posted
I went to my holostic doctor over the weekend and she told me I have Wilson's syndrome.
She told me to look it up on the internet. So I did interesting that so many of its symptoms are so close to LD...
My blood work also showed that I am still IGM + for LD. ( no shock there)
When I researched I starting reading about T3 therapy and that it has risks, so I looked further and found out that Armour Thyroid is considered T3 Therapy because it has both T3 and T4 in it.
I'm a little out of my element so I hope I am making sense.
I am currently taking 60 mg of Armour Thyroid.
So my question is, is it safer to be on just a T3 like synthroid and not a combination of of T3 and T4 like Armour? does anyone else have any knowledge they could share on this front.
Thanks.
-------------------- When the going gets tough. . . I'll keep fighting! Ms. Geet3721
New LLMD, New abx, New life coming right up!!!! Posts: 714 | From La La Lyme Land | Registered: Jun 2008
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Abxnomore
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You are better off on amour thyroid which is a natural product made from dessicated pigs thyroid. It contains T4 and T3. Synthroid contains only T4 and relies on the body to convert it into T3.
Not everyone can convert T4 into T3 effectively. In fact, most people cannot.
Synthroid is a synthetic drug. Prior to it's coming on the market and before the public was duped by big pharma, amour was the medication of choice. It's way cheaper, too.
More cutting edge alternative doctors use both T4 and T3. I am on both Amour and additional compounded T3 and it has worked well for me.
Many studies show that some (probably most) people need additional T3 because the body does not always convert T4 into T3 successfully.
I tried the wilson's syndrome protocal but eventually found out I had true hypothyroidism way before it showed up on my blood tests, courtesy of borrelia!
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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tdtid
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It was interesting that this topic came up since this is something I have been going through recently myself.
I had been on Armour Thyroid before my lyme diagnosis, although my LLMD said he felt that the lyme is probably why my thyroid was having problems to begin with.
Well, just recently, my PCP feels that Armour was too hard to regulate and she changed me to Synthroid.
During my LLMD appointment, I told him of this change and his feeling is that he much prefers Armour for his lyme patients.
I do have an appointment coming up with my PCP which will be interesting since I'm not sure she is going to want to go back to Armour.
As Abxnomore said, Armour has both T4 and T3 and is natural. I felt better while on Armour. Perhaps my system is having trouble getting use to Synthroid, but I'm hoping my PCP will change me back.
Just not sure I should say it's because my LLMD says it's better for lyme patients since she's not all the way on the bandwagon with this lyme stuff. What can you do?
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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Abxnomore
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posted
Insist on the armour. Tell her you felt better on it and that is what you want to take.
Marketing synthroid as easier to regulate is how synthroid took over the market and pushed armour out.
But later studies showed it was just the opposite. It's about $$$ and profits and lots of these doctors get their education about drugs from drug reps.
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Lymeorsomething
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posted
Geet, Synthroid is T4 only...no good in Wilson's Syndrome as it may convert to RT3 (the inactive version of T3)...
Armour is not always better. To be honest, I've always felt better on Synthroid and sometimes in conjunction with Cytomel. It depends on the body. I have a friend who did not do well on Armour either.
Geet, treating Wilson's Syndrome involves sticking to a T3 only protocol (controversial) but it has helped many. In the case of Wilson's Syndrome, Armour is no good initially as its T4 will convert to RT3.
It is dangerous in the sense that you have to raise dosages of T3 slowly to push the envelope, almost to the point where hyper symptoms develop. Then you run the max tolerated dose for the duration of the protocol...usually a few weeks but often months depending on the doc...
Supposedly this will reset the thermostat so-to-speak...
posted
I've been taking Armour Thyroid for many years. According to my naturopath, the cost has risen so much that they've gone to a generic. It has worked fine for me, and my blood work always comes out within normal limits. Blood work looked fine in the past with Synthroid, too, but I'd prefer to stay with the natural Armour/generic!
-------------------- To our good health, Pippifern Posts: 36 | From Cape Cod | Registered: Apr 2007
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Jill E.
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I was on Synthroid for years pre-Lyme for Hashimoto's, and it's been the only medication of any sort I've always tolerated well and felt fabulous on.
But a couple of my Lyme doctors wanted to switch me to Armour due to my T3 remaining a little low, and the inability in many Lyme patients to convert T4/T3.
So I'm almost done making the transition to Armour but it has been a slow transition from taking part-Synthroid to part-Armour, the dosage was way too low of Armour, I put on a lot of weight, felt terrible fatigue, felt like the carpet was pulled out from under my feet. But one must go slow in transitioning from Synthroid to Armour to avoid getting the hyper T3 excitability, which has happened to me in the past.
I think it is harder to figure out the Armour dosing, and I seem to have learned more about it than any of my doctors. The Armour website has a good chart showing how to convert from Synthroid to Armour. Only one of my doctors knew how to do this.
