Pros and Cons for Natural vs Synthetic Thyroid Hormones

[Sue421]

I'm on synthetic right now (Synthroid and Cytomel) and am considering switching to the natural thyroid hormone. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

What have been your experiences. And, why exactly is the natural any better than the synthetic or visa versa.

Thanks!

[Kattbelly]

I was on Synthroid since I was 18. About 3 years ago I switched to Armour Thyroid and I feel tremendously better on it. I did alot of research on it (a great source of info. is at about.com for hypothyroidism) and found that Synthroid does not affect both T3 and T4, but Armour does. I know from my own expererience that it made a world of difference for me in how I feel. There are several brands of thyroid medication, and another one might work better for you. That's why the above site might be the best bet, you can read hundreds of peoples opinions about how different medications worked or didn't for them.

[nonstickpam107]

The T3 in Armour is bound to a protein...just like OUR real T3.

And...of course, Armour has: T1, T2, T3, T4, and calcitonin for bone health.

I feel great on Armour Thyroid...I have mine compounded at a compounding pharmacy to be time released. Why? Because some people do better splitting their dose of Armour up during the day....mine does that, only I take it once in the am.

You DO need to know that the dosage exchange from what you are on to Armour is 'tricky' if the doc doesn't Rx. a lot of Armour.

Armour contains: One grain: 37mcg. of T4 and 9mg. of T3....BUT....I was on .75mcg. of Levoxyl (couldn't have Synthroid....it is made with corn and I'm allergic) and was switched to 1 1/2 grains of Armour...and the "normal" dosage of Armour is from about three to five grains (a grain is 60mg.).

You might like to go to their site: www.armourthyroid.com Oh, and if your doc says something about the antibodies "fighting" the natural Armour....it doesn't happen very often BECAUSE the T3 in Armour IS bound to a protein.

Let us know how you do on Armour.

Pam

[valg]

Hi There,
Every body is different and reacts differently to meds. I am one of those few (I have Hashimotos) that my body does attack the Armour, thinking it to be the thyroid. I was on Armour about 1-2 years, then all of a sudden it was like it totally quit working and I felt really funky. My doc said this was what happened to me.

So, I do have to stay on synthetic. Currently I have been stablized and feeling good for 1.5 - 2 years on unithryoid (T4 only) and cytomel. Before going on unithryoid, I did about 6 months or so on synthroid, and I don't know why but didn't like the way it made me feel. Can't really place my finger on why, it just felt "off" to me. The unithyroid I had some trouble finding at first as several pharmacies tried to tell me it was discontinued when it wasn't (or just the ploy to make me get synthroid?). Anyways, I'm really happ with what I've got now, my body seems to like the mix.

[Sue421]

Thanks for everyone's replies so far. I found this today on the Canadian Thryoid Foundation Site: The last paragraph was a shocker!!! Any thoughts...?

QUESTION 14:
I am concerned about taking thyroxine for the rest of my life. Can I take it during pregnancies? Can I take it with other medications? What if I miss a pill? What if I take an extra pill by accident? Why can't I take the natural product rather than a synthetic preparation?
ANSWER:
Thyroxine, although it is synthetic, is identical to the hormone made by your own thyroid gland. It is one of the safest medications that one can take. Because of this, many symptoms that patients ascribe to the thyroxine are in fact due to their own anxiety about taking medication rather than the medication itself. Thyroxine can be taken through pregnancy and nursing and does not affect either of those situations at all. It does not cross the placenta and thus does not reach the baby in the womb. It does not get into the milk except in negligible amounts as it would in any nursing mother producing her own natural thyroxine. It can be taken with any other medication as there are seldom drug interactions. If you miss a pill one day, nothing will happen or if you take two pills the next day, nothing will happen. It does not matter what time of day the pill is taken since it does not begin even to work for about a week. It can be taken throughout a patient's entire life without fear.
There is no advantage, only a disadvantage in taking the natural product, desiccated thyroid. (Occasionally it is prescribed for the RARE allergic reaction to the binder or dye in thyroxine). The shelf life of desiccated thyroid is much shorter, it is not assayed in as precise a fashion and there is considerable variation from lot to lot in its effectiveness. Thyroxine is therefore very much to be preferred.

[nonstickpam107]

Oh, I guess you didn't "know" that the UK and Canada considers the natural (at much less cost too...imagine THAT) pig thyroid 'EVIL'? Goodness, I get over 40 emails a MONTH from Canadians trying to get it (it's called "Thyroid" in Canada, it is from Parke Davis, just in case you need to know this).

Some doctors even will tell you it's "unclean", that it's "not regulated" (that's not true....it's FDA approved for prescription in the US as proof of that), that they don't "know how much T4 and T3 is in each, because it's not measured" (see above as per FDA, again not true)and some end up getting it, but the doctors don't know how to convert the dosage, thus the patient ending up getting either under or over dosed, at which time, Rx'ing doctor usually says "See??? I told you it's no good!".

The people who's antibodies fight the med (Hi valg!!! We already KNOW you are a rare find, lol) is quite rare actually and it certainly doesn't hurt to at least try it if synthetics aren't working for you.

My opinion? I feel if your doctor is great at Rx'ing and tweaking the synthetics and you feel well and your labs (always get copies, ALWAYS for your records) are great for you....than why upset the apple cart? On the other hand, if synthetics are not working well, (but the doc will let you get the TSH under a 1 and ALWAYS titrates dosage based on your Free T4 and Free T3, not JUST TSH), than you might suggest it.

I wish you the best of luck. Oh, and if you really want to research, and talk to other Canadians, you should (as a previous poster said ) go to the www.about.thyroid.com site forum. There is also a Top Thyroid Docs' forum there and will have list of Canadian thyroid docs.

Pam

[Sue421]

Thanks so much! I copied and printed your replies, Pam. I think you are right. For now, I'm going to leave it and wait - as you say, why upset the apple cart, if you feel well. I just get greedy, when I hear about calcitonin being good for the bones and the extra hormones, T1 and T2. Maybe without those extra hormones we are missing out big time - how do they know? They don't.

[nonstickpam107]

Sue421,

I admire your determination to research this. I think you would really like the following website too, it's written BY doctors FOR doctors (and comes in handy if your doc thinks you are getting this info just "off the net"). www.thyroidmanager.org Good luck to you!! More and more doc's in your health care system are starting to realize that Armour Thyroid (which was used for years and years before a doc got a few students together and figured out the "TSH" test...all the students were male, none had thyroid disease, yet it's become the "tyranny of the TSH").

Pam

[Sue421]

Thank you, Pam. The admiration goes both ways! Thanks for all you do for us thyroid patients. Much appreciated!