Hypothryoid/Adrenal Fatigue: Armour and Cortef - Page 2

Tomorrow Never Knows · 08-08-2009, 06:26 PM

Thanks.

I read the STTM website yesterday and found it informative. However what are her sources? Unfortunately I can't go to a doctor and say, "I want to go on dessicated thyroid medication because I read about it on a website started by a patient". Unless I missed that she's an MD or ND? It's so tough getting allopathic doctors to accept this kind of stuff.

crimsonshedemon · 08-09-2009, 03:32 AM

I was recently diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I'm taking Cortef and Medrol.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid a few years ago. I take Armour Thyroid 180mg.
I also have systemic lupus. I take a ton of medication.
So far, no change in my hair. Lupus and hypothyroid can cause hair loss but for the most part, I'm losing very little now.

Questions:
Thyroid med dosing thru out the day? I have never heard of this. I can't imagine having armour sublingual - blech! The pills smell bad enough.

crimsonshedemon · 08-09-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomorrow Never Knows

Unfortunately I can't go to a doctor and say, "I want to go on dessicated thyroid medication because I read about it on a website started by a patient". Unless I missed that she's an MD or ND? It's so tough getting allopathic doctors to accept this kind of stuff.

If a doctor isn't willing to try new things, it's time to find another doctor.
Research Armour yourself versus synthetic yourself. I wouldn't mention that someone on the internet told you about it.
about.com has a lot of helpful info.
http://thyroid.about.com/od/drstevenhotze/a/hotze.htm

Write down the pros and cons and present that to the doctor. Have a couple of good reasons why you want to try Armour.
Since you're still symptomatic, the current treatment isn't working. You simply want to feel better and want to explore your options. Make an intelligent argument.
Good luck

Tomorrow Never Knows · 08-09-2009, 02:58 PM

Thanks crimsonshedemon. I'm sorry to hear you have lupus. My mother and all four of her sisters have it and I have a very elevated SED rate and CRP so we're not quite sure still where that's heading.

Unfortunately since most doctors stopped prescribing dessicated thyroid hormones years ago it's considered bad practice by most doctors...furthermore a doctor in the area lost his medical license a few years ago after prescribing dessicated thyroid hormones to a lot of people so the doctors here are a lot more cautious about it now.

I think a lot are unsure of it since the dosing isn't as standardized.

I also don't know that my symptoms ARE from thyroid problems...there are so many things that can cause fatigue/mental fogginess etc. I got a new doctor recently though and so far I've only used her for a referral to a rheumatologist, so I might as well go back and ask her about this and see how she responds.

How did you get diagnosed with adrenal fatigue? Do you feel better on the meds for it?

Tomorrow Never Knows · 09-27-2009, 03:22 PM

Okay, I'm starting on Isocort which has Cortef in it. What dose has everyone been on for Cortef? Did you gain weight?

crimsonshedemon · 10-02-2009, 02:05 AM

Interesting about Armour in your location. There is a shortage. My doctor found a compounding pharmacy in FL that is reasonable so that's where mine will be coming from.
I think part of the problem is that the doctors like to think synthetic is better. That they have more control over it.

Cortef- I'm taking .1mg.
I also take Medrol
If you're really experiencing adrenal fatigue, you shouldn't experience the typical side effects from the steroids. Those side effects (weight gain, moon face, etc, etc) come from too much, an excess of steroids. Right now, we're way below the "normal" level and the meds help bring you up to the optimal level. Does that make sense?

Tomorrow Never Knows · 10-03-2009, 08:15 PM

Yeah I think since most doctors are taught to use synthetic they prefer it. They DO have more control over it because the dessicated thyroid hormone does vary in strength from batch to batch...but that doesn't mean it won't work better for some people.

Are you sure you're only on 0.1 mg of Cortef? I've heard of ULTRA low dosing with Cortef at around 2.5-5mg per day, with common doses being in the 12.5-30mg range, which is equivalent to about 3-6 mg of prednisone (a very low dose). But yes, the weight thing does make sense, thanks.

Spiralli · 10-03-2009, 08:28 PM

A bit OT, but does anyone know of a website that helps to decipher the results of thyroid lab tests?

