Quote:
Originally Posted by scottyg354
I'm seeing alot of replies here about Armour and T3 replacement. Everyone should know that the reason they don't give T3 replacements out that easy are that the majority of thyroid patients repsond poorly too it (I've read this on many thyroid boards) and get very ill. I understand it works wonders for people who respond well to it and thats awesome, I just wanted to post this so everyone is aware. Like the above poster has stated you don't want to end up with bigger problems (heart attack) then you already have.
As for weight loss I believe I was hypothyroid since roughly 2006, just recently diagnosed in 2010. I had all the symptoms (Losing hair, extreme weight gain (250 to 320), constipation, extreme fatigue, anxiety and depression). Before I was diagnosed I went on a low carb diet and still lost. I got myself down from 320 to 270, but I had to travel with work and slacked. Now that I am diagnosed and on meds I am thinking I should be good to go. Right now I am on .150 of levothryoxine and feeling pretty good. I have my moment but we shall see.
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T3 thyroid hormone is not given for 'weightloss'. You have to look at your Free T4 and Free T3 testing to determine if you need T3. If you are only getting a TSH test, then you need to determine how much knowledge you have on this subject (and perhaps determine why a doctor would go by TSH to determine replacement).
I only have 23 YEARS knowledge and being a patient advocate for thyroid disease....adn I don't understand why you would say that 'most patients don't respond well to T3'??? That defies all of the medical studies in the world.
Please respond with your proof of 'most patients do not respond well to T3'. Thyroid disease doesn't have much to do with weight LOSS...that has to do with how you EAT and what hormones need replacing.
I have Hashimoto's hypothyroidism and my body does NOT convert ANY of the incoming T4 into T3 at ALL (meaning I have no effect taking T4...no matter how MUCH I take...I don't have good thinking patterns, I don't have energy).
In order to KNOW whether you NEED T3 added to T4 you need to be tested for the two hormones.
If you have had heart involvement and have had heart attack, than a doctor may not want to add in T3 for you.
Otherwise, that's just sad...very very sad that I'm seeing 88% of all women with Hashimoto's need both T4 and T3 (as well as T1 and T2, which is only found in natural thyroid hormone replacement) and most are getting it.
My Mother died from Hashimoto's encephalopathy. She didn't have ANY T3 hormone in her body. We found out from autopsy. Cuz her doctor said she 'didn't need no T3'. Hmmm.
TSH goes up and down as much as eight whole points in any given day. It's useful as a FIRST test to determine if the subject 'may be or may not be' hypo or hyperthyroid. My first was .00023. Not a typo. So, my doctor sent me to a thyroid specialist...cuz he THOUGHT I might be hyPER. I was NOT hyPER...most who have the most common autoimmune hyPOthyroid will swing between hyper and hypo for awhile until the antibodies take over and kill the thyroid.
I was and am still hyPOthyroid. I have hashimoto's, and when they did the Free T4 and Free T3 testing with that VERY low TSH..lo and behold I had NO T4 or T3 in me. Nope. Nada.
I am very happily sustained to this day, 16 years later, on Armour Thyroid...I feel well, have great energy and know that TSH will never actually be a measurement of the true hormones of the thyroid.
If you feel good on and are sustaining NORMAL weight on just T4..fine...but if and when you get your measurements of the actual hormones, don't be surprised if as your thyroid stops working completely..you might need a little T3 added in.