid arthritis. It is very hard for me to do anything but at least now that I am feeling so much better at least I try. When I started feeling better I called the Drs office and thanked him for making me feel so much better. Sometimes you have to tell the Dr that you would like to try the natural thyroid. If they tell you there is no difference please try to enforce it. You won’t believe the difference it makes.
I don’t have insurance and it costs me under $20 a month. Worth every penny.
zaher
New York
I have been using Thyroxine for over 20 years, and I have started adding T3 after modifying my dose in T4. In short, not all patients will feel happy by adding T3 as it increases the fatigue dramatically. I do recommend starting with low dosage as a trial, however, and if you feel fatigue from T4, you will feel worse with T3.
My doctor has discovered that I am under hypopituitarism (No hGH released by Pituitary gland) as well. I have done provocative test and it shows almost ZERO hGH. Now I have started hGH injections, in addition to T4. I feel a way better, however when I increase T4 to match the “range”, I feel fatigue. The doctor refuses to increase my hGH dosage.
If your TSH is high but below 10, and your Thyroid range is low normal, try to check hGH by doing provocative blood test.
I am still trying to figure out why I am feeling fatigue with T4. If any one have solved this issue, please advise. T3 in this case, will not help you.
jill
Norway
i have Hashimotos.. it took me three years and five doctors, and a painful life on levothyroxine with my body ache and muscle cramps before i got help. I couldnt move my body without ache and stiffness, my heart beat rapidly and mecanical, i worried about getting a stroke.
My tsh levels didnt get down. They told me to be patient it would work, kept working up the dose, which made my eyes feel like popping out of my head, getting sore and swollen looking. My lower back was super stiff and aching, I was constipated and my abdomen also swollen. I looked quite pregnant. I had analvbleeding for nothing.
Well, i realised it didnt work. i stopped taking it but of course you cant. It can get serious like slowly going into a coma. Your organs will suffer, so you need to get treatment.
I started doing research. suddenly a doctor applied for me to get Natural synthroid. well what happend, no rapid heartbeat, no pain, no stiffness, it slowly decreased and dissapeared. after a week i suddenly woke up feeling happiness, I could strech out my body without pain. I could sleep quite well and wake up without stiffness.
First time in years, after two months my tsh and my t3 is in supernormal range. my t4 not super, but low normal.
Ironically I take half the dose of natural thyroid compare to levothyroxine. that is enough. I’m not constipated and my skin and hair starts looking normal. I wish for everyone that cannot do well on levothyroxine to find a doctor that can give a try on Natural thyroid. I dont understand why not. I get erfa thyroid, but i think they are all quite similar, in fact i want to try out another too, its the patients own body and the goal should be to treat optimally. to try out whatever exists until it Works.
Its like a miracle for me, i was thinking my life was to be slept away and my body something I would have to constantly fight with. My pain and feeling abnormal made me sad and i felt better off being antisocial. i didn’t care about anything important. Everything has changed, i can make plans. I want to go for a walk, I want to do stuff, its a big difference in my thinking.
Your doctor should be there for you, not for himself or a rigid program about treatment if it doest make you better. I descided to find a doctor that would help me and I did, but it took some time. My doctor didnt belive it would get better, no he is shocked. My normal blood work also says so in black and white. I’m some months into this treatment, on an old fashion medicine, and I feel fine.
Ash
Michigan
I was recently diagnosed and have been taking levothyroxine for over a month. Not only have I not felt this bad since I lived as an undiagnosed diabetic, my other medications are for some reason not treating issues as well anymore. Has anyone else had this happen? I take Nortriptyline for my neuropathy and it worked brilliantly; I felt the best I had in years. Might just be coincidental, but as soon as I started on Levothyroxine, the Nortriptyline effectiveness seemed halved at best. I am always tired again (and I was just starting to feel ‘energetic’ regularly again) and I have just been generally feeling unwell. I hate the way I feel now; absolutely hate it. I have spent so much of my life not feeling human that I’m really frustrated my doctor seems to think I have no real concerns when it comes to the backsliding I’m currently doing. Also, my weight gain had just begun slowing down and now I’m gaining again. I am an insulin-dependent diabetic-I DON’T need more weight on my already stressed frame!! I thought I was just going crazy until I looked this up-so glad I found this article. I hope by taking this information and my concerns about this treatment to a doctor who a ctually listens to me, I’ll be able to get back to a place where my health can actually improve instead of continuing to deteriorate.
Jean
I have gained a lot of weight depression and tiredness the past 5 yrs My doctor at the time just said I’m fat and need to move more Anyway I’ve been on hydrocodone for past 5 yrs due to a bad back surgery and neuropathy and Xanax for anxiety and doxe pin to sleep Any way I was diagnosed 2 months ago with hypothyroidism with a new dr and have been working since Sept 2015 My new dr started me on 50mg of levythrozine 2 months ago when I had blood work done my level was different so she bumped my dose to 88mg now She also said my sugar was up but didn’t seem concerned with that nor the blood in my urine My issue is I am so very tired and have hardly no energy at all even after sleeping 8 to 9 hrs a night Not sure if it’s the thyroid med or what My belly feels hard and bloated all the time and would just welcome any help Thank you
Kimi
chula vista
Hello? My name is Kimi and I would like you to know I am in the same boat as you. I am a sufferer of synthroid and levothyroxine. What I am not sure all my thyroid brothers and sisters know is this…. In 2013 The FDA took active thyroid hormone out of our thyroid pills. it used to be 90 to 110 percent potency. Now you are getting around 74 percent potency and I know that is why thyroid patients are saying synthroid don’t work. It will if we had 90 to 110 percent potency back in the pills! They don’t seem to want you to know that? I am trying to make our thyroid patient community aware so we can suggest and really demand 90 to 110 percent potency back with out the coding on it which stops a great deal of absorption as well. I can’t lose weight and had to literally double my intake of synthroid just to compensate for the now LACK of thyroid hormone that is so desperately needed for us.
Sheila Turri
Well it’s been a year so I hope you have relief. If you see this..I had the same prob w levothyroxine…Felt worse and gained 40 lbs. Dr switched me to tirosint w cytomel. No change at all..So tired I could cry and every part of my body hurts. I go back I. 3 days and I am demanding the natural hormone!
Colleen
Austin
I just wanted to add another perspective here. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism several years ago (finally) after many years of symptoms and no doctor ever testing me for it (that I know of). I was put on Levothyroxin like so many others. After playing with the dosage, my labs starting coming up “normal” but all the symptoms stayed the same. I had eliminated all other pharmaceuticals from my life – why was I taking this chemical that didn’t even relieve my symptoms? (Later I would find out it could actually cause damage – compromising my thyroid more!)
After a couple years I started talking to people and finding out about alternative approaches to treating thyroid issues. I went to a Functional Medicine doctor and learned a lot – and got a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. I couldn’t afford the treatment program (thousands of dollars, no insurance coverage), but I was determined to find a way to heal. Now I knew it was an autoimmune issue, which led to more research.
Eventually I did what they always say not to – went off my meds cold turkey. I don’t advocate this, but I was desperate. I didn’t want to go back to the same doctor who was prescribing my meds but not listening to me. That forced me to do something different. I searched for a doctor who would listen to me (enough) to order some additional tests – such as food sensitivity test. (And the other docs said it was okay to try being off my meds for a while).
The most helpful person on my healing path has been my nutritionist. Western doctors just do not know about autoimmune diseases or gut health. If you have hypothyroidism, I urge you to research leaky gut and its treatment through nutrition.
A year after ditching my synthetic hormone – and 5 months into my nutrition program – my TSH is now in “normal” range. But I am still working on it. Normal to Western docs is still not ideal. Healing my gut is a long process, but it is helpful to feel the progress. I have lost 30 pounds in 4 months – back to my “feel good” weight from 5-6 years ago. But more important than the weight, I have energy again. I am in tune with my body and hopeful for a full recovery.
Okay, one last thing: the process will be different for everyone. I have a friend following the same process. We have different food sensitivities and different responses to some of the supplements. The treatment process with my nutritionist is totally individualized. So yes, the autoimmune diet and cutting back sugar, going gluten-free, probably will help anyone with hypothyroid.
But if the underlying cause is leaky gut, you need to know which foods your body is reacting to so you can cut those out of your diet until your gut heals. Also, low thyroid can compromise other areas too – so you may need support for your adrenal glands, gall bladder, stomach, liver or other organs. Start with a book about leaky guy or healing the thyroid through diet (Paleo approach) to learn where to start and what questions to ask but find someone who can help you find out what your individual body needs to heal. Good luck everyone!
Victoria
Arizona
Hi everyone,
I never comment on threads, but this one I felt deserved a response.
I am a 26 year old female, currently on Synthroid 137- taken in the morning- and Cytomel 5- taken along with the Synthroid. I have a non-functioning thyroid- it scarred over after 3/4ths removal surgery last June due to a tumor. My life was flipped entirely upside down. The first 3 weeks after surgery was when I really noticed my body slowing down. I was Emotional, exhausted, bloated, drained, achey, anxious, depressed, and pretty much every adjective in between. I pushed and pushed with my doctors, explaining I didn’t feel like ‘me’ but I always felt I wasn’t taken seriously. It seems that is sadly the running theme with Endocrinologists.
I ultimately ended up doing my own research, bought countless medical texts, and scoured the Internet for any solutions. I came across the notion of adding T3 (aka Cytomel) and decided that was the route I wanted to take next, because I was not getting the results I needed on Synthroid alone. I switched to the NP in the practice- I’ve found they give you the most time and attention and are fully available to you- and we started me off on 5mcg, 2 times a day. That ended up making me TOO anxious, and also paranoia can be a temporary side effect the first month but does go away, so I was moved down to once a day. I also discovered a book called The Autoimmune Solution and changed my eating habits, to work in conjunction with my medication. Anti-inflammatory foods are a godsend. I have to say that adding the T3, and making that diet change, I have not felt better in a long time! I was so without hope and thinking my best version of me was long gone, and now my ideas of the future are very bright. I hope this helps someone reading.
mary
ma
Are you only taking cytomel? I’m thinking about dumping my levothyroxine and just using cytomel. Is that what you are doing? Or armor and cytomel? Thanks for your thoughts!
Robert
Florida
Someone please tell me what’s the best move to make. I am a 74 year-old male on Synthroid and feel awful. I take 100mcg. I feel negative most of time. I play active sports, am in good shape, and can’t get rid of thinking negative thoughts. I felt excellent 5 years ago before my doctor said I had a thyroid problem. I feel like stopping the snythroid.???
Terry Graedon
Robert, don’t stop suddenly and don’t stop without consulting your doctor. Quitting Synthroid abruptly could make you feel worse. It is sometimes possible to decrease the dose gradually, however.
Marlene
Florida
Is cytomel a prescription?
I was diagnosed ith a small goiter on my thyroid, they put me on 25 mg of Levthyroxin.I thought I felt bad and gained alot of weight before i saw doctor, OMG. I have night sweats, I have been put on vitamen D3 50, 000 units,I actual feel like i have bone cancer. I wake up with charlie horse in my neck, it is scarey, i have gained almost 46 lbs.
My attention span is that of a 3 yr old. I forget things all the time. I fll asleep anywhere, I can’t sleep enough. All my tsh or whatever they call it were always normal.
I called my doctor and told her something isnt right, my left side o my throat felt numb like my nerves were cut there. I am 63 so i can take pain but I feel like no one is listening and it is always put on my back problems or my mental state.
Doc gave me a ultra sound she got back with me said i dont understand all your blood levels are fine but your goiter has gotten larger and you have several nodules on your thyroid and your throat. You have Hypothyroidism. Shee sends me to an endocrinooist, I don see him until the 23rd I took myslf off the levthyroxin. Any suggestions to feel better so I wont have to see this oc onn the 23rd. Hope and praying o all that has writen in. Thank you
Nancy
United States of America
I am glad that I read your post. For the past year my thyroid level has been so out of whack, they have been upping it so many times, and it still isn’t right. I was diagnosed 25 years ago and never had this problem. Now it makes sense to me, if they changed the level in the pills, maybe that is why the doctor has had to increase it so much this year. I go for my quarterly blood work and office visit, in a week, I will bring this up to her. Thank you again for letting us all know this information.
Marlene
sorry, at the end of my letter i meant to put I won’t have to see this doc, my keys are not working properly and charlie horse lol and she, endocrindnologist and praying to all ……Marlene Ball
Roxy
New Mexico
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I started showing signs of it after I had my first child. After my second child, they got worse. A couple of years after my second child was born I finally went and got checked, and my levels were so high they could not tell the specific number. The only thing they could tell was that they were over 100. I was put on Levothyroxine and have been taking it ever since. Given that my first doctor did not specialize in this area, I switched to a different doctor. They moved the dosage around a few times, and I am now on .200. My last TSH test showed that my levels are “normal” but I still feel like I am not bad and that the problem is not fixed.
I am having such a hard time losing weight and staying positive. I am fatigued, my nails are bitter; I have loss of hair and am anxious and nervous all of the time. Coming from a small town it is hard to find a specialist that deals with this and who can help me.
After reading all of the comments, I am going to speak with my doctor tomorrow and test T3, in hopes of getting some promising answers.
Ramona
Olympia, WA
I have always had lot of energy. People used to think I got my energy from coffee. I may have had hyperthyroid but symptoms were: easily sweating when active; never constipated but bowel movements weren’t a problem; problems staying asleep for more than 5 hrs, but didn’t feel tired; little anxiety; mild hair loss (thin hair).
Over the last few years I have noticed a huge change in my energy and mood. I was put on 50000 of vit D at one point for a week or so. I am 49, and thought I was having premenopausal symptoms. They had been testing my TSH and T4 levels over the last 4 years but they were within range. I had gotten to the point of constant negative thinking; very bad anger issues; a weight gain of 20lbs; and unexplained fatigue. I slept for almost 4 days straight; dry skin flaking off; constipation; no menstrual cycle. I was wanting a divorce from a very loving and caring husband.
I had blood in my bowel movement prior to the 4 days of fatigue so I went to the doctor, thinking maybe I had cancer or something. In hindsight I realize that this has been a progressive problem. Over the last 6 years I have gained weight (over 60lbs); become slowly angrier and slowly more tired. Because of this I didn’t see how drastic the changes have truly been. My T4 had crashed, and they put me on Levothyroxine 50mg, they say the lowest dose.
Immediately on the 1st day I noticed a difference. I was so happy because I liked people again, I had enough energy to get out of bed! Not much more but was actually functioning so I was ecstatic. I have been on it for 3 and half months. I was so grateful for the extreme anger going away but now my symptoms include fatigue to the point of not getting out of bed unless absolutely necessary (take my daughter to school). The anger and bad thinking are returning, and I have constipation, forgetfulness dry skin, and severe hot flashes.
