Anyone here takes levothyroxine, synthroid, or armour For HypoThyroid?

HQProperty

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Im going to start taking levothyroxine soon.

Please tell me which you are taking.
levothyroxine, synthroid, or armour..etc

I wanted to know if you guys felt any benefits from it or did it make your symptoms worse? If so what symptoms did you have from the beginning and which ones improved?

Im hoping it helps me with my anxiety, energy, brain fog.

Did your Testosterone Increase by taking care of your thyroid?

I see most guys here using Armour Thyroid instead of levothyroxine. Why is that? My doc said she only prescribes levothyroxine not armour. So whats the difference?

levothyroxine is the generic and synthroid is the brand name, is there a difference besides price?

By reading on google it looks like Armour is Natural and has t4 and t3 and levothyroxine is synthetic (t4). Should i try to get Armour instead? or just try the levothyroxine?

Thanks
 

steve999

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I take Levoxyl (brand name for levothyroxine). I don't think there's a direct relationship between TSH/T3/T4, and testosterone, but I could be wrong.

My understanding is Armour is comprised of dessicated thyroid glands from pigs, which contain a mix of T3 and T4, versus Levoxyl which is just T4. A lot of endos say Armour results in inconsistent dosage levels, but I don't know whether this is true or not, or even whether that matters very much.

Endos say that it's very rare for someone to not be able to convert T4 to T3. However, lots of folks say they feel "better" taking T4 + T3 (either with Armour or other drugs) versus T4 alone. I've never tried Armour, so I have no personal experience.
 
Mass_69

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There is a relationship between the thyroid, adrenal, and testes axises. I do recall reading a study on young men (I think in their 20s) with secondary hypothyroidism & hypogonadism being given T4, and it raising their testosterone levels into the normal range. I don't recall if it listed the actual amount of testosterone increase in the patients.
 

HQProperty

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mind me asking how long have you been taking Levoxyl and what dosage?

Also how are you feeling since youve been on it. Any improvements?

I went to a thyroid specialist today just for a 2nd opnion. He said my other doc is doing the right thing by treating me with levothyroxine. I asked him if he can do all the proper tests so we can be sure. But he said he would start me on 75mcg instead of 25mcg.

T3, Total
T4, Total
T3, Free
T4,Free
T3, Reverse
Ultrasensitive TSH
Thyroid Peroxidase and Thyroglobulin Antibodies


Im also going to do the 4x saliva cortisol test to check the adrenals.

I will post the results of the test once i get them.

Thanks


I take Levoxyl (brand name for levothyroxine). I don't think there's a direct relationship between TSH/T3/T4, and testosterone, but I could be wrong.

My understanding is Armour is comprised of dessicated thyroid glands from pigs, which contain a mix of T3 and T4, versus Levoxyl which is just T4. A lot of endos say Armour results in inconsistent dosage levels, but I don't know whether this is true or not, or even whether that matters very much.

Endos say that it's very rare for someone to not be able to convert T4 to T3. However, lots of folks say they feel "better" taking T4 + T3 (either with Armour or other drugs) versus T4 alone. I've never tried Armour, so I have no personal experience.
 

HQProperty

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There is a relationship between the thyroid, adrenal, and testes axises. I do recall reading a study on young men (I think in their 20s) with secondary hypothyroidism & hypogonadism being given T4, and it raising their testosterone levels into the normal range. I don't recall if it listed the actual amount of testosterone increase in the patients.
Thanks for the info. sounds interesting. I hope its true. I would rather pop a pill than have to be on trt. Even though both are for life.

Any guys here seen any improvements in testosterone from treating the hypothyroidism?
 

rocker2229

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I took Armour for 5 or 6 years and then was switched to synthroid by my clueless endo when I moved to a new state. I can't recall the Armour dose but I was started at 137 synthroid and now take 125 synthroid. I felt better on the armour, and the synthroid gives me migraines. My endo argues with me that the synthroid isn't what is giving me migraines, but I NEVER had one on armour.

