Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 tell your doc the pharmacy screwed up and let your doc chew them a new squeaker toy! i would continue to keep taking what you're taking... changing your dosage 10 days before you see the doc won't really make much of a difference and if the doseage difference is sizeable and screws you up or makes you crash, it'll take longer to rebuild. andrea 1/2 grain - 1 grain? Hi folksI've got an interesting twist to my story to tell.I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for me. I got a second batch from the pharmacy, and when I finished the first ones, opening the second bottle, the pills were twice the size! Anyway, to cut a long story short, I took them into the pharmacy and they compared them with my notes and with the ones they have on the shelf, and when they showed me the 1/2 grain tabs, I recognised them immediately. As I have finished the first batch completely, and the pharmacy has me down as been given 1 grain, there is no way to prove it either way.The thing is, are there any important connotations here? As you may remember, I have been keen to move up from my (so-called) 1 grain dose, but my doc recommended to stay on "1 grain" until my next appointment with him in 10 days time. So, if we accept I have been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks, and I now move on to 1 grain for 10 days until I see him, what is the best thing to do? I guess I should tell the doc at my appointment, but I'm thinking it might mean waiting even longer before building up a little more. Maybe this is a good thing?!Advice and comments please!Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 tell your doc the pharmacy screwed up and let your doc chew them a new squeaker toy! i would continue to keep taking what you're taking... changing your dosage 10 days before you see the doc won't really make much of a difference and if the doseage difference is sizeable and screws you up or makes you crash, it'll take longer to rebuild. andrea 1/2 grain - 1 grain? Hi folksI've got an interesting twist to my story to tell.I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for me. I got a second batch from the pharmacy, and when I finished the first ones, opening the second bottle, the pills were twice the size! Anyway, to cut a long story short, I took them into the pharmacy and they compared them with my notes and with the ones they have on the shelf, and when they showed me the 1/2 grain tabs, I recognised them immediately. As I have finished the first batch completely, and the pharmacy has me down as been given 1 grain, there is no way to prove it either way.The thing is, are there any important connotations here? As you may remember, I have been keen to move up from my (so-called) 1 grain dose, but my doc recommended to stay on "1 grain" until my next appointment with him in 10 days time. So, if we accept I have been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks, and I now move on to 1 grain for 10 days until I see him, what is the best thing to do? I guess I should tell the doc at my appointment, but I'm thinking it might mean waiting even longer before building up a little more. Maybe this is a good thing?!Advice and comments please!Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 If I were you, I would call the doctor right now and let him/her know what you suspect happened. The doc will likely (if it's a good doc) have you come in for a blood check to see what your labs look like at this point after supposedly been on half of your prescribed dose. Since it has been 6 weeks, that's plenty of time for the blood work to show something different. Then, proceed from that point based on the results of the labs and how you feel. If you feel fine, the doc may want you to be on 1/2 grain. If you don't feel good still, the doc may want to put you on the 1 grain. Since you don't have any left, it is a tough call to make. If you were taking a half, and you are fine, and you continue at the 1/2, then in 6 more weeks you should still be fine unless your body is changing that rapidly. However, if you were on a half and they put you on 1 grain, it might be too big of a step from 1/2 and you may end up going too far. If you are convinced that you were on 1/2 grain for the last 6 weeks, then it all comes down to what YOU want to do...if you feel good, request to stay at 1/2. If you don't, request and increase, though I'm not sure that going from 1/2 to 1 grain is a good idea for all at once unless your blood work shows that you need that big of a step to get you closer to what is considered " normal " and thus closer to you feeling better. Hi folksI've got an interesting twist to my story to tell.I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for me. I got a second batch from the pharmacy, and when I finished the first ones, opening the second bottle, the pills were twice the size! Anyway, to cut a long story short, I took them into the pharmacy and they compared them with my notes and with the ones they have on the shelf, and when they showed me the 1/2 grain tabs, I recognised them immediately. As I have finished the first batch completely, and the pharmacy has me down as been given 1 grain, there is no way to prove it either way.The thing is, are there any important connotations here? As you may remember, I have been keen to move up from my (so-called) 1 grain dose, but my doc recommended to stay on " 1 grain " until my next appointment with him in 10 days time. So, if we accept I have been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks, and I now move on to 1 grain for 10 days until I see him, what is the best thing to do? I guess I should tell the doc at my appointment, but I'm thinking it might mean waiting even longer before building up a little more. Maybe this is a good thing?!Advice and comments please!Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Hi Here's an update: I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements. That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too. Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ... Katy > > I'm gonna agree with and ... did you get a chance to call > yet.....? > > The doc needs to know and the pharmacy needs a but chewing...you're gonna > have to wait on labs now until after you do have the dosage increase or > they won't be of much value. > > Now... see why I have had the habit for YEARS of checking meds before > even leaving the pharmacy. > > For everyone that is on thyroid meds.. for the synthetics there is a > color code for each of the different doses.... so if you are getting a > refill of the same dose, make sure that the new pills are the same color > as what you've been taking. > > For those on naturals.. the pills are different sizes for the different > doses.. actually by weight.... so a 1/2 grain is 1/2 the size of a 1 > grain... and a 2 grain is twice the size of a 1 grain. > > I have some pics somewhere on my hard drive showing the different > doses... I need to get them posted.. there might be some in the files > section of the group site too..... > > It wouldn't be a bad idea to have access to those pics so that everyone > as a reference to make sure that their prescriptions are being filled > correctly..... > > ...somebody make sure that I don't forget... I won't be able to dig for > pics and get them posted until Tuesday..... so if I don't have them up by > the end of the week... rattle my cage, okay?? > > Oh.. for the pills that you have now.. they aren't gonna take them back > once they have been opened... what you can do, if no one has said yet... > is to split them in half and take a half at a time until the doc gives > you info on how to go... to take the increase or not...... Naturals > (like Armour) are easy to split with pill cutter, or I use a single edged > razor blade. My thought is checking with the doc, then going on the one > grain that you have... and going in for labs in six weeks. The time > you've lost is the six weeks that the stupid pharmacy had you on the > wrong dose! > > Topper () > www.thyrophoenix.com/donations.htm > > On Fri, 24 Feb 2006 13:21:56 -0000 " Katy " > writes: > Hi folks > > I've got an interesting twist to my story to tell. > > I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain > Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for > me. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Hi Here's an update: I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements. That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too. Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ... Katy > > I'm gonna agree with and ... did you get a chance to call > yet.....? > > The doc needs to know and the pharmacy needs a but chewing...you're gonna > have to wait on labs now until after you do have the dosage increase or > they won't be of much value. > > Now... see why I have had the habit for YEARS of checking meds before > even leaving the pharmacy. > > For everyone that is on thyroid meds.. for the synthetics there is a > color code for each of the different doses.... so if you are getting a > refill of the same dose, make sure that the new pills are the same color > as what you've been taking. > > For those on naturals.. the pills are different sizes for the different > doses.. actually by weight.... so a 1/2 grain is 1/2 the size of a 1 > grain... and a 2 grain is twice the size of a 1 grain. > > I have some pics somewhere on my hard drive showing the different > doses... I need to get them posted.. there might be some in the files > section of the group site too..... > > It wouldn't be a bad idea to have access to those pics so that everyone > as a reference to make sure that their prescriptions are being filled > correctly..... > > ...somebody make sure that I don't forget... I won't be able to dig for > pics and get them posted until Tuesday..... so if I don't have them up by > the end of the week... rattle my cage, okay?? > > Oh.. for the pills that you have now.. they aren't gonna take them back > once they have been opened... what you can do, if no one has said yet... > is to split them in half and take a half at a time until the doc gives > you info on how to go... to take the increase or not...... Naturals > (like Armour) are easy to split with pill cutter, or I use a single edged > razor blade. My thought is checking with the doc, then going on the one > grain that you have... and going in for labs in six weeks. The time > you've lost is the six weeks that the stupid pharmacy had you on the > wrong dose! > > Topper () > www.thyrophoenix.com/donations.htm > > On Fri, 24 Feb 2006 13:21:56 -0000 " Katy " > writes: > Hi folks > > I've got an interesting twist to my story to tell. > > I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain > Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for > me. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Hi Here's an update: I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements. That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too. Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ... Katy > > I'm gonna agree with and ... did you get a chance to call > yet.....? > > The doc needs to know and the pharmacy needs a but chewing...you're gonna > have to wait on labs now until after you do have the dosage increase or > they won't be of much value. > > Now... see why I have had the habit for YEARS of checking meds before > even leaving the pharmacy. > > For everyone that is on thyroid meds.. for the synthetics there is a > color code for each of the different doses.... so if you are getting a > refill of the same dose, make sure that the new pills are the same color > as what you've been taking. > > For those on naturals.. the pills are different sizes for the different > doses.. actually by weight.... so a 1/2 grain is 1/2 the size of a 1 > grain... and a 2 grain is twice the size of a 1 grain. > > I have some pics somewhere on my hard drive showing the different > doses... I need to get them posted.. there might be some in the files > section of the group site too..... > > It wouldn't be a bad idea to have access to those pics so that everyone > as a reference to make sure that their prescriptions are being filled > correctly..... > > ...somebody make sure that I don't forget... I won't be able to dig for > pics and get them posted until Tuesday..... so if I don't have them up by > the end of the week... rattle my cage, okay?? > > Oh.. for the pills that you have now.. they aren't gonna take them back > once they have been opened... what you can do, if no one has said yet... > is to split them in half and take a half at a time until the doc gives > you info on how to go... to take the increase or not...... Naturals > (like Armour) are easy to split with pill cutter, or I use a single edged > razor blade. My thought is checking with the doc, then going on the one > grain that you have... and going in for labs in six weeks. The time > you've lost is the six weeks that the stupid pharmacy had you on the > wrong dose! > > Topper () > www.thyrophoenix.com/donations.htm > > On Fri, 24 Feb 2006 13:21:56 -0000 " Katy " > writes: > Hi folks > > I've got an interesting twist to my story to tell. > > I'm as convinced as I can be that I have been taking only 1/2 grain > Armour for the past 6 weeks, and not 1 grain, which was prescribed for > me. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Hi, Katy... TSH lags a bit behind what the body is experiencing.. that's one of the reasons it's such a poor test once you are on thyroid meds.... You're also dealing with the tests being done a bit too soon with the adjustment in dosage... You have more T3 in your system, with this increase, T3 is active hormone and is used by the body right away, so it's giving your body something to work with right now.. . But your T4 stores are still low. Remember it takes that 4 to 6 weeks for the T4 to be taken in by the body tissues and it's levels built up there before the full effect on conversion is realized. The TSH rising is the body realizing that things were getting better with that increase and then realizing that there still isn't enough hormone your system.. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary to kick up the TSH up in an attempt to get your thyroid gland to produce more hormone... It is working better cuz of the extra T3 it's getting over what it had before.... but the over all thyroid hormone level is still deficient... I hope that made sense. It's not gonna be what you want to hear, but stick it out these few weeks until the next labs so that you can see how your body is reacting, the levels of the Frees, and I won't be surprised to see you'll need to increase again.... This is a good sign... that you're on the right track.... Time to pat yourself on the back!!! Honest! Topper () On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 22:43:00 -0000 "Katy" writes: Hi Here's an update:I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements.That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too.Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ...Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Hi, Katy... TSH lags a bit behind what the body is experiencing.. that's one of the reasons it's such a poor test once you are on thyroid meds.... You're also dealing with the tests being done a bit too soon with the adjustment in dosage... You have more T3 in your system, with this increase, T3 is active hormone and is used by the body right away, so it's giving your body something to work with right now.. . But your T4 stores are still low. Remember it takes that 4 to 6 weeks for the T4 to be taken in by the body tissues and it's levels built up there before the full effect on conversion is realized. The TSH rising is the body realizing that things were getting better with that increase and then realizing that there still isn't enough hormone your system.. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary to kick up the TSH up in an attempt to get your thyroid gland to produce more hormone... It is working better cuz of the extra T3 it's getting over what it had before.... but the over all thyroid hormone level is still deficient... I hope that made sense. It's not gonna be what you want to hear, but stick it out these few weeks until the next labs so that you can see how your body is reacting, the levels of the Frees, and I won't be surprised to see you'll need to increase again.... This is a good sign... that you're on the right track.... Time to pat yourself on the back!!! Honest! Topper () On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 22:43:00 -0000 "Katy" writes: Hi Here's an update:I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements.That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too.Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ...Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Hi, Katy... TSH lags a bit behind what the body is experiencing.. that's one of the reasons it's such a poor test once you are on thyroid meds.... You're also dealing with the tests being done a bit too soon with the adjustment in dosage... You have more T3 in your system, with this increase, T3 is active hormone and is used by the body right away, so it's giving your body something to work with right now.. . But your T4 stores are still low. Remember it takes that 4 to 6 weeks for the T4 to be taken in by the body tissues and it's levels built up there before the full effect on conversion is realized. The TSH rising is the body realizing that things were getting better with that increase and then realizing that there still isn't enough hormone your system.. