Taking Levothyroxine at night improved my life.

Why are you taking Iron?

I would like an answer to your question too..... My doc changed my thyroid medication from 112mcg to 125mcg..... and my stomach has felt nauseated and bloated.....is this a side effect?  Never had a problem before

 

Read the leaflet that tells you the side effects, if confused go to your GP, 

if he doesn't help, ask for a second opinion.

Pamela

I went to the doctors pharmacy to pick up my levothyroxine last week, the lady in front of me was dispensed with a packet of them which she refused saying that was not the brand she she should have had, I then went on to ask her what the difference was between the levothyroxine and the ones she wanted was. Her answer was, "I have been on thyroxine tablets for 30years and levo do not suit me. A friend in the know about these drugs told her that levothyroxine are  inconsistant in iodine levels and she took a drug begining with A (unfortunatly I cant remember the name of them) on the advice of the person who initially told her and she had never looked back and they were great for her. I found this interesting as I am still not as before I went on the darn things last january. I am due a blood test next week and I will ask if I can try another brand and see if there is a difference and will let the forum know.That is if they will pescribe them for me,I know levo are probably the cheapest so they may be reluctant. Has anyone else tried another brand?

I used to take Levothyroxine, switched to the brand name drug Synthroid, but never felt better until I started on a pill made from desiccated pig thyroid. It has both T3 & T4. It is probably the "A" medicine you heard about at the drug store. "Armour Thyroid" is the name.

Why do we just have to put up with the levothyroxine brand why is there not an option? 

Hi Sue,

There are other options to take with hypothyroidism as not everyone gets on with synthroid medication such as levothyroxine.

It is difficult to get a gp to understand why you want to change medication as levothyroxine is the main one all doctors are educated(ish) about and taught to prescribe.

It is recommended to take a T3 medication when on levothyroixine as levothyroxine only supplies your body with T4 which is then supposed to convert to T3 (the important hormone) but some people don't convert properly.

There is armour. Thyroid S (or something) but it's worth looking I to the other options but a GP won't tell you them.

I was about to ask if anyone is taking armour. Was it difficult to get your Doctor to prescribe?

Hi Zaphira if you are on levo it is worth trying to get a trial of T3 (lithothyronine to add to the levo) I got this from my endo and have not looked back.  ARmour is hard to get prescribed in the uk.  But T3 is a little easier.  I went from 150mg of levo to 100 with 10 of t3 in morning and 10 in the afternoon.  Is working great but had to get it from a private endo NHS is hard to get it, and I think it is going to get harder lots or rumours of it being put on the red list by local health boards.

Hi I just switch from Levi 150 to 100 and add a 5 mg t3 I have it where I could take a 2nd t3 in the afternoon but u have to go a hour before after u take it. I'm in the U.S. please I need help I lost .75 of my hair with being on the levo and never stop gaining weight.

Hi Crystal sorry it has taken me a while to reply for some reason my email keep sending the threads to junk. 

Ok I think the amount may be too low, I would take your levo in the am with 5of the t3 then 1 hour before your late afternoon about 2pm take the other one see how you feel.  If you get twitching or have palpatations then you could split the tablet for the afternoon 1.  Remember that the 150mg of levo you were on before you dropped will be in your system for 6 weeks you my find you gradually feel worse Ideally 50mcg levo is equal to approx 20 of t3.  Remember you will get a reaction to t3 within a hour of taking it and it will leave your system relatively quickly over 6 hours, so if you are not taking enough of it to replace the levo you may start to feel more symptomatic.  I starting taking mine arround 5-6am so that at 7am I am wide awake.  Ps you need to keep to regular times as your body get used to when it is required get a routine that works and stil to it.  When I was switiched I was on 10 in the am and 10 in the afternoon.   I felt much better, and for the last 4 weeks I have unbeknown to my dr ditched another 50mg of levo and increased my t3 to 45m per day split into 3 doses.  I feel better than I have in ages.  However I would no take it upon yourself to do what I have done unless you are totally desperate and your dr or endo wont help.

Not sure what you mean about the hour.  It is just an hour away from food or other meds.  I take the t3 an hour before food and my vitamins an hour after. It is the best I can do and is not affecting me adversely.

I specifically brought this "Armour Thyroid" up to my doctor just yesterday. After requesting (as it has been some time since last blood work, and first prescribed levothyroxine) SPECIFIC thyroid tests to be done "TODAY"; he denied my request for all but 3 tests, up in dosage of levothyroxine, and any T3 supplement. Just off phone with results now, he states I am perfectly fine...but I feel far from "fine".

If you don't mind me asking, how long were you on levo before switching to Synthroid and then to Armour? Do you take both now, or just the Armour? I am relatively new to the horrible thyroid disaster that is my life now, but I have done so much research and know more than my own doctor. It may still be early for me, but I don't want to spend another min feeling this horrible if I don't have to.

Thank you in advance!

Hate to say it, but probably time to find another doctor.  Testing for T3 and doing the right test is very important.  I've been of Synthroid or Levo for 43 yrs.  just had to start meds for the T3 also. I'm going to try at night and see if I feel better.  My husband just starts on the armor because nothing else was working.  But we had to pay the naturalpath doctor out of pocket. But he is feeling better.  I would do some research on the labs that can be done. Some doctors won't even do reverse T3 or others.  If you stroke their ego first sometimes it helps. 

Armour thyroid!!!!!!! It is seriously the bomb!!!!! I took that for years and it was amazing. Maintained my weight, felt decent enegy wise etc etx. Most regular MD's do not like to prescribe it tho. They "claim" the dosage is not as regulated. I just know how amazing ut was. It was cheap too!!!!!!! I go to a more holistic dr and he lobes that stuff too!!!!!