RE: New here and would like help on tests

[Guest guest]

Hi Betty, I'm no expert but your TSH is 5.050 now so too high, free

t4 and t4 have both gone down, how are you feeling? If you felt

better before then there's your answer. You have been on Armour for

25 years and if you feel well then why change to synthetic T4? I

wouldn't! Your endo was prob worried about your supressed TSH levels

before that from what I gather is nothing to worry about. I'm sure

someone else will reply. It just seems crazy that you've taken it for

25 years and they want to change it?! I would think about changing to

another endo if you're not happy or trying to sort this with your GP

if he/she is understanding? Ruth x

>

> Hi ,

>

> I am on armour and have been for 25 years. Last year the Endo said

my

> tests were too high and has been decreasing my armour about every

7

> weeks. I was on 150 and now 90.

>

> Last week he said he wanted to take me off the armour and put me on

> synthroid because the armour was not working anymore.

>

> I am going to post the tests I had done on April 7 I was on 105mg of

> armour and the test done on June 18 and I was on 90mg of armour.

>

> I have to also say that all the time I was on armour I took it

with food

> and just learned recently you are not suppose to take it with food.

About

> 7 weeks ago I started to take the 90mg of armour 30 minutes

breakfast.

>

> April 7

> TSH out of range 0.141 there ranges are 0.35-5.50

> FT4 in range 0.8 there ranges are 0.8-1.8

> T3 Total in range 1.3 there ranges are 0.6-1.8

>

>

> June 18

> TSH in range 5.050

> FT4 out of range 0.6

> T3 Total in range1.1

>

> Can someone tell me if I do need to get off the armour.

>

> On April 17 I was taking 105 mg of armour with food

> On June 18 I was taking 90 mg of armour 30minutes before food.

>

> I read that you can take the armour 30minutes to an hour before a

> meal.

>

> Should I ask him to put me make on the 105mg of armour and take it

> without food and see what happens or stop taking the armour and go

> on the synthroid?

>

> Betty

>

[Guest guest]

Don't go back on the synthetic stuff just yet, try taking your Armour

on an empty stomach for a few weeks. Don't let your doc keep reducing

your dosage it can play merry hell with your health.

Tell your doc you want to try this first before deciding whether to

change your meds.

Do you take your meds before you go for your blood test? This can

falsify the outcome as Armour behaves differently to Levothyroxine /

synthroid.

Glynis

> Should I ask him to put me make on the 105mg of armour and take it

> without food and see what happens or stop taking the armour and go

> on the synthroid?

>

> Betty

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Betty,

The first thing that springs to my notice is that a low TSH is

perfectly normal with Armour, mine has been 0.01 for the last 8 years! The

really important thing is how you feel- do you feel well- or did you before

doc started reducing doses? Me, I'd stick with the Armour.

Armour contains all the hormone a healthy thyroid produces, but synthroid

contains only T4 which has to be converted to T3 to be any use at all.

Armour and any other thyroid hormone should be taken an hour before food

and not with a milky drink ( the calcium can negate them)

Subject: New here and would like help on tests

Hi ,

I am on armour and have been for 25 years. Last year the Endo said my

tests were too high and has been decreasing my armour about every 7

weeks. I was on 150 and now 90.

Last week he said he wanted to take me off the armour and put me on

synthroid because the armour was not working anymore.

I am going to post the tests I had done on April 7 I was on 105mg of

armour and the test done on June 18 and I was on 90mg of armour.

I have to also say that all the time I was on armour I took it with food

and just learned recently you are not suppose to take it with food. About

7 weeks ago I started to take the 90mg of armour 30 minutes breakfast.

April 7

TSH out of range 0.141 there ranges are 0.35-5.50

FT4 in range 0.8 there ranges are 0.8-1.8

T3 Total in range 1.3 there ranges are 0.6-1.8

June 18

TSH in range 5.050

FT4 out of range 0.6

T3 Total in range1.1

Can someone tell me if I do need to get off the armour.

On April 17 I was taking 105 mg of armour with food

On June 18 I was taking 90 mg of armour 30minutes before food.

I read that you can take the armour 30minutes to an hour before a

meal.

Should I ask him to put me make on the 105mg of armour and take it

without food and see what happens or stop taking the armour and go

on the synthroid?

Betty

------------------------------------

Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always

consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing

medication.

[Guest guest]

Hello myirishcottage - what a lovely name. I have just come back from a short break in Dublin - I love Ireland - but this time, we went to see the opening night of 'Riverdance' which was the most wonderful experience, and something I would not have misssed for the world. Sadly, the rain sloshed down all over Ireland.> > I am on armour and have been for 25 years. Last year the Endo said my > tests were too high and has been decreasing my armour about every 7 > weeks. I was on 150 and now 90.

