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Re: Armour thyroid for treatment resistant depress

Posted by Cairo on January 12, 2006, at 19:58:39

In reply to Armour thyroid for treatment resistant depression., posted by sac on January 10, 2006, at 5:55:25

In my experience, Endocrinologists are not as resistent to prescribing Synthroid (synthetic levothyroxine or T4) as they are to prescribing Armour thyroid (natural T3 and T4). The thinking is that T4 is converted to T3 as your body needs it. I also came across a comment that the brain uptakes only T4, so Armour thyroid wouldn't cross the blood brain barrier. I don't know if this is true, but the Armour puts off alot of docs.

As to whether it's effective or not, I know several people who took Armour thyroid and many of their somatic complaints improved for awhile, but the effect was lost after some time.

As to the docs who prescribe large doses of Armour thyroid for "resistent" thyroid receptors, I think that's playing with fire as you may shut your thyroid down via negative feedback. I wouldn't want to have it prescribed by someone who didn't know the ins and outs of it.

I don't think there's a clear cut answer here. Some may be helped by it, some not. And the lab values of "normal" TSH were changed a couple of years back, so untreated TSH levels of 5 or less now are being treated (the new benchmark is a TSH of 2). So for those who were treated in the past "symptomatically" with TSHs of 5 and improved, they were clinically hypothyroid, but it was not defined as such back then.

I personally have not benefited from thyroid in the least. And my TSH, T3, T4, thyroid antibodies, reverse T3, etc. are all checked and normal. I would be reluctant to lower my 0.8 TSH any lower at the risk of bone fractures, etc. I think a hyporeactive HPA axis is more the culprit.

Cairo


> Hello,
> I know this subject is controversial but I've been switching from one antidepressant med to another for years with limited success. I had blood work done on my thyroid last year which showed normal levels yet I had all the symptoms:hair falling out, feeling cold, fatigue, depression, itchy skin, etc. Anyway, this doctor felt I could have "sub-clinical" hypothyroidism and wanted to treat me based on my symptoms rather than my blood levels. I did find relief from most of my symptoms especially the fatigue on 30-60mg. Armour thyroid. I stopped seeing this doctor for other reasons last year: mainly rude staff and long (2 hours) waiting time and I stopped the medication. I have consulted another endocrinologist and she said I was absolutely fine and it is dangerour to give thyroid hormone to someone who is not technically hypothyroid??? So now I'm just back to feeling lousy. Any experiences?? Thanks -Stacey


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poster:Cairo thread:598217
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060108/msgs/598438.html