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary to kick up the TSH up in an attempt to get your thyroid gland to produce more hormone... It is working better cuz of the extra T3 it's getting over what it had before.... but the over all thyroid hormone level is still deficient... I hope that made sense. It's not gonna be what you want to hear, but stick it out these few weeks until the next labs so that you can see how your body is reacting, the levels of the Frees, and I won't be surprised to see you'll need to increase again.... This is a good sign... that you're on the right track.... Time to pat yourself on the back!!! Honest! Topper () On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 22:43:00 -0000 "Katy" writes: Hi Here's an update:I went to see my Dr this week and told him about the 1/2 grain thing. He accepted that there had been a mistake, but first off wanted me to go back to 1/2 grain (!) until I told him I had seen improvements since moving to 1 grain. I had been taking 1/2 grain for six weeks and 1 grain for 10 days when I saw him. He has set up a blood test in another 4 weeks and wants me to stay on 1 grain only until May (!) which will be four months on Armour (six weeks on 1/2 grain, 2.5 months on 1 grain). The reason he did this is because he is puzzled by my bloods. He is pleased that I am making progress with my symptoms but doesn't know why my bloods (taken after 4 weeks at 1/2 grain) show my T4 and T3 not budging really at all while my TSH shot up from right at the bottom of the range to the middle of the range. Of course, we would expect my TSH to be suppressed on thyroid hormone supplement. So he wants to play it safe and says that even on 1 grain I should continue to see improvements.That said, I had a really good day that day (last Monday) and felt really well, and the previous week was not too bad either, but since Monday I have been feeling worse each day (depression and fatigue) and I was even in tears this afternoon. It's one of those Hypo slumps I seem to get in between the highs - it's definitely not a steady rise to health! During the slumps I feel much worse than before I started taking Armour, but the highs are very good! Absolute extremes. I'm building up taking Nutri Adrenal support over the past few weeks - currently on 1.5 tabs a day and so I'm hoping that will make a difference too.Any comments/advice/help on all these issues? Esp TSH quandry ...Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 One thing to remember is when you are going in for labs.... don't take your med that morning until after the blood draw.. that way it's testing what has accumulated in your system, and what your body is converting, and not what is in your blood from what you just took.. that's the best way to get the clearest picture of what is going on. Have you used the graphing feature in Excel to see your trends? If you're anal, then so am I! I have a thought about the OCD some of us have with certain things... I think it's more of a coping mechanism to help us compensate for the brain farts... if you have a particular routine and method of doing things and just follow that as 'law' which can be called OCD..... it's easier to not forget.... The conversion/adjusting question... it's complicated.. I'll give it a shot... T4 is the storage hormone. The thyroid makes mostly T4. It's released into the blood and moves through your whole body. It attaches to hormone receptors that are specific to it's shape (like two puzzle pieces fit together) and gets stored at the tissue level... all through the body. It doesn't just go through the blood stream hooking up to blank receptors, why it doesn't I have no idea, I've never seen an explanation... but the gist of it is that as the chemistry of the body and whatever realizes the levels and such sense that there is a specific level of hormone available in the blood it gives the instruction that receptors can be filled, but only a percentage of them... I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it has something to do with never using up all the free hormone in the blood so that there is always something available for areas of the body that MUST have a supply to access... For some reason it takes time for the body to measure and adjust and give instruction for what can be stored where and when that time frame turns out to be somewhere between four and six weeks. If more hormone is added to the blood from the gland, or by taking pills it still has to go through this adjustment period before the body acknowledges that it's there and allocates where it is to be put... and such... Then, whatever part is in control of the T3 levels decides when it's time to start converting the extra hormone that is stored... I guess one way of describing it would be like having an assembly line with a crew in place working and then adding more people... the new folks start getting positioned in the line and start watching the others and how to do the job and when they get the hang of it and know what they are doing start to pitch in and help... If the body instantly just kicked up conversion or dropped conversion on a daily basis our poor hearts and organs would be under some serious stress... It would be like having constant daily Hashi fluctuations. This lag time is like a built in safety buffer to protect us from illness and injury.... I don't dare read through what I just wrote.. I'll confuse the heck out of myself and start to rewrite and probably make it even more confusing.... I hope it was a little bit of help in understanding... T4 is untrained labor that is learning