# Medication Type



## Melissa907 (Sep 6, 2010)

So, I was put on 25 mcg Synthroid per day to start and was curious if anyone else has had success/failure with Synthroid and what your overall opinion of it is. My mom, who has Hashi's, takes Armour and feels 100x better on it than she did on Synthroid. I have heard contradicting information on both meds and wanted the opinions of people who have actually tried them. The only lab work info I have is that my TSH was at 4.83 and that one of my thyroid antibodies was over 600 so I definitely have Hashi's. At this point, I have been on Synthroid for only a few days and am not sure where to go from here. Not feeling the best and have seen no improvement (actually feeling worse) since starting my meds. Thanks!


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

It is a very low dose - a great starting dose. But, don't be surprised if you don't feel a lot of improvement on that dose. I assume you will have blood tests in a few weeks to see where your levels are at?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Melissa907 said:


> So, I was put on 25 mcg Synthroid per day to start and was curious if anyone else has had success/failure with Synthroid and what your overall opinion of it is. My mom, who has Hashi's, takes Armour and feels 100x better on it than she did on Synthroid. I have heard contradicting information on both meds and wanted the opinions of people who have actually tried them. The only lab work info I have is that my TSH was at 4.83 and that one of my thyroid antibodies was over 600 so I definitely have Hashi's. At this point, I have been on Synthroid for only a few days and am not sure where to go from here. Not feeling the best and have seen no improvement (actually feeling worse) since starting my meds. Thanks!


Hi, Melissa and welcome. That is the appropriate starting dose and you should be getting labs every 8 weeks to further titrate your Synthroid upward as needed if needed.

It takes a full 8 weeks for the dose to build up in your system so you are most likely to land in places that are undesirable during this process. Hang tough though; there are good times ahead.

At a certain point; like say 6 months and you are not feeling better, it would be good to get further testing to see if you are converting T4 to T3 properly. If you are not, then Armour or adding Cytomel to the Synthroid would be 2 options.

I do take Armour and I am grateful for it. I definitely do not convert well if at all.


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## Melissa907 (Sep 6, 2010)

Thanks to both of your responses. I am on a low dose but I will be getting labs done again in about 3 weeks to see if anything has changed. As far as I know, they did not check my T3 and T4 last time so that'd be something worth getting checked. I don't feel well at all and I feel almost worse now that I'm on a medication. I sleep like nobodies business and when I'm not sleeping, I feel like I need to be. It's so tough. Anyway, I'm trying to stay positive. Thanks so much!


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

Melissa,

Sometimes on a low dose, the thyroid gets lazy and doesn't produce the hormones it needs to since the hormones are being supplemented. But... the hormones being supplemented are a low dose, so you end up feeling worse.

The titration process is a slow one. I started on Synthroid 50 in April. I am up to Synthroid 125. Six months of titration and I am still not finished. Slow is good although frustrating.

Good luck!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Melissa907 said:


> Thanks to both of your responses. I am on a low dose but I will be getting labs done again in about 3 weeks to see if anything has changed. As far as I know, they did not check my T3 and T4 last time so that'd be something worth getting checked. I don't feel well at all and I feel almost worse now that I'm on a medication. I sleep like nobodies business and when I'm not sleeping, I feel like I need to be. It's so tough. Anyway, I'm trying to stay positive. Thanks so much!


That's what I am saying; sometimes you won't feel so great.

FREE T4 and FREE T3

Here is a place to read about your lab tests.

Understanding thyroid lab tests.....http://www.amarillomed.com/howto


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Melissa907 said:


> So, I was put on 25 mcg Synthroid per day to start and was curious if anyone else has had success/failure with Synthroid and what your overall opinion of it is. My mom, who has Hashi's, takes Armour and feels 100x better on it than she did on Synthroid. I have heard contradicting information on both meds and wanted the opinions of people who have actually tried them. The only lab work info I have is that my TSH was at 4.83 and that one of my thyroid antibodies was over 600 so I definitely have Hashi's. At this point, I have been on Synthroid for only a few days and am not sure where to go from here. Not feeling the best and have seen no improvement (actually feeling worse) since starting my meds. Thanks!


Just to let you know, I feel completely and totally fabulous on Synthroid, and have for quite a few years.

If you have problems with Synthroid, many people do well when they try Levoxyl or one of the other branded synthetics. Even among the T4 medications, people process them differently, and some produce better results for individuals than others.

Everyone is different, and because of the trial and error involved with dosing, the titration process can take a while--sometimes a year or more.


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## Melissa907 (Sep 6, 2010)

THanks guys! Trying to stay positive. It's hard because I am feeling WORSE now than I did before I started Synthroid. I feel bloated, achey, exhausted, a little nauseated, and really really irritable! I am hoping that this turns around quickly. I am starting to get worried that its the meds making me worse. But I can't see as to how that would make much sense!


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

I went through the same thing. I can almost guarantee that is it isn't the meds. It wasn't until I got to 75 or 100 in dose that I started to feel human again.


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## Melissa907 (Sep 6, 2010)

I hope its not the meds because I want to get better!


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

I felt worse until I got enough med in my system. Give it time. Even the same amount of med you are taking still needs to build up.

This is a slow and often frustrating process.


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