Hi - I have had no thyroid function since age 39, and am now 63. I have never ever been put on Armour Thyroid by ANY doctor, and I cannot imagine why - they have never advocated it and have only wanted to prescribe Levothroid or Levothyroxine. Recently, my thyroid levels have been all over the place, and the doctor and i can't figure out why...one problem seems to be that the generic levothyroxine I was on for a long time, made by one manufacturer, got changed right around the time I ran into problems with my labwork - so the doctor has now changed me to Levothroid, for which there is NO generic...to see if this helps. Meantime, a naturopath here in Kailua has suggested that perhaps Armour Thyroid would work better - BE better than a chemical alternative - but then, this whole problem with Armour Thyroid has surfaced.

I would like to be more informed about T3 and T4 - I am routinely tested for the latter, but don't remember ever being tested for T3 - really don't understand any of this with thyroid, frankly, and a friend suggested maybe T3 is not tested because I have NO thyroid function AT ALL and that T3 is a precursor tot he body's natural secretion of the thyroid hormone, which is the T4 that is tested (?).(I underwent radioactive Iodine swallow when 39, for thyroid storm - severe hypothyroidism. Other alternative was surgery, and with MCS, didn't want the anesthesia or hospitalization. They showed me studies done even back then for 20years or some such, wherein the Iodine swallow did not seem to cause cancer problems later. Hope that still holds.)

The other concern I have had is that inasmuch as my thyroid was completely destroyed by the Iodine swallow, how would that have affected my parathyroid glands?? They are in the same area and have NO idea if they too absorb the Iodine and thus, are also damaged. No doctor has ever talked to me about this - I do plan to talk to her about this when I have my next labwork in November.

If anyone understands more about this, I would really appreciate any input! This inability to get on a thryoid replacement hormone dose that is correct for me is very trying. Aloha, Les from Hawaii