Ticker:
You lucky thing YOU! How great is that? You have a wonderful doc!
Okay, lets hash this thing out. It took me a long time to understand this stuff because everytime someone explained it...I got more confused. So, lets try a SIMPLE approach here. And...anyone that sees an error in my calculations, please don't be shy about pointing it out. Don't want to be spreading mis-information.
What I did was take the amount in one grain which = 60 milligrams. When you divide into quarters you get 15 milligrams each. Now since we know one grain contains t4 and t3 we need to know exactly how much is in just a quarter? The answer is easy really -- 9 T4 and 2.2 T3.
Its easiest if you make yourself a chart, so you don't have to figure it out every time.
Armour = 38 t4 + 9 t3
Divide both (breaking grain in 1/2) by 2 you get 19 T4 and 4.5 T3
Divide both (breaking grain into quarters) by 4 you get 9 T4 and 2.2 T3
So, now you have a working idea of what equals what, and you can play with the numbers easier. Don't let the milligram/microgram thing confuse you. Just scrap that worry for now. I got real stuck on this myself...but its really not worth getting too caught up in. Okay?
Lets look at my dose as an example: I take 37.5 mcg of Synthetic T4, and 2 and 1/4 grains of Armour (or 135 milligrams). That means I am taking 122.5 T4 and 20.2 T3.
37.5 (Synthetic t4)
38 (1st grain)
38 (2nd grain)
9 (1/4 grain)
------------------
= 122.5 T4
Now, to do the same thing with the T3
9 (1st grain)
9 (2nd grain)
+ 2.2 (1/4 grain)
------------------
= 20.2 T3
The totals are micrograms.
Its easier if your calculations are side-by side when you perform them. It would be too hard to do that here in this room, but that would be the easier way to do it.
Now, keep in mind that I'm not "optimized" yet. I haven't seen my labs in the last few tweaks....so I may be on the wrong road entirely. I'm fairly sure my TSH reading is nill by now, which is what I want since I had CA.
Although, I'm very watchful of my pulse, BP, temperature and keep an extra nosey eye on my symptoms, so I don't go over. My digestion is great, as is my eyesight, dizziness is gone, and I sleep well, the chronic killer migranes have vanished and my fight, and my mood is far more up than before. The ringing in my ears has significantly decreased, and my appetite is great. I'm not gaining weight and I can eat what I want. So, I am thrilled so far..
Remember, Armour contains lots of good stuff and there are no measure for those things in the labs. Regardless, they will have their own "play in your system" that you won't be able to calculate, but still should be kept in mind.
Good luck! Keep us posted. What an exciting development for you!
~S
