Back to synthroid :-(

[adventuregurl]

I have hypothyroid which is hereditary and after decades on synthroid went to compounded t3 and t4 about 5-6 years ago. Armour and Naturethroid did NOT work for me and in fact made me feel horrible.

Initially I was happy with the compounded and felt better but just yesterday went back to synthroid at the insistence of an endocrinologist (and some kinesiology my naturopath/chiro did that showed the compounded was bothering me) and just like that the profuse sweating I was experiencing and chalking up to menopause is already gone. Not even 48 hours later. My naturopath said that some people just do better on synthroid even though he isn't for it.

I also have been experiencing massive hair loss and frontal fibrosing alopecia and am wondering if this will be helped by returning to synthroid too? Any idea?

[hiero2]

Interesting question. Since your nick is adventuregurl, I will assume you are female. Meaning hereditary general baldness is unlikely, although possible. Alopecia is definitely associated with a low thyroid level. I suppose it could manifest as a general balding trend. So, if your problem IS caused by the thyroid issues, changing them can help.

I had a low level hypothyroid condition a couple decades back. I had some associated alopecia. But I was also undergoing an advance of male pattern baldness, so I didn't notice the alopecia until later. Then I did the Hep C regime, and that pretty much killed my thyroid.

I will share what I have learned:
* using thyroid replacements fixed my alopecia. I am still going balder and balder as I grow older due to the MPB. Which I hate, but such is life, eh?
* the US M.D. community, in general, is quite prejudiced against dessicated thyroid products (like Armour). I can find no one to validate any scientific or even reasonably rational reason for this. It just seems to be a prejudice common to the trade. Like low-cholesterol diets were for decades, or "the vapors" were 100 years ago.
* Some people report feeling "better" using Armour. Some people report the reverse. I think I feel better with Synthroid, but it is a VERY small difference.
* Armour, in the early 2000's, had some production issues (quality and compound, apparently, although I don't know for certain. As I take a partial dose of my thyroid meds as dessicated thyroid (Armour), I do know the pill quality suffered for a few years, and some dosages were just not available at all.)
* The dosages in the various alternatives: in the US that would be Armour, Synthroid, and levothyroxin, ARE NOT equivalent. If you take 130 mcg of Synthroid, you might need 175 mcg of levo to achieve the same blood levels. This is the only generic that I have ever run into where this was true, but I am not a medical professional, so take that fwiw.
* It takes a while to "stabilize" blood values when you change dosages or thyroid med types.

A lot of that you likely already know. Sorry for that, but maybe something in there will help you.

If returning to synthroid brings your blood levels (for the various thyroid tests) closer to "normal" than where you are, I would think the alopecia would improve. If your bloods are coming back with the thyroid metrics in normal ranges while you are on the compounded t3 & 4, I would tell the endo doc to pound sand, or take a hike. If changing to Synthroid or levo improves your bloods, then, and IMO, ONLY then would the endo have a point. Ultimately, afaic, you should rely primarily on how you feel while taking whichever alternative you are taking. If you feel best on the compounded med, and your bloods are coming back good, then stick with it.

However, and this is big, having said what I have, pay attention to what the blood tests tell you. The alopecia is a very strong indication that you are in a hypothyroid state, and your bloods should not be coming back with everything in "normal" ranges. If they aren't, and you like the compounded, then why not just adjust the dosages?

Good luck!

[adventuregurl]

Thanks for that Hiero2.

On the compounded T3/T4 initially I thought I felt better but over time it became awful with severe sweats. My TSH was almost nil so I don't think it was working well for me anymore.

I SO hope the alopecia gets better on the Synthroid, otherwise I'll be wearing a wig :-(. The doc said to use extra strength Rogaine for life :

[hiero2]

Originally Posted by adventuregurl

Thanks for that Hiero2.

On the compounded T3/T4 initially I thought I felt better but over time it became awful with severe sweats. My TSH was almost nil so I don't think it was working well for me anymore.

I SO hope the alopecia gets better on the Synthroid, otherwise I'll be wearing a wig :-(. The doc said to use extra strength Rogaine for life :

ExS Rogaine for life - oh, lordy - I can not tell you how much I can relate to that. I only wish Rogaine worked for me at all. I could care less about the constantly growing white - it does not bother me. The baldness, tho, is the absolute pits. And, for a woman? It must be ten times the torture I feel!

