Hello thyroid, my old friend

My doc upped the dosage on my thyroid medication, again. I have to have my levels checked again in a few weeks, I'm feeling better already.

I started out on Armour thyroid with the dosage equivalent to that of the Synthroid I was taking previously. I felt a difference fairly quickly. My brain felt less fuzzy, I had more energy, and was much less hungry. While on Synthroid, I was still feeling pretty consistent symptoms of the Hashimoto's disease despite blood tests that said it was under control. This was what prompted me to investigate other options for controlling the problem.

After conducting my own research, I found that the natural hormone replaces T3 and T4 hormones while Synthroid replaces only T4. I also found that doctors were reluctant to prescribe it, but gave no consistent or valid reasons why not. Perhaps the most laughable reason I heard was, "Armour is for old people... You're not old."

But, I was also told that, "Armour thyroid hormone's dosage is not as easily regulated, so you get a tiny bit more or less per pill."
To which I replied, "But isn't that the way a human thyroid works, anyway? Don't we produce more or less hormone depending upon how much is needed? Doesn't the body store the excess hormone for short periods, for times when it needs more?"

The doctor could only agree with me, at that point, and prescribe me the damn drug.

In fact, The maker of Synthroid is/was involved in a class-action law suit for shady marketing practices and smear campains which led doctors to prescribe only their thyroid hormone product and forego other options. I guess it's no wonder that I had to search far and wide to find someone who would prescribe the natural thyroid hormone (Armour) for me, even though it costs much less, and it's proving far more effective in treating my symptoms.

It seems that some doctors have even been telling their patients that they can catch "mad cow" disease from use of Armour Thyroid, even though it is made completely from grain-fed pig thyroid. My doctor even tried to turn me off to the idea by telling me it was made by a meat-packing company from "ground-up cow thyroids". I wasn't deterred in the least. I eat plenty of cow... what's a little thyroid supposed to gross me out? It doesn't.

Now, the urine (Did you know that this is what they make PREMARIN from?) of a perpetually pregnant mare, that might gross me out... especially when you find out that it can kill you... a little thyroid, not so much.