I will say that even though I am not quite on the right dose of Armour, my hair is falling out less and I'm not as cold at night. So I think in the long run, it will have been worth it to make the switch to Armour.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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CherylSue
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I've tried to take armour starting with 1/2 pill. It does make me feel nauseous and a little sick. Is this normal? Should I just tough it out?
Thanks for your input.
CherylSue
Posts: 1954 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2007
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Lymeorsomething
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posted
CS, that's a small dose so I'm surprised it would do that. Do you have established hypothyroidism?
Jill, how many grains of Armour are you up to? Whenever I've tried to switch to Armour, I lose hair and get more tired....
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Armour has both T4 and T3 in a fixed ratio. If you take synthroid and cytomel separately you can adjust the ratio to what works best for you.
As a separate concern, I've wondered about the risk of transmission of disease from a product made from animal thyroids. Frankly, I don't know how much risk there is, maybe it's near zero.
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Lymeorsomething
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dguy, there was some concern a while back with mad cow and natural glandulars but i think transmission this way was determined to be highly unlikely...
i happen to do better on synthroid/cytomel anyway...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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Abxnomore
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I have not heard of any problems associated with Armour, given that it comes from dessicated pigs thyroid and it has been around for a long time.
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Lymeorsomething
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Abx, I really wish it worked for me...I like the idea that Armour has T1 and T2 (plus some calcitonin) as well but for whatever reason it didn't work out for me...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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Abxnomore
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It's hard to know why you do better with synthroid but there are always exceptions. There are two
products called Westthroid & Naturethroid which are made by Western Research Labs that is similar to
Armour but has less fillers in it. It's basically a purer product.
May be you are reacting to the fillers in Armour?
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Tracy9
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I'm taking 75 mg of Armour Thyroid, been ramping up, just on it for about six weeks. My hair has stopped falling out, but when am I going to start losing this weight????
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Abxnomore
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It's very hard to lose weight while you have lyme disease combined with thyroid problems.
What works best for me is a low carb, anti yeast diet. Still we know that lyme totally messes with our metabolism, blood sugar, energy production, etc.
What doesn't it mess with?
And, for many of us exercise is not possible.
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Lymeorsomething
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Tracy, thyroid meds are rarely a wonder drug for weight loss....you may have to add light exercise within tolerable limits (if there are tolerable limits)...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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Jill E.
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I'm up to 90 mg. of Armour and I still haven't lost any of the weight I gained when I switched from Synthroid to Armour (because the doctor who originally switched me underdosed me dramatically, and I always gain a lot of weight when I go very hypothyroid).
Of all the medications I've been on so far, Rifampin made me go the most hypothyroid and we had to adjust my Synthroid up while on Rifampin, then I was able to drop down a bit after Rifampin. But then I went hypo again recently.
Not everyone can tolerate T3. When I was on Synthroid and two different doctors tried having me add compounded T3, but even teeny doses made me anxious. Neither my mom or I can handle Cytomel, yet do I do well on Synthroid and she does great on the generic Synthroid.
That's why I ramped up slowly on the Armour to make sure I didn't get that T3 hyperexcitability, and so far I've done well except that I gained weight in the process.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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'Kete-tracker
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I mix Armour AND Synthroid... or atleast i Was. I read about this '2% [T3] Solution' in a book by a cutting-edge endocrinologist. So since Armour is 6 parts T4 to 1 part T3 (I'm trying to recall what the pharmacist said) I did some quick calculations & ended up taking a tiny 15mg Armour "pillette" :-)~ along with my 88ug Synthroid. I'm sure it doesn't work out to exactly 98/2% of T4/T3, but it's close enough.
Results? I seem to do fine on it, though I don't notice a whole heck of a lot of difference between Synth, Armour or... not doing Anything. Atleast for a few days. Then I get chilly. Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
Wow so many stories and so much imput. So I've heard that Thyroid disease is common in ppl with LD but I now really believe it.
I don't feel any weirdness from the Armour (that I know of) so I Guess its best just to keep on it. My doctor keeps increasing me untilhe sees my levels where they should be I just went up to 60g.
I'm hoping I can shed some of the weight that I gained as well.
Thanks all for sharing!
Melissa
-------------------- When the going gets tough. . . I'll keep fighting! Ms. Geet3721
New LLMD, New abx, New life coming right up!!!! Posts: 714 | From La La Lyme Land | Registered: Jun 2008
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'Kete-tracker
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60 mg Armour is "close" to an equivalent of 50ug of Synthroid, maybe a little more. (We're comparing oranges & tangerines.... no, oranges & Tang. LOL)
T'aint nothing, Geet. Many are on much more than that. If you're levelled out at 60mg/day, consider yoursef lucky... & pat your thyroid on the... neck.
Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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