Sean Connery's statement on baldness amounted to a "get over it, get used to it, and move on" is certainly the correct and best mental attitude. But I sure find it a very hard thing to aim for!

Even if you have to push the doc - get regular blood work until you get things situated where you feel good. Even as often as once every two weeks if you need it. Regular blood work can reveal things to you. I became aware of this when I was doing the hep C treatment. Regular, frequent, blood work was useful to ME to assess what was going on. I imagine the doctor felt it was less useful, but he is not the Captain of your ship - you are. He is only a trusted advisor. Today, tho, when I don't have stuff going on, blood tests every couple of weeks would be a waste of money. But, until you get things stabilized . . .

Pay attention to your energy level. The differences can be very subtle, so you have to have faith that if you don't feel quite right, even when you can't say exactly why, you have to keep the faith that your feelings have validity. The doc may say things like "your TSH is already low" etc. I find it difficult to push my doctor, because I do not like being confrontational, but in this case, pushing can be very important!

Good luck!

[rogercobb]

I took pharmaceuticals like Synthroid and Levothyroxine for about ten years up until three years ago. When I first began the thyroid med. the aches and pains subsided somewhat. I had a bit more energy too. In that ten year span my TSH remained elevated while the T4 and T3 were low within range or just below the range. Other than an initial boost the first ear or two it did nothing to improve my blood work or sense of well being. Three years ago I went on Armour and roughly two years ago it was no longer available and I began taking Biotics GTA Forte which helped somewhat. Now I'm down to taking it every other day. On the days I don't take the GTA Forte I take a liquid tincture of herbs for the thyroid. This past spring when I had the blood work done my TSH came down closer to the top end of the range, my T3 is close to middle range and my T4 is low end of range. Also, keep in mind that a Thyroid issue can also be an issue with the Pituitary gland, or maybe more likely with the Adrenals. Most people's adrenal glands are in pretty awful shape with the stress level, lack of sleep, and processed foods.
All I can do is relate MY EXPERIENCE so before the critics obliterate this post with their EXPERIENCE I believe it is possible to become healthy and restore cells to a better condition. The herbs for the thyroid, sitting in the sun and sweating out the toxins, sleeping more, avoiding negative people, and eating a high citrus fruit and berries/melons diet has helped me quite a lot.

[adventuregurl]

Thanks to both of you for your responses.


I get more blood work tomorrow so will see what happens.

[jaminhealth]

My story and I'll try to make it short, although it's so long. My journey started in 1991 and I was 53 or so, after menopause...I had major clinical depression for 10 yrs and MD kept doing labs and telling me "you are normal"..... those labs are numbers, we are symptoms. Years back before there were thyroid labs, MD went by symptoms and used desiccated thyroid AMOUR and they knew it was thyroid with the long list of issues.

Today it's numbers...that's our modern medicine world...

I NEVER did well on Syn and I tried it at one point and sent the endo a long letter pretty much telling him off.

NDT works for me and I now take NP thyroid by Acella since Armour prices went so skyhigh...the company changed hands and so did the once very low priced armour.

BTW: A friend who has always been taking Armour as long as me in 2002, had an afib issue and was in the hospital and they took her off Armour and put her on SYNcrap...she says her hair is falling out like crazy. Now she need to work on getting back on NDT product. She's now on 6-7 heart meds and is working to eliminate many of them. There is so much we can do for our heart to not get to the afib place...Magnesium for sure. I've digressed, heart stuff is a whole other issue and I'll make a post on that soon.



I've learned so much via the STTM book and blog. And other thyroid support groups over the years who primarily use desiccated thyroid support.

I sure had a long 10 yr struggle before I finally got on desiccated thyroid via an osteopath MD I had seen for years for back issues. This older MD knew about thyroid and symptoms and didn't work with the labs of today. Anyway, here is some good info. Thyroid is so critical for so much of our overall health. BTW: The 10 yrs of depression lifted with Armour in about 4 days back in 2002....10 yrs of depression from 1991 till then.


Back in 2002, my D.O. started me on 30mg armour and I'm now taking 135mg NP thyroid which is the generic for armour.

I now believe what my D.O. started me on was a theraputic dose and I went from there. The MD I saw for 10 yrs was no help but boy could he write me scripts for anti depressant meds.

I own the stop the thyroid madness book and have been on thyroid groups who follow the author's works.

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com...t-resolutions/