Print this page
Email a friend
Was this information helpful?
(0 votes)What do you think? Click "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Q. I have an underactive thyroid and take Synthroid. After three years I do not feel any better.
I asked my doctor if I could try an alternative to Synthroid like Armour Thyroid. She told me she prefers the synthetic over the natural form. I was surprised at that, because many people seem to do well on it.
I feel that adding T3 from the natural product might help, but I do not think my physician is going to be willing even to try it. Do you have more info on treating thyroid problems if Synthroid is not working well?
A. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, depression, hair loss, constipation, puffy eyes, dry skin and brittle nails, you may indeed be suffering from too little thyroid hormone. Although the research is controversial, some people report feeling better when they get a mixture of T3 and T4 forms of thyroid hormone. Synthroid contains only T4 (levothyroxine).
We are sending you our Guide to Thyroid Hormones with a discussion of natural vs. synthetic thyroid replacement and how to balance T3 and T4. Dried thyroid glands have been used for more than 100 years, before the FDA existed. Doctors may prescribe Armour or other natural thyroid preparations.
I take Amlodipine 5mg and also take Levothyroxin 112mg and I tell my doctor that I have been feeling very tired. She makes me go for blood test every 3 month and said that everything is ok. I'm 67 and wonder if this is normal to feel this way
Some people do not convert T4 (Synthroid) into T3 very well and must take T3 as in Cytomel, while others take Armour, I've been through 4 doctors and none of them wanted to fool with Armour, one reason being it is so hard to regulate. Since it is a combination of T4 and T3 it takes awhile to get it just right. I went to two different Endocrinologist and neither one of them would prescribe Armour. My FT3 is below midrange and I took Cytomel ( 2.5 mcg) for several months and can say I didn't feel a difference, so I'm now on straight Synthroid.
I also struggled with hypothyroidism for a number of years although taking Synthroid. My doctor was unwilling to experiment with alternative meds. I changed doctors and have now been taking Armour thyroid very successfully for about 10 years.