Posted by Janelle on April 20, 2003, at 20:34:39
In reply to Re: Pdocs and *natural* supplements ! » Janelle, posted by Barbara Cat on April 20, 2003, at 12:41:06
Hi there BarbaraCat,
Now it's my turn to say interesting that you should mention Armour Thyroid - if a person is going to take natural Thyroid, that is the one to take because it is regulated by the FDA and I believe you have to have a prescription for it?
Now listen to what happened to me and got me into this hypothyroid mess - almost a year ago, I went to a doctor (a pdoc in fact) who specialized in thyroid disorders. He claimed that every illness under the sun was due to low thyroid and did extensive (and expensive!) blood tests with his own narrow range. And just about all his patients came out with LOW/Hypothyroid, including me!
I was VERY skeptical of his practice, I did not care for him as a person, but I was already *out-of-it* and my younger sister, who can be quite forceful, pressured and pushed me to give his program a try. BIG MISTAKE. And from thereonin, I vowed to listen to MY own instincts; even if I'm not feeling up to par.
Anyway, he gave me supplements called Nature-Throid which he said was like Armour, but hypoallergenic. Well, in combination with the psych meds I was on at that time, taking that thyroid supplement caused my thyroid to STOP functioning! My TSH was ZERO and either my T3 or T4 (you'd probably know which one; I don't quite understand thyroid stuff) was way too high, apparently to compensate for the lack of TSH being released. Ack!
I subsequently found out through yet another pdoc who did some research on what I'd been taking that it is NOT regulated by the FDA, so you don't know from pill to pill or bottle to bottle just how much natural thyroid you are getting! I could have (and probably was) getting way too much natural thyroid. Too much of a good thing ...
Prior to going to that so-called thyroid specialist, I ALWAYS tested in the normal range for my thyroid, and I have a feeling that with the LOW dose of Lithium I'm on, I probably will (hopefuly will) test normal after my current pdoc stops the Synthroid on a test/experimental basis and has me go for a thyroid blood test. But we won't get to that for awhile, after we streamline some of my other meds first.
As for you, you indicated that your current HMO provider has you on increasing doses of synthetic thyroid - which one is it - Synthroid, Cytomel or something else? Just curious. And what dose are you up to?
Thanks for your info.
poster:Janelle
thread:220659
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030417/msgs/220969.html