Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Synthroid Vs Armour Thyroid

laurie9141

Recommended Posts

laurie9141 Rookie
laurie9141
Posted

I think I am celiac have all the s+s plus. Have Hoshimotos.. have 160 speckled ANA several different doctors. no one is taking reaponsibility for any.. each orders one little thing and doesnt like how the other did. have leakey gut too it looks like. I guess I should just have the endotest done and get it over w? anyone know? switched to synthroid at my husbands urging.. but only if I could take cytomel (T3) because I knew I dont covert t4 to t3 very well. Now Im back to being cold, hair is starting to fall out by the handfuls, skin is dry.. Hate the celaic diet. might be easy some say but tastes like crap and I am at a loss to go out to eat w friends,but it looks like I have many sensitivities anyway and cant have nitrates and now tons of common meds either.

Heres my point, after getting done complaining for a minute. what do I take synthroid or armour? and why? can order armour online or waste yet another copay to see a dif dr. or stay on synthroid I recently switched 2. Psychiatry will order t3 for those of you that see one.. just ask. 2nd thing is that I seen to have connective tissue disease, kinda like RA.. but is that celiac? does anyone else have all of this w their celiac disease or will any of it get better once Im figure out how to eat? thanks

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lgood22573 Rookie
Lgood22573
Posted

I have been on synthroid for 20+ years, with good results. I think it is different for everyone. Some people LOVE armour and some people do just fine with the synthroid. I also have Hashimoto's When is the last time you had labs done regarding your thyroid? When my levels are bad, I get the same symtoms cold, dry brittle loss of hair etc. When I am in perfect sync I feel perfect. I would get the endo tests so you know where you are if you have not already had them. How can you get quality Armour on line? Is it regulated? What country do you live? If you are getting your Armour on line instead of through your doctor, how can you be sure of the quality you are getting? I guess I'm a bit confused by your post.

My answer would be: you need to get tested by your endo to know what your numbers are.

bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

i have taken a few different types of thyroid meds over the last 17 years. synthyroid wasn't a good fit for me. i liked the armour and felt better but i felt uncomfortable taking it just for the reason it was derived from pigs. (this is my own hang up but like i said i did feel better on that then i did with synthroid). now i am on levothyroxine and it seems to be working. you may need to try different ones until you really feel a difference. good luck! :)

Ahorsesoul Enthusiast
Ahorsesoul
Posted

I'm back on my Armour. It seems to work much better with my system. I have tried combinations of levothyroxine and cytomel. Never could get the dosage correct. I'd either be freezing with super dry skin and hair falling out or I'd have a racing heart with fatigue. I eat bacon so I just think bacon when I take my Armour.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Natural thyroid was LIFE ALTERING for me. I would never ever let synthroid pass my lips again.

The trouble is, doctors just like with celiac are total morons when it comes to thyroid issues and prescribing natural thyroid. So you have to find a doc who will give it to you.

I take Westhroid. Armour has reformulated and there are lots of people not doing well on it anymore. I did great and then when I got ahold of the new formula, I got really sick with symptoms.

There is a shortage of natural thyroid right now, so once you get the script, you have to call pharmacies and find it, or google the brand you are using and call them directly to get a referral to a pharm.

The doc needs to know how to dose you and work on your dose until your symptoms clear up, raising it or lowering it. Generally you start on a smaller dose and work your way up.

A great website is www.stopthethyroidmadness.com Most of us natural thyroid people call Synthroid "Syncrap." :lol::lol: There are some natural thryoid yahoo groups you can join and the people on there are a wealth of information.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Also one of the best things about natural thyroid is that you can dissolve it under your tongue. It goes straight into your bloodstream that way and you don't have to worry about an empty stomache. Most of us take it that way. You'll see if you visit that website and join the yahoo group. They can guide you.

bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

i have never heard of natural thyroid! thanks for the website link... gonna look into it. did you have a hard time adjusting when you made the switch??

