posted
Hi- I just started treatment in December which included armour thyroid because one of my lyme problems was whacked out thyroid.
The thyroid medication really seems to help me in the energy dept. But then I lag towards end of day still. My LLMD has me taking it in the morning first thing on an empty stomach -just one 30 mg pill.
Wondering how much you all take for it to be effective? Do you take it once a day? Twice? Thanks for your imput.
Posts: 351 | From La Crosse, WI | Registered: Sep 2005
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
The amount you need is individual. Sometimes, as your body adjusts, you will need more. I am currently taking two 60 mg tablets, and both my tests and my symptoms say I need more.
I take mine all at once in the morning, but some do better taking them twice a day. You have to try to see what works for you.
posted
HI i take ONE 30mg tablet in morning & 1/2 tablet mid afternoon. -seems to work for me.
Each person is individual & needs different doses. if you take too much thyroid it can exhaust adrenals & increase heart rate too much so need to find correct balance for you.
try taking your AM basal temperature, should be about 98. less than this could indicate more thyroid is needed.
Posts: 47 | From SP | Registered: Oct 2005
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klutzo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5701
posted
Hi! I take a lot of magnesium, at two hour intervals throughout the day. Because of that, I take my 60 mgs. of Armour at 2:30 am, so it is far, far away from the minerals, as it must be to be absorbed properly. My doc adjusted the dose by my TSH, trying to get my TSH as close to 1.0 as possible without making me jittery or raising my pulse or blood pressure. 90 mgs. raised my BP and pulse and made me shaky, so we backed off, even though my TSH is 1.55. That is close enough....it just needs to be under 2.0. Klutzo
Posts: 1269 | From Clearwater, Florida, USA | Registered: May 2004
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
Using the TSH to decide on treatment isn't always the way to go. I have Hashimoto's, and in order to feel well, my TSH has to be very low. Right now it is .033, way below range. When I am at 2, or even 1, I don't feel well, and have many hypo symptoms, and my thyroid hormone levels are low.
It is very individual, how someone responds to treatment, how much medication they need, and what kind. There is a lot of good info at http://thyroid.about.com/
posted
Maybe look into iodine also, I have recently added it for the Hashimotos. I have been on thyroid meds for 15yrs and I am really liking the iodine also. Just alittle though, be careful. I know Dr C in MO is big on iodine for the lymies.
Posts: 315 | From USA | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I've been taking Synthroid for the past three years, at 50mcgr taken first thing in the morning. My new doctor, who practices "complementary" medicine, tested me for thyroid antibodies. The test was positive but I don't know for which antibodies -- TPO and/or antithyroid. I asked for a copy of the lab results, but will have to ask again, I guess, because they were too busy.
This doctor put me on Armour, 45mg which means I have to break a 30mg pill in half to get the right dose. He also started me on FOUR 500mg magnesium and something called Lithium Orotate every day, plus 50,000 units of vitamin D2 once a week.
I tried taking all of this, but got serious diarrhea, stomach cramps, boating, gas, and finally a fever. Did I just have a stomach virus for two weeks? I don't know. It seems like a lot of changes, and I can't tell which if any of these things is what made me so sick.
I stopped taking everything, went back to the Synthroid and am giving my digestive system a break. Then I guess I'll add one thing at a time.
You'd think I'd have lost some weight!
This doctor is also dragging his feet at diagnosing me, so I really don't even know yet if I have Lyme or some other tick-borne disease, or if it's something else including the thyroid disorder. My primary symptom is pain and buzzing in my head, through my ears, teeth and jaw. It was misdiagnosed as allergies until my face, fingers and toes started to go numb. Along with having the GI symptoms, my other symptoms have intensified.
I was reading the thread on "alternative" medicine. I should add that this doctor knows a lot about nutrition but he's still a jerk. He gave me no instuctions on how to take all these things. He does sell vitamins. They're not overpriced, and I think he's sincere about using them, but still.
Has anyone ever gotten a bad reaction from Armour thyroid? Thanks, Lynne.
Posts: 353 | From Florida boonies | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Nebula2005: Has anyone ever gotten a bad reaction from Armour thyroid? Thanks, Lynne.
armour is usually much better tolerated than synthyroid as its more similar to human thyroid. i had a bad reaction to synthyroid so switched to armour & works well
Posts: 47 | From SP | Registered: Oct 2005
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i take 45 mg usually in the middle of the night away from food and all meds/supps. it took a while to get the dosage right-the doc kept testing me-this seems to be what i need andit hasn't changed in yrs-i don't feel any different whether i take it or not or when we change the dose. my temp is still low-i'm still fat-but doc insists on going by the test
riversinger-your comment on test doesn't matter concerns me cuz my doc is so in to the results
what are symptoms if you take too little? too much?? maybe i do have the symptoms but i have so many problems i can't tell which are which-i don't want to take any more stuff if it is not doing anything for me tho. thanks.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
lpkayak, I do use tests. I just don't go by the TSH. My doctor uses the Free T3 and Free T4 to see how much available hormone there is in the blood. I need to have my levels somewhere around or slightly above the middle of the range to feel well.
When my Free T3 is high enough, it pushes my TSH lower than what is considered normal. If I go by my TSH, I would never feel OK. When I was on Levoxyl by itself, my Free T3 was in the basement. Some people can convert the T4 in Synthroid or Levoxyl into T3, but I can't, and neither can many other people.
Check out the thyroid website. It has lots of important information.
Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
Hi everyone. Just in case you did not know, you can dissolve thyroid pills under your tongue. Then you do not have to worry about any food and medication interactions because it is absorbed immediately. Ask your doctor or pharmacist. This is how I take my thyroid meds. It makes it much easier if you are taking several medications at once.
Posts: 4682 | Registered: Oct 2000
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
Hi Cave76. This is how I take Armour. It is so much easier than having to wait four hours before taking other meds, having calcium, etc. Check with your pharmacist.
Posts: 4682 | Registered: Oct 2000
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
If anyone thinks about changing to taking the thyroid under their tongue, they may also need to have labs redone, as they may absorb it differently than they do when they swallow the meds.
As Sammi says, check with your pharmacist and doctor before changing how you take medication.
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