I noticed that on waking in the morning I felt my best, had energy, and was happy. So I didn’t take my pill for 1 day and had the best day I had had in a long time. I got so much done. On the 2nd day didn’t take my pill and woke in an ok mood but not motivated and irritable. By the end of the day I was very irritable. 3rd day took my pill. I woke very angry, unmotivated, wanting to divorce my husband. 4th day took 1/2 pill. Woke motivated, some energy, good thoughts, wanted to keep my husband, but by 7pm I was getting angry so I took the other half and lasted until 10pm getting things done. Day 5 took 1/2 pill, woke up early 6 am feeling great had a great day but took the other 1/2 about 5pm and stayed up again until 10pm getting things done. Day 6 1/2 pill woke in a good mood, motivated, happy! Symptoms: migraine headache, feels like my body has the flu with achy muscles, severe hot flashes.
Ironically these don’t even stop me for a second, I am a mom of 9 and being able to get out of bed and like people is enough. But I can see where this too will start to affect me so I have been on the internet all morning and have come to the conclusion I am on the wrong medicine. I have doctor’s apt in the morning Let’s see if he will prescribe NDT. I will follow up.
Hannah
Los Angeles
In December 2012 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer (age 13), so I had to have chemo etc to get rid of it which took around 1 and half year. After recovering from the cancer I still didn’t feel myself and so one of the consultants, who I still saw for regular check ups, decided to get me tested for hypothyroidism, and after numerous blood tests etc I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
My thyroid levels were extremely low and by the age of 14 I was taking 175mg levothyroxine. However no matter how much the doctors and consultants increased my medicine I still felt no better, I still felt very fatigued, confused, my hair began to fall out again, I had arthritis (which didn’t help the situation) and I was constantly very cold.
But it seemed that no matter how much they increased it (at this point I was 15-16 and taking 225mg of levothyroxine everyday!), I still felt awful and didn’t look very good at all, so the doctors agreed for me to stop taking the medication for 4 weeks to see if there was any difference and there was.
It was amazing, I hadn’t felt this much energy since before being diagnosed with cancer so it was great!! I am now 17 and the doctors have now decreased my meds to just 150mg per day and I feel much better :) it was not a wise idea in my case to just stop it completely forever as the doctors said that it was all up in my mind that I was better so they just decreased it and now I feel much much better!!
Neil
uk
I’m a 55 year old, diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism 2011 (tsh 98). Started on levothyoxine and ended up balanced after 6 months. I was still tired with foggy thinking, aches a d insomnia.
They the tested me yearly and remained within normal limits. I’ve no idea what my t4 and t3 level are as the Dr wont tell me. Last Autumn my tsh was 9.5 so they increased levo from 150mcg to 175 and the fell to 0.05 so cut me back to 125. My ths is now 70. For the duration being on levothroxine I’ve felt bad no matter what my ths levels are. I don’t know what to do in order to feel better. They don’t offer t3 in uk.
Kate
U.K.
Why can’t you get armour from gp in uk?
Steph
charleston, sc
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2013, but I know I have had it since at least 2000 when I had my first child & my neck ballooned & a downward spiral of fatigue, weight gain & depression was set in motion. I had a long stretch of Doctors refusing to check it, only checking one level or straight telling me it was in my head & just because all the women in my family have it, didn’t mean I would. So I was elated to finally be believed & tested and diagnosed so I could be medicated properly.
I was put on Synthroid and while I did feel better than I had in years, I still felt awful. We tried dose increases even when my numbers were normalised but it did nothing. I was exercising 3x a week and strictly staying under 800/calories a day and was still gaining weight. Albeit slowly, but I just couldn’t lose.
I’ve been to my doctor recently and he agreed to try Armour, so I’ve been on that for a month now, he suggested to halt exercise & calorie limit to see how it works for me on its own.
So far, I’ve gained twenty pounds but I am confident that that will turn around. I’m noticing I am feeling better for longer periods of time, I am getting more energy to get things done when before I had none. And I mean none! Just staying alert all day & making dinner was draining me. I’d sleep and want to sleep more, but here I am… went to bed at 9pm and I’m wide awake at 4:30am, reading.
There were many occasions on Synthroid where my hubby would try to let me “catch up” on sleep, assuming it was a lack of and I’d be asleep for 18 hours straight and that’s with him waking me up to make sure I’m ok and I was still tired. I hope the energy keeps coming, I hope I can finally shed this weight with Armour Thyroid. Wish me luck!
anon
USA
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism during what was termed by a therapist as a major depressive episode. I’ve received a lot of treatment for mental health that’s never really seemed to help, but meanwhile nothing but levothyroxine for my thyroid. I’ve never really felt like any MDs I’ve seen has looked more deeply than what’s standard practice, and its making me feel utterly helpless.
Sheila T.
Levothyroxine made me feel worse, and I let it go for 4 yrs not realizing that was it. Endo said some ppl can’t take Levo because of the dye. Started taking Tirosint and Cytomel. No difference. Gained 40 lbs on levo and can’t lose one pound! I’m going back in 3 days and demanding Armor. How have you done since you posted?
Missie
North Carolina
For 20+ years I was told that the results of my thyroid tests came back as “low normal.” I suffered from depression and fatigue. Then, several years ago in my mid-40’s, my symptoms got worse. I had just started grad school and was working part time. I told myself that I just wasn’t trying hard enough but I could do no more. I was cold all the time and wore long sleeves even in the summer (and had for years), my hair thinned and fell out, my skin was so dry and nothing alleviated the dryness. Weight gain was not really a problem for me but only because I slept instead of eating. And no amount of sleep helped with the bone deep fatigue. I was finally put on the lowest dose of Synthroid. And so began nine months of trial and error of trying to get the dosing correct. Finally, one of my physician’s colleagues looked at my test results and said immediately that my T3 was not being addressed. I started Armour Thyroid (currently on 90mg) and my life changed within a few weeks. Unfortunately, insurance companies consider this type of thyroid medication a preferred brand and you can’t get if for the few dollars that you can get Synthroid. I’ve seen my cost increase over the past year from about $12 per month to $29 per month. But it is a price I’m willing to pay to feel my best.
yvonne
Az.
I was on synthroid for over 20 years–from my early 40s to mid 60s. As I got into the late 50s, I assumed the constant pain in my joints was from old athletic injuries or arthritis. A naturopath doctor from my church suggested switching to natural Armour thyroid. Within 6 weeks the joint pain was gone and my energy level went up. I had a constant struggle convincing my primary care doctor to prescribe the natural treatment, and eventually changed doctors.
Lori
Maryland, USA
I have had the longest period of my life getting my doctors to get me the proper help. I don’t know how to find someone who is curious enough to run the necessary tests to get to proper treatment. My adrenal glands crashed after having both ovaries removed. I nearly died a couple times until I went and told my doctor I simply couldn’t stand up or awake.
They finally ran an ACTH test and got me on hydrocortisone. The blood work revealed low tsh and I was put on Synthroid. That brought my levels in limits but not my symptoms.
I researched online and found the Stop The Thyroid Madness website and ordered their book. Long story short, I discovered the list of tests I should have and handed them to my doctor. She ran them and in fact I needed Cytomel and I have Hashimotos Autoimmune Thyroiditis. I got on Cytomel and felt great for some time but now my joints are aching and I’m sleeping constantly. There’s a formulating pharmacy near me. How can I get the dessicated thyroid prescription?
Terry Graedon
If you are already taking Cytomel and Synthroid, it is not clear that desiccated thyroid will offer you any advantages. You will need to work with your doctor.
Have you listened to our recent show? https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/12/03/show-1015-thyroid-mysteries-controversies-and-the-latest-research/
BTW, usually low TSH means too much thyroid hormone in the system; the signal for hypothyroidism is high TSH
Nadine
United kingdom
Please cN you explain what Armour is?
I had never heard of it until now
I have no thyroid after surgery years ago and take levothyroxine,
Lately my levels changed , and its been a nightmare getting levels back as even! Going from 125 down to 50, back up slowly and hoping for the best!
Specialist and GP have no explanations of why it went off synch and why am having such unpleasant symptoms.
Should my doctor inform me about Armour,?
Thank you
The People's Pharmacy
Armour is desiccated thyroid gland (dried powdered gland) from a pig. Levothyroxine has just one form of thyroid hormone (T4), while Armour contains several in the natural ratio for pigs (similar to but not identical to the ratio for humans).
Mary
new york city
I was diagnosed with hypothyroid due to hashimoto years ago and have run the course with levothyroxine and levothyronine ever since, with doses varying thru the years. I am 66 years old and have felt absolutely horrible for years since starting these meds. I dropped the levothyronine but didn’t feel better. Doctor lowered dose of levothyroxine but still felt awful. No energy, unclear thinking, behavior changes, weight gain, depression etc haunted me. To wake up in the morning was a dreadful experience, such a feeling of doom in my stomach…..not in my head.
I know it sounds strange but true. I recently told my doctor I want to stop the levothyroxine for a while to see how I feel. She disagreed but since it was my decision she will test me 6 weeks off meds. I have been now off it for 3 weeks and what a difference. My weight has not budged but then again I am not very good with my diet. My depression seems to be much less, energy level much higher, thinking clearer, not acting in ways that run the gamut from over excited to under, life seems easier and less forced. I hate that medication and if going off it means I will pass on to my next metamorphisis phase in my existence then so be it. Going to happen anyhow. Rather it happen without severe depression than with it. A past friend of mine asked me if I didn’t think that these bodily functions that slow down as we age are just a natural progression of the human condition and I am starting to think she may have had a point.
Regina
Daytona
I was on synthroid in 1990 and stoppend for several years being Fine. Then in 2005 I was anemic and took iron. Later I was tired and exhausted and had a blood test at Life Extension. They told me to see a doc immediately because my thyroid levels were extreme low. They recommended taking Armour, which I did. I don’t know what doctors you all use that they can tell you what to take. I tell my doctor what I want, because he works for me not the other way around. I have been doing great on this Med. I will always prefer the natural over synthetic.
Felicia A.
Oklahoma
I’ve found out that the times that I ran out of my Levothyroxine 88mcg. and didn’t take it I felt so much better…more energy ,no headahes and don’t fall asleep at the drop of a dime…have even lost a few pounds too..better out look on my day…better attitude also…annnnnd. as soon as I get back on my medicine…here we go again…all the negativenes is back…have spoken to my Dr. …he just upped the dosage…no big deal…tests are okay he says…? BUT I’M NOT OKAY…someone please help…thank you…
Michelle
U.K.
I have been on Levo alone for nearly 2 years and it has failed to make me feel anywhere near better, despite being assured that hypothyroidism was easy to treat.
I have raised concerns 3 times now, once with Nurse Practitioner, twice with G.P.s and even my Endocrinologist, that there may well be a conversion issue, because in my case, and despite the T.S.H. Levels coming back within range, I continue to have dreadful symptoms that are making my life an absolute misery.
Every time I have asked for help, I have been told it’s depression, and given increased dosages of antidepressants. Frustrating is an understatement, and the supposition that it is all in my head winds me up even more. It isn’t them who are being sent home to continue to feel dreadful.
It is far too easy to assume that it is all in a persons head, if only they could experience it for one day, I’m damned sure they would treat people differently, and with a bit more respect too.
DD
Virginia
I have been on Armour Thyroid for three years. My health has greatly improved since I started the Armour. I have tried the genetic NP thyroid to save money, but I became symptomatic. Although insurance did not cover Armour as it does the genetic or synthetic thyroid medication, I went back to Armour. Synthetic would cost $4 a month, Armour is $20+. Not a huge difference but over a life time it will add up. My sister is on Synthetic for insurance reasons and her health reflects it. She refuses to spend the extra. I recently went on Medicare and I found Part D drug plans don’t recognize Armour in the drug search. I’ll have to research and find my best cost option. I was told to try synthetic but I don’t ever want to ever go back to feeling those symptoms again.
Karen G
Ohio
In response to DD: I tried other NDTs. Naturethroid made me feel dull. Tried it for two weeks. NP Thyroid made me weak after1-2 weeks. So did Thiroid S Went back to Armour each time. Tried Erfa from Canada, and it too doesn’t work as well for me as Armour. But this new formula of Armour doesn’t work as well as the original. I have a few pills left over, and taking one of those made me feel wonderful.
Why can’t some company make the original formula? Compounds don’t work well either. The only med I haven’t tried is Thyrogold, and some people swear by it. I am supplementing with DHEA and Adrenal Complex and vitamins Multi B Complex, Vit D3, Calcium, Magnesium, EmergencC, and Selenium. My head just gets foggy. I used to be a sharp thinker and Armour was great for 13 years. Doctor said our bodies change. Now I have to control blood sugar with diet and cinnamon. I take 60mg Armour in am and then 30mg at dinner. Labs show Tsh low but I know Armour does that. Maybe I need to take more Armour. If my eyes get blurry, I take more Armour and that helps. What do people think about Thyrogold?
Dolly
UK
During a time of great stress, leading up to my mother’s death, I inadvertently omitted to take my T3. Indeed, worse, I continued not to take it without realising and don’t actually know how long I went without it. I began to feel very unwell recently: cognitively defunct and gaining weight fast …. 14 pounds in 5 months. My GP showed me a graph from the lab which clearly indicated my stupidity and she said “this is what happens when you go without your T3!” I am now back on it, gradually increasing the dosage, but wonder a) how long will it take to work and get me back to normal, and b) how high can I go on the T3 to speed up the process? I don’t want to do anything stupid, but I DO want to get back to normal. I am also on Thyroxine and Armour thyroid and until I brought about my own demise I was absolutely FINE!
SOS! I really need some advice please.
tanya
hongkong
PLZ help!
My lab tests (TSH , FT3, FT4 ) are normal but I have severe thyroid symptoms – like fatigue, body aches , extremely low energy etc. Should I start taking T3 as well? or should I move to NDT. Currently I take 125mg Thyorxine and I feel so crappy:( Doctors are of no help. I need some suggestions!
Kari
Los Angeles
I have been on Armour thyroid for about 15 years and done well. I am now over 60, and recently got a letter from my doctors office saying they will be switching me to Levothyroxine because there have been some elderly patients who have had a cardiac shock (or something like that) due to the Armour thyroid. Have any of you heard about that?
Clearly I am not in that particular patient population. I feel fine. I’m active, work long hours and not gaining a lot of weight or that horrible chronic fatigue feeling, that some of you already know.
I understand the drug companies are very powerful and convincing, but it sure would be nice to be treated on an individual basis by the primary doctor who is taking care of you.
And yes I will only take bio identical hormone replacement. Why would you use something synthetic, when you have access to something that is much more like what your body normally produces?
I have several friends who when switched to Armour thyroid (yes some over 60) and feel 100% better. I have not heard the reverse. And yes, there is literature out there to prove the point. Hopefully I will not have to go to Mexico or Internet to get medication that works for me.
I do believe my MD is very good. However stuck with the global We, of the health care system, that says it is done their way- Because of cost.
