Angry Butterfly

[ambock64]

Hi Everyone!

I am a 45 year old woman that has been having symptoms for quite a few years until I put everything together recently after a doctor's visit. I was having blood work for something else and my TSH came back at 6.850. My doctor then had another thyroid panel with TSH run and my TSH came back at 3.240. (0.450-4.5) My Thyroxine T4 result was 8.2, (4.5-12) T3 Uptake was 30 (24-39) and Free Thyroxine Index was 2.5. (1.2-4.9) My Free Thyroxine T4 Direct is 1.05 (.82-1.77) and my thyroid antibodies are 6 (0-34) for TPO and <20 (0-40) for antithyroglobulin ab. My primary doctor insisted all was well with these results. Yet my symptoms were vague and MANY: tingling extemities, headache, nausea, weight gain (30 lbs, in 6 months!), fatique, hair loss, irregular or missed menses, sore throat, hot/cold, etc., etc. I took it upon myself to go to an Endocrinologist, hoping to find one that prescribes Armour Thyroid, as I have read plenty of positive feedback about. When I called to make the appt. I was assured they will prescribe it. However, after seeing the doctor today, I am wondering what is up?! After examining me, they do feel I indeed have some type of thyroid disease and have ordered additional testing, including complete testing for thyroid, FSH Hormones, Vitamins and for adrenal fatigue (Urinating in a container for 24 hours). They did spend almost 1/2 an hour (!) talking to me about the issue BUT ALSO trying to talk me out of my interest in Armour Thyroid, stating that synthetics were more "precise" and that Armour is not really "natural" due to the chemical process that is used to extract the hormones from the porcine thyroid. They assured me they did prescribe it though and we could make the decision when I come back for my results. I really feel they are very against it for all the typical arguments I read about: that every batch is "variable", the chemical processing, the fact that it's PORCINE hormones, not human hormones, etc. Please somebody tell me their experiences with Armour vs synthetics, and also, if anyone here has a good doctor recommendation for the Orlando, FL area (I'm willing to drive for a little bit for a great doctor), please include that as well! I need to armed with facts for my next visit.

Thanks!
Ally

P.S. Also, how do I know what the correct dose of Armour Thyroid to be prescribed is?

[Andros]

Hi Everyone!

I am a 45 year old woman that has been having symptoms for quite a few years until I put everything together recently after a doctor's visit. I was having blood work for something else and my TSH came back at 6.850. My doctor then had another thyroid panel with TSH run and my TSH came back at 3.240.
My Thyroxine result was 8.2, Tw Uptake was 30 and Free Thyroxine Index was 2.5. My Free Throxine Direct is 1.05 and my thyroid antibodies are normal. My doctor insisted all was well. Yet my symptoms were vague and MANY: headache, nausea, weight gain, fatique, hair loss, irregular or missed menses, sore throat, etc., etc. I took it upon myself to go to an Endocrinologist, hoping to find one that prescribes Armour Thyroid, as I have read plenty of positive feedback about. When I called to make the appt. I was assured they will prescribe it. However, after seeing the doctor today, I am wondering what is up?! After examining me, they do feel I indeed have some type of thyroid disease and have ordered additional testing, including testing for adrenal fatigue. They did spend almost 1/2 an hour (!) talking to me about the issue BUT ALSO trying to talk me out of my interest in Armour Thyroid, stating that synthetics were more "precise" and that Armour is not really "natural" due to the chemical process that is used to extract the hormones from the porcine thyroid. They assured me they did prescribe it though and we could make the decision when I come back for my results. I really feel they are very against it for all the typical arguments I read about: that every batch is "variable", the chemical processing, the fact that it's PORCINE hormones, not human hormones, etc. Please somebody tell me their experiences with Armour vs synthetics, and also, if anyone here has a good doctor recommendation for the Orlando, FL area (I'm willing to drive for a little bit for a great doctor), please include that as well! I need to armed with facts for my next visit.

Thanks!
Ally

Hit there, Ally! I have taken Armour for many many years. What I find is that the patient is non-compliant and does not take the med in a timely fashion thereby undermining the efficacy of the medicine and that #2 on the list; many doctors do not Rx it properly.

Those 2 things.