Silly endo - but, if he doesn't understand how natural thyroid extract works, then he obviously feels he is doing the correct thing. As I have just written to , everybody and anybody who takes natural thyroid extract shows high levels of Free T4, Free T3 and their TSH is completely suppressed - if not non-existent.

This is what is to be expected. The synthetic thyroxine is an ionactive hormone. It has to convert to the active hormone triiodothyronine (or T3 for short). It is the T3 that has to get into every cell in your body and brain to make it function properly. There is a large minority of people who are unable to convert to T3, and these are the people who need to take additional T3 with their T4, or start to take natural thyroid extract (Armour thyroid). Why do doctors insist on expecting exactly the same thyroid function test results for people taking Armour as for those who are taking thyroxine only. Don't they use their brains ??> > Last week he said he wanted to take me off the armour and put me on > synthroid because the armour was not working anymore.

Armour doesn't stop working. If you are hypothyroid and your thyroid is not putting out the necessary thyroid hormones to make your body function, you have to take thyroid hormone replacement. As explained above, for those without a conversion problem, thyroine may work fine, but for those who do have a conversion problem, they need Armour because it has T4, T3, T2, T1 and also calcitonin (which is good for the bones). There can be several reasons why Armour (an synthetic thyroxine) suddenly stops working. and this is because the patient may be suffering with adrenal fatigue or exhaustion - your dose is too low - you have a very low ferritin (your doctor can check this) - you have systemic candidiasis - you are oestrogen dominant - and there are others, but that is enough to be going on with right now.

As mentioned to , go to our website www.tpa-uk.org.uk, click on Hypothyroidism, and then click on 'Associated Conditions' and read about these there. You can check yourself as to whether you might have low adrenal reserve or candidiasis, by going to the FILES from the Home Page of this forum and clicking on the Adrenal and Candida Questionnaire. Answer those quesitons and let us know how you score. We can then help you get everything functioning again hopefully. > > I am going to post the tests I had done on April 7 I was on 105mg of> armour and the test done on June 18 and I was on 90mg of armour.> > I have to also say that all the time I was on armour I took it with food > and just learned recently you are not suppose to take it with food. About > 7 weeks ago I started to take the 90mg of armour 30 minutes breakfast.

We usually recommend taking Armour sublingually. This is because it is absorbed directly in the tiny capillaries under your tongue, which goes direct to your liver and bypasses the stomach, where up to 45% they say of the potency of Armour can be destroyed through the stomach acids. We also recommend taking Armour twice daily (or three times if you wish) so you do not experience the high peaks that T3 can cause a couple of hours after taking it. The other thing that wer recommend is that you NEVER take thyroid hormone replacement on the morning of your blood tests, simply because it givea a false reading, and a doctor, (as in your case) seeing the high levels, immediately believes you are taking too much and tell you to cut down because you are going hypERthyroid. This is, of course, rubbish, and again, doctors should know that the T3 peaks in the blood after a couple of hours and then gradualy leaves your body.> > April 7> TSH out of range 0.141 there ranges are 0.35-5.50> FT4 in range 0.8 there ranges are 0.8-1.8> T3 Total in range 1.3 there ranges are 0.6-1.8

I have no idea why it was thought you were taking too much Armour with these results.> > > June 18> TSH in range 5.050> FT4 out of range 0.6> T3 Total in range1.1> > Can someone tell me if I do need to get off the armour.

In my opinion, you should not get off Armour. What you do need to do is to see if you do suffer any of the associated conditions that might be stopping your Armour from working as it should. You are obviously not getting the benefit that you should be, so try to find out what is happening and if it is low adrenal reserve, candida, low ferritin or whatever, we can sort those conditions out. > > On April 17 I was taking 105 mg of armour with food> On June 18 I was taking 90 mg of armour 30minutes before food.

Whatever dose of Armour you end up on, always split the dose into two doses throughout the day and always take it at least an hour before food if taking it orally, - it doesn't matter when you are taking it sublingually.> > I read that you can take the armour 30minutes to an hour before a > meal. > > Should I ask him to put me make on the 105mg of armour and take it > without food and see what happens or stop taking the armour and go > on the synthroid?

Mention to him that you have learned that the reason for the high reading of free T4 and Free T3 and low TSH is because you are getting the thyroid hormones now that your body requires. There is no need to test TSH when taking Armour, because everybody taking Armour has no need of tSH - and therefore, it shows totally suppressed. Many doctors, sadly, are the cause of their patients remaining ill, because they have not learned the facts about Armour thyroid, or they have misleading (and sometimes incorrect) information about Armour. So long as you learn the facts, you can help your doctor - hopefully, he will be pleased tha you have done a little homework to find the reason why your TFT's are so different to anybody who is taking levothyroine alone.

Luv - Sheila

> > Betty>