Sherri
Washington
I have been on Armour thyroid for about 4 years now but 3 months ago the medicine quit working and the doctor supplemented with T3. I still feel run down, hair falling out, achy muscles and dry skin. I don’t eat much and my job keeps me active and I have gained 20 lbs. I researched it and found out that the company that made Armour was bought and the formula changed. Now when I cut the pills in half for my evening dose, they just crumble. I found that many people are having the same problem, Armour worked before but no longer does. No what do we do?
MFD
South Carolia
Activis has bought Forest Pharmaceuticals and many Armour users are reporting that their symptoms have been returning in 2015.
Have your Dr. switch your medication to NatureThroid which is the same drug and has not been recalled.
burn e
Hi. Im 44. I’ve been on synthroid for 14 years. Now I’m at 137 mcg. My throat always feels swollen like a lump in it. Is that from my thyroid?
burnice
bc
Hi. Yes I have same problem to. Lump in my throat. Waking up with burning in my elbows. I also feel my leg muscles twinging. Huge brain fog like my mind is not with it half the time
cheryl
If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, or any of its variants, please read these comments…
you will find out that your doctor(s) know absolutely zilch about what you are experiencing, and really don’t much care, as long as they can get your lab test results into the “normal” range…..
mine have been “normal” for 35 years….. that has relieved not one single symptom….. not the dry itchy skin, not the loss of eyelashes and eyebrows, not the weight gain, not the depression, not the hair loss, not one single symptom has improved….. but don’t worry, my condition is being successfully “managed” by our magnificent medical system……….. and you know this is true, because my lab NUMBERS are normal – therefore, I am cured…
ain’t consensus wonderful?
Janice Gipson
Austin, TX
I just read the article on hypothyroid – T4 and T3 – Armour Thyroid. I was diagnosed hypothyroid 16 years ago and have been on the “doctor yoyo” treating me with Synthroid or Unithroid ever since. My overall health has never been poor. Recently I threw a small tantrum in my doctor’s office and so he discussed Armour Thyroid with me. Because of the desiccated aspect of it, I opted to try Nature Throid instead. Are these medications comparable? I have been taking this now for a little over a week and I am still feeling achy, lethargic, foggy headed and depressed. I can only hope it kicks in pretty soon.
DD
Tanya, hope this helps. Although I was having thyroid type symptoms for years, my labs for TSH, T3, and T4 were all w/in normalish range. I began going to a different D.O. and she told me my labs needed to be read with my symptoms in mind. She put me on Armour 60 and my life and health no longer have complaints. Good luck.
Sheryl
MT
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism at 21 yo after my 1st child was born, at which time I was put om levothyroxine. Over the the last 20 years my symtoms have been progressively gotten worse, fatigue, sleeplessness, weight gain, brain fog, body aches etc… until a friend recommended Armour thyroid. It took time to find a Doctor willing to prescribe it and it has been well worth it. The 1st 2 weeks on Armour I felt horrible and things seemed to get worse but almost 2 weeks to the day I started Armour I felt a significant increase in energy, my hair has stopped falling out and I am able to sleep again and feel rested in the morning. I have also started to lose weight although I do not know if that is because I changed my diet or if it is a result of the Armour. All I do know is that I am beginning to feel normal again and it is changing my life for the better. For those out there switching to a natural thyroid supplement give it time to work don’t give up before it has a chance to work.
Tammie
Houston
I don’t have a thyroid what is the best medicine to take i take armor i had my blood work done Dr said the blood work was good but i am tired gaining weigh i hope you can help
Gloria H.
USA
Tried cytomel for years. It was messing with my heart. It feels like when I’m sleeping I jump awake. Bad mood, feel bad.
maria Lammes
rochester
yes doctors love to shout psychosamatic when they don’t know what their doing. Armour Thyroid & similiar drugs are best for hormone replacement. Many people don’t convert this t3 to t4, hense they need both. Even after treatment I am not back to 100%-my doctor said this is normal for post-partum thyroid disease patients? I think the most awful thing is I was very active before this and now suffer daily with muscle weakness regardless of eating high protein diet & working out. I just drink lots of water and caffeine- it helps and take the med..
Norah
Crete. Greece
I had my thyroid removed in Athens in 2005 due to pre-cancerous nodules. Over the last ten years I have battled to feel well and keep weight down. Due to a botched stomach op in UK in 1998 I have severe adhesions and had a second op here in 2012 removing 40cm of small intestine. By keeping a table of my blood results (it is possible here to go and get bloods done any time at the local lab) I noticed whenever my stomach played up and I felt wiped out was when my T3 was on the floor. Endocrinologist here also have a block about using T3 the last one told me we only give it to “fat people”. So I decided to self-medicate in March and now take 100 T4 plus 12.5 T3. My stomach problems are markedly better, constipation gone, energy levels up hugely. If you have no thyroid, stomach absorbtion issues, and a fatty liver, where is your body going to convert T4 to T3 I asked myself. It seems to be a matter of common sense and joining up the dots. I keep my B12 levels up (again can buy B12 injections over the counter here, pac of 3 with syringes cost €3.34) and the T3 is €1.16 a pac. My D3 was low even though I live in a sunny climate so I supplement, and sunbathe. I discussed my issues with my GP who has thyroid nodules herself and is very interested in any new data on thyroid treatment.
As to Armour, of course it works better than T4 as it has T3 in it!
Connie
PA
I was on synthroid for 30 years to keep nodules from growing. I had migraines, constipation, tired and other symptoms. It should have. Been 30 years of death. That is how awful I felt. I then got two types of thyroid cancer. Had thyroid completely removed and found a doctor who would prescribe Armour thyroid. I lost out on 30 years.
Debbie
Chesapeake, VA
I have felt lousy for years. I could not get my pcp to test anything but TSH. I mentioned this to my dermatologist who has been treating me for hair loss and super dry skin. She tested the free T3 and free T4 which proved to not be in the normal range. I went to an endocrinologist thinking that she would treat me aggressively, but instead she is treating me with a low dose of levothyroxine saying that my TSH is within the normal range.
When I questioned I found out that she only tests TSH. I am once again in the same situation. I try to voice my wish for aggressive treatment, but it falls on deaf ears. I am depressed to the point that I stay home all of the time except to grocery shop and go occasionally to Sunday school. I am so embarrassed at the weight I have put on. I gained over 30 pounds within about 3 years and I have been unable to lose it even when I fasted five days and ate minimally over the weekend. I cry all of the time because of my weight, fatigue, dry skin, hair loss. I don’t even recognize myself and I cannot find any doctor who will truly listen and try to help me.
vg
Austin
I had Graves disease mid 70s and now u-thyroid from the radiation. Several doctors thru the years diagnosed me as hypothyroid, only going by TSH tests. Had my head scanned, and I have a bent pituitary stalk which makes TSH tests inaccurate. Now I stress this, and they run T3 and T4 too, and don’t rely on the TSH findings. And no-one ever asks for proof!
Sylvia
Somerset
No joy in Somerset either. A waste of time!
cheryl
WVA
I believe I am replying to Debbie in Chesapeke.
I’ve never eaten much. Way back in the oldentimes, when us girls had to take “home economics,” one of our assignments was a dietary diary, and I was failed for lying, after HONESTLY listing what I ate – between 5 and 12 hundred calories a day. I was fourteen years old, on the field hockey team and active in gymnastics.
About not being able to lose weight: I spent two years writing down every bite of food I swallowed, and lived on 400 calories a day, or less. You can do this with squash, boiled cabbage, and salad, quarters of cantalope and so on. I ate three meals a day, because they told me not to “starve” my metabolism.
Meanwhile, at the same time, I exercised with my favorite “bodies in motion” tapes and rewound them to increase the aerobic time. I spent at least 45 minutes a day, and usually twice that much, exercising – circuit training, weight training, aerobics, whatever I could find. Guess what happened? (lol)
I continued to gain at least 5 pounds a month. Of course, WE ALL KNOW THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, as our doctors have told us a gazillion times. Don’t you just love it when your doctor calls you a liar? I’m not overly fond of it myself.
I tried the “juice diet.” I lost ten pounds the first week, five pounds the second week, no pounds the third week, and gained 10 pounds the fourth week. YAY!!!
Meanwhile, my “hypothyroidism” is, like, TOTALLY under control, because my lab test NUMBERS come out right. So, just because I have no eyelashes or eyebrows left or any pubic hair, and my skin is so dry you can write on it with your fingernail, and it looks like chalk on a blackboard, and I’m still unable to lose weight, and depressed as all hell, and I’m afraid to brush my hair more than twice a week, because of all the hair lost . . . well, those aren’t symptoms of hypothyroidism anymore, because my NUMBERS show I’m CURED of that, as long as I take their pills.
Unfortunately, the same applies to diabetics trying to get their NUMBERS right, or people with high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, or any number of other maladies. Once your lab tests say you’re NUMBERS are right, no one cares whether you feel better, or whether your chance of stroke or heart attack or amputation is reduced.
we’re not PEOPLE anymore to our doctors. Excuse me, I mean our “health care professionals,” since most of them aren’t doctors. We are just a bunch of NUMBERS, and if the NUMBERS say we’re fine, then what the heck do we know?
The People's Pharmacy
Learning to be assertive and making sure that the doctor knows how you FEEL is important. It won’t necessarily solve the problem, but it is an essential first step.
Valerie
NC
I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and I have been through so many doctors who have refused to give me Armour Thyroid so I left their office furious. These doctors are with me a few minutes and they think they know my symptoms, that’s if they have even listen to me. I did an experiment on myself. I excepted the Tirosent, then Levothyroxin, then Synthroid so for an entire year I was miserable. On these drugs I gained 30 lbs, upon a new ultrasound I had new nodules, 3 on each side and my TSH went to 79 and my TPO at 265 and my cholesterol went up to 240 from 142. The experiment was needed because I now have the evidence and records for all the doctors that refuse me the Armour Thyroid so after my horrible year I am back on my Armour and my TSH is now 2.6 only after 2 months, I also lost 5 lbs, my TPO is 254 and going down slowly but I am elimination foods so my body can heal more and my cholesterol is 177 now. The Thyroid plays a big part of your balance in health. Please do not let doctors bully you. You know in your heart what you need so if a doctor refuses to help you achieve that then you need to move on. Do your research and I bet you will know more then your doctor. I needed to fire 7 doctors before I found one that understands. On my last results she hugged me and was so happy that I am healing myself all I needed was the correct natural Thyroid meds. Learning what foods to avoid as a Hashimoto’s person is also crucial to keep the TPO in check.
MG
Arkansasi
I have broken veins in my legs and both feet are bad. I have gotten Cortizone shots in both feet. I have trouble walking sometimes. I am 86 and have taken synthroid 100 mg for about 17 years.
Judy
South Lyon Michigan
Had one Dr. say honey you have felt so bad for so long,you do not know what normal feels like. Unbelievable!!!!!
Shannon
Canada
I became hypo-thyroid in 1998, ( spent 3 wks.in emergency /hospital ) ,but I was not diagnosed until 2003 !! During that 5 year span I spent more time in emergency rooms ,and countless trips to the Doctors office .I was at our local hospital for the usual tests ,lab work,angiogram & xrays.As I was changing back into my street clothes,there was 3 nurses with a wheel chair waiting for me. I was shiped off to ” intensive care “imediately.My B.P. was 190/160,and my pulse rate was only 20 beats per minute! If it wasn’t for a “visiting Japanese Doctor from a University ” as a request from my Doctor to look at me, I honestly think I would not be here today .I was 47 years old at the time,and was told by many Doctors that I was too young to have a thyroid problem,that it was quote,” an old peoples” disease. The Japanese Doctor asked me a check-list of questions,I said yes to every one of them,and he told me he was pretty sure he knew what was wrong ,and that a simple blood test would confirm his suspicions.My TSH was 150.00,one of the worst cases they had ever seen.Now I am 64 years old ,STILL not on the right dose of medication ( Synthroid ) and STILL have a lot of hypo-thyroid issues. I have not left good from the time I was diagnosed,I have no idea what ” feeling good” feels like any more–and that is sad ,and a crime ,and that is so wrong. One smart thing I have done ,is kept a personl medical journal from the time my medical problems started,1998 till now.I have all my tests and blood work results from the past years. The problem is finding a Doctor who will listen and be willing to perscribe the T3 meds—I am so very glad I read this artical ( on FB ) Thankyou for posting ! Now I have the proof and amunition I need to take back to my new Doctor
Kelly
Frankford, WV
I have been on synthroid for years and have felt terrible. Swollen legs, feet and no energy. Absolutely no weight loss only gain. Recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so they say, Now I am not so sure after reading the article. What is Armour Thyroid? Is it supplement, all natural, over the counter, or prescription? Does it need to be prescribed? Just wondering. Willing to try anything. Should I make an appt with an Endocrinologist?
Sigrun
Skælskør, Denmark
I had my T3 testet, as I can’t loose weight, get bouts of extreme fatigue, have foot and leg pain that prevents me from walking very much. But my body is producing the T3, apparently, and the problems are not going away. Due to 40 years of having an underachieving thyroid before finally getting diagnosed and receiving thyroid medicine, I have developed diabetes, have had high cholesterol even as a vegetarian, lost my hair, and my hormone imbalance of much too much oestrogen has then led to breast cancer! I feel that there is more missing in the thyroid activity despite the medication, but there doesn’t seem to be and answer for me. The only thing that got better after receiving the medication was that I got a little bit more energy.
Toriadee
Cape Town (formerly UK)
Was depressed and on anti anxiety meds. TSH & T4 were at hyper levels but felt awful. Changed Dr, now on Diotroxin (T3/T4 combo) and sooo much better. It’s a bit fiddly to get levels right but getting there. (Lost 6lbs in 4 weeks without trying now 129lb as an added bonus)
Marthesse
England
This article has got me thinking my thyroid just crashed 3 years ago I have been taking Levothyroxin since and after having an ultra sound of my thyroid I was told that I had probably had an over active thyroid for years but it hadn’t been diagnosed and now it had just given up. Even though they have replaced my T4 levels and my TSH levels always came back normal I still felt like crap still always tired still putting on weight I couldn’t shift and had trouble concentrating on anything after numerous tests my doctor decided I had CFS/ME but now I’m thinking could it be that I just need some T3 the symptoms seem the same could it be that I lost my job and have spent 3 years worrying that I’ll never be able to work again when all I need is a different tablet? Who do I turn to my doctor has never been very helpful.
Karine
Ontario
These comments and articles have explained what I’ve been feeling like for the last couple of yrs. I a breast cancer survivor of 7yrs and I was on aromsin (hrt) for 4yrs. My legs,feet exy were swollen and sore. The doctors told me it was the men’s and/or some arthertis, so I finished them 1 yr early. Now I still have sore legs and feet and I’ve been on thyroid for about 20 yrs. every yr go for blood test and they tell me everything is ok. I’m tired of feeling like this, I’m 63 and some days I feel like I’m 80. I’m phoning my Dr. This week and I want to see what I can do or to be sent to a specialist. Thank you, this makes so much sense, instead of being told “you’re just getting old”.
maggie
east sussex. england
I’m not sure if this is an American or English article. but im in England and cannot get doctors to listen. who do we turn to. does it mean a referral to an endocrinologist. will they even listen? can anyone tell me who will just take this seriously?
