Armour Thyroid or Synthroid? Your Quality of Life Hangs in the Balance!

The following is not medical advice and only my personal experience.  Always seek the advice of a physician before making a medical decision.

My wife is a Registered Nurse and her suggestion has made a huge improvement in my life.  I was placed on Synthroid when I was 19 years old for being hypothyroid at a serious level.  It was determined that I had gone undiagnosed for a significant period of time.  This certainly was no fault of mine and had gone over and over again to the physician with complaints of hypothyroidism.  However, I was always told that someone as young as myself and being a male made it impossible for me to be hypothyroid.  My physician refused to run a TSH test.  I finally demanded a test and sure enough my TSH levels were through the roof!

I was placed on Synthyroid and showed some improvement right away, however I NEVER felt 100% like I did prior to becoming hypothyroid.  I would bring this up to physicians from time to time and they would brush my comments aside.  Sometimes they would order another TSH because of my numerous complaints that the Synthroid just wasn't cutting it.  The results of the TSH would come back normal.  My requests to get a prescription of Armour Thyroid or Thyrolar instead of Synthyroid were always met with a lecture on how Synthroid was better.  I argued the need for T3 and was told that the body naturally breaks down the T4 into T3 so there was no need for something such as Armour Thyroid.  After this scenario being repeated several time I eventually gave up on ever getting off of Sythroid and on something better.

I am now remarried to a very smart Registered Nurse who has changed my life for the better in so many ways.  I admire her at so many levels and feel truly lucky to have such a lifetime companion.  I have always complained of fatigue and being tired and no matter how many naps and the proper amount of sleep I would always feel like I needed to sleep.  Depression was ruled out as a source.  My wife suggested that we read together several books about Hypothyroidism.  We read these books together and further researched things online for several months.  After digesting all of the knowledge and patient accounts my wife strongly urged me to get off of Synthroid and on one of the T3/T4 combo treatments for hypothyroidism.

I am happy to say that the Armour Thyroid after being on it for three months has boosted my day to day energy levels.  I am always one to be extra cautious over the miracles of medicine and the first thought was perhaps this was the placebo effect.  However, the change has kept my energy levels up for several months now and the effect of T3 on the body does suggest that patients have more energy throughout the day.  The change has been significant!  I am able to focus better and my energy level stays consistent throughout the day.  I no longer feel the need for sleep except for when people normally do - at night!  My general mood has also improved tremendously mostly likely because of not feeling tired throughout the day.  I used to drink coffee to keep myself going and now I stay away from most anything that has caffeine in it.  My life has changed and I have my wonderful wife to thank for her support and encouragement to finally try something other than Synthroid.

I learned much along the way such as:

1.  Synthroid can actually cause hair thinning or hair loss.  Google it - the information is everywhere.

2.  Most patients feel better on a T3/T4 Combo treatment.  Studies are proving this to be a fact that physicians can no longer afford to ignore!

3.  Armour Thyroid provides T1, T2, and T3 which Synthroid can not!

4.  Synthroid's past shows more stability problems than compared to Armour Thyroid.

5.  If you switch to a T3/T4 combo treatment it is usually best to take it BID (twice a day) because of the fact that the T3 has a short half-life.

I can make several recommendations based on my personal experiences:

1.  Buy the book "Living Well With Hypothyroidism" by Mary J. Shomon.  I found this book to be very helpful.  I have it linked below at Amazon.com if you would like to research further and perhaps purchase this book.

2.  Keep up to date on the latest in thyroid treatment by subscribing to this newsletter.

3.  If your physician refuses to switch you from Synthroid over to a T3/T4 product - find another physician.

I hope that my experiences help others.  I have much to be thankful for in my life and my wife is clearly at the top of the list.

Armour Thyroid Synthroid Thyrolar T3 T4 hypothyroid

Comments

[NancyAdams]

You should really read Janie Bowthorpe's book Stop the Thyroid Madness: a Patient Revolution Against Decades of Inferior Treatment. They are calling it the Bible of hypothyroid treatment and the reviews are saying it's even better than Mary's book. I think the publishers website is laughinggrapepublishing

[DaddyBlogger.com]

Excellent suggestion Nancy! This is a new book and I just ordered it to read and review. Thanks!

[Tammie McElligott]

I have been on armour thyroid for several years but my reason for searching armour thyroid and thanks to google finding your post is I am wondering if I need to have my 17 year old son checked. But like you mention and from what I have read in books they seem to never look at this in men, especially males in their teens so I had to comment.

Being that I have tested for hypothyroid, I'm not nuts for thinking maybe I should have my son tested especially when I see some issues that could be related? As a teen it is hard to nail definite symptoms down especially a male when you receive grunts as answers :o)

Any advice on whether I should have a special doctor run the test rather than the kids pediatrician? I know he would run it if I ask for it but it is the interpretation of "normal range" versus symptoms I'm concerned he may blow off.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[DaddyBlogger.com]

Tammie,
D.O.'s tend to be more open than M.D.'s regarding treating for symptoms instead of lab results. Read the book linked in this article before you "sell" this idea to the Dr.

[James]

I have been on synthroid for several years now myself. I started feeling run down and was gaining weight. My physician at the time didn't think anything of it except that I was over-eating and under-exercising (with an active outdoor job requiring occasional heavy labor). I finally fired this doctor and am going to another one that seems to understand my medical condition including an under active thyroid. He says my thyroid test looks okay now but I still don't feel right. I am going to print this out and do some more research to hand to my doctor.

Thanks for this info.

hey nice post daddyblogger !!! keep going!!!