• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

TIROSINT & Armour Thyroid??? LABS WITHIN

Messages
7
37yo male here.

Most doctors say my thyroid numbers were always "normal range" but I had all the symptoms of HYPOthyroid, low body-temp, and even cysts in my thyroid. I found a doctor that said I did in fact need thyroid meds; I will save you the whole story and get down to the real questions and details:

Okay, I have been on natural thyroid (1st Nature-throid, now using Armour) for maybe 6 months or so. When I 1st began it I got symptoms of HYPERthyroid and very low TSH, etc on a full grain, so for the last few months I have been on 30mg (half grain). My most recent lab work is:

Free T3 = 3.2 range (2.3 - 4.2)
Free T4 = .82 range (.73 - 1.95)
TSH = 2.6 range (.2 - 2.0) according to my new doctor

Please note that for the last 2 to 3 blood tests I have had since beginning thyroid meds, my numbers have fluctuated quite a bit, but these labs are after a several month run on the same dose (30mg Armour per day) so it should be about as accurate as it can be for this dose in my body?

So, the doctor said since my Free T3 is right up in the middle of the normal range, but the Free T4 is low, she wants to add in 25mcg of TIROSINT to try and get better T4 numbers. I have read online that people tend to feel best with Free T3 in the upper-end of the normal range. And that Armour thyroid contains both T3 and T4 in it.

SO MY QUESTION - Since my T3 is just in the middle range, would it be better to go back to taking a full grain (60mg of the Armour thyroid) per day to hopefully increase both Free T3 and Free T4 INSTEAD OF adding in the TIROSINT (T4) right now to supplement the 30mg of Armour I currently take???

My theory is that I was HYPER on 1 grain to begin with is because my thyroid was still working hard to put out and adding in the additional hormone put me over the top...now that I have been on thyroid meds for some time, I think my own thyroid has down regulated itself to compensate??? My cysts/nodules did disappear almost completely so taking thyroid hormones did help that I guess...

WHAT IS THE BEST PATH FOR ME RIGHT NOW??? Tirosint and same 30mg dose of Armour, or just 60mg of Armout by itself? I want to also add that when I was HYPERish after 1st beginning 1 grain per day, that was on the more potent Nature-throid and perhaps 1 grain of Armour might do me better???

Thanks so much for taking the time and read all this and help me!
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
When was your last dose of thyroid before the bloodwork was done?

Can you please clarify how long exactly you had been on that half-grain dose when the labs were done?

Also, did you have labwork from when you were on one grain? What symptoms did you have of hyperthyroid? And is it possible that it could have actually been intolerance to T3 (which causes many similar symptoms to hyperthyroid) caused by weak adrenals or insufficient iron levels?

Ema
 
Messages
7
Well I mis-typed that part so I have corrected it. I do not recall EXACTLY how long, but I think it has been give or take, 60-90 days on 1/2 grain....And yes, the time I was "revved up too much" was when I 1st began on 1 full grain of nature-throid...I would need to look back at my labs but it is possible my Free T3 was elevated...my TSH was less than .01 at one point...I have tried 1/4 grain, and now 1/2...my labs were good at one point on 1/2 grain, but they have gotten worse now that I have consistently taken it at that dose.

I have/had adrenal fatigue, but via saliva and growth hormone study, they are better than they once were after supporting them with supplements; they are not totally burnt out I guess. I also have very low testosterone which doesn't help matters. My iron levels are fine...ferritin even runs a tad high at times, but serum iron, IBC, % sat, have always been normal.