Kate
Somerset
Hi Maggie,
I have pursued this with an Endocronologist in Somerset. I have just recieved a very firm letter from the Endo confirming that within our county of Somerset they will not perscribe T3 because while some patients feel better for a limited time, the improvement is not sustained and therefore does not justify the cost of the medication to the NHS. She also confirmed that all GP’s in Somerset will be moving any patients on T3 back to Thyroxine. That being said, I do know people in Somerset who have just been prescribed T3! Her letter to me does say that patients can buy T3 on a private prescription, but need to be monitored with regular bloodtests by their GP.
It is a complete brick wall – here in Somerset, UK. However, I’m now seeking private help from holistic Thyroid specialist Dr Peatfield in his regional clinic of Malvern. I think if I can get him to advise on T3 levels for me, then I will purchase a 3 month trial of T3 and see how it goes – or use Dr Peatfields advise to convince my GP to trial me on it as a privae prescription. However, if it does help, then it means I will always have to purchase it privately – as it is a no-go oin Somerset for the NHS…and it’s not cheap!
Valerie
I am sorry to hear you are not getting results. I had the same thing happen to me and I got tired of arguing with doctors. If you have access to a “functional medicine doctor” or Chiropractor or NaturalPath will be extremely beneficial. I found that to be the case. Also make sure you ask for copies of all your blood results for your own records because you will, sorry to say, go through a lot of conventional doctors before you find one that will understand. Please don’t try to convince any doctor just move on. When you call for an appointment for a new office just ask if they believe or prescribe in natural Thyroid med. It will save you a lot of time. Good Luck.
Charlotte
Cheshire, England
Hi Maggie, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 5 years ago although I had symptoms for several years prior to this which went undiagnosed. I was prescribed levothyroxine and continued to feel dreadfully. I continued to go for blood test and my meds were increased to 175mg per day. I still felt dreadful, and suffered severe leg and hip pain when walking, severe exhaustion, headaches, depression, etc etc. I returned to my doctor and said this isn’t doing anything for me even though my tests say my levels are fine.
I was referred to a endocrinologist who did further tests, ruled everything else out and told me that I probably had fibromyalgia! I said I was certain it was my thyroid and asks to be put on armour as I had read many articles about it working better. The endo sent my doctor a letter saying they didn’t see any reason why I couldn’t try it so she wrote to the medical council to see if I could have it prescribed on the nhs. In the meantime my doctor wrote me a prescription for armour and my pharmacist ordered it from America at a cost to me of £105 for 100 pills! The medical council said I couldn’t have the medication via nhs. So I returned to my doctor and told her how much better I felt and how my symptoms had eased and she kindly wrote to them appealing their decision.
Unfortunately I was again turned down even though I know others who were prescribed it on nhs! I now order my meds myself, worryingly without a prescription required through inhouse pharmacy online. This is cheaper than getting it through my pharmacist and appears to be genuine as I feel fine and the packaging is the same. My advice would be to see an endo and insist on trying the natural alternative. If your doctor won’t help you, find one who will. Hopefully you will be granted your meds via NHS. Good luck.
Paul
London, UK
Hi Charlotte
You story sounds like mine, been on Levo for a year and feel worse than when I first went to the Dr’s. No energy (although I’ve always loved training and keeping fit), headaches and annoyingly, weight gain despite eating very healthy. I thought the Levo would make it easier to lose weight but it hasn’t.
I’ve been wondering wether I should have the T3 as well, its been going around in my mind for a while now but Dr’s on the NHS are reluctant to prescribe it due to cost, despite me paying my taxes all my life.
thanks
Paul
Jacqualynn
Maryland
I was taking Armour Thyroid for over 20 years… felt great! Then my doctor passed away and when I started seeing this other doctor 18 years ago he insisted that I go to Synthroid. I have NEVER felt the same nor have I felt really good. This evening while watching the news I saw that Hillary Clinton in an effort to prove that she is in good health listed her current medications. One of her medications was Armour Thyroid?? I wanted to scream!! I am quite certain that if a millionaire with her choice of the very best specialists is ON ARMOUR Thyroid then it must be safe?? I was told it was not safe and very hard to obtain.. Why would that be the case? I would greatly appreciate knowing exactly what the REAL reason was that all of a sudden doctors were pushing Synthroid to the point of obviously lying to their patients? I am inclined to believe that this had something to do with drug companies and their connection with doctors? I am disgusted and am planning to look into this further.
DEBRA
Austin, TX
I haven’t seen any replies to all the questions posted here, and I’m wondering if there are any?
Rosanne W.
Caledonia N.Y.
I had my thyroid removed 6 months ago/ Thyroid Cancer and had Hashimotos for years…I have been on Levithyroxine for years but now on much higher dose since thyroid was removed. I had lost 30 before my surgery on the lower dose but since my surgery and being on the higher dose have gained 20 lbs!! I am going for a 6 month checkup..going to discuss this with the Dr about this other medicine…thank you!
margie laughlin
Idaho
I am on Armour, the only Rx I tolerate. However, my Dr said new studies say older people are more at risk for stroke on thyroid & should be above 2 on the scale.
I have no family history of stroke, have low blood pressure & low cholesterol, but my Dr lowered my dose to raise my numbers.
I feel like I am slowly dying. I have no energy, have put on more weight in spite of adding more exercise, just too slow. And, I still have a way to go to get up to 2, and my T4 has gone below normal.
Is there any help for me? I only feel good when my TSH is below 1, no symptoms of hyper.
Amanda
HX
I’m 36. Since my early 20’s, doctors have investigated and tested my symptoms. You’re depressed …. wait, no you’re not depressed. Who’s depressed in their 20’s!! You have crohns, colitis, cancer, or aids… wait, no you don’t have any of those things, it’s just malabsorption.
What a waste of my time and theirs. Thyroid levels then were always just above normal and considered ok by the GP.
I gave up, life went on. I was just careful about over exerting, reducing stressors, and not eating things that I knew upset my tummy.
In my later 20’s, I had a cold that just wouldn’t leave. I couldn’t breathe! I started taking a decongestant containing pseudoephedrine and after two-three weeks collectively I went to a walk-in clinic. Nothing physically wrong with me -so they ordered blood work. I was almost immediately referred to an Endocrinologist who suspected Grave’s disease; my TSH was almost non-existent and my thyroid hormone was extremely high. I am 5’7″ and I weighed a scrawny 118lbs (I was always too skinny).
After beta blockers and anti-thyroid meds, I had an uptake test which indicated results similar to Grave’s disease, Endocrinologist was right?!
After discussing my desire to wait it out on anti-thyroid meds, I agreed to the Endocrinologists recommended Radioactive Iodine treatment to kill the thyroid function. After that I was on and off of levothyroxine. Weight, moods, energy and drive has been up and down with it.
After a couple of years with a new GP (who thinks it was just thyroiditis), she changed my blood requisition from TSH, T4, and free T3 to just TSH and T4. When I asked, she said they don’t run those tests anymore…she only ever looks at TSH when I visit to determine if my levothyroxine dose should remain the same, increase or decrease.
So, now I’m 36, overweight, and still on 100mcg levothyroxine with TSH within the “normal” range. I’ve always felt the test result was wrong, I felt the dose has never been enough. Each time I visit my GP, I state the same -I’m tired a lot.
I eat mostly one-word foods (unprocessed) -people often comment about how healthy my husband and I eat. I’m always exhausted and I have no sexual appetite for my hot husband :(. I can be irritable sometimes -my husband is very supportive and understanding. I exercise 4-6 times each week for 1-3 hours and slowly and continually gain weight. If I only exercise 3 times during a week, I am almost lethargic and cannot get a good breath of air. Exercise is obviously vital to my well-being now. We don’t have kids to run after or around so my evenings and weekends -aside from exercise- are fairly low-key and stress free.
Recently, much like others, I’ve been online reading a lot about foods (including sources of Iodine, selenium, and zinc), supplements, and the experiences of others. I’ll have to learn more so that it makes sense to me first and before I can explain it all to my GP for discussion.
Thank you for the article. It makes sense to me.
Karen G
Ohio
I take Armour Thyroid. 60mg in am and 60mg at 5 pm. Lunch time vitamins and supplements. Alive energy vitamin. Emergen C vitamin drink. B Complex. Zinc Magnesium. Vit D3 Calcium Chew. Ferroquel Iron before bed
Sherrie
NC
I had undiagnosed thyroid as a child, which caused a lot of unnecessary suffering, then later was diagnosed in my late teens. For years I was put on Synthroid, which never made me feel great – always lots of fatigue. I decided to try natural thyroid, but am having problems with it. Tests come back ‘normal’ so the doctor will not increase it, but I am always sleepy, puffy eyes, tired and cannot think clearly. I have Hashimoto’s and see conflicting articles about whether people with auto immune disorders should take natural thyroid or not? It is very confusing and frustrating to find real answers.
Karen G
Ohio
Did you try taking sublingually, letting it dissolve under tongue. Try zinc, selenium, Adrenal Complex Dhea Alive Multivitamin. Take all vitamins 3-4 hours away from Armour Thyroid.
Connie
Sandy, Oregon
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after a year of depression meds. in 2008. A doctor finally did a tsh test. I was 29.5 by then and soon after diagnosed with cancer. Now I am miserable with symptoms that were never fully relieved by the t4 med. I am receiving.
I gained 35 lbs and no matter how I eat or what I do I can’t lose a pound. I have brain fog, swollen feet and legs, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, body pain and ache, swollen gut, hair loss, dry skin. All the same symptoms I had before I was diagnosed. Though my levels according to the only two tests the doctors take (tsh and t4) are within the norm, I know I am not normal. I felt good until 2008 and weighed a normal weight and had a great metabolism until the thyroid problem. I just want to feel good again. How can I get the meds I need?
Pat
Florida
A few years ago, the thyroid supplement that I had used for years was unavailable. I went to the Wellness Center associated with my primary MD. Following testing, I was prescribed a bioidentical for my hypothyroidism; it was not satisfactory. The ARNP then prescribed Armour Thyroid. In my research about this medication I found that it was contraindicated for an existing health issue. I learned about MedCapsT3 by Xymogen and decided to try that – it has worked very well for me (contains ashwaganda and zinc, both necessary to assist T3 into the cells). Recently, MedCapsT3 production has been suspended for reformulation and won’t be available again until August. I will have to rely on my older thyroid supplement if my supply runs out before then. A friend gave me a book The Iodine Crisis; a must read for everyone, not just those on supplementation.
jennifer
mascot, tn
I don’t really have any comments, I am seeking help.
I have been diagnosed with Grave’s and then Hashimoto’s and was treated for both. When my thyroid went back to being Grave’s, I went with the radio iodine treatment thinking that it would make it easier to stabilize my thyroid. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. The first year was the worst. It has been 6 1/2 yrs since I did the radiation, and my numbers are still all over the place. On top of that, I now have multiple autoimmune issues. I can’t help but wonder, “if my thyroid would level out, would I feel some kind of relief?”
Page
TN
I have done them all for a until my hair falls out then I get switched etc. I’m fed up. Last dosage my dr. put on 180 mg’s of Armour. I started having heart palpitations after about 2 weeks of feeling great and I’m done along with losing 1/2 my hair again. I am depressed, tired, fatigued, worn out, not motivated etc. Not one person here has said what works. I am working with a healer and trying to take care of it through supplements. Had 3 great months and am going down again for the count. Stepping up supplements and trying others. One thing good is not losing my hair, palpitations have gone.. But gaining weight and all the other stuff is coming back. I’m so twistedly lost I have no clue as to what to do. I am useless. Thank God for my husband, but this isn’t fair to him. I want me back and so does everyone I know and love. HELP!!!! Don’t lead me on.. I don’t have the patience. I need answers on who to go to that will take ins. I live on a fixed income. I am 57 years old and because of feeling this way I had to quit my job.. My healer and my son who swears by supplements have begged me to stay off the meds because the meds are killing my thyroid.. which I believe to be true. I just want to know if anyones gone off the meds and gone over to supplements and was it a long hard road worth the trip or should I just give up and give in and lose my hair and take this man made crud again. I pray every night that God hears my prayers and I will feel closer to normal every day. Bless all of you and I will add you to my prayers.
jennie
missouri
I feel like crying after reading all the comments. My story is similar in that I too have been unusually tired from what I can remember, most of my life. in my 20’s my weight gain, hair loss and fatigue got to all time high, so I went to the doctor. Well I was told that my symptoms were from the stress of being a mother and my extreme fatigue was from running after 2 young kids all day. I was patted on the head and told to take vitamins, exercise more and take naps. So I went home and did what the doctor ordered.
After about a year and half and seeing no improvements and again finding it hard to function with the extreme fatigue, I went back. Being a healthy person this was the only thing I would see the doctor for. anyway I went back and explained that I had been doing everything like he said and I was just getting more tired. He did blood work, like the last time and again everything came back in the “normal range” in conclusion, again it was me needed to slow down, take it easy and take naps. again went home and tried everything. I would take short naps, I would long naps, I tried getting 7 hours of sleep at night, I tried 8 hours and 12 hours a night with no change.
This process of going back and forth to the doctor literally went on for about 6 years. About every year and half I would get to the point where I would get tired of dealing the symptoms and extreme fatigue, that I would try again. At some point I think he got tired of seeing me and with never having found anything wrong with me, he came to the conclusion that I was depressed. Well as everyone knows depressed people sleep all the time, gain weight, the stress makes your hair fall out and tend to not want to participate in activities. I really didn’t feel depressed, but he was the doctor, so maybe he was right and this might even be my cure. I even began to get really excited because I didn’t mind being depressed if it meant I would have more energy and get back to wanting to do things again.
Well after about 2 years of trying every depression medicine under the sun, with no change. I finally settled on fluxotine just because it had the fewest side effects and maybe, I just needed to take it for awhile for it to kick in. Well after being on it for a couple of years and periodically increasing the dosage, there was not any improvement, I still felt the same way. My family made me feel like a horrible mother because I was sleeping my life away and that it was all in head and how could I be depressed when I was on depression medicine. By the way I’m 45, still on it and my symptoms that have gotten worse, especially the fatigue. it takes everything I have to get through every day, I am always so tired and my hair is so thin I barely have enough to make a ponytail.
I have gotten to the point that even to just take a shower wears me out. I have no energy to put on makeup and I look forward to the weekends because I know I get to sleep. Who in the hell looks forward to the weekend because of naps? I just came to the conclusion that this was just how god made me and I would just have to struggle through as best as I could. Ddo you know what it’s like never and I mean never, waking in the morning and having the feeling of being refreshed or energized. I would always hear people talk about it, but never had a clue what it felt like.
