At a loss...does no med work for me??

[bfinger]

Hi All

Just got recent labs back after being on 30 mcg of Armour since December 2014.

TSH : 1.8 (0.45-4.5)
FT4: 0.87 (0.82-1.77)
FT3: 2.1 (2.0-4.4)

Obviously my labs are horrible. I felt better when I was off meds for a month in November. My labs when I was off medication were:

TSH: 3.28
FT4: 0.98
FT3: 2.8

How have my numbers gone down when I started taking meds again? I've actually even felt worse on the Armour than I did with just straight Synthyroid. I've had palps, horrible night sweats, etc. I think my adrenals are exhausted.

I'm at a loss. I feel like no meds work for me.

[bfinger]

Ok great, thank you.

My RT3 Ratio is 17.3...does that mean anything?

[Barb135]

It's not unusual to feel worse when starting on a thyroid med or when changing meds or dosages.

Heart palps and night sweats can be symptoms of either hypo or hyper -- I had them both when I was very hypo... they went away when my hormone levels got up where I needed them.

If you were on 75 mcg of Synthroid and you went to only 30 mg of Armour, you took quite a drop in dosage...

As to your question - yes, 2 tablets - one in the morning and one in the afternoon... or if you want to go up more slowly, you could take one in the morning and 1/2 in the afternoon for a few days, then take a whole one in the afternoon.  And even after you get to the 60 mg and get comfortable on it, you may need more, but at that point, you'll want to increase more slowly, but taking maybe 1.5 pills in the morning and 1.5 in the afternoon, etc... Of course, this all subject to doctor approval.

[bfinger]

I was on 75 mcg of Synthyroid...I went on Armour because of the added T3. I honestly felt no different on Synthyroid and now I just feel worse on Armour.

[bfinger]

Would I just take 2 30 mcg pills then? I honestly feel like 30 mcg was too much...I'm getting palps and night sweats. But maybe that's because I'm super hypothyroid according to my latest numbers.

Why would my numbers go down though on meds? My FT3 was 2.8 when I wasn't on meds and now it's a 2.1...

[flyingfool]

Looks to me you are undermedicated.  As mentionied 30 mg is a very small starter dose.

Also it is not uncommon for someone on Armour to have low FT4 range as Armour has a lot of T3 in it.  This is why it makes the most sense to take Armour twice a day. To help stabilize the amount of T3 in the blood.

My wife and daughter both started out on 30 mg of Armour.  And both of them are now up to 120 mg and may need more.  While everyone is different I just wanted to let you know that it is somewhat common protocal to start out low and work up to levels significantly above where they originally started.

You numbers could have gone down because Hashi's has flared up and your thyroid has produced less hormone.

What was your Synthroid dosage when you stopped?

Why did you stop taking Synthroid?

[Barb135]

Looks like you simply need an increase in your med... 30 mg is a pretty small dose of Armour.  Will your doctor give you an increase?  

Ask for 60 mg with 30 mg taken in the morning, and 30 mg around noon, since med with T3 is usually best split into multiple dosages.