How to switch from Synthroid to Armour, side effects?

[sfergu3447]

I am getting ready to convert to Armor from Synthroid.  Any suggestions about easy conversion without major side effects like weight gain, hair loss, tremors, or arrythmias?  Don't want to go hypo, and don't want to be hyper.  I have been on Synthroid due to RAI for years and have had every bad side effect their is.  The Endo's always made my dose to high and went just by the numbers.  That kicked me into heart arrythmias, diah, tremors for years.  Tried to take Unithroid and that was worse.  Asjustment of dose has made me to hypo and I have had all sorts of difficulities with how I feel.  I get colds easily, hair loss, etc when I am hypo and hyper.  Would love to know from those that have done well on armour coming from Synthroid.  Also, just take 88 mcg now and need to convert.  Also, how long does it take your body to adjust from changing?  Help!!!

[gimel]

Hypothyroid patients taking a  T4 med like Synthroid will do better with a desiccated type like Armour,  if their body was not adequately converting the T4 med to T3.  With that problem, the Free T4 level is typically much higher in its range than Free T3 in its range, resulting in lingering hypothyroid problems.  In making the switch, it is very important to get the replacement dosage right, and also not make the change all at once.  This is due to the different half-life of T4 and T3.  I would suggest switching in two steps two weeks apart.  Also be aware that T3 meds often work best when split and taken in two doses, in the morning and early afternoon.  

Doctors usually seem to use existing conversion tables that show that 100 mcg of T4 equals one grain of desiccated med.  That is incorrect.  There are two scientific studies showing that T3 is three times as potent as T4.  So, since one grain of Armour contains 39 mcg of T4 plus 9 mcg of T3, that is equivalent to only 66 mcg of T4, not 100.  This is calculated as follows:  39 plus 3 times 9 equals 66.  If you want confirmation of that, to provide to your doctor, you can find it in 3 references listed for Recommendation no. 6, on page 11 of the following link.  Note also that this 3 to 1 conversion is also identified in the Guidelines for Hypothyroidism published by the ATA and AACE, which is Ref. 1.
  
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf

Also, in order to get an idea about the right dose of Armour,  I would like to know your last few sets of thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  

Using the conversion factor mentioned above, your 88 mcg of T4 would convert to 1 1/3 grains of Armour.  Since you are still suffering with lingering hypo symptoms with the 88, it seems clear that you need to go to at lease 1 1/2 grains of Armour, and possibly even higher.  That is why I would also like to see your test results.  

Since hypo patients are so frequently deficient in Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, if not tested already you should do so, and then supplement as needed to optimize.  D should be at least 50. B12 in the high end of its range, and ferritin at least 70, and some say 100.  You can also find this in the paper linked above on page 14.