Once again I got to the point of being so fatigued, I decided to go see a woman doctor. I did the usual blood work, for about the 100th time and as usual my thyroid count came back in the normal range, but a little on the lower end, but this doc was willing to put me on thyroid medicine. Once again, I began to feel excitement at the thought of this curing me and helping me feel normal again. Well after doing the every six week blood draw and slowly increasing my dosage, my blood work finally came back to a normal range. But that couldn’t be right cause I didn’t feel any better.
I still had my usual symptoms of hair falling out, still being tired and barely being able to function. so after being on the medicine for over a year, I finally just quit taking it. I didn’t want to be on something that wasn’t helping, like my depression medicine. Once again my hopes where gone, but here I am today reading this. I apologize for going on and on about this. but for most of my life I have to defend the fact what I felt was real, that I wasn’t being lazy or I couldn’t just snapped out of it. After having read the comments, for the first time, I truly feel that I’m not crazy or just being lazy and there are others out there like me. I may never know what it’s like to be “not tired” but after today I have hope again and will be talking with my doctor and hopefully it helps me like it has others.
jen
seattle
I’m turning 43 later this year and I feel like I’m 80. This is affecting my young family. I can’t even make basic decisions with this constant brain fog. My body aches and I feel so stiff. I finally had to have plantar fascia surgery because phys therapy results never lasted and cortisone made it worse.
Gonna ask for diff medication. This levothyroxine isn’t working.
Vicky
Mobile Alabama
I had undiagnosed Graves disease in 2005 I had several tests and multi nodules (18 to be exact) on my thyroid. I was under the best endo who finally discovered it and told me of 3 options. Anti thyroid pills, surgery, or radioiodine. He decided rai was the best. By that time I was 5″8 and 82 1/2 pounds a skeleton.
I took a large dose of rai and had to isolate myself for a week or more. After 3 months with TSH and t4 free being tested regularly and frequently, it suddenly changed as my tsh had jumped to 85.05 they couldn’t get a rx to me fast enough and it was genetic levo 100. Three months later he asked if I was still taking the Synthroid and I told him generic, he was very angry as the nurse didn’t tell the pharmacist named brand Synthroid only stating that is all he gives as its more stable.
I started on Synthroid and it was adjusted 12 times within 3 years. I haven felt the same since my thyroid stopped working. I pressed for T3 and maybe Armour but actually got a letter of dismissal the last time I was there even though I was pleasant and never had any cross words with my Dr. I had seen him for over 14 years. I recall the feeling that came over me while my thyroid was dying off, sluggish, dizzy, brain fog, couldn’t concentrate from one moment to another and although I feel better than when my TSH was extremely hypo that feeling of fatigue, sluggish, weak legs, can’t stand long or walk far without sitting down has never left me. I slowly gained my weight back up to 135 but recently gave up refined sugar and went on low carbs due to blood glucose levels going up much higher than normal and I’ve never had sugar issues in my life but due to low carbs and almost no sugar I’ve lost to 125 pounds.
My labs are in normal range but I’ve just accepted there is no one who will ever help me and it’s the way I’ll always feel. I am now 52 and after a decade just pace myself and put on a smile no matter how people judge me for being unable but in their words why do you refuse or why can’t you? Thanks for this site
Rose
Tennessee
Oh my goodness! I’ve been reading over the comments & am blown away by the similarities.
I do not understand why doctors are reluctant to order the T3 or prescribe Armor. I’m going in to see my dr tomorrow morning to ask for a prescription of Armor, and if he refuses and can’t offer a reasonable explanation for why I shouldn’t take it I shall keep searching till I find someone who is willing to work with me.
bernadette
scotland
I have been to see my doctor on several occasions about my thyroid and asked about t 3 and I was told I didn’t need it, he said the reason for my symptoms were the fact that I have had five children and I was always active and my body is just getting tired he told me to go home and put my feet up and watch daytime tv. I am 63 years old but I also feel like 80 my joints ache so much I struggle to get up my ankles swell up. I have always looked after my health but now I have gained so much wait it depresses me I just want to feel normal again.
Paula
devon
Just read your letter on how you have been fobbed off, I have had thyroid problems for 20 years and lost my life then, I have now resorted to getting myself better, NHS have not researched enough into the thyroid as it would cost too much, I have searched the net and came across many books from America as they researched it more, it is like a minefield but I came across a book called “Thyroid Healthy” by Suzy Cohen a must read. Also “Stop the Thyroid Madness” by Janie A Bowthorpe I am not trying to sell these books I am just a person that has been so ill for so long I am taking matters into my own hand I really hope you do also as our doctors are only trained in TSH and T4 they are unable to help please don’t give up and accept this as your life Paula.
Miss_s
Texas
My endo has been great for the most part. My problem is when my GP bumped me up to 200mcg Synthrpid OMG I felt wonderful. I felt normal. Every ache in my body went away and I could actually live life again. Problem is my endo is concerned about over medicating and even though 200 put me high normal she has lowered me to 150 and the pains are returning. What can I say and present to her to have her at least try a T3 addition? So far she has been totally resistant and I need her to understand I know the high normal works. Thanks for any words.of advice.
Kathy
IL
Thank you for all the information. I too thought I was going crazy.
DS
Denton, TX
So fire the endo amd stick with the doctor who makes you feel good!
Fran Cattanach
United States, Pleasanton
Good information. Lucky me I recently found your blog by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!
carole
St.Petersburg Florida
This is day 2 on armour sfter reading People’s Pharmacy in my paper. I have been on synthetic thyroid for 40 years. The last 2 years have been so bad thst I thoutht I had fibromyslgia. E ery muscle in my body hurt. I woke up this morning without psin. My husband could hug me without me cringi g. I had normal test results and fought to get my medicine changed. Thank you for giving me back my life. Perhaps I will be able to eat again without fear of weight gain.
Sally
CA
I am so sorry for what you have gone through as I know how awful it is to be feeling like your life has gone and been replaced with a living nightmare. That cannot be over emphasized. When I found out that natural thyroid had been used prior to the invention of synthroid (1960’s) I immediately bought some online at the wallmart pharmacy. I took it and my brain fog and breathlessness stopped. My endo Dr. warned me not to take it saying my thyroid cancer would return. I read on the tinusant pamphlet that the pill has NOT been tested on animals for cancer and all of the four synthetic products I have used in the past four months have given me the worst breathing problems along with brain fog and tiredness. My husband and I own our own business and doing the bills took twice as long as I had trouble with the calculations which has never happened in 20 years!
I insisted on armour and my endo reluctantly prescribed it. It is just like the natural thyroid replacement hormone with no side effects for me. I am so relieved. I juice green vegetables with some fruit everyday to combat cancer returning and try my best to keep my body in an alkaline state using phytonutrients as my base and limiting meats and other acidic foods. I’ve switched from coffee to green tea so I think that will help too. I am eliminating sugars from my diet which I did before except for holidays. I really don’t have very much of a sweet tooth.
So I just wanted to validate your experience as not exaggerated and I pray that you can come into balance soon. I would get false eyelashes and wear them. Love and cyber hugs go out to you today from me. I am new to this site so really love and hugs go out to all my fellow hypothyroid sufferers.
Mohammed
Saudi Arabia
Sally from Calafornia. Thank you for your sweet and kind words. I am actually thinking very strongly to switch to Liothyronine (T3) or Armour. I am really troubbly feeling sick. Doctors over here don’t want to listen to us any more. All they want to see is the right levels produced by the computer and not paying attention of what we feel. So i decided to go for it and give it a try. Thank you again for the kind words. If you have any suggestions I would really appreciate it. Mohammed
Mohammed
Saudi Arabi
This is what I have been telling my doctors about but they don’t want to listen. I am tired of being tired, fatigue, no energy, depressed, muscle pain, constipation, dry skin, dry hair. This is excellent news and information. I am looking forward to see it happen.
Mohammed
vee
usa
Endocrinologist should be required to advertise that they do not prescribe Natural Hormones. It takes months to get an appointment with a Doctor practicing this specialty. My medical insurance changed and I was forced to find another option.
As a female who has suffered with disease for 15 years I can only express my personal journey. My disease presented after a serious accident and I gradually experienced the shear hell of an un-diagnosed; misdiagnosed disease for 8 months. Before being presented with this challenge my career was taking off I was 5’9 and 135 lbs. A day rarely went by with out someone commenting on my hair as beautiful. Obviously that all changed….a series of Dr visits; diagnosis of early menopause…still having a monthly period by the way, hair everywhere I had to cut it out of the vaumm to make it work!
I have so much to say but I don’t want to bore you. Fast forward, I gained over 70lbs in less than a year, was wearing scarves to stop people from staring at my scalp and being perceived as a looser eventually losing my job.
I found a women’s wellness practice and they brought back to life. It took 3 years but 2/3 of my hair returned along with some of my eyebrows but unfortunately not my eyelashes: my friends and family say I exaggerate but one knows their own body which brings us to the point of this blog. I used natural hormone it is FDA approved how dare these Practitioners of medicine not listen! This is a quality of life disease and therefore requires a less clinical approach and a more holistic one. As cited by a previous post, your health is everything! I wads 38 before they finally determined I had Hashimotos disease. The natural I will say has gone through a formula change since about 08 so it can use other fillers and bovine ergo the cow comment versus pig even sheep are being used this give the DEA more fodder to deny us the option. I may sound closed minded but my recent quest has led me to the conclusion the younger the Dr, the more reticent to prescribe. I have a lot more to add but I know this was a long post, perhaps if I receive a reply I will continue. Thanks to those who read the posting.
vee
Sorry for the typos I meant the youngster the Dr the less open to trying new things. I have gone through a flare up and am now considered hyper they are blaming it completely on the Natural Hormone. If I participate in the future I will keep it tighter.
John
United Kingdom
I had total thyroidectomy and RAI some 9 years ago. Complained for 8 years I was on the wrong medicine (levothyroxine – T4) and got stupid answers from doctor. Now moved onto Natural Desiccated Thyroid and my life is slowly sorting itself out. ALL doctors in my locality are now BANNED from prescribing NDT, so I am complaining formally that I should be prescribed NDT and monitored intelligently by my doctor.
I have told the medical authorities that I will attend their offices at any time for interview, armed with a video camera and a DVD ROM stuffed full of data and videos that would prove conclusively to any person who has any element of sanity that I am right and that a court case should be taken out against them.
Pat
Plainfield, IL
I had a thyroidectomy about 4 years ago; the worse mistake I’ve ever done, gained about 50 pounds, feel like crap, I’m unable to sleep, my migraines have gone from bad to worse, my feet hurt and my brain is foggy.
I started taking synthroid but it did not seem to work all the way to 125 a day but always my test came back normal but I did not feel normal, I was loosing my hair, my nails and no matter how many diets I was on it did not work then a Dr. prescribed Armour and started to feel good again but was not able to get it for a while and my regular Dr. felt this was not good and put me back to synthroid, here I go again feeling like crap and it was only a few weeks, I so tired and it seems that most Drs do not want to prescribe the Armor, I don’t understand it when this makes people feel so much better.
Feeling like this is so horrible, and Drs do not understand what you are feeling,, I want to get back to my normal self, but it’s so hard to get these pills, please let me know how to get them, it’s not easy to get them thru the pharmacy.
Sally
CA
While waiting for my armour I took natural thyroid. $12.00. They work fine. No brain fog, no breathing or heart problems, no tremors.
I refuse to spend even one more day living in a fog and unable to breathe right on synthroid or Levo- products. It may be the aluminum lake dye to color the pills but whatever the problem is with those pills I wish endo dr.s would get online to find just how many people suffer on them. I told my dr I felt like my life was taken from me on those pills. He thinks I need an anti- depressant. I’m so glad I found out about the natural pill which has been in use over 100 years prior to the1960’s when synthroid was created.
Kim
PA
Where do you find that? I’ve been undiagnosed for 3 years and they now have me taking Levothyroxine. All I want to do is sleep and my skin is drier and my thick hair is falling out by the handfuls. Even though I workout every day I have gained another 6 lbs on this medicine. I have been thin my whole life and now I’m up over 200 lbs. it’s frustrating when you do eat right 1300 calorie diet for as long as I can remember and excercise and nothing works.
Jewel
Tx
Kim…try the low carb high fat diet (aka ketogenic diet)…you will lose weight & feel better… 1300 calories is practically a starvation diet…
Good luck to you!!
Janie
Houston, TX
Where can I buy natural thyroid for $12 dollars? I am crying as I write this because I have felt like I am the only person in the world that is suffering on Synthroid. It is not working, and I feel awful all the time. Because my tests come back in the normal range, my doctor dismisses my complaints. I realize now that there are so many others with my same symptoms. I pray everyday that my search for the right doctor will end with the correct meds that will give me my life back. Thank you to everyone for sharing on this site. Your comments have given me hope and the courage to keep seeking help.
Mohammed
Saudi Arabia
So here is the deal. I have been suffering from hypothyroidism for a long long while like over 10+ years. typically I suffer from all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism especially depression and Fibromyalgia (continuous body muscle pain). I started anti-depressant pills prescribed by dr about a month ago since depression started to get all over me. I am not sure what it was, but it has been great since I started the anti-depressant pills. I have been sleeping well, been active all the time especially when I wake up to go to work early morning, I don’t feel like I am 100+ years old man, continuous muscle pain had vanished completely, yes that is wow…. started to talk with people as much as I tried to avoid them previously, making jokes, being funny and laughing with people. Here is what I have gathered, I thought maybe depression was caused by my hypothyroidism and it is killing me. Eradicating depression may also elevate my life style rather than living with depression and hypothyroidism. According to my dr, he will put me on anti-depressant for about a year then it will be kinda a firmware installed on my body. Whatever it is, I do not care. What I care about is that the fact that I feel great now compared to the previous years. Take care and I wish to all of you a relief from this issue.
Love you
Mohammed
Raquel
ct
Thanks for these useful tips I had thyroid cancer and my thyroid b was removed. I’m talking the lyvoth oxide ever since and feel like crap every day headaches brain fog no energy depression just to name a few.
Kerri
Syracuse, NY
I feel like this was describing me. I had a total thyroidectomy in Nov 2010 because of a tumor. I have never felt the same since. Even with a (finally) therapeutic TSH, I have experienced weight gain, sleep problems, fatigue, brain fog, muscle and joint aches, back pain, and headaches. I am 27 and feel like I’m 60! I have, every 6 months, brought my concerns to my endocrinologist. Every time, he tells me my numbers are fine. But, I am not. Isn’t that what matters? I am in the process of seeing a new physician, so all this information is great. I have reproductive hormone imbalance, they tell me I could be borderline diabetic, but I walk (on average) 7 miles a day at work alone and eat much better than most. I have gained 45 pounds in 6 months. It’s awful, I feel awful, which makes me feel depressed and even worse about myself. These forums make me feel a little less alone.
