Is this normal?

May 9, 2007

Hi,

I'm on the second day of Armour and I'm wondering if a slight frontal

headache is normal when you first start taking it? I still feel really

tired and unmotivated. I guess I can't expect miracles on day 2 but

want to make sure things are going as they should. What's actually

happening physically in my body by adding T3 after so long on low

levels? That might be a really dumb question but I'd like to know.

Thanks, Lori

May 10, 2007

It can be different for everyone. Some feel energized when first

starting. Others feel exhausted. Others don't feel anything.

If your body has been really really slow, metabolically, for a long time,

it can be a pretty hefty kick in the proverbial derriere to get woke up

and expected to start functioning again.

How was your sleep last night?

Have you been eating regularly? That can have an impact too. As

metabolism increases so does the need for food. It's kinda hard to get

used to, when you've been careful for a long while with trying to not

eat.

The headache could be totally unrelated too... Headaches can be from

dozens of different things.

Patience is also key here. It takes time for the T4 hormone in the pills

you are taking to circulate through your system and attach to hormone

receptors. Your body is keeping track now of the hormone coming in. It's

monitoring how much there is and how regular it is... once it determines

that this is going to be a regular thing then it starts converting that

stored T4 into T3. Yeah. You are getting some T3 directly from the

Armour, but not enough for your body's needs. The bulk of the T3 that our

bodies run on comes from converted T4. It's a round about way of doing

it.. but by doing it that way you have that reserved stored hormone there

for when it's needed. Conversion is the magic for us.

The period of time that all this monitoring, assorting and adjusting is

about 4 to 6 weeks...

Most likely the dose that you are on now isn't still not enough for your

body's needs. When you go in for your next labs the doc will be checking

levels, and hopefully increasing your dose. Your body then monitors that

dosage adjustment, makes all it's adjustments and then starts converting

more stored T4 into the T3 that you need..

It can be an infuriating thing, waiting for all these stages. But in the

long run, doing this part in a way that allows the body go do all it's

adjusting and repair gets you better sooner than if you shoot your dose

up too fast or by too high a dose at a time.

Take care of you while all this stuff is going on.. your body is doing a

LOT of work right now working on fixing things.

It's okay to scream. I'm back, again, to going through the increases

stage, it's not fun, and even less fun when you are repeating it than it

was the first time.

Topper ()

On Thu, 10 May 2007 01:38:56 -0000 " freckly3321 " Freckly2@...>

writes:

> Hi,

> I'm on the second day of Armour and I'm wondering if a slight

> frontal

> headache is normal when you first start taking it? I still feel

> really

> tired and unmotivated. I guess I can't expect miracles on day 2 but

> want to make sure things are going as they should. What's actually

> happening physically in my body by adding T3 after so long on low

> levels? That might be a really dumb question but I'd like to know.

> Thanks, Lori

May 10, 2007

Thanks you for helping me understand. I'm having a REALLY low self-esteem problem lately. I'm as heavy as I have ever been and I'm having a really hard time accepting it. I hate diets and don't want to have to go on one again. My son is in a Mother's Day program this morning (he's in 2nd grade) and I'm so ashamed of myself that I'd love to skip out. But, I can't, he's my son. I'm just really finding it difficult to cope. I feel like I am this disease I have and it's taking over. So sorry for the pity party. Noone else to talk to right now.

Lori

Re: Is this normal?