My testosterone didn't change with either the armour or the synthroid. I was taking depo-t but am desperately trying to convince my endo to switch me to hcg (the depo-t causes me waaaaay too much atrophy).

Rocker
 

steve999

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mind me asking how long have you been taking Levoxyl and what dosage?

Also how are you feeling since youve been on it. Any improvements?
I would guess I've been taking Levoxyl for about 3.5-4 years. I would have to check my medical records for an exact time period. I believe current dosage is 125 units, but of course dosage will vary substantially from person to person.

Old blood tests indicate I was hypothyroid for several years before starting Levoxyl, but I was fairly active (ran marathons, cycling, etc.) and never felt really bad or gained weight. I thought I had a bit more energy after starting Levoxyl, but it wasn't a night-and-day type of thing. Plus my testosterone levels might have been low at that point as well, which would complicate things.

Most endos will only look at TSH levels to determine Levoxyl dosage. Dr. M. disagrees with that and orders/reviews all of the other tests.
 

spinn

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I took Armour for 5 or 6 years and then was switched to synthroid by my clueless endo when I moved to a new state. I can't recall the Armour dose but I was started at 137 synthroid and now take 125 synthroid. I felt better on the armour, and the synthroid gives me migraines. My endo argues with me that the synthroid isn't what is giving me migraines, but I NEVER had one on armour.

My testosterone didn't change with either the armour or the synthroid. I was taking depo-t but am desperately trying to convince my endo to switch me to hcg (the depo-t causes me waaaaay too much atrophy).

Rocker
You probably already know this but not everyone converts T4 to T3. Synthroid is T4 only and has a very bad connotation with me.

Why would you stay with a "clueless endo"?

Most DRs charge $1000 when you add in the lab tests and other fees, why pay someone who is "clueless" $1000 to talk to you for 30 minutes or so?
 

Pace2

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I believe thyroid helps increase free testosterone, not total testosterone. I'm taking 1.5 grains of Armour and feel good, I was on synthroid and really couldn't tell the difference between the two.

BTW: I have Hashimoto's (my immune system attacks the thyroid) so at times I would go between hypo and hyper. Be sure to test for the thyroid antibodies when you test TSH, T4 and T3.
 

rocker2229

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spinn-

I think my endo is clueless for a variety of reasons: he ignores most of my concerns/compliants/comments, he wants to do what he wants to do and I don't have much of a voice in my tx (which sucks), like most endo's he doesn't want to stray from the same cookie-cutter tx plan, and he talks down to me when I question him, as if I was an idiot (I have a Master's and Ph.D.), and he questions why I complain that I feel badly at level of t=300 what that's still within normal limits (albeit at the bottom of the range).

Basically, he's got 1 more appt before I have copies of everything faxed to Dr John.

My primary care won't step on my endo's toes, so he won't intercede in my hrt. As you know, most cities have very few endo's, and still fewer doc's who understand hot to treat male hormonal problems.
 

spinn

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spinn-

I think my endo is clueless for a variety of reasons: he ignores most of my concerns/compliants/comments, he wants to do what he wants to do and I don't have much of a voice in my tx (which sucks), like most endo's he doesn't want to stray from the same cookie-cutter tx plan, and he talks down to me when I question him, as if I was an idiot (I have a Master's and Ph.D.), and he questions why I complain that I feel badly at level of t=300 what that's still within normal limits (albeit at the bottom of the range).

Basically, he's got 1 more appt before I have copies of everything faxed to Dr John.

My primary care won't step on my endo's toes, so he won't intercede in my hrt. As you know, most cities have very few endo's, and still fewer doc's who understand hot to treat male hormonal problems.
Hang in there and seeing Dr John is the way to go.....bad Drs have no incentive to get better. I try not to be cynical......but I have an almost zero tolerance policy against arrogance.
 

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