Tracy
TX
I am like you. I had a TT in Oct 2009 when I was 37 due to cancer and my health has gone downhill since then. I am 43, feel like I am 80 and am in the process of taking a disability retirement at work. My thyroid hormone levels have bounces all over the place since I had cancer and even when they are “normal”, I still have obvious symptoms of hypothyroidism. I decided to ask about NDT at my endo appointment last week and was told “I don’t prescribe that”. She said the amount of T3 in NDT was unstable and that my T3 levels were actually on the high side of normal – which I did not understand since apparently my TSH was high enough for her to bump me from 150 to 175 mcg of synthroid. If my body is not getting enough T4, how do I have a high T3? Argh! When I mentioned my hair loss, I was told to try Rogaine. Sigh. I am considering my options because I am tired of living like this. Admittedly, I do have other medical issues which are affecting my health, but it would be nice to get my thyroid issues under control so I can focus on the other stuff.
JoJo
fl
I am 28 and I also feel the same way. I keep telling the doctors that I feel tired and that my hair keepa falling out. they won’t prescribe me anything higher than .75 of Levothyroxn . I am very upset that my doctors told me there was nothing more they can do and actually even advised me to get a 2nd opinion. That was the only good news to come out of those visits. Everyone I know thinks it’s all in my head. my weak brittle hair, hair loss, dry skin, my lack of energy. Im 28 and feel like I’m 80. It’s tough with a family because you don’t want to keep complaining about your symptoms to your husband and you want to be there in the moment for your kids. I honestly feel like I am living a double life, one side I hide my symptoms and the side where I’m in constant struggle with myself to deal with it. I feel I shouldn’t have to DEAL with it. I want something that works for me! If anyone knows any true natural remedies other than taking medicine, please let me know.
Penny
Tennessee
Those of you out there that feel trapped on levothyroxine are stuck because you are going to doctors who either have a real financial vested interest in keeping you on this synthetic drug or they are under pressure by Endocrinology Associations to continue pushing that drug to keep all of the investors rich. I was going to an endo that was a speaker at medical conferences on behalf of Synthroid. When he began to see after 3 years on this drug I was still getting worse he no longer wanted me as a patient anymore. I was bringing down his overall success rate with Synthroid. What I finally did to fight this bureaucracy and weed through all the propaganda surrounding Synthroid vs. Armour was I began calling around and asking before even making an appt. Do they consider alternatives or is Synthroid my only choice if I come here?
I quickly learned that many of the specialists listed as bona fide Endos were least likely to consider Armour. Regular GPs and primary care types were more open likely due to less peer pressure from other Endos or their own lack of financial stake in the Synthroid drug itself. Finally I landed on a PCP who had no Endo peer pressure and no wall street stock in Synthroid and I finally got the switch I had been looking for. I just started this drug today. I pray it works because 3 years of Synthroid or its generic has practically killed me. I told this new and rare doctor that he was quite a find and that I was really counting on this switch of meds. I told him I felt I might die if we did not do something soon as my condition worsens every day yet my labs keep coming back normal too. I told him if another doctor said to me “your labs look great” again, I could not be held responsible for what might tumble out of my mouth as a result because I was so tired of hearing that phrase. He listened to me when I told him that these numbers might be ok for some people but not me. I cannot fit into the boxes these doctors wanted. His response was not only shocking but first time I ever heard a doc utter such words. He said: SYNTHROID IS NOT A “ONE SIZE FITS ALL” DRUG. Where had this doctor been all my life?
DS
Just curious. Is this a GP or a ” specialist”? How old, and what school? I didn’t know there WERE any doctors left that would treat the patient and LISTEN. I simply quit going to doctors and take no prescribed meds. I do take iodine and fermented cod liver oil and eat fermemted foods and supplements.
Penny
Nashville, TN
To answer your question, DS, he is a general practitioner in a family medical clinic at Hendersonville Hospital. He is in a practice with 2 other doctors. They are PCP’s. The one I see seems younger than me (I am 54) and he appears to still be “learning” from the main doctor of the practice. He seems not to be tainted yet (or burned by bad patients) and he was the first doctor I ran across totally open to switching to Armour. So they are out there, but my experience is that you really have to ask questions before wasting time and money at a doctor’s office who isn’t open to switching.
And just to update on my personal situation with the switch of meds: I noticed marked improvement by the second day of meds in a couple of areas where I was still having problems. One was my eyes were always dry (my old doctor was convinced I had Sjogrens Syndrome but after a painful lip biopsy, I did NOT have that) and very light sensitive and I had constant headaches and went around squinting all the time and all of that went away when I stopped the levothyroxine. Another thing that improved immediately was my anxiety levels. It used to really get bad and now I am more calm than I have been in ages. Other changes are there too, like improved digestion, others more subtle I suppose but I do think I am slowly getting better now that I am off of that synthetic drug.
Leigh
Mississippi
I live in Mississippi and keep having the same problem. My doctor did prescribe time released T3 to my levothyroxine, but it made my blood pressure to 180/120. I also think just the T4 alone elevates my blood pressure by 10 points or so. Thank you for any response.
Noella
NC
I had my thyroid completely removed in 2011 due to cancer. My Dr. absolutely refused to refer me to an endocrinologist. I pretty much begged him to let me try Armour. He got really angry and said “There is nothing normal about COW thyroid being used in a human!!” I laughed at him and said it’s not cow! Its pig! And what is so “natural” using man-made synthetic drugs. God made pigs-that’s natural enough for me!
I then went to my primary care dr. She thought I had sleep apnea and referred me to a neurologist for a sleep study thinking I had sleep apnea! So I waited months for the appointment… then another couple months for the sleep study and longer for the results of the test… all this time feeling horrible, exhausted, depressed, etc… I got the results… and NO sleep apnea.
I broke down and the neurologist asked what was wrong, so I explained the problem I was having getting a referral and she took care of that right then and there! I gave her the name and phone number I had been carrying with me for probably over a year… I finally got my appointment a couple months later.
This Dr. has changed my life. She took me off synthroid and let me try Armour. It has made a world of difference!
She also worked with my diabetes. Took me off of Actos and I’ve lost around 40l bs in 6 months! She is amazing and I’m so glad I didn’t give up! I feel better than I have in years!
MamaSN
SF Bay Area
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2007, put on Levothyroxine (T4) and Cytomel (T3) and felt great overnight. Six months later my doctor told me I only needed Levothyroxine. 7 years later, I had lost everything including custody of my children, I was diagnosed bi-polar, suicidal, spent a week in the psych ward and unable to work.
I did not even know that I had an auto-immune disease! Thanks to Devine intervention I read an article much like this and demanded Cytomel (T3) from my doctor who did not want to give it to me. I told him that I knew I was misdiagnosed all those years, he agreed reluctantly and one week later, I found myself driving with the music blasting, looking forward to the day and weekend to come.
I felt alive for the first time in years and had T3 to thank for it! We must be our own advocates! I have learned this the hard way.
Sally
California
I had a thyroidecotomy with papularily and folicular cancer cells. Had the RAI radiation whole body scan with no cancer showing up in the body. In four months I have breathing problems on synthroid , levothyroxine, tinusant and now levoxyl 88.
I want to go on armour but my endo said my cancer may come back due to too much t3. I think I may be allergic to the aluminum dyes in the pills. Now I have asked for a capsule to see if that will help. I want to go to a naturalopathic dr but my insurance won’t pay for it. My endo wants to put me on anti- depressant drugs something I have never taken in my life! He is young and doesn’t seem to hear me when I tell him the side effects for synthroid is difficulty in breathing brain fog and tiredness. So very frustrating!
nancy
Los Angeles, Californi
Thank you!!!!!! Had my thyroid removed more than 20 years ago–nightmare. Turns out I didn’t even need it out and my health and life have been in downward spiral ever since! All iatrogenic. Attacked when I dare to bring in journal articles, etc.
Good luck to everyone!
Patty
Columbus, Ohio
This is a awesome article. I had a Dr. who was great and listened then she stopped practicing family meds. It took a couple of years and lots of appointments to find a Dr who would listen. I had my thyroid removed in 2011 and have been on a compound of t3/t4 and do great. Synthroid did nothing but give me issues. There are others in my family who cannot take it either.
Kenneth Woliner, MD
Boca Raton, FL
I know of no other part of medicine, besides Thyroid treatment, that is so “dogmatic”, allowing for only one way of treating patients. There are countless patients in my practice that have had symptom relief, without adverse consequences, by the mere addition of T3 hormone to their thyroid regimen. Thank goodness that there are at least a few doctors out there willing to prescribe the drugs patients do best on.
Barbie
washington
It was terrible for me. Debilitating muscle pain and fatigue.
Marie K.
New York
Definitely going to mention this to my new PCP. I’ve been on Synthroid for years, have had dosage adjustments and still feel like crap. Losing my hair, gaining weight, feeling lethargic and frequent headaches. Something has to give. Thanks for the informative article.
sherry c.
wisconsin
Apon reading this article that my wonderful daughter in law sent to me, I thought you were writing about me. It describes me almost exactly. I visited my doctor yesterday and told him I can no lo her deal with the pain ,I asked him to take me off of the statin drug for awhile as I have been told that its a possibility that my pain is coming from the atorvastatin. 41 yrs ago I had surgery where they removed a portion of my thyroid and have been on medication since. I am so happy to learn about this as my daughter also suffers from these same symptoms. I am flabbergasted by this. What we need is a support group. Thanks.
Jacqueline S.
Lot & Garonne, France
This is all very interesting, and I have had back pain, cognitive problems and sleep and weight problems that have improved but not disappeared by any means since I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem some 17 or so years ago. Even then, my tsh was only borderline, but I was given 25 mg of thyroxine because my doctor had tried everything else. When I knew I needed more, again it didn’t show up, but by that time we were living in France and my French doctor took my word for it and increased my dose to 50 mg. So my question is how do I explain, or show him these new findings in French?
Debbie Graeber
Oregon
As I am reading these blogs, I am fighting tears. I am in the same boat as most of you. It would take me an hour to tell you all I’ve been through with my thyroid nightmare. I will shorten it and see if anyone might be able to encourage me before I totally give in to this and assume I will feel this way the rest of my life. I have been on Armour Thyroid 12 or 13 years. During that time, i felt great, except for the couple of years I went through menopause. I am 58 years old now. 4 months ago i saw a new doctor. She checked my TSH and said i was way out of normal range (hypo) she asked me if she could change me med to Levothyroxine. My dumb answer was “I guess so. You’re the Dr.” Very dumb answer. Over the next 6 weeks, i started feeling yucky, went in again, had my tsh tested. It was within “normal” range, so I let her give me another month of Levo, after which i went back and asked to be put back on Armour. She reluctantly agreed to it. I took it for 6 weeks at 90 mg. Still didn’t feel like my old self, saw a new doctor, who said she wanted to try me on Levo again. I was hesitant, but she said she would adjust the dosage accordingly. She gave me 125 mcg. 6 weeks later I made a trip to ER, with blurred vision, dizziness, etc. After checking my tsh, found I was now Hyperthyroid. Way worse than hypo. I had a followup last week with my doctor and she adjusted it to 112 mcg. So here I sit, still with blurred vision at times, light headeness, sick to my stomach most of the time with little appetite. It’s even kind of humerous that I no longer like coffee. Sorry this is long, but this is a true story, and I’ve even had panic attacks, and serious depression. I take a Lorazepam when I feel totally desperate. I do not want to take an anti depressant. I want to beat this. If anyone reads this, and you can encourage me, i would be Forever grateful. Thank you.
Jewel
Tx
Debbie…Please find a doctor that will listen to You and prescribe Armour…this is your body and your life…You deserve to feel good…don’t let these doctors bully you!! You can find a doc that will listen and when you do hang on to them!!!
Mohammed
Saudi Arabia
Debbie…. I am not sure if you ever had anti-depressant previously. But people with depression tend to refuse to take ant-depressant while being depressed and I was one of those people. It is true that hypothyroidism causes depression and also it is true that depressed people not necessary have hyperthyroidism. In my case I think I have hypothyroidism and depression like two in one. Sounds like one of those products take one and get one for free……. :) …. two different cases.
So here is the deal. I have been suffering from hypothyroidism for a long long while like over 10+ years. typically I suffer from all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism especially depression and Fibromyalgia (continuous body muscle pain). My T3, T4 and TSH levels have been on and off levels all the time and must do blood test every 6 months. I have been in levo for 10+ years after taken nuclear medicine therapy using radiopharmaceuticals so my thyroid is completely dead and does not produce any T3,T4 hormones.
New discovery…..I started anti-depressant pills prescribed by dr about a month ago since depression started to get all over me. I am not sure what it was, but it has been great since I started the anti-depressant pills. I have been sleeping well, been active all the time especially when I wake up to go to work early morning, I don’t feel like I am 100+ years old man, continuous muscle pain had vanished completely, yes that is wow…. started to talk with people as much as I tried to avoid them previously, making jokes, being funny and laughing with people. Here is what I have gathered, I thought maybe depression was caused by my hypothyroidism and it is killing me. Well, I don’t care if my depression was caused by my hypothyroidism or by something else… Eradicating my depression may also was the cause of elevating my life style now rather than living with depression and hypothyroidism in the same time. According to dr, he will put me on anti-depressant for about a year then it will be kind of a firmware installed on my body/brain. Whatever it is, I do not care. What I care about is that the fact that I feel great now compared to the previous years. Take care and I wish to all of you a relief from this issue forever..
Yvonne
New patient- put on 50 mcg Tirosint for 6 weeks- no changes noted…was just increased to 75mcgs 5 days ago- no changes noted so far… my endocrinologist refuses to prescribe the T3/T4 combination medication… changing to new endo next week…
Eleanor S.
Virginia
I’ve been wondering why I had no energy — I thought it was my fibromyalgia or just approaching old age! I hope my endocrinologist will listen to me — I like him a lot. After reading the article on statins, I was about ready to attribute my fatigue to the simvastatin that I take. Now I wonder if it gave me and my husband Type 2 Diabetes! The article on limitation of sodium for heart patients disgusts me — why can’t the esteemed specialists change their guidance if it’s warranted, and it appears that it is! My husband is fatigued all the time and has been ever since he was diagnosed with heart failure and had an ICD implanted. In fact, he has never felt as well as he did before the implant. He takes many, many prescription drugs, the most frightening among them, Amioderone or Pacerone. This drug most likely was responsible for the death of a good friend of ours (fibrous lung disease). Sometimes we wonder just how safe many of our prescription drugs are, and how much our doctors actually know about their possible side effects!
Sheila
Arizona
The seaweed dulse is a really great source of iodine! It’s inexpensive and can be bought in a flake form so you can just sprinkle it on whatever you want to. It has a bit of a sort of seafood or mild fishy taste of course, but if you don’t like seafood (like me) it’s worth it knowing you’re getting something so vital to your health! Look it up :-)
Cindi R.
Portage, IN
I have had hypothyroidism for 30 years. The first 20 or so years were spent on Synthroid and the dosage needed to be adjusted almost yearly and I generally felt like crap! Once I got on Armour about 10 years ago, my levels have stayed within normal range and no adjustments in dosage have been needed. I am 57 and in good health, take no other medications, am able to run circles around my 30 year old, and, generally, have no complaints. I feel the Armour is what keeps all of this in check. I have just this week been going round and round with my insurance company who has determined that Armour is now non-formulary and that they will only cover Synthroid… I am not accepting that and refuse to go back to Synthroid! I do consider Armour a “medical necessity” for me, and tons of other people, for continued good health!
