Guest guest Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 Thank you so much for sharing this Roxanna. You give me hope. So many things you mention remind me of myself. I unfortunately started the Armour without the hydrocortisone so I've been thrown backwards, BUT the hydrocortisone arrived this morning. I wish I had Peatfield's book as I'm not quite sure how to proceed without. -- Update on my progress I thought I would give a report about my progress in case it can help anyone else. You ladies ( & gents ) are wonderful and supportive. Your sharing has taken the stress from me in doing my own self prescribing. Hugs to you all. I am getting my life back! Roxanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 Roxanna, I am so happy for you to be getting your life back! YOU are an inspiration! in Va. ----- I thought I would give a report about my progress in case it can help anyone else. For years I thought many of my symptoms were related to perimenopause. Thyroid labs were " normal " . I started using progesterone cream many months ago. Some symptoms improved somewhat, most of the time. Others kept getting worse and worse. I concocted every excuse in the book...too much food, not enough food, food of the wrong kind, too much salt, not enough salt, too many chemicals, too much water, not enough water, too much exercise, not enough exercise, wrong type of exercise, old age changes, too much protein, not enough protein, wrong time to eat, wrong time to sleep, not enough progesterone cream, too much progesterone cream, wrong progesterone cream, need more vitamins, not enough vitamins, too much stress, too much sleep, not enough sleep, holding on to the past, hormone fluctuations, genetics, insulin resistance, wrong diet, etc.....one day I had had it and called to have my thyroid tested again ( haha ) In the meantime I started reading and decided before the results were in that I definitely am hypothyroid. I had been adrenal deficient months before and had improved that 80% with drugless means. Then I read that adrenal deficiency and hypothyroidism go hand in hand many times. My BT was 97.6. For years I had been low 97s during the day. I read those articles about how BT was the best means to diagnose hypothyroidism in the individual. I did that lying down/standing BP test. It was normal for me before starting any meds. I started ARMOUR at 1/2 gr in the morning. OMG! For 2 days I was in absolute heaven! I woke up feeling like life is good, instead of like a slug. :-) And I slept so WELL! I had read that if my adrenals were weak that starting thyroid might precipitate adrenal deficiency symptoms so I was prepared with hydrocortisone. ( I also noted that weak adrenals may also prevent the thyroid meds from working, or may cause any dose of thyroid to precipitate false hyperthyroid symptoms. This is why I started so low at 1/2 gr of ARMOUR ) On day 3 the weak adrenal symptoms started, including an abnormal lying/standing BP test. I began with a dose of 2.5 mg of hydrocortisone every 4 hours while awake. It was like my motor was purring then! I felt balanced and energetic! That worked well for 3 days. I then needed to increase to 5 mg every 4 hours where I had started to react too much to stresses again. I'm on day 3 of 5 mg of hydrocortisone every 4 hours and 1/2 gr of ARMOUR every morning. I feel SUPER! This morning's BT was 97.8. My plan is to take it one day at a time and see how I feel. I am so familiar with all the bad symptoms I have had I can almost feel them before they happen. Know what I mean? I am sure I will need adrenal support for a few months along with lifestyle changes. The ARMOUR....I will just take it slow with increases. At this point I plan to monitor my BT and adjust according to that. Patience. I just can hardly believe I have energy again. I don't feel decrepit anymore. I used to think that if people feel this bad at 46...what could it be like to be 70??? OH! I can think of one HUGE change already. Let me tell the story.....years ago I had always wanted to sleep with a big, heavy, fluffy, down quilt in the Winter time. :-) But, though we keep the house at 63 degrees in the Winter, and I liked to have the windows open all year round at night...the quilt was too HOT for me. I was so disappointed! Last year I bought a down quilt feeling totally delusional about being able to use it. Listen to this....it did not occur to me that I HAVE been using it....and still WAS using it.....this past JUNE even.....!!! :-O Since I have been on ARMOUR I now am good with just a light cotton blanket, or 2, on cooler nights ( windows open ) I would say that THAT is a positive sign! Isn't it funny how we don't always notice our changes/deteriorations till they get extreme? Honestly, a DOWN QUILT in JUNE!!!??? :-O You ladies ( & gents ) are wonderful and supportive. Your sharing has taken the stress from me in doing my own self prescribing. Hugs to you all. I am getting my life back! Roxanna Roxanna V. Knight-Plouff, D.V.M. W Plouff North Star German Shepherd Dog Rescue Inc northstargsdr@... www.northstargsdr.org [ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 Roxanna, Thank you so much for your post. I have recently ordered Armour with urging of people on this list. I am very symptomatic of hypothyroid... even to the point that doctors have commented on my thinning eyebrows and thin hair. However, my " numbers " come back borderline and therefore the docs won't help me. They will put me on all kinds of painkillers, and benzos, antidepressants, etc... all kinds of addictive things, but get them to try 30 days of a thyroid med???!!!!! No way!!!! I haven't received my Armour yet, but you've given me hope that I'm moving in the right direction. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and ovarian cysts.... PCOS. I wonder how many of the small " problems " we've been trying to treat individually are actually related to an underactive thyroid. You made me laugh when you mentioned the down comforter. I sleep with one year round and sometimes the electric blanket even in the summer. People think I'm nuts. Oh well! Again, thank you for your post. It really hit home for me. Hugs, Tigger Re: Update on my progress Roxanna, I am so happy for you to be getting your life back! YOU are an inspiration! in Va. ----- I thought I would give a report about my progress in case it can help anyone else. For years I thought many of my symptoms were related to perimenopause. Thyroid labs were " normal " . I started using progesterone cream many months ago. Some symptoms improved somewhat, most of the time. Others kept getting worse and worse. I concocted every excuse in the book...too much food, not enough food, food of the wrong kind, too much salt, not enough salt, too many chemicals, too much water, not enough water, too much exercise, not enough exercise, wrong type of exercise, old age changes, too much protein, not enough protein, wrong time to eat, wrong time to sleep, not enough progesterone cream, too much progesterone cream, wrong progesterone cream, need more vitamins, not enough vitamins, too much stress, too much sleep, not enough sleep, holding on to the past, hormone fluctuations, genetics, insulin resistance, wrong diet, etc.....one day I had had it and called to have my thyroid tested again ( haha ) In the meantime I started reading and decided before the results were in that I definitely am hypothyroid. I had been adrenal deficient months before and had improved that 80% with drugless means. Then I read that adrenal deficiency and hypothyroidism go hand in hand many times. My BT was 97.6. For years I had been low 97s during the day. I read those articles about how BT was the best means to diagnose hypothyroidism in the individual. I did that lying down/standing BP test. It was normal for me before starting any meds. I started ARMOUR at 1/2 gr in the morning. OMG! For 2 days I was in absolute heaven! I woke up feeling like life is good, instead of like a slug. :-) And I slept so WELL! I had read that if my adrenals were weak that starting thyroid might precipitate adrenal deficiency symptoms so I was prepared with hydrocortisone. ( I also noted that weak adrenals may also prevent the thyroid meds from working, or may cause any dose of thyroid to precipitate false hyperthyroid symptoms. This is why I started so low at 1/2 gr of ARMOUR ) On day 3 the weak adrenal symptoms started, including an abnormal lying/standing BP test. I began with a dose of 2.5 mg of hydrocortisone every 4 hours while awake. It was like my motor was purring then! I felt balanced and energetic! That worked well for 3 days. I then needed to increase to 5 mg every 4 hours where I had started to react too much to stresses again. I'm on day 3 of 5 mg of hydrocortisone every 4 hours and 1/2 gr of ARMOUR every morning. I feel SUPER! This morning's BT was 97.8. My plan is to take it one day at a time and see how I feel. I am so familiar with all the bad symptoms I have had I can almost feel them before they happen. Know what I mean? I am sure I will need adrenal support for a few months along with lifestyle changes. The ARMOUR....I will just take it slow with increases. At this point I plan to monitor my BT and adjust according to that. Patience. I just can hardly believe I have energy again. I don't feel decrepit anymore. I used to think that if people feel this bad at 46...what could it be like to be 70??? OH! I can think of one HUGE change already. Let me tell the story.....years ago I had always wanted to sleep with a big, heavy, fluffy, down quilt in the Winter time. :-) But, though we keep the house at 63 degrees in the Winter, and I liked to have the windows open all year round at night...the quilt was too HOT for me. I was so disappointed! Last year I bought a down quilt feeling totally delusional about being able to use it. Listen to this....it did not occur to me that I HAVE been using it....and still WAS using it.....this past JUNE even.....!!! :-O Since I have been on ARMOUR I now am good with just a light cotton blanket, or 2, on cooler nights ( windows open ) I would say that THAT is a positive sign! Isn't it funny how we don't always notice our changes/deteriorations till they get extreme? Honestly, a DOWN QUILT in JUNE!!!??? :-O You ladies ( & gents ) are wonderful and supportive. Your sharing has taken the stress from me in doing my own self prescribing. Hugs to you all. I am getting my life back! Roxanna Roxanna V. Knight-Plouff, D.V.M. W Plouff North Star German Shepherd Dog Rescue Inc northstargsdr@... www.northstargsdr.org [ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2004 Report Share Posted July 3, 2004 Someone had put up a link to a piece by Peatfield. This is where I got my information. Found it! http://www.fudgedesign.co.uk/tuk/diag/adrenal.htm I hope the hydrocortisone will do for you what it has for me! Roxanna Roxanna V. Knight-Plouff, D.V.M. W Plouff North Star German Shepherd Dog Rescue Inc northstargsdr@... www.northstargsdr.org Update on my progress I thought I would give a report about my progress in case it can help anyone else. You ladies ( & gents ) are wonderful and supportive. Your sharing has taken the stress from me in doing my own self prescribing. Hugs to you all. I am getting my life back! Roxanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.