I have never ever had a problem w/Armour. And I am not promoting it nor am I bashing synthetics. I simply do not convert T4 to T3 very well and my body does not like anything synthetic, period. So, Armour works for me.

In the future when you post your lab results, adding the ranges would be most helpful as different labs use different ranges.

All of us will be interested in your labs that you just had done.

Here is what I would have recommended.........

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html

Glad to have you on board! There are many here who are quite knowledgable, helpful and most of all, supportive.

You clearly have something going on as evidenced by your symptoms and the TSH.

[ambock64]

Thank you for the welcome! I will def be posting the additional lab results after my next appointment on 11/30. Can't wait to see what is going on, though I suspect Hashimoto's. I'm just happy that my diagnosis has been narrowed down. I have not felt like myself for quite a long time and am looking forward to feeling better, like everyone else on here. Just to repeat myself, I am in Central FL looking for a knowledgeable pro-Armour Thyroid practicitioner that takes (UHC) insurance, and I am currently unemployed and a student. Looking forward to being a part of this community, I do lots of research and hope I can help others too, in some fashion.

[lavender]

Welcome, and Wow! I am impressed that your endo is doing that much testing and is willing to follow up with you. Hopefully they will find something to help you get to the bottom of it all and help you feel better.

Sucks that the doc tried to talk you out of Armour, but at least they are willing to prescribe it. My endo wouldn't even acknowledge that anything besides synthroid exists. Perhaps you can at least use this doc for preliminary testing and to start you on Armour while you look for another option.

I have never yet found a perfect doc, but I continue to look for someone who is willing to work with me, my ideas and beliefs about my own healing. I have been stuck with a lot of duds.

This board has been really helpful to me, and I hope you can find some support here as well.

[ambock64]

Hi Lavendar,

Yes, I'm impressed they were willing to do so much testing as well, that's why I'm going to at least give them a chance. They were very thorough with me, and aside from the Armour Thyroid bashing, I really liked them. I'll just have to stay strong if and when I need the hormones. I want to at least start with Armour and see how that goes...what part of the country do you live in? About.com has Thyroid pages (Mary Shoman) with top docs that prescribe Armour. Unfortunately, the ones I would consider around me don't accept insurance. I had to call a lot of docs before I found mine....the one I really wanted (HUGE wait time) is in the same practice as my current one, so maybe it would not be that hard to switch, if I had to...it does seem like there is a lot of "dud" docs. I'm about to fire my PCP, I think, because she insisted my TSH tests were "normal", and the endos are convinced I have some type of thyroid disease. Fortunately, I have lots of college coursework in medical, so I knew to ask questions and do research. But how about the folks that believe what their docs say without questioning because they don't know any other way? Something to ponder....

[lavender]

Stick up for what you want, it's your health and you know your body! That's my philosophy. Docs may know a lot about science, but they don't have to live in our bodies.

I live in Ohio. I have been on the About.com website. I know at least some of the docs they recommend don't take insurance, and I am a poor student as well! I am currently waiting to get in to see someone who has been recommended by numerous people, if that fails, it is on to lists from websites. We shall see...

I have been on Synthroid for 3 months now. I wanted to give it a good "girl scout try" before I dismissed it completely, but I am finding myself swinging into the Armour camp a little more every day. I hope the new doc is willing to work with that.

I am learning more every day. No background in medical, just a strong background in listening to my body's needs. I consider it a different type of scientific research!

[Andros]

Thank you for the welcome! I will def be posting the additional lab results after my next appointment on 11/30. Can't wait to see what is going on, though I suspect Hashimoto's. I'm just happy that my diagnosis has been narrowed down. I have not felt like myself for quite a long time and am looking forward to feeling better, like everyone else on here. Just to repeat myself, I am in Central FL looking for a knowledgeable pro-Armour Thyroid practicitioner that takes (UHC) insurance, and I am currently unemployed and a student. Looking forward to being a part of this community, I do lots of research and hope I can help others too, in some fashion.

Your being here is a help already!!

It is advisable to start patient on 1/2 grain if no pretibial myxedema. If the patient does have pretibial mxyedema, start on 1/4 grain. Lab every 8 weeks. Titrate upward as needed by 1/4 grain or 1/2 grain as per doctor. You don't want too go to fast. It would not bode well.