If your Free T4 level has dropped below normal range with taking the Armour, I would wonder if I was taking enough of it? It sounds like you might need a dose increase.

One grain is 60 mg and contains 38 mg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3. So I am not sure why your doctor says that there is more of T3 than T4 in the Armour?

{{{hugs}}}

Hi...

I've had the exact same problem while taking Armour. And it has made a difference in the negative. My below normal T4 has made me have hypo symptoms. All the while my t3 has been too high. Not fun. So I've asked my doc. to add a synthetic t4 to the plate to bring up my t4 and then, of course, I've needed to lower the Armour to bring the t3 closer to normal levels as well.

It does matter whether your t4 is too low. Our bodies make t4 and even though its primary function is to convert to t3 - it's there for a reason.

If you feel hypo and your t3 levels are within range and your tsh is in range (because the t3 is sending the signal that all is well) but your t4 is low - I highly recommend introducing the concept of adding a synthetic t4 - and adjust your Armour accordingly. (I now think of Armour as a supplement to T4 - like a t3 only is considered).

I've experienced the same thing while on Eltroxin (T4) and Cytomel (T3). My free T3 was too low when just on Eltroxin, so we added a small dose of Cytomel. It made my free T3 get to normal range, but my free T4 drop quite significantly. As I am not on a huge dose of the T4 med, I was able to increase it a bit and my level went back up to where I feel better. I tend to feel the best when both my free T3 and free T4 are in the higher normal range. Some people do fine with a lower free T4 provided their free T3 is at a good level, but some don't. I'm one of them!

Mmztcass, your right last month my doctor dropped my dosage from 1 grain to .5 because i got a lot of swelling in my legs and i was getting fast heart rate so she wanted to see if it was because of the meds. I felt worse by the 2nd week and the swelling still comes and goes but i notice it less since the decrease. the endo i saw wants me back at the 1 grain. i asked her if she could add the t4 to it and she doesnt want to at this time.

(my ft4 has been steadily declining since i have been taking anything. i have been at his for 5 months now and even in the 1st 2 months (i was on levo) it was decreasing. month 3 to now its been declining and is now below. i understand that some people do ok. but arent these people within range and not below? that is my concern because i have fallen below the range?

this doctor wants me to trust her on this, im having a hard time trusting anybody and this swelling in my legs, thats not related to my heart or kidneys is driving me absolutely crazy! and i cant help but to think that it might be a hypo symptom caused by my below level t4.

Im wondering if i should have taken her up on the synthroid and t3 added just to see. im also wondering if increasing the armour will help my t4 come back up or should i just not worry about it if i feel good and symptoms are gone even if im below the level...

suzee, thanks i was feeling so alone and scared! my general doctor wanted me to try this and she said i have a diffcult case and recommended i see a endo. luckly the next day I was able to get in for an endo appt (LUCK) and then the endo is like no dont do it and that my dose for armour was to low so she wants the increase. I asked her if you already saw what it was doing to me when i took it at 1 full month and it was stll decreasing why not? the endo is pretty blunt and "matter of fact." it as like just do what i say and be patient... and well i think she even said that to me lol.. i just dont want to keep suffering and if the below levels of t4 can harm me, i dont want to continue this route. i think ill call back to ask for explanation, regardless of her attitude because my health comes first

believe me i am soooo annoyed with this whole thing as i have been cash to see these people.

Thyroid Slave,

I know what you mean. It seems like so many doctors are very controlling. It's understandable if they know something you don't - ie a process that needs to be taken that has positive rend esult. But if this is the reason, they should share it with their patients. eg: "i know that your t4 is too low. this is common in the beginning. it will increase in about three months. if not, then we'll come-up with plan b." God forbid they should be inclusive and reasurring in their communication.

Same thing was going on with me, I was taking 3 grains of Armour and my free T4 was still hovering around ..7 or .8 and I had some hypo symptoms. When I increased to 3.5 grains my free T 4 finally went over 1 and I felt so much better. Take it from me, an Armour user for over five years now and before that I was on Synthroid for fifteen yrs. They had me try taking Levoxyl at 50 mg to raise the free T4 but I had to stop because I had severe muscle pains and fibromyalgia type symptoms when taking the Levoxyl with the Armour. So I tried taking an extra half grain of Armour and it made all the difference. I take my Armour in 3 doses of one grain each plus a third of a half grain. I take it when I wake up, around noon and around 4 to 6 pm. I cant seem to take the entire dose at once, it makes me too hot all at once.

