Mistakes Patients Make
The following are the most common mistakes which occur when a switch has been made to Armour/Naturethroid/Thyroid-S, etc:
1. STICKING WITH TOO LOW A DOSE. For a myriad of reasons, this happens often. For example, someone might inch up to 1 - 2 grains, notice great improvements, but also have continuing problems. And it’s common to think that Armour is not working! In reality, it may mean you aren’t on enough! Many patients make their way up to 3 grains and higher before completely ridding themselves of symptoms.
2. THINKING THEY ARE ON TOO MUCH BECAUSE OF HYPER-SYMPTOMS. It’s common to think that because a patient is having hyper-like symptoms (anxiety, shakiness, fast heart rate, etc), especially on doses lower than 3 grains, they are on too much. Often, though, the hyper-like symptoms could be the result of underlying low-functioning adrenals (i.e. not enough cortisol), or even a low Ferritin—-each and/or both of which can be quite common in hypothyroid patients. So it can be wise to get both your Ferritin and cortisol levels checked. Ferritin is easily checked via a blood test, and if a patient is below 40, it can cause problems. As far as Cortisol levels, patients have found that the most accurate test is NOT a one-time blood test, but a 24 hour adrenal saliva test, which catches your levels during a 24 hour period.
Additionally, if you raise too quick, or in too large a dose raise, your body can overreact, making you think you were on too much. The solution for patients has been to go back where you were, and go up in smaller increments, such as 1/4 grain.
3. FAILING TO MULTI-DOSE. Occasionally, some patients take their natural thyroid all at once in the morning and say they do fine. But… most individuals will notice much better results by multi-dosing. For example, a person on 3 1/2 grains might take 2 grains in the morning, one grain by noon or in the early afternoon, and 1/2 grain by mid-afternoon. Multi-dosing better imitates what your own thyroid would be doing, and gives you the direct T3 throughout the day when you most need it.
4. FAILING TO TAKE ARMOUR SUBLINGUALLY. It’s a given that patients CAN have success with swallowing Armour. But, even better success can be noted by doing Armour sublingually, i.e. placing the tablet between your inner check and gum, or under your tongue… and forgetting about it. Why? Because nearly 100% is utilized when you do it sublingually, vs. the large amount you lose when swallowing due to stomach acids and liver processing. Some folks who switched from swallowing their pills to sublingual note they can take LESS Armour than when they swallowed, and get the same great results!
5. SWALLOWING NATURAL THYROID WITH ESTROGEN, CALCIUM or IRON. Estrogen, calcium and iron BIND some of the thyroid hormones and makes them unusable. So… it’s wise to avoid swallowing these at the same time you swallow your natural thyroid. (Again, another reason to do sublingual for Armour, and for the other natural thyroid if you can survive their taste!)
6. STAYING ON A STARTING DOSE TOO LONG. This is a common mistake. When first starting on Armour or any natural thyroid product, it can be wise to start on a dose at-or-lower-than one grain. BUT… patients have found it UNWISE to stay on that low dose much longer than 2-3 weeks without raising. Why? Because your hypo can return with a VENGEANCE.
7. THINKING ARMOUR IS NOT WORKING WHEN SOMETHING ARISES. Armour contains direct T3, and the T3 can aggravate certain conditions intially. When this happens, patients have simply stopped the increase of their Armour , or decreased it to give the reaction time to go away. An example is Mitral Valve Prolapse–one patient noted that with each raise, she had palps. But they went away within the first 5 days after each raise. One gal got itchy when she got on Armour, and was so determined to blame Armour that she got off, got back on Synthroid, and is STILL itchy.
8. ADDING T4 or T3 to ARMOUR TOO SOON! Most patients report that they do perfectly fine on Armour alone, especially when they have taken the time to raise and find their optimal dose, which is often at-or-over 3 grains and has removed all hypothyroid symptoms. But some folks and their doctors feel the need to add either synthetic T4 or T3 to their natural thyroid dose to achieve a certain result . The challenge is in not adding it too soon, otherwise you miss out on the benefits of the T4, T3, T2, T1 and Calcitonin. Instead, if they had simply upped their Armour more, they might have gotten the results they desired. Occasionally, a patient may suspect they have thyroid hormone resistance when 5-6 grains of Armour is not doing the job. At this point, they add T3, or Cytomel, to their dose, to achieve results.
9. GOING UP WITH DOSAGES WAY TOO FAST. This was observed a few years ago: a patient got on Armour. One grain, then 2 grains, 3 grains, 4 grains, 5 grains, then 6 grains. But the problem was that he did this within 4-5 weeks! OUCH!! He started to find himself majorly overdosed with symptoms to match. He had to stop for a few weeks… then resume again at one grain and do it the right way. Namely, patients have noted that after they have been on a starting dose for a few weeks, they can start rising by 1/2 grain or so every 2-3 weeks. It’s all individual, but that seems to be the general amount to raise. They also note that when they get up to 2-3 grains, it’s time to hold each dose at least 4-5 weeks to allow the buildup of the T4, and to see it’s conversion to T3 results.
10. PAYING TOO STRICT ATTENTION TO LABS. Unfortunately, thyroid patients have noticed that doctors tend to treat lab results rather than threat PATIENTS. Labs are interesting, and labs are good adjuncts to the full spectrum of dosing. BUT… SYMPTOMS are IMPORTANT. For example, patients have learned that even if there is a very suppressed TSH, and/or a high free T3, yet symptoms continue, it’s important NOT to get stuck on black marks on a piece of paper, but to dose by the elimination of SYMPTOMS, first and foremost–just as was successfully done before labs were ever invented.
11. THINKING YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS MORE THAN YOU DO. Granted, we have great respect for education, and we appreciate the knowledge that a medical school trained doctor brings to our health quest. It’s important! BUT… that education does NOT take away from our OWN knowledge and our OWN intuitive sense about our bodies… about what works, about what doesn’t work… no matter what that doctor says. So, patients have discovered that the doctor-patient relationship is best as a TEAM, with respect going BOTH directions. Doctors are not “gods”. They can and DO make mistakes in judgement. TEAMWORK counts.
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com...patients-make/
Mistakes Patients Make When Switching To Natural Thyroid Meds 