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


laurie9141 Rookie
laurie9141
Posted
  • Author

I have been on synthroid for 20+ years, with good results. I think it is different for everyone. Some people LOVE armour and some people do just fine with the synthroid. I also have Hashimoto's When is the last time you had labs done regarding your thyroid? When my levels are bad, I get the same symtoms cold, dry brittle loss of hair etc. When I am in perfect sync I feel perfect. I would get the endo tests so you know where you are if you have not already had them. How can you get quality Armour on line? Is it regulated? What country do you live? If you are getting your Armour on line instead of through your doctor, how can you be sure of the quality you are getting? I guess I'm a bit confused by your post.

My answer would be: you need to get tested by your endo to know what your numbers are.

Hi.my NUMBERS ARE tested at every dr I see,everyone wants to do their own.. they all want to blame how I feel, on my thyroid... I do have 20,000 antibodies in the testing... or use an antidepressant.. the ssri's have interacted w my headache meds no one knew at the time ( only a few years ago!) so I ended up w a heart cath. stress test and cardiac monitoring for 2days. they said Im just anxious and take my meds again and go home.. I knew that wasnt it.... so got off SSRI couldnt get off the headache stuff... saw a thing on TV about the interaction and that WAS it!SSRI's they have found, cause damage and chest pain when taken w triptans for headaches...

I took Armour thyroid and it is regulated as it can be from animal... when I did find a dr to give it to me it was the same bottle same company same everything... switched to synthroid under pressure for dr's to be able to SEE my NUMBERS... am back to hair falling out, cold, and dry skin... I had a few drs write for it. but they werent covered in my ins. and their appts are expensive and long.. so its easier to do it myself. as I said before, no one seems to care how I feel, they only care about numbers and getting the patient out as quickly as possible... I know, I ve been an RN for 20+ years. but I digress... I want to know what to do next? D8 + D2 genetic test? endo biopsy? what? been too long and Im tired. gonna give it 2 more weeks on the synthroid and cytomel.. if too much hair gone, and still cant get warm.. will be sooner... would appreciate ANY imput ... thanks laurie

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Hi.my NUMBERS ARE tested at every dr I see,everyone wants to do their own.. they all want to blame how I feel, on my thyroid... I do have 20,000 antibodies in the testing... or use an antidepressant.. the ssri's have interacted w my headache meds no one knew at the time ( only a few years ago!) so I ended up w a heart cath. stress test and cardiac monitoring for 2days. they said Im just anxious and take my meds again and go home.. I knew that wasnt it.... so got off SSRI couldnt get off the headache stuff... saw a thing on TV about the interaction and that WAS it!SSRI's they have found, cause damage and chest pain when taken w triptans for headaches...

I took Armour thyroid and it is regulated as it can be from animal... when I did find a dr to give it to me it was the same bottle same company same everything... switched to synthroid under pressure for dr's to be able to SEE my NUMBERS... am back to hair falling out, cold, and dry skin... I had a few drs write for it. but they werent covered in my ins. and their appts are expensive and long.. so its easier to do it myself. as I said before, no one seems to care how I feel, they only care about numbers and getting the patient out as quickly as possible... I know, I ve been an RN for 20+ years. but I digress... I want to know what to do next? D8 + D2 genetic test? endo biopsy? what? been too long and Im tired. gonna give it 2 more weeks on the synthroid and cytomel.. if too much hair gone, and still cant get warm.. will be sooner... would appreciate ANY imput ... thanks laurie

Ummm... I think you've gotten a lot of input, and appreciation is always nice when people take lots of time to post to your threads.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

i have never heard of natural thyroid! thanks for the website link... gonna look into it. did you have a hard time adjusting when you made the switch??