K. Christensen
Me: Hashimoto’s (verified by testing anti-bodies) and very low adrenals (this commonly travels with low thyroid and must be treated first before giving thyroid meds –this is in the Armour info paper insert included with the medication). Which tests to take? See stopthethyroidmadness dot com site. Other good sites: womentowomen dot com (all female MDs) and Mary Shomon (thyroid patient advocate at about dot com). Plus People’s Pharmacy and look up Yahoo groups. Also search Top Thyroid Docs (all patient recommended)–that’s how I found mine.
Keep in mind the history of Synthroid and the TSH test…Armour has been around since the l880s (desiccated pig thyroid) and worked well until the invention of the TSH test (which tests the feedback loop between thyroid and pituitary, not actual thyroid hormones, if you can fathom that!). Synthroid is one of the most profitable and best-selling drugs in the world (synthetic T-4 storage hormone) and doctors were taught to use the TSH test to sell Synthroid. Problem is, many people do not convert T4 into T3 (energy) hormone very well, or their adrenals are stressed or there’s a common Reverse T3 problem (a sort of limbo where the hormone doesn’t get utilized). Many possibilities where the thyroid is not functioning properly. ..
Synthroid is strictly dosed according to the “normal” range while back before the TSH test, doctors gave Armour, upping the dosage until the low-thyroid symptoms went away. This TSH test reliance has been making people fat and tired for nearly 40 years.
Please do your homework, you can actually order tests yourself and find a doctor who knows what they are doing. It is not Mars rocket science. This is what saved me. It is worth the effort!!
Vicki
UK
I have been on thyroid medication for years,my hair falls out daily and I have digestion problems…I went for a blood test over 2 years ago and she hurt me so badly I have not been back. I know that’s a bad idea, but the thought of being hurt again has made me phobic…I have read a lot of the comments on here and to be honest, I don’t know how I am supposed to ‘feel’ anymore.I find it very hard to sleep and the saying ‘foggybrain’ makes me smile, because that’s exactly how I feel.
James Clarke
United States
I have been on levo,levo with cytomel,and armour and last two made my shins itch like crazy and levo by itself made me feel very sluggish. Thought it might because of the winter time dry skin. I got off of the armour a couple of weeks ago and the itching stopped. I was waiting for the low energy and flu symptoms to start but they have not. They usually start around 3 days after i haven’t had my meds. I feel the same as I did before I went off my meds. I have been juicing with green vegetables and other kinds of vegetables with different fruits plus I throw in some earth greens that I buy and started using tumeric also. No set forumula for it. Now I itch very very little and no itching on my shins. Not recommending this to anyone but it works for me. Suppose to see the dr soon after I get blood drawn. I will see what my tests say.
Pat
London
My experience of levothyroxine only was hellish. A nightmare. When T3 was added to a reduced T4, I felt so much better but on T3 alone I am now well. How can they insist on levothyroxine only when people are complaining.
Another huge problem is having your medication adjusted to the TSH which bears no comparison. Why are blood tests ‘treated’ rather than the patients’ clinical symptoms.
This is a very important case which is being considered by the the Scottish Parliament now of one patient’s experience of levothyroxine only treatment and the whole horrible system.
http://thyroidnation.com/fighting-back-we-deserve-change/
Judi Moore
Milton Keynes, UK
Now all we have to do is get doctors and Endocrinologists to agree that there is more to thyroidism than a simple bloodtest, within a single set of parameters, and a one-size-fits-all treatment.
How do we make the medical fraternity listen?
Jeff
United States
I’m 47, hypo, on thyroid medicine, I’m curious about trying armour??? So tired, sleepy all the time, something needs to change.
Elaine
Western New York
My doctor refused to prescribe Armor Thyroid…but I have a question: would levothyroxine be the cause of my eyelids puffing up, turning red and itchy and then getting scaly?
Victoria
Texas
My thyroid was removed 5 1/2 years ago due to cancer. I went from Energizer Bunny to Susie Slug. Doctor after doctor said that I couldn’t feel bad because my numbers were perfect. Two of them even suggested a good psychiatrist. Cytomel in addition to Synthroid made no difference.
Finally, a year and a half ago, I found a doctor who, reluctantly, switched me to Armor. Within two weeks I had improved significantly, though am still somewhat lacking in energy. I have said all along that it must be something at the cellular level, and cried when I read your article. I plan on printing it along with the documentation from PubMed and send copies to all the doctors who have been blowing me off. Thanks for the work you do Graedons!
todd
minnesota
I have looked at the diffrent symptom checks. The last one I did I have had all symtoms. I went to doctor did a blood test. They say it is in normal range. The number for TSH level was low end of normal. I think something is missed but am being told there is no reason for retesting. Any ideas would be helpful.
sue w
Hinckley
My T3&T4 sat they are normal. I am still sick . No one believes me there is something else wrong. How do I convince them to help me.
kell
pa
I’m proof its all crap! 10 years ago I was diagnosed. I had severely low levels. After telling doctors it wasn’t working for years, I stopped taking it a year ago. Stopped eating gluten. I told them I was still on my meds 6 months ago for my blood work.. And it was in “normal” range.. They are liars!
Sally
United States
I took the radioactive Iodine 26 years ago. I have been asking for years for Armour. I am 52 and I feel 72. I have digestive problems, always tired, achy muscles, headaches and backaches. I had one doctor tell me I had to learn to live with these symptoms. As I get older they are getting worse. I need to try something different. I also believe that generic synthroid varies in dosage from month to month.
Kaara
United States
I have been on thyroid medications for over 20 years. About 5 years ago I went to a doctor who specialized in BHT and he put me on cytomel along with my synthroid and I began to feel better. Recently I was switched to Naturthroid which contains both T4 and T3. It was hard to get so my recent doctor switched me to Armour which also has T4 and T3. I’m also taking iodine (12.5 mg daily) My thyroid levels are now testing at the low end of normal and I feel good but would like to feel better and regrow some of the hair I’ve lost. I will be asking my doctor to increase my dosage as well a the iodine dosage at my next visit.
Gina
kentucky
why won’t the doctor prescribes this for me?
DONNA D.
BILOXI, MS.
what if you have no thyroid, I have been taking Levothyroxin 325 mcg 3 years I have been getting some of these symptoms
Trish
California
Well, I’ve been trying to tell the doctor all the same things listed above. I thought I was going out of my mind! After 2 years pre-diagnosis, 2 1/2 yrs after thyroid removal, finally the doctor is listening to me. I was allergic to Synthroid and I told him I wanted a COMPOUNDED T4 and T3 medication, specifically suited to me. I took a blood test every month (prior to taking my daily meds) until the doctor and the pharmacy have reached the correct dose for ME. All my bad symptoms are going away and I lost 6 lbs in a month (I had gained 35 lbs since my thyroid removed). I am feeling like my old self again. So, the moral of this story is …. fight for what you need to feel better, tell the doctor of your research, demand you be put on a compounded blend that is made for YOU (no two thyroid problems are alike). I wish you all wellness!
Carol
MS
THANK YOU. Wish this article could be sent to every Physician!
Linda
Thank you for publishing this article. More endocrinologists need to be updated on the newest researches. I had to change endo 4 times before I could find one who was willing to supplement me with Cytomel (T3). For years, I was suffering with all the typical hypothyroid symptoms while my TSH level was normal. Finally, a younger endocrinologist suggested that I add cytomel to my regimen. I have never felt so much better.
Mary
Santa Fe New Mexico
While taking either Thyroid (from Canada) or Armour for Grave’s induced hypothyroid I continued to have hypothyroid symptoms despite normal test values. The worse symptom was incapacitating headaches which I hadn’t attributed to thyroid levels. These headaches eventually became daily and nothing would take them away. They would start around 3:00am and then build throughout the morning and day. Late one morning as I was having one of the headaches I realized I hadn’t taken my thyroid medication. I took it and within 15 minutes my headaches were gone.
What I discovered is I needed to take the thyroid medication twice daily. Since doing this I was headache free for one month until I became hyperthyroid. So my dosage has been decreased the headaches remain gone and I feel so much better. I have more energy and less pain.
Lisa H.
Belmont NC
Have had my thyroid levels checked (last Summer) and yes, they too all came back within “Normal” range, yet I feel like a 99 year old most days (I’m 52).. My job for 3 1/2 years certainly did not help my energy (getting up at 4 am weekdays) but that job just ended this past week. I hope to be able to reach out to my primary doc (once again) this year so to have levels re-checked. I have heard though that a decline in iodine can be the culprit. The salt intake today is not what it should be with millions not getting adequate iodine in their diets with regular table salt. I don’t really want to end up on a synthetic drug, so will keep researching this vast subject. I’ve always wondered though why thyroid issues seemingly are apparent in women versus men.
Brenda
Usa
They could have saved a bunch of animals and listened to us, the patients!
I have watch the price of Synthroid quadruple in a short time. It works better than the Levo (generic) – a lot better for some reason with me. Insurance will not cover it. My endo of 20 years stopped filing United Health Care years ago. So, I have had limited options. My health has declined. I feel 80 years old every day. It is hard to push every day when you are so tired. I will be asking about this Monday. Thanks for the info.
K. Christensen
A few things here. ..scrolling from bottom to top of comments. First, pork is a white meat, not red. Armour is natural desiccated thyroid from pigs and was the sole treatment from roughly the 1880s to about 1970 about when the TSH test came into popular use. Before the TSH test, doctors gave Armour thyroid in dosages until the patient felt and functioned better; problem managed. No profit motive, just good health for the patient. No adverse events reported. Have you noticed that that was about the time that we started seeing many more people with weight issues? Could it be from poor thyroid treatment as well as our factory food system? Synthroid and the TSH test work hand-in-hand for a major profit motive since Synthroid is one of the most prescribed and most profitable drugs taken around the world.
Doctors were not taught in med school that there was any alternative set-up (TSH range/Synthroid) and the drug sales people told them that Armour (or other natural desiccated thyroid meds like Nature-throid or West-throid) weren’t “properly titrated” or the “dosages weren’t predictable” or “it wasn’t approved by the FDA.” I heard all of this nonsense myself from MDs.
But thyroid issues are more complex and most doctors weren’t taught this or cannot be bothered to keep up with research. And some of them are just plain sexist.
As a Hashimoto’s patient (diagnosed by requested anti-body tests) who was thrown out of more than one doctor’s office for even asking about NDT, I suggest the important idea that doctors cannot put you on any med without your permission. It is your body and your life and whatever they do, doesn’t affect them, it impacts you!
Regarding thyroid issues (and adrenal which usually travels with thyroid), I suggest subscribing to patient advocate Mary Shomon’s columns, reading StopTheThyroidMadness dot com site, People’s Pharmacy (OF COURSE), womentowomen dot com (female MDs site), getting involved in thyroid patient groups (Yahoo has some) for the patient experience perspective and searching under Top Thyroid Doc list. I found my doctor from it.
No guarantees, but better than so many of the dinosaurs out there. Also learn about the problem with Reverse T3 as well as adrenal issues.
I promise you that if you put the time into educating yourself from all of the listed sources, thinking and considering what your options are (after getting the correct tests which can be done on your own), you’ll know right away if you have a worthy doctor as well as a good idea how to manage your health.
Sonja
Norway
I live in a country where only synthetic hormone replacement is possible, unless you are lucky to have a GP who don’t care what their medical colleagues and endocrinologists says, and prescribes natural hormones. You can not get these medications on plain prescription, you have to get them on prescription with special approval from the authorities and it is not everyone who gets that. It may also take weeks and even months to get that medications from your pharmacy.
I have had a lot of struggle myself, I was on T4-medication only, for 13 years after first going with hypothyroidism untreated for at least 11 years since I was 17 or 18. Five years ago I got medication with natural hormones, and for these last years I have been feeling healthy and well, I lost some of my extra weight and got my life back. The 13 years of synthetic T4 did not make me healthy, I gained a lot of weight – so much that I needed gastric bypass surgery. I was sleepy, I could sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day without feeling awake. I had diarrhea and loose stools every day for years, had oedemas, poor memory, poor concentration, I was depressive, had difficulty learning new things, trouble reading books, had increasingly iron deficiency, B12 and vitamin D deficiency, large menstrual ailments etc etc. My blood levels showed that I got more and more hypothyroid simultaneously as I had the highest dose of the T4, I had symptoms from an under active thyroid and side effects from too high dose at the same time – extra palpitations, muscle pain, stiffness and more. All the side effects, and all the symptoms from my under active thyroid disappeared as soon as I got the natural medications. Now I don’t have symptoms from my thyroid at all, and no side effects from the medication! I still lack vitamin D and B12, but that may follow the weight loss surgery as well as being thyroid problems.
Linda
Atlanta
I’m glad you are getting the word out that many Dr. just stick w what they know and refuse to listen to the latest research. People have to take control of their own health!
My numbers were always in the normal range. Two well respected endocrinologists basically told me it was all in my head. I finally found an integrative medicine Dr who worked w me. She started w Armour and went from there. I take two extended release compounded pills a day. My insurance would prefer I was on snythroid or Armour, but she checks my levels every 6 months and prescribes what my body needs- not what the insurance companies and Dr would make more money off of.
Lester
oregon
This is exactly what I went through- years of feeling awful on synthroid and having my doctor tell me I was imagining my symptoms. If you are going through this- just switch doctors. If your current doctor isn’t listening to you now, they probably never will. I found a new doctor who practiced integrative medicine, and she was the first person to even mention Armour to me. I’ve been on it for 5 years now and feel amazing- like a real person rather than the zombie I used to be
sara f.
uk
I am on 225mgs of levothyroxine, would the armour thyroid work for me?
Amanda
New York
If it is really the T3 that is needed (normally converted from T4) then why take the T4 at all? Why not just take the T3? I am sure there must be a simple answer.
Ginger
San Diego
I started out on levothyroxine then Cytomel was added to my drug regimen when I continued to do poorly. Unfortunately, after a year I was no better, still getting constant infections, was sluggish and depressed, my hair was falling out, I was still gaining weight, etc.
The day I started Armour was a revelation. I could think again and had the follow through to act on my thoughts that I hadn’t had in years. I lost twenty pounds in a few months and feel energetic and happy. I haven’t had any infections in a year and a half.
Doctors need to understand that one size does not fit all and treating symptoms and not the root cause is a recipe for disaster.
michele
Ridgefield, CT
I’ve been on levothyroxine for over 35 years, since moving to the US in 2010 I have felt worse and worse even though my TSH levels are within range.
I joined a Thyroid discussion group, did a lot of research and have decided NDT is the way to go. My Dr was reluctant but I pushed for the TFT (Thyroid Function Test) as opposed to a TSH test, the difference is it will show T3 and T4 levels as well. Once I get the results next week I will push for a change in prescription to Armour or Westhroid.
