I have had issues with thyroid causing afib and palps, it takes a bit to get your dose straigthened out. I am currenly on 100 mcg and still wondering if it is right........ re check in 2 months, been on 75,88,100 and 125.

obviously you had you whole thyroid out i had half of mine out and was put on 50 then 75 and since these a fib things i have gone back to 50 and today taking a break from the pills will back on 50 and then in few weeks I will get tested again do you change you pills by yourself or only what doctor says because there is an adjustment thanks daisy

I still have my thyroid gland. But when my dose is upped I sometimes
get palpatations. And have to back off the dose for awhile.

Hi Stevbo, all my changes were doctor prescribed, was on amioderone for 9 months and it really messed up my thyroid worse than it was. I had been on 75 mcg for years before that and was doing fine. No longer on amioderone and still working on the correct dosage. I think I need to be back on the 75 where I was before unless there was damage to my thyroid I am not aware of. Maybe even less.

Petey, Maybe you can help us out? When I added T3 to my Armour thyroid meds. I have palps every time I take one. they last sometimes
12 hours or more. [I have stopped the T3] does this harm the heart.
I know when the heart skips beats that is not good. How bad is it, in
your opinion?

missd: I'm not a doctor. Here is the best info I found:

This website says time release is the safest/best to use:
http://thyroid.about.com/od/hypothyroidismhashimotos/a/Thyroid-Patients-Do-You-Need-T3-Natural-Desiccated-Thyroid.htm
Keep in mind that many endocrinologists are resistant to the idea of T3 treatment, despite the research findings. They cite concerns that excessive doses of T3 could cause heart palpitations, or other side effects. It's important to note, however, that because T3 is the active hormone, it can have an over-stimulatory effect on heart rate and pulse in some people, especially those with a history of heart disease, the elderly, and those with heart irregularities like mitral valve prolapse. T3-savvy physicians evaluate the safety of T3 as compared to the potential benefits on a case-by-case basis. Even in those patients who do not have any heart or age-related issues that may make T3 problematic, some patients are simply more sensitive to T3. The heart is very sensitive to thyroid hormone in general, and for some people, even low doses of Cytomel or generic liothyronine can cause a rise in pulse, or heart palpitations. For those patients, physicians often recommend the time-released/ sustained-release/ slow-release form of T3, available by prescription from compounding pharmacies. Some integrative physicians, in fact, believe that the slow-release T3 is actually the optimal form for supplemental T3, as it more closely resembles the body's own conversion to and release of T3, and because the slow-release form is less likely to cause any side effects.

Heres a website that talks about T3 safety:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/healthy-heart-with-t3/


petey

Petey has found the good resarch on thr T-3 and it it is right on as far as the t-3 for me, had to stop it becuase of the palips/afib, too bad because it really made me feel good other than that.

Thanks petey. I did try the compounded time released form and still
got palps. There is some T3 in the Armour but it was making me very
tired so we decided to try the Cytomel. No go. I'll just stick with the
Armour.

daisy, I had exactly the same response.

my daughter cannot take synthroid because it causes fast heart rate and problems - she takes armour thyroid. A lot of drs think that armour thyroid doesnt work but it works for her! ask your doctor.

I take both T4 (Synthroid, 75mcg) and T3 (synthetic, NOT from pig's thyroid like Armour Thyroid). I take 12.5 microgram of T3. I have no problem and feel great. I get my T3 from a mixer pharmacy and it is synthetic and NOT animal based.

About one year ago, I read a report that the Armour Thyroid had a bad batch and the dosage was NOT precise. Any way, my endo doctor always refused to prescribe T3 for me because of the consistency problem with pig based T3 thyroid meds. Finally, 2 years ago, another doctor prescribed the synthetic form of the T3 which is always a precise dosage. After starting to take the T3, my lack of energy went away and no problem with causing any irregular heart beat. My blood tests also confirmed my TSH, T4, and T3 levels were just fine.

Also, my wife takes both the T4 and synthetic T3 (much higher dosage than me) and she has no problem either.

Please ask your doctor for synthetic T3 rather than any pig based T3, which may Not be as precise as the synthetic form. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone. So, if it is over dosed, it can cause all kinds of heart problems .

Note - You might have to go to a Mixer Pharmacy if the dosage is not standard for off-the-shelf T3. I think the off-the-shelf T3 comes in 5, 10, and 25 mcg. I take 12.5 mcg, so I have to get it from a mixer pharmacy. My wife takes 25 mcg, so she gets it from a regular pharmacy (CVS).

Scott

Everyone is different. I've tried the compounded mix and had terrible
results. When I was put on Armour it worked very well. No sweats
or palps with it.

Missed,

I hear you. Are you sure that your dosage was correct and it was NOT too much from the "compounded mix"? Are you sure the compounded mix used the "SYNTHETIC" from of the T3 compare to animal base T3? Please find out about the above before deciding the synthetic form does not work for you.

Also, anybody with afib and/or thyroid problem must read the "Stop the Thyroid Madness" book and/or the book by Dr. Brownstein M.D. After reading the two books, I fired my endocrinologist after going to her for 10 year. She never tested me for T3 thyroid hormone and she was giving me only T4 (Synthroid). I went to my regular doctor, got the thyroid panel test (TSH, T4, free T3), and asked him to give me the T3 (the synthetic form) in addition to T4. I started the T3 at very low dosage (5 mcg per day), went for blood test every 2 months. Based on the blood test, my doctor increased the T3 dosage and now I am at 12.5 mcg. It took about 8 months before my T3 was okay and I felt myself again.

So, please read the link that petey posted and get the book. You will do yourself a favor, believe me, I have been there :-) Average doctor does NOT know enough about the thyroid, I am talking about even the specialists. You got to read books to understand what you should do.

Scott