Not at all. The results were dramatic within a couple of days.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. suek54
      - suek54 replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Wow KK, thank you so much for all your attached info. I had a very quick scan but will read more in depth later. The one concerning corticosteroid use is very interesting. That would relate to secondary adrenal insufficiency I think , ie AI caused by steroids such as taken long term for eg asthma. I have primary autoimmune AI, my adrenals are atrophied...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Welcome to the forum, @suek54, I have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, too. I found taking Niacin B3 very helpful in clearing my skin from blisters as well as improving the itchies-without-rash (peripheral neuropathy). Niacin has been used since the 1950's to improve dermatitis herpetiformis. I try to balance my iodine intake (which will cause flairs...
    3. suek54
      - suek54 replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Thank you all for your advice and the dermatitis herpetiformis article. The latter made me realise I had stopped taking my antihistamine, which I will restart today. The Dapsone has cleared the rash entirely but I still get quite a bit itching, absolutely nothing to see though. I know its notoriously hard to clear and its still relatively early days for me...
    4. trents
      - trents replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      So, essentially all of the nutrition in the food we eat is absorbed through the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestinal track that is damaged by celiac disease. This villous lining is composed of billions of finger-like projections that create a huge amount of surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the celiac person, when...
    5. catnapt
      - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      thank you so much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!! I can say with absolute certainty that the less gluten containing products I've eaten over the past several years, the better I've felt. I wasn't avoiding gluten, I was avoiding refined grains (and most processed foods) as well as anything that made me feel bad when I ate it. It's the...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,259
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Tdodge
    Newest Member
    Tdodge
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • suek54
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By suek54 · Posted

      Wow KK, thank you so much for all your attached info. I had a very quick scan but will read more in depth later.  The one concerning corticosteroid use is very interesting. That would relate to secondary adrenal insufficiency I think , ie AI caused by steroids such as taken long term for eg asthma. I have primary autoimmune AI, my adrenals are atrophied, no chance if recovery there. But I am in touch with some secondaries, so something to bear in mind. .  Niacin B3 Very interesting too. Must have a good read about that.  Im sure lots of questions will arise as I progress with dermatitis herpetiformis. In the mean time, thanks for your help.
    • knitty kitty
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @suek54, I have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, too.  I found taking Niacin B3 very helpful in clearing my skin from blisters as well as improving the itchies-without-rash (peripheral neuropathy).  Niacin has been used since the 1950's to improve dermatitis herpetiformis.   I try to balance my iodine intake (which will cause flairs) with Selenium which improves thyroid function.   Interesting Reading: Dermatitis herpetiformis effectively treated with heparin, tetracycline and nicotinamide https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10844495/   Experience with selenium used to recover adrenocortical function in patients taking glucocorticosteroids long https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24437222/   Two Cases of Dermatitis Herpetiformis Successfully Treated with Tetracycline and Niacinamide https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30390734/   Steroid-Resistant Rash With Neuropsychiatric Deterioration and Weight Loss: A Modern-Day Case of Pellagra https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12532421/#:~:text=Figure 2.,(right panel) upper limbs.&text=The distribution of the rash,patient's substantial response to treatment.   Nicotinic acid therapy of dermatitis herpetiformis (1950) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15412276/
    • suek54
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By suek54 · Posted

