Just wondering and about your experiences. I was diagnosed in April, got a lot better with synthroid but am still feeling to tired and weight is not good, horomones were better but now seem worse. I think I need to go to a specialist but we're without insurance right now.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 22, 2001

Answers

I am hypothyroid. Have been since I was 19. I am 49 now. Synthroid only provides T4. I needed T4 and T3. I am on Armour now. I have had a pretty hard time with it all. There is a web site to learn more about this. If you want to know about it let me know. Cindy

-- Cindy Herbek (dh40203@navix.net), October 22, 2001.

Cindy, I do not understand why you need to take T3 as well as T4 since T3 is manufactured by the presence of T4 in the peripheral tissues ? As long as a person is getting T4 orally in hypothyroidism, their body should automatically be making T3. Usually, the only time T3 is administered as well long term is when the person is on other meds which interfere with the production of T3 from T4. I only mention this to you because there is an increased risk to the cardiovascular system when a patient is taking T3 as well as T4..perhaps you have already discussed this with your healthcare professional, but if not, perhaps you might wish to. God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 22, 2001.

Carol, I take Synthroid as well. I was still feeling very tired for several months until my doctor increased my dosage. Now I feel much better. Maybe you just need a higher dosage of Synthroid? Do you have regular blood work done to check your levels?

Hoping you feel much better very soon.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 22, 2001.

Lesley, It was determined by blood tests that I needed this. Nothing was explained to me about the cardiovascular problem. I do not know if I need this long term but I feel a lot better than I did. Do you know about Mary Shommon thyroid site? I have never seen this posted there. Can you show me how to document this and I will show the doctor this information? I have scleroderma so maybe that has something to do with that. Cindy

-- Cindy HErbek (dh40203@navix.net), October 22, 2001.

Carol, I have been on Synthroid for 5 years now. I go in for a blood test every six months. I have been up and down like a yo-yo with my dosage and what should be the correct dosage for my TSH level doesn't always agree with me. Strange. I started out with depression, overweight, dry thick skin and fatigue. My doctor said I'd be so much better and lose weight when I got on Synthroid. Guess what? I'm still fatigued, and heavier than 5 years ago. This is very frustrating.

-- Jean (jat@ncis.net), October 22, 2001.

Cindy, "Armour" is old-fashioned hypothyroid treatment..it was the only thing used for quite a few years. It is naturally occuring thyroid from pigs glands. I have not heard of this being prescribed for at least 25 years because the synthetics do so much better. I will e-mail you a medical reference page because i cannot see well enough to copy a html. I sure hope that your physician is already familiar with all of this...it is pretty basic stuff.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 22, 2001.

From what I understand from Mary Shomons site, is sometimes your body doesn't convert the T3 and T4 like it supposed to and Armour usually does both anyway, some people even take Armour and Synthroid. I was suprised at how many of you are hypo. I had blood work 3 mos ago, at 1st he had me do blood work every 30 days then every 6 weeks, then every 3 mos, and was supposed to wait 6 mos this time. I know I maybe should go back in now. I'm just to tired and feel I may be getting a little depressed! At 1st I had anxiety and my b.p. shot up, hormones were all out of wak! I was better the 1st 3-4 mos, I was on zoloft for anxiety but due to not wanting to be dependent on that drug and some side effects I got off it and don't want to get back on it. I'm supposed to be taking tricor for extremely high cholesterol and tryglyceride levels, but it give me indegestion so bad, I just can't take it. That is another side effect of the being hypo, haveing the really high levels with your chl and try. Armour is considered natural and synthroid is synthetic. My weight was gained while on the zoloft and I haven't lost it yet, may have even gained some more, I don't care to weigh, but my family has noticed and none of my clothes are comfortable anymore! I'm just to tired, have started walking some trying to build myself back up and drinking some myoplex I had left from a diet program I was on last year and did well on, "Body for Life". Have any of you had any experience with going to an endoctrinoligist instead of you family dr.?

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 23, 2001.

Hi Lesley,

Eight years ago I was prescribed Armour and it worked great. I had tried synthroid and it didn't help at all. I wish I could remember the name of the Dr. that prescribed it. He was in Baltimore and has written quite a bit of info., and I believe a book, about the use of Armour.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 25, 2001.

Armour HAD been used as the only drug for treating hypothyroidism for years and years. It definetly is an all natural product, consisting of ground up pig thyroid glands. because it is thyroid tissue itself, it not only contains T4, the major component of thyroid hormone, but all of the other subgroups as well. It IS a good drug, but since 99% of folks with hypothyroidism easily manufacture their own subgroups of hormone when given plain synthroid ( or any other brand of T4), and on Armour alot of folks were getting too much thyroid hormone, most medical professionals prescribe only the synthetic. Alot of hypothyroid folks think that once they are on a replacement, they will lose weight...sorry. That only works when you do not need replacement in the first place. Thyroid hormone maintains body metabolism..it does NOT alter it. So, in order to lose weight while being treated for hypothyroidism, one has to make certain that their levels of T4 are "normal" (it differs slightly for each person), and then they have to diet and exercise like anyone else. Too much hormone and you will lose weight but also stress your cardiovascular system.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 25, 2001.

Hi Carol,

I'm hypothyroid - have been for 25 years. I have been taking Synthroid for all those years and have had the same experiences I am reading about from all of you. Lots of blood tests and a constant struggle to keep levels where they should be.

A few months ago I read a newspaper article that really interested me. It was about Synthroid (which is actually a brand of synthetic thyroid replacement). Evidently the makers of synthroid are having a little trouble getting their product past whatever inspection process it is subjected to, because testing over an extended period of time has shown that the level of potencey is not consistent within a given dosage. In order to extend the shelf life of the drug the company has been "padding" the pills with a little extra to make up for potency lost over time. The problem is that there has been no consistency - the actual dose has fluctuated quite dramatically.

After reading this I wondered if the trouble I have had over the years in keeping my levels stable (the universal problem for those of us that take this stuff - what a pain those blood tests are!)hasn't been directly related to this inconsistency in the pill itself. I think I may ask my doctor if there are any other brands of thyroid replacement out there. Nice to know there are others out there who understand. As per weight loss - diet and exercise are still a necessity but you sure get better results from them when you're thyroid levels are up! Start taking B vitamins for a little more energy.

--Sara in Seattle

-- Sara Perry (JPerry1218@aol.com), October 25, 2001.

I was just last week told by my doctor that I have hypothyroid my doctor gave me tycolar which has T3 & T4. When he talked about the medication I had not clue what he was talking about. I thought it was standard treatment. In doing some research today, I found out that this treatment is actually experamental. Has anyone taken this medication for any significant lenth of time and what do you think. I have gone to endocronologist not just my regular MD.

If anyone has some advice I would appreciate it.

Thanks Domenica

-- domenica prainito (domenica.prainito@chase.com), February 13, 2002.

my wife has hypothyroidism caused by another disease. she is given amour because i think her liver doesn't break t4 down to t3 correctly/fast enough. www.about.com helped me convince dr. to switch meds.

-- steve (stevetamara@mindspring.com), February 13, 2002.