I do not understand why we have to keep changing Dr’s until we find one who will listen, at the end of the day we pay to visit our Dr so they should listen to us.
Erin
san diego
Taking T3 changed my life.
Dixie F.
Canada
What do you do if you live in Canada and they do not offer Armour? My levels have been coming back normal for years and I still suffer with a lot of the symptoms. What do they have in Canada for a T3 supplement?
Pam
Tennessee
I would like to know what this would mean for someone like me. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism four years ago and am currently on Levothyroxin 88MCG. I still have major issues as far as remembering things (foggy brain). Is this an issue I can have corrected by additional medication? it is very frustrating.
dawn
uk
Canada has Erfa natural thyroid
mary s.
1115 school st. henry, ill 61537
I would like to feel better. I have had hypothyroidism for many years.
Jo
ohio
I am crying reading these comments because I am where so many of you are: Certain that my thyroid treatment isn’t right but being pooh-poohed by my doctors. I’ve taken Synthroid 30 years and now wonder how many of my myriad of health issues (anemia and iron transfusions, heart attack and just recently a seizure out of nowhere) is due to improper thyroid medication. I’m scared and frustrated.
Hrefna
Iceland
Hi and thanks for the article. I’m wondering, if your TSH and T3 is ok in your blood work (almost in the middle of the range) but you still feel lousy, is there a reason to try natural meds or add T3? My doctor doesn’t think so and I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia as well as Hashimoto. But I’m not sure… It all started to manifest when my thyroid problems started.
lorraine c
United Kingdom
Fibromaylagia when you have hypothyroidism is just that, undertreated hypothyroidism. Been there. You most probably have insufficient t3 in the cells. You should read up on all thyroid sites on Facebook, stopthethyroidmadness, thyroid change, hypothyroidmom, Thyroid UK etc. Millions of us are waking up to the mess that is thyroid treatment.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/related_conditions/Fibromyalgia-medical-mystery-solved.html
Bj
delaware
I finally found a doctor who was happy to prescribe cytomel for me, however my body did not like even the tiniest dose. I then tried cutting that in 4. I felt very hyper. My labs show my ft is in lower range, but can not tolerate added t3……any suggestions??
dawn
uk
I couldn’t tolerate straight t3 in cytomel either. Problems I have which seems to cause that are all or one of..
iron deficiency and adrenal insufficiency
folate and b12 deficiency don’t help either, but think maybe I could still have taken it with just those as problem.
Mary
NM
I have Hashinoto’s and my labs have always been mostly “normal”. TSH is the doc’s go to and has only been abnormal twice in 10 years but antibodies are almost always abnormal. A year ago I was finally able to get my doc to start meds and was prescribed Synthroid. I consistently had normal tests but had in most cases worsened symptomatology. I could not lose weight, my hair falls out, I’m almost always depressed and in a brain fog, have problems staying asleep and am always tired. Finally, I’ve been able to start Armour!!!! I’ve only been on it a week and am already feeling less depression and brain fog. My co-workers have asked what’s changed because in the last couple of days they’ve noticed the difference as well. I can’t wait to see how much further the changes will go after more time.
Sonja
Norway
I live in a country where only synthetic hormone replacement is possible, unless you are lucky to have a GP who don’t care what their medical colleagues and endocrinologists says, and prescribes natural hormones. You can not get these medications on plain prescription, you have to get them on prescription with special approval from the authorities and it is not everyone who gets that. It may also take weeks and even months to get that medications from your pharmacy.
I have had a lot of struggle myself, I was on T4-medication only, for 13 years after first going with hypothyroidism untreated for at least 11 years since I was 17 or 18.
Five years ago I got medication with natural hormones, and for these last years I have been feeling healthy and well, I lost some of my extra weight and got my life back. The 13 years of synthetic T4 did not make me healthy, I gained a lot of weight – so much that I needed gastric bypass surgery. I was sleepy, I could sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day without feeling awake. I had diarrhea and loose stools every day for years, had oedemas, poor memory, poor concentration, I was depressive, had difficulty learning new things, trouble reading books, had increasingly iron deficiency, B12 and vitamin D deficiency, large menstrual ailments etc etc. My blood levels showed that I got more and more hypothyroid simultaneously as I had the highest dose of the T4, I had symtoms from an underactive thyroid and side effects from too high dose at the same time – extra palpitations, muscle pain, stiffness and more. All the side effects, and all the symptoms from my underactive thyroid disappeared as soon as I got the natural medications. Now I don’t have symptoms from my thyroid at all, and no side effects from the medication! I still lack vitamin D and B12, but that may follow the weight loss surgery as well as being thyroid problems.
Ed S.
United States
I found your article very interesting. I had my thyroid gland removed in September. I have found that I get very tired during the day but have a hard time sleeping at night. I wake up often and find that I finally fall asleep around 3am and can sleep till 10am.
I take Levothyroxine 0.112 mg.
Do you find any connection with my symptoms and my dosage? I have been able to maintain my weight without too much trouble.
Thanks for any information you can give me.
B Foley
I have been on Armour thyroid for 40+ years after having surgery for Graves’ disease. Other family members have Hashimotos. One of the biggest problems with medication based on blood tests is the old reliance on TSH. The cardiologist wants to reduce your thyroid meds based on TSH if you are having some episodes of palpitations. Maybe it’s the caffeine? The GP wants to reduce it based on the TSH because she worries about osteoporosis. Only my prescribing GYN is knowledgable about the various T3 and T4 bloodwork and doesn’t worry about the TSH. The constant battle with physicians over TSH levels being too low and wanting to adjust your meds regardless of other symptoms and blood work causes doubt and dismay. When you have a genetic family history of thyroid disease why is it assumed that your body converts the T4 to T3 correctly? No one questions genetic cholesterol regardless of diet. Thanks so much for your work keeping us informed.
Christine
Hollidaysburg, PA
My brother has Downs Syndrome and takes 150 mcg for hypothyroidism. He is like a slug when taking the medicine. When he doesn’t take it, he is engaging, talks, laughs, interacts; when he takes the synthroid, it is a struggle to get him to the bathroom without him being carried. The doctors put their money on the TSH test and synthroid or generic. They do not want to do comprehensive testing. Where can I go? Is there a listing of doctors who are willing to listen to the patient and take their symptoms seriously? I am at my whits end.
Jenny
GA
Christine, I was having the same problems on Synthroid. I spent three years on it AFTER having to switch doctors to one willing to listen and take me off the Levothyroxine because that one majorly screwed me up. The Synthroid barely corrected the damage it did. So, I did a bit of googling and researching. The doctor I currently have put me straight on nature-throid at our first visit and allows me to raise and lower my own dosage according to my symptoms.
A good place to start would be getrealthyroid.com. They have a link to find pharmacies in your area that carry nature-throid, and those pharmacies would be able to give you a list of doctors willing to prescribe.
If you want a different one, like Armour, same thing. Just call up local pharmacies and ask if they dispense and who prescribes.
Felix
Dallas, TX
Try looking for thyroid yahoo groups they have many links for docs there. I have found much information myself there. Sadly no docs in my area I can visit but I may be visiting an out of town one soon. Also try stop the thyroid madness site good info there.
Jenelle Hickman
Lawrenceville, GA
Is this a prescription or OTC medication? Where can I get it?
Felix
Dallas, TX
Try looking for thyroid yahoo groups they have many links for docs there. I have found much information myself there. Sadly no docs in my area I can visit but I may be visiting an out of town one soon. Also try stop the thyroid madness site good info there.
dawn
uk
It is prescription only so you have to find a nice doctor who cares and is brave enough to face the dogma of his T4 /TSH worshipping peers.
Marilyn M.
United States
I took Synthroid for 18 years. Gained weight, constipated, depressed, lost hair and was always tired. I “begged” my Dr. to let me at least try Armour. He did, and there’s been a huge difference.
My Dr. knows very little about Hypothyroidism so it’s up to me to do research on it. He does a TSH blood test and if it stays below 5 he thinks I’m good. Well, I don’t feel good unless it’s around 1 or 2 but that doesn’t seem to matter. I’m just happy he gave me Armour. I don’t know the best time to take this Med but I’m reading a lot of people take it at night. I’ve been on Armour for 5 years and feel so much better… I’m 76 years old and it’s the only Med I take, but it’s been a work in progress.
I take 90 Mg but he wants me to take 90 one day and 60 the next, I don’t usually do it because I feel better taking 90Mg daily. Why is this such a difficult problem to solve? To me, it should be simple and go according to how each person feels. Synthroid is where the money is…
Armour is where the “feel good” is…..
KDelphi
Ohio
Ohio Medicaid has me stuck on levothyroxine….I have gained 10s of pounds, feel depressed, irritable, tired, memory problems, etc….but just try getting Medicaid to prescribe you anything but the cheapest substitutes and you can forget it…we are also not allowed to buy any prescriptions with cash, or we lose Medicaid…
If PP is concerned about American’s health, they should talk more about single payer health insurance….is Medicaid better than nothing? Sometimes…but sometimes, we might be better off with charity care (which we cannot accept now) HR 676 Medicare for All
Victoria
United States
My thyroid went south in 2000. I was put on Unithroid. Even though my TSH tests came back “normal” I felt like crap. I did a lot of reading and came across the T3 factor. I went through 6 doctors before I could get one to listen to me. I found a doctor who put me on straight Cytomel (T3). I can not take generic T3. There was a remarkable difference in 2 days! About 4 years ago I lost that doc, because she moved. I went to another endocrinologist who promptly put me back on Unithroid, because he didn’t believe anyone needed extra T3. Again, I experienced the weight gain, dry skin, depression, etc. After an internet search, I found my old doc. She was incredulous that the endocrinologist I had seen would change me from Cytomel back to Unithroid when I had been doing so well. I would highly recommend that anyone who can’t get their doc to listen to them and at least try T3, move on to another doc until you find one that will work with you.
Karin
Tecopa, CA
I suffered for years until I found an amazing endocrinologist who understood that, if my body HAD been able to convert my own T4 to T3, I would not have been hypothyroid in the first place! Compounded thyroid saved my life! She also explained that TSH tests are less than reliable because, after trying for a period of time to stimulate higher conversion of T4-to-T3, the body normalizes to low thyroid levels and stops producing higher levels of TSH. Hence so many false reports of adequate thyroid levels based on TSH tests.
Maureen
Dallas
This is amazing info about the thyroid T4 and T3. I have previously ordered the People’s Pharmacy materials discussing this topic. Again, informative, but what’s lacking are “resources.” Not every MD and endocrinologist appreciate informed patients. I would find valuable a list of endocrinologists who can treat the problem rather than dismiss the patient. Are such resources available? How can I find a doctor? Much too expensive (financially and Heath-wise) to “shop around.”
Deficient T3
NC
Yes, the most help we who are suffering with thyroid issues could have is a list of responsible doctors willing to LISTEN, RESEARCH, and treat according to symptoms, since this problem is so variable. How ridiculous the specialists are so arrogant instead of helpful and informed! If only we could have a little star next to the names of doctors who went into medicine to truly help people, not just earn a fat living…
I’m just beginning my treatment and am having a very difficult time finding a doctor who fits the bill. I’ve only found one doctor in my family practice to listen to my own research, who was even reticent to change my generic synthroid to Tirosint when I was having GI issues. That solved that, but I know I still need T3 due to iron and B12 deficiency, symptoms, etc. and am waiting (3 months now) to see my first endocrinologist. Sad, sad health system we have. On a positive note, the Tirosint has greatly improved my long-term depression and I have been able to go off anti-depressants, which I have been on for about 10 years :-)
Joanna
Houston, Tx
I have had exactly the same experience over the past 18 years. I feel much better on Armour Thyroid. My endo wants me on a combination or Synthroid and cytomel because he doesn’t like the ratios of t3 to t4 in Armour. Armour costs me $10 per month and the combination costs me $85 per month. I feel the same on either so it infuriates me that he won’t consider the monthly costs. It is a struggle every time I see him.
Courtney
Virginia
I find your article very interesting. I have been on Synthroid for about 4 years. At one point I could not even stay awake. My doctor and I finally decided on an appropriate dose that seems to work well. The biggest change I made though, after reading another article, was taking my medicine at night instead of in the morning. HUGE difference!!!! I can’t say it will work for everyone but I now have much more energy in the day. Life and attitude changing.
Mary
I have taken Synthyroid for over forty years. When I started my doctor at that time prescribed it for weight control. My hair was already a little thin. My weight went up and down through the years. In the last two years, I lost 75 pounds as a result of switching from insulin to byetta. Through the years I have had two heart attacks, 5-bypass surgery, adult onset diabetes that started when I was 40 and am on around eight medications including synthyroid plus vitamins/supplements. I cannot take statins. Suddenly I lost more hair in the last six months from an already thin crop. I asked my doctor about what would be causing it. He attributes it to genetic causes (my parents had thin hair) and brushed off my questions. I do not want to wear a wig and feel like it is hopeless.
dawn
uk
Ask for a full iron study, not having adequate iron levels, forget the full anaemia, can make you lose hair
Margaret
New jersey
Synthroid did nothing for me but my tests were normal. After reading Dr Brownstein I got my doctor to prescribe Armour thyroid. I wasn’t taking it correctly. I took it first thing in the morning but along with bone support, because both said take first thing in the morning. I learned to take Armour throid alone during the night when I awoke. Now I take it before I go to sleep and it seems I have more energy.
Jackie
Toronto
Is Armour thyroid considered a natural product as opposed to synthyroid or
levothyroid. ? I’d never heard of it and it had never been mentioned by my doctor.
An rx is needed from the dr.?
I’d like to try it.
Thanks.
dawn
Yes it is from pigs, so natural. Yes you need a script for it from doctor
Georgia W.
United States
Yep, this is absolutely true in my case. My TSH was normal and I felt like dog meat. I suspected something else was awry with my thyroid, and asked my doc to order a complete study. Sure enough, my body doesn’t convert T4 to T3. We’ve added T3 and the difference is amazing. Interestingly, now that I know the symptoms, I’ve been able to flag subsequent thyroid issues much more easily, and get the T3 dose increased three times in the past three or so years.
One other thing: now, my TSH is low, but my doctor isn’t at all concerned–he’s much more interested in T3 and how I’m feeling.
Nene
I was on levothyroxine for about two weeks. I gained a pound a day, despite diet and exercise. I do not know why doctors are in such denial, when faced with compelling evidence. It is the same story over and over. Yet, they still prescribe the same drugs, hoping for a different outcome.
LeAnne
WI
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroid recently a few months after giving birth and feeling depressed, gaining weight, losing hair etc. Her dr did test for T3 & T 4 but did prescribe Levothyroxin. On my advice, my daughter asked about Armour and was told ” it’s too hard to regulate doses”
Would regulating the T3 and T4 be helpful for Hashimotos as well?
Rob
New Zealand
I have also found the synthetic form to be useless, but am assuming Armour will not be an option for me as I cannot have any form of pork (or other red meats). Is there a third alternative?