      Thank you all for your advice and the dermatitis herpetiformis article. The latter made me realise I had stopped taking my antihistamine, which I will restart today. The Dapsone has cleared the rash entirely but I still get quite a bit itching, absolutely nothing to see though. I know its notoriously hard to clear and its still relatively early days for me.  The iodine issue is very interesting. I do eat quite a bit of salt because I have Addison's disease and sodium retention is an issue. I also have autoimmune hypothyroidism, not sure how a low iodine diet would play into that? Because of my Addison's I am totally steroid dependent, I take steroids 4 x daily and cannot mount any defence against inflammation. I need to increase my meds for that. Now that I know what is wrong I can do just that if Im having a bad day. Life is very sweet, just so damn complicated sometimes! Hey ho, onwards. Thank you again for your advice.  
    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      So, essentially all of the nutrition in the food we eat is absorbed through the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestinal track that is damaged by celiac disease. This villous lining is composed of billions of finger-like projections that create a huge amount of surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the celiac person, when gluten is consumed, it triggers an autoimmune reaction in this area which, of course, generates inflammation. The antibodies connected with this inflammation is what the celiac blood tests are designed to detect but this inflammation, over time, wears down the finger-like projections of the villous lining. Of course, when this proceeds for an extended period of time, greatly reduces the absorption efficiency of the villous lining and often results in many and various nutrient deficiency-related health issues. Classic examples would be osteoporosis and iron deficiency. But there are many more. Low D3 levels is a well-known celiac-caused nutritional deficiency. So is low B12. All the B vitamins in fact. Magnesium, zinc, etc.  Celiac disease can also cause liver inflammation. You mention elevated ALP levels. Elevated liver enzymes over a period of 13 years was what led to my celiac diagnosis. Within three months of going gluten free my liver enzymes normalized. I had elevated AST and ALT. The development of sensitivities to other food proteins is very common in the celiac population. Most common cross reactive foods are dairy and oats but eggs, soy and corn are also relatively common offenders. Lactose intolerance is also common in the celiac population because of damage to the SB lining.  Eggs when they are scrambled or fried give me a gut ache. But when I poach them, they do not. The steam and heat of poaching causes a hydrolysis process that alters the protein in the egg. They don't bother me in baked goods either so I assume the same process is at work. I bought a plastic poacher on Amazon to make poaching very easy. All this to say that many of the issues you describe could be caused by celiac disease. 
    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      thank you so much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!! I can say with absolute certainty that the less gluten containing products I've eaten over the past several years, the better I've felt.   I wasn't avoiding gluten, I was avoiding refined grains (and most processed foods) as well as anything that made me feel bad when I ate it. It's the same reason I gave up dairy and eggs- they make me feel ill.  I do have a bit of a sugar addiction lol so a lot of times I wasn't sure if it was the refined grains that I was eating - or the sugar. So from time to time I might have a cookie or something but I've learned how to make wonderful cookies and golden brownies with BEANS!! and no refined sugar - I use date paste instead. Pizza made me so ill- but I thought it was probably the cheese. I gave up pizza and haven't missed it. the one time I tried a slice I felt so bad I knew I'd never touch it again. I stopped eating wheat pasta at least 3 yrs ago- just didn't feel well after eating it. I tried chick pea pasta and a few others and discovered I like the brown rice pasta. I still don't eat a lot of pasta but it's nice for a change when I want something easy. TBH over the years I've wondered sometimes if I might be gluten intolerant but really believed it was not possible for me to have celiac disease. NOW I need to know for sure- because I'm in the middle of a long process of trying to find out why I have a high parathyroid level (NOT the thyroid- but rather the 4 glands that control the calcium balance in your body) I have had a hard time getting my vit D level up, my serum calcium has run on the low side of normal for many years... and now I am losing calcium from my bones and excreting it in my urine (some sort of renal calcium leak) Also have a high ALP since 2014. And now rapidly worsening bone density.  I still do not have a firm diagnosis. Could be secondary HPT (but secondary to what? we need to know) It could be early primary HPT. I am spilling calcium in my urine but is that caused by the high parathyroid hormone or is it the reason my PTH is high>? there are multiple feedback loops for this condition.    so I will keep eating the bread and some wheat germ that does not seem to bother me too much (it hasn't got enough gluten to use just wheat germ)    but I'm curious- if you don't have a strong reaction to a product- like me and wheat germ- does that mean it's ok to eat or is it still causing harm even if you don't have any obvious symptoms? I guess what you are saying about silent celiac makes it likely that you can have no symptoms and still have the harm... but geez! you'd think they'd come up with a way to test for this that didn't require you to consume something that makes you sick! I worry about the complications I've been reading about- different kinds of cancers etc. also wondering- are there degrees of celiac disease?  is there any correlation between symptoms and the amnt of damage to your intestines? I also need a firm diagnosis because I have an identical twin sister ... so if I have celiac, she has it too- or at least the genetic make up for having it. I did have a VERY major stress to my body in 2014-2016 time frame .. lost 50lbs in a short period of time and had severe symptoms from acute protracted withdrawal off an SSRI drug (that I'd been given an unethically high dose of, by a dr who has since lost his license)  Going off the drug was a good thing and in many ways my health improved dramatically- just losing 50lbs was helpful but I also went  off almost a dozen different medications, totally changed my diet and have been doing pretty well except for the past 3-4 yrs when the symptoms related to the parathyroid issue cropped up. It is likely that I had low vit D for some time and that caused me a lot of symptoms. The endo now tells me that low vit D can be caused by celiac disease so I need to know for sure! thank you for all that great and useful information!!! 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.