Ok so i called and talked to my doctor, she said that they do NOT add T4 to armour and that she shouldnt have to because it has T4 in it. I asked her is it safe to have below T4 levels and she said yes.

Yesterday I took 1 full grain and later in the evening it seems that I am more swollen, and this morning i wake up and my face looks swollen too. I feel crazy saying this because I think its the higher dosage of armour making me swell like this. The doctor doesnt think so but this is what happened the last time i was on the full grain, and thats when the other dr. made the adjustment to half. has anyone experienced this at all??

I am almost to the point of switching back to synthroid just to see if it is infact the armour, I just dont want to keep switching back and forth like that. Im so confused about what to do....

I think you need to find a new doctor if this doctor is telling you that it is okay to have below low range for the Free T4. The danger of Myexedema Coma happens when the Free T4 goes below the low ranges. Don't let this happen to you.

{{{hugs}}} :-(

and i do have the puffy eye already. it comes and goes. does anybody have any research articles that mentions giving armour with additonal t4? if you do please post this so i can take it to my doctors. thanks

This article by Dr. Kenneth Blanchard should be of help.

http://www.power-surge.com/educate/hypothyroidism.htm

{{{hugs}}} :-)

I am currently on a combination of Synthroid & Armour & doing better than I have in 3 years. I was not able to tolerate Cytomel T3 but can tolerate the small amount in 15 mg of Armour. In the book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease", by Dr. Alan Christianson & Hy Bender, it states that "You can freely mix T4 & T3 medications to achieve the treatment that's ideal for your needs." I am determined to find what works for me & not give up no matter what the cost! I want my life back & refuse to keep suffering with symptoms.

tugboatann, Thanks! I am feeling the same way, i want a doctor that is willing to work with me in a partnership. this doctor is more of a do what i say and i hope you know that iknow what im talking about because i been doing it for 25 yrs! this dr is rated as a genius but has horrible bedside manners and boy they werent lying! when i mentioned it was like: nope, nope, nope! lol... and yes your right Id rather pay higher cost and instead of going crazy like this!

its driving me crazy esp because i gave her last months blood test which showed i was good on tsh and ft3 but my ft4 was low and that was with 1 grain. and this month my tsh was up again and my ft3 decreased and ft4 below range.... I just dont get it! I have another doctor lined up but it is costly... but at this point peace of mind is so important to me that i dont even care!

@ Mmztcass, thanks for the article, i feel like the guy was describing me! lol... i did feel great after the 1st month of armour but then i started getting symptoms and feeling bad (just like he said in the article), like anxiety, headaches, swelling and the puff under my eye even came back... so i feel in my heart that i might be a good candidate for the mix... now i just need to find a good doctor that knows what their doing! Im calling someone else on monday, hes referred to me by a friend that went to him for menopause. He checks all your blood work plus saliva to make sure its not adrenal....

ThyroidSlave,

Yes, I don't like any doctor who is closed-minded - be it a synthetic-only doctor or an armour-only doctor. they're the same.

Bloomsday,

When you increased the armour and your t4 became within range - did your t3 go above the range?

When i'm on armour alone i can't seem to get all my numbers within range at the same time: if my t4 is good, then my t3 is too high. if my t3 is good, then my t4 is too low.

@ Bloomsday, I would also like to know, When you increased the armour and your t4 became within range - did your t3 go above the range?

@ Barbell or anyone that can answer this... what does splitting the armour doses do for you? like taking half in the am and half in the pm. what are the benefits of this?

to be honest, my general doctor told me to add the synthroid to the armour but the day she told me that she also told me to go see the endo... Lucky me i got an appointment the very next day to see the endo and she said dont add anything and to raise the armour to 1 grain. I agree with my regular doctor in adding the t4 but i didnt do it because the endo told me not to.. this created a confusion and i would like to think that the endo knows better but i cant help myself thinking that i should do what the regular doctor said to do...