# questions about natural medicines.



## burdette2004 (Oct 29, 2013)

First off, I have had hashimotos for 7 years now. At first I saw a lady who does biofeedback. I was taking high amounts of vitamin b12, a good probiotic, what I vaguely think may have been tyrosine and a, homeopathic thyroid treatment. I was doing well although there were some ups and downs as I have been told is normal for natural treatments. After becoming pregnant, the naturopath told me they couldn't recommend me to keep taking the same things. I found an endo. At my first appt I received a heated lecture about the dangers of natural thyroid medicines. She claimed that because the cows thyroid levels weren't tested it could cause serious long term problems.she went so far as to say that people would become so sick that synthetics wouldn't be able to help them. I was put on levoxyl and after moving and switching endos, levothyroxine. I did well until recently. I'm now on 75mcg. I am having lots of symptoms like extreme exhaustion, insomnia, heat and cold intolerance and more. I am getting ready to see an integrative health doctor. I am looking forward to it but nervous. I have not found any information to back up the endos claims. Has anyone else been told this? Also, with the natural treatments like armor dessicated, do you get the ups and downs?


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

It soulds like you may need an increase in your medication.

What thyroid labs have you had run? If you could post those along with ranges we might be able to give you more direction.

Free T-4 and Free T-3 are the tests that show your thyroid hormone most accuartely. TPO antibodies would also be helpful.


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

burdette2004 said:


> At my first appt I received a heated lecture about the dangers of natural thyroid medicines. She claimed that because the cows thyroid levels weren't tested it could cause serious long term problems.she went so far as to say that people would become so sick that synthetics wouldn't be able to help them.


Another sadly misinformed doctor, led to believe all sorts of nonsense and old wives' tales circulated by big-name drug companies. Complete and utter BS that the endo told you. Sure, maybe they aren't for everyone, but desiccated ('natural') thyroid products have been used for nearly 100 years to treat hypothyroidism. In fact, the prescription desiccated medications (Armour, Nature-Throid, West-Throid, compounded T4/T3) are USP certified, and regulated by the FDA, just like everything else. They also have a very good track record, although some incremental filler changes here and there have affected folks. And they are dirt-cheap, too. (Just to be clear here, I am not talking about the other "natural" OTC supplements that you can get with all sorts of catchy names.)

If your doctor wants to talk about consistency among thyroid medications, let's address all of the synthetics that have been recalled lately. Heck, brand-name Levoxyl's been off the market on a recall since earlier this year. That left a lot of people blowing in the wind, myself included. Not only that, but what about the various generic medications that the FDA allows to have a 10% variance in potency? Not real good for maintaining a good, even thyroid level.

Ultimately, it's up to you and your doc to figure out what works for you. We are all our own cases. You might do better on synthetics, desiccated, or compounded meds. Good luck with this integrative doc! Just beware that, as you can have an armful of prescription meds, you can have an armful of supplements. Two different styles of medicine, eastern and western, but it certainly doesn't hurt to address things by way of different approaches. I do this, too. If you haven't had them run lately, be sure to ask for thyroid labs at the first appt. At a minimum; TSH, Free T3, and Free T4. If you've never had Thyroglobulin Antibodies and TPO Antibodies tested before, get those, too. And a baseline ultrasound never hurts. Then, from there, I'd look at changing medications and/or doses.

I have been taking Nature-Throid for a year now. A lot of the subtle, weird signs & symptoms have diminished or disappeared. Part of this was likely helped by being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and going gluten-free. Nature-Throid is absolutely some potent stuff (like anything with T3 in it), so it's best to start low 'n' slow, working your way up by no more than a 1/4 grain at a time. Depending on how you respond to it, you might want to space your doses out through the day, as T3 has a half-life of only 3-4 hours. So sometimes you might feel a bit of a "crash" as that time rolls around. But again, we all respond differently. What works for me isn't likely to work exactly for someone else.


----------



## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

I take West Throid and thrive on it. I took Synthroid for awhile and ended up in the ER with massive headaches because of it. I also took the generic brand of Synthroid and that did me in too. I do much better on dessicated. I have been stable now about a year and will never go back to synthetics. Every doctor I went to (except my naturopath) said the same thing about dessicated - none of them would prescribe them. Small minded idiots.


----------



## burdette2004 (Oct 29, 2013)

Thanks. I do know that my levels need adjusted. I am strongly considering the change to natural as levothyroxine is just not cutting it. I have not had labs since January so I am sure they will do them at the first appointment. I have had tsh, t3 and t4 done on a regular basis. The others have been done but not as often. During my last 3 pregnancies, I had monthly labs so I guess it isn't something to check that often! I do think alot of my problem now is sleep deprivation. My 11 month old is still not sleeping through the night. I do feel somewhat better when I get more sleep. Then there are nights like last night that leave me feeling like crap. Thinking maybe this stress on my body is what brought on thyroid issues this time.

I did figure that the endo was probably misinformed. I couldn't find one bit of information on the internet to back up what she said. I know that you can't believe everything that you read online, but I figured there should be at least one person who could "prove" what she said if it were even remotely true. So, you don't get much of a up and down affect from the natural meds? Well, I just have to survive one more week until my appointment.


----------



## Danniswirl (Feb 23, 2013)

Fight for your health! And if that doctor doesn't let you try desiccated thyroid meds than find another. Do not wait on a doctor who is too stubborn to listen or take your symptoms seriously. Yes we all are sleep deprived ( I have 2 little ones as well), but with your other symptoms there is reason to believe there is something else going on. Do not let the doctor make you second guess yourself. I have wasted two many years doing just that because doctors believed I was a hypochondriac. You don't want Adrenal or other issues to rear because of under treated hypothyroid. Then you will really be symptomatic.


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

I will tell you that when I was on synthroid & tirosint... Although because of side-effects I only took them a total of ten days - the "after" effects - were a ZING ZING ZING of energy! Like woeh wow wowzers. But - it was definitely unnatural!

On armour, I feel like myself!!


----------