It can be different for everyone. Some feel energized when firststarting. Others feel exhausted. Others don't feel anything.If your body has been really really slow, metabolically, for a long time,it can be a pretty hefty kick in the proverbial derriere to get woke upand expected to start functioning again.How was your sleep last night?Have you been eating regularly? That can have an impact too. Asmetabolism increases so does the need for food. It's kinda hard to getused to, when you've been careful for a long while with trying to noteat.The headache could be totally unrelated too... Headaches can be fromdozens of different things.Patience is also key here. It takes time for the T4 hormone in the pillsyou are taking to circulate through your system and attach to hormonereceptors. Your body is keeping track now of the hormone coming in. It'smonitoring how much there is and how regular it is... once it determinesthat this is going to be a regular thing then it starts converting thatstored T4 into T3. Yeah. You are getting some T3 directly from theArmour, but not enough for your body's needs. The bulk of the T3 that ourbodies run on comes from converted T4. It's a round about way of doingit.. but by doing it that way you have that reserved stored hormone therefor when it's needed. Conversion is the magic for us.The period of time that all this monitoring, assorting and adjusting isabout 4 to 6 weeks...Most likely the dose that you are on now isn't still not enough for yourbody's needs. When you go in for your next labs the doc will be checkinglevels, and hopefully increasing your dose. Your body then monitors thatdosage adjustment, makes all it's adjustments and then starts convertingmore stored T4 into the T3 that you need..It can be an infuriating thing, waiting for all these stages. But in thelong run, doing this part in a way that allows the body go do all it'sadjusting and repair gets you better sooner than if you shoot your doseup too fast or by too high a dose at a time.Take care of you while all this stuff is going on.. your body is doing aLOT of work right now working on fixing things.It's okay to scream. I'm back, again, to going through the increasesstage, it's not fun, and even less fun when you are repeating it than itwas the first time.Topper ()On Thu, 10 May 2007 01:38:56 -0000 "freckly3321" <Freckly2 (AT) >writes:> Hi,> I'm on the second day of Armour and I'm wondering if a slight > frontal > headache is normal when you first start taking it? I still feel > really > tired and unmotivated. I guess I can't expect miracles on day 2 but > want to make sure things are going as they should. What's actually > happening physically in my body by adding T3 after so long on low > levels? That might be a really dumb question but I'd like to know.> Thanks, Lori

May 10, 2007

You're gonna work through this... Admit it.. it was a LOT worse when you didn't know what was going on, right? Now as you get a better understanding and that it can get better.. your challenge will be your own patience and making sure that your doc does what he's supposed to.. that can be a challenge in itself at times.

You've got all of us to talk to. There is gonna be at least one person here that has an at least one of your every symptom.. so you don't have to feel alone anymore.. you don't have feel like you're a nut job anymore.. and you don't have to think it's all hopeless anymore.

Yeah.. you're gonna get frustrated, mad and even cry at times.. I still do.. but darn... I'm sooo much better than I was.. and it could be a LOT worse that it is for me now.. and it IS gonna get better for me... just as it will for you.

You go watch your wee one and be a proud momma and show your pride so that he can shine in it.. you're his mom!

You want to hear what my first two years was like? Struggling just to get my body to accept T4. I'd throw it up, be sick to my stomach have panic attacks, insomnia... I was a mess... we, my endo and I, struggled all that time with doses and brands and timing just to get my body to accept the stuff... But I never got well on it... the point I'm making is that sometimes it's hard to get your body to adjust if it's gone through extremes.. but it will adjust.. I did.. Actually managed to get my body to adjust to a med that it couldn't tolerate.... Now.. more than a decade later I've learned sooo much more...

For some it can be a struggle to get the body to accept, for some it's a matter of changing brands or types, for others it's starting out really low (dose) and taking adjustments slowly.. the better you understand that it can be a bit of a trick to get it working, and meet the challenge of figuring it out.. well. it can be kinda cool when you do figure out it.. cuz that means that YOU WON!

Keep in mind what it is you're doing... you're reintroducing to your body a hormone that it needs to survive. If it's had to spend time working around it and learning to 'make do' it's gonna take it time to get the hang of having that hormone back and learning to use it again. Considering some of us took YEARS to even get bad off enough to show symptoms.. imagine how marvelous the body was in getting us through those years while missing such an important thing to work with.

Pamper it now, help it to heal and be better.. and then you can kick butt!!

You can't give up.. cuz you are giving up on YOU.. You are too important to give up on...

Topper ()

On Thu, 10 May 2007 09:17:03 -0500 "Lori" writes:

Thanks you for helping me understand. I'm having a REALLY low self-esteem problem lately. I'm as heavy as I have ever been and I'm having a really hard time accepting it. I hate diets and don't want to have to go on one again. My son is in a Mother's Day program this morning (he's in 2nd grade) and I'm so ashamed of myself that I'd love to skip out. But, I can't, he's my son. I'm just really finding it difficult to cope. I feel like I am this disease I have and it's taking over. So sorry for the pity party. Noone else to talk to right now.

Lori

May 10, 2007

You're right, eventually I will start to feel better and enjoy life more. I went to my son's program and it was SO sweet. He was very happy to see me and kept looking at me while he was singing with his class. I'm glad I went.

I really really want Armour to work for me. I can't help but ask myself....am I doing this right? Am I taking the right amount? Should I being doing something different?

I think I'm going to go get some sunshine therapy and take a walk outside. Maybe that will help some.