so that it's ready to get to work.... T3 is the guy that jumps in and gets the work done..... I'll shut up now.... I'm rewriting.. hehehhe Topper () On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 20:27:31 -0000 "Katy" writes: Ok then "Topper"! :DIt's so good to have someone so knowledgeable check out my actual numbers and compare with how I feel and tell me what is going on!I take my basal temp every morning and have done for two years (OK so I'm anal) and chart it on an Excel spreadsheet (extra anal) and there is a marked rise in the trendline since I started taking Armour. My Doc was impressed - so much so that he didn't at first believe that it was Excel which had produced the trendline!I know I'm being a worrier - it's probably the depression although today is a good day, but I do worry that my own bloods will not be textbook next time (or any time) and show what is going on in that "snapshot" and I will have to battle to keep the Armour. I read so many stories about that kind of problem with Docs .....Re the inches lost: I feel like I'm tempting fate to admit it! Tomorrow I shall feel bloated, I'm sure! What did you mean by your statement about waiting until my body had got used to conversion before increasing dose? How will I know that it has?Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 One thing to remember is when you are going in for labs.... don't take your med that morning until after the blood draw.. that way it's testing what has accumulated in your system, and what your body is converting, and not what is in your blood from what you just took.. that's the best way to get the clearest picture of what is going on. Have you used the graphing feature in Excel to see your trends? If you're anal, then so am I! I have a thought about the OCD some of us have with certain things... I think it's more of a coping mechanism to help us compensate for the brain farts... if you have a particular routine and method of doing things and just follow that as 'law' which can be called OCD..... it's easier to not forget.... The conversion/adjusting question... it's complicated.. I'll give it a shot... T4 is the storage hormone. The thyroid makes mostly T4. It's released into the blood and moves through your whole body. It attaches to hormone receptors that are specific to it's shape (like two puzzle pieces fit together) and gets stored at the tissue level... all through the body. It doesn't just go through the blood stream hooking up to blank receptors, why it doesn't I have no idea, I've never seen an explanation... but the gist of it is that as the chemistry of the body and whatever realizes the levels and such sense that there is a specific level of hormone available in the blood it gives the instruction that receptors can be filled, but only a percentage of them... I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it has something to do with never using up all the free hormone in the blood so that there is always something available for areas of the body that MUST have a supply to access... For some reason it takes time for the body to measure and adjust and give instruction for what can be stored where and when that time frame turns out to be somewhere between four and six weeks. If more hormone is added to the blood from the gland, or by taking pills it still has to go through this adjustment period before the body acknowledges that it's there and allocates where it is to be put... and such... Then, whatever part is in control of the T3 levels decides when it's time to start converting the extra hormone that is stored... I guess one way of describing it would be like having an assembly line with a crew in place working and then adding more people... the new folks start getting positioned in the line and start watching the others and how to do the job and when they get the hang of it and know what they are doing start to pitch in and help... If the body instantly just kicked up conversion or dropped conversion on a daily basis our poor hearts and organs would be under some serious stress... It would be like having constant daily Hashi fluctuations. This lag time is like a built in safety buffer to protect us from illness and injury.... I don't dare read through what I just wrote.. I'll confuse the heck out of myself and start to rewrite and probably make it even more confusing.... I hope it was a little bit of help in understanding... T4 is untrained labor that is learning so that it's ready to get to work.... T3 is the guy that jumps in and gets the work done..... I'll shut up now.... I'm rewriting.. hehehhe Topper () On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 20:27:31 -0000 "Katy" writes: Ok then "Topper"! :DIt's so good to have someone so knowledgeable check out my actual numbers and compare with how I feel and tell me what is going on!I take my basal temp every morning and have done for two years (OK so I'm anal) and chart it on an Excel spreadsheet (extra anal) and there is a marked rise in the trendline since I started taking Armour. My Doc was impressed - so much so that he didn't at first believe that it was Excel which had produced the trendline!I know I'm being a worrier - it's probably the depression although today is a good day, but I do worry that my own bloods will not be textbook next time (or any time) and show what is going on in that "snapshot" and I will have to battle to keep the Armour. I read so many stories about that kind of problem with Docs .....Re the inches lost: I feel like I'm tempting fate to admit it! Tomorrow I shall feel bloated, I'm sure! What did you mean by your statement about waiting until my body had got used to conversion before increasing dose? How will I know that it has?Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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