I got my lab results in the mail. My T3 and T4 are normal but my TSH was out of range. My GP recommended that I see an endo, since I expressed my concerns to her about possibly trying Armour (instead of Synthroid) and that my hair has been thinning.

Tomorrow Never Knows · 10-03-2009, 08:52 PM

What does your temperature tend to be like? What were your TSH, T3, and T4?

Spiralli · 10-03-2009, 09:00 PM

TSH = 0.22 (supposed to be 0.40 to 4.50 for 20+ year olds, per lab report)
T4 = 11.8 (range 1.5-12.5)
T3 = 155 (range 97-219)

Tomorrow Never Knows · 10-04-2009, 02:47 PM

Your TSH indicates hypERthyroidism, not hypOthyroidism, so you wouldn't want to use Armour thyroid.

Spiralli · 10-04-2009, 03:41 PM

I used to have a website bookmarked that helped interpret lab results (including if you were out of range to see your doctor, but it explained what it meant to be out of range, etc.), then my PC crashed and I lost the bookmark. Does anyone know of a website like that?

Tomorrow Never Knows · 10-04-2009, 10:35 PM

I'm not familiar with one but that's not too hard to interpret...you are in the overactive end of the range. What does your temperature tend to be like? Have you had your ferritin and CBC tested?

Spiralli · 10-05-2009, 06:20 AM

My temp is normal, but I feel cold a lot (hands and feet first and especially). CBC and ferritin are in range.

crimsonshedemon · 10-05-2009, 11:25 AM

http://web2.airmail.net/uthman/lab_test.html

http://labtestsonline.org/

crimsonshedemon · 10-05-2009, 11:31 AM

Are you sure you're only on 0.1 mg of Cortef? I've heard of ULTRA low dosing with Cortef at around 2.5-5mg per day, with common doses being in the 12.5-30mg range, which is equivalent to about 3-6 mg of prednisone (a very low dose). >>>>

Yep, positive. I'm taking Medrol too.
Ironically, adrenal fatigue is one issue I haven't really studied.
I'm just so sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Spiralli · 10-05-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crimsonshedemon

http://web2.airmail.net/uthman/lab_test.html

http://labtestsonline.org/

Thank you! I made an appointment with an endo today to go over the bloodwork in more detail and see if my Synthroid needs tweaking, change to Armour, talk about my thinning hair, etc.

brinabee · 10-05-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathleenH

I started both Armour Thyroid and Cortef (oral hydrocortisone) last year for newly diagonsed hypothryoid and then shortly after, Adrenal Fatigue.

I believe Cortef has made my formerly wavy hair disappear. While at times I complained about the waves in terms of getting my hair blown straight with no frizzies -- now, I cannot wear my hair natural (which I used to do exclusively in the summer) because it does not wave, does not curl -- just frizzes. I look like Albert Einstein if I don't blow/flat iron my hair.

Anyone else have experience with Cortef (or other oral steroids) that has changed the texture of your hair? When you went off, did your hair go back to normal?

Or, is this from Armour thryoid?

Thanks in advance for all answers and help!

Just saw this thread and my eyes popped out of my head!

My daughter, who is 3, has panhypopituitarism, she was put on cortisol almost a year ago and she no longer has curls or waves. She slowly lost them and as her hair grew so did her waves and curls... now she has extreeeeemly corse hair which has no more wave. She used to have lots of pretty soft hair with soft waves and curls... I never put two and two together until I saw this post. I am shocked. She also grew more corse dark hair on her legs, arms and back... do you have this since being on cortef? Or perhaps this reaction is from my daughters growth hormone replacement...

Anyway, she is on cortef as well, she takes 2.2 mls 3 times a day. She is also on Tegretol and Growth hormone shots and she is NOT on anything for thyriod yet, so I would say, almost 100% the cortef may be linked to you loosing your wave. How sad.

Damned that Cortef!

Tomorrow Never Knows · 10-06-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curls2grow

My temp is normal, but I feel cold a lot (hands and feet first and especially). CBC and ferritin are in range.

Do you know what your iron percent saturation is? Do you know where in the range your ferritin was?

Spiralli · 10-06-2009, 06:27 PM

You are so kind to help me! No, I don't have that info, but I am going to call the doctor to get that info by the end of the week.