Natural thyroid

[Sweetum]

I have been on levothyroxine for the last 5 years. I feel ok. I honestly don't feel like much has changed but then my doc has always said that I am really on the border hypo. I have read a bit that some people moved over to natural thyroid hormone like armor and have felt better. Any thoughts?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I feel much better on my Armour than on Synthroid (real or generic). It does differ though and this current batch doesn't seem as good as the last one; I plan to go and talk to the pharmacist this weekend. (I just had my bloodwork done so I know the dose is good.) Also, I'm a believer in the med since it works on T3 and T4...just makes sense to me. My endo. was the one who offered the Armour. The NP that I had at a future appt. was not a fan of Armour and assumed that I had demanded Armour (probably figured I read about it online). She tried really hard to get me onto Synthroid. So, I gave that a try and it really just made me feel blah.

[LizLemon]

I personally would prefer to be on a combination of synthetic T3 and T4 than Armour, as with Armour my understanding is you don't know exactly what you are getting in terms of amount of T3 vs T4 and it can vary from prescription to prescription (because it is natural). So I will be asking for the former at my next appointment. My experience with endocrinologists is that they can be very adherent to how they were trained (as all of us are, I guess, but some endos seem particularly rigid). Some of them think the idea of T3 and particularly Armour is foolish and you will never convince them otherwise.

[queenmama]

You will definitely notice a difference if you switch. Levoxyl is mostly cellulose, and it causes issues with absorption, and potentially headaches, dizziness, leg pains...

I've taken Westhroid/Nature-throid for years and will never go back to Synthroid.

Lara

[Sweetum]

I see. I did not consider that the composition could be unknown. How do you know then that t is helping? Just symptoms? Because I am thinking it would not be possible to get blood work done after every month. And how do I go about finding one such physician?! And did you all get specific tests done to figure our that that is wha you need? And where can I buy it? I would really appreciate some guidance and resources. Thanks.

[queenmama]

I see. I did not consider that the composition could be unknown. How do you know then that t is helping? Just symptoms? Because I am thinking it would not be possible to get blood work done after every month. And how do I go about finding one such physician?! And did you all get specific tests done to figure our that that is wha you need? And where can I buy it? I would really appreciate some guidance and resources. Thanks.

My doc specializes in bioidentical HRT, but you should start with your PCP and possibly see an endo. I had saliva and urine take-home tests in addition to the bloodwork done at the lab. He doesn't require frequent re-testing, just makes me fill out a symptoms questionnaire each visit to monitor how I'm feeling.

I get my prescriptions filled through a compounding pharmacy. They also do my progesterone cream.

Lara

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have my bloodwork done after like 2 months if I dose. Then after that, I only go in for bloodwork when I feel like I need it. I go by symptoms. I get my meds at my regular pharmacy (CVS, Target...).

[niccig]

I see. I did not consider that the composition could be unknown. How do you know then that t is helping? Just symptoms? Because I am thinking it would not be possible to get blood work done after every month. And how do I go about finding one such physician?! And did you all get specific tests done to figure our that that is wha you need? And where can I buy it? I would really appreciate some guidance and resources. Thanks.

I'll give an opposite opinion. This is why I haven't tried any natural remedies. I've had 1/2 thyroid removed and have run gamut of symptoms pre and post surgery including complications from surgery, until I got a level of medications that work for me. I'm stable now for nearly 4 yrs, only remaining symptom really is that I'm still cold. I can't risk messing with my thyroid medication as I do not want to go back to the ups/downs of before trying to work it out and then chance that composition isn't the same each month. I'm surprised DH is still married to me, things got that bad for about a year (6 months before and after surgery). I also can't risk chance of remaining thyroid being stressed and growing another huge nodule and needing a 2nd surgery.

I would only try it if I knew I had time to deal with symptoms while trying to work things out. I'm glad it's worked for others, but it's not for me.

OP, I hope you can find something that works for you.