Q. I struggled for years with hair loss, dry skin and tiredness all the time. I was finally sent to an endocrinologist who discovered I have Hashimoto’s disease and prescribed Armour Thyroid.
Now that I take this natural hormone, my hair is not falling out, my fingernails and toenails grow, my skin is not as dry, my monthly cycle is not as heavy and to my amazement I have much better mental clarity. I used to feel like I was in a haze sometimes. I never understood why, but that is one of the symptoms of low thyroid as well.
Hashimoto’s disease is said to be one of the leading causes of thyroid problems. In this autoimmune disease, the body creates antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. I am grateful that my doctor finally listened to me and ran the blood test for this diagnosis.
A. We’re glad you were finally diagnosed correctly. Thyroid disorders are common and your symptoms were classic. Armour thyroid is an old-fashioned treatment for hypothyroidism and many doctors no longer prescribe it. Some readers report, however, that they feel better on this than on synthetic levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl) that only contains T4. We discuss the use of Armour Thyroid and the importance of balancing T3 and T4 in our Guide to Thyroid Hormones.
