T4 Archives - Dr. Westin Childs | Thyroid & Health Supplements That Work

How Long Does it Take Thyroid Medication to Work?

August 23, 2019October 24, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Have you recently started taking thyroid medication? Are you still waiting for it to kick in? If so, then this is the article for you. The short answer to your question is that it takes around 6 weeks for thyroid medication to kick in and for you to start feeling better. The long answer is that it can be …

NP Thyroid vs Armour Thyroid: What’s the Difference?

August 23, 2019October 19, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

NP Thyroid is a thyroid medication which is similar but slightly different than Armour thyroid. Will switching from Armour to NP make a difference in your body? Will it help with weight loss? Will it prevent hair loss? The answer is maybe and it has to do with the difference between these medications. The difference is not big, …

Thyroid Medication Names: List of T4, T3, & T4 + T3 Medications

August 23, 2019October 18, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

This post contains a complete list of thyroid medication names based on the thyroid hormone content of the medication. The list includes medications with T4 only thyroid hormone, T3 only thyroid hormone, and T4 + T3 thyroid hormone combinations. If you want to learn more about thyroid hormones, which hormone certain medications have, and how they will …

Synthroid Overdose: Signs you are Taking Too Much Thyroid Medication

August 23, 2019October 5, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Are you concerned that your dose of Synthroid is too high? That may be the case, especially if you are experiencing symptoms such as hair loss, heart palpitations, and heat intolerance. The good news is that Synthroid overdose can be easily treated by simply reducing your dose. This article will outline the major side effects associated with taking …

Is Synthroid Gluten-Free?

August 23, 2019September 20, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Are you actively trying to avoid gluten-containing foods? Do you also have hypothyroidism? If so, then this article is perfect for you. I’m going to jump the gun and tell you that Synthroid is indeed gluten-free, but it may contain other ingredients that can cause issues. We are going to discuss the gluten content of the thyroid medication …

Thyroid Deiodinase: How D1, D2 & D3 Enzymes Impact Thyroid Function

August 23, 2019August 24, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Thyroid deiodinase enzymes serve to manage thyroid hormone at every level of metabolism. Even more important is the fact that these enzymes can become dysregulated by everyday common medical conditions. Understanding the importance of these enzymes is critical to understanding how to further treatment, especially if you are taking thyroid medication such as levothyroxine or Synthroid. This post …

High TSH Normal T4: What Does it Mean? + Other Thyroid Lab Patterns Explained

August 23, 2019July 10, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Are you experiencing a high TSH but normal T4? Are you confused about interpreting these values? Is your Doctor telling you that your tests are normal even though you are experiencing abnormal symptoms? This article will help shed light on this thyroid lab pattern and help you understand what it means. You’ll learn more about the symptoms associated with …

Is NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid) the Best Thyroid Medication?

August 23, 2019July 6, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

Natural desiccated thyroid is a thyroid medication that comes from pigs!

This medication contains a more "complete" profile of thyroid hormones when compared to almost all synthetic thyroid medications out there.

This has lead many people to tout NDT as the "best" thyroid medication.

In this article, we are going to explore this claim while also discussing the pros and cons of this medication.

You'll learn who should use this medication, who should avoid it and the pitfalls of using it.

Let's dive in:

T4 to T3 Conversion: Factors That Decrease Thyroid Function

August 23, 2019July 2, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

This is lesson #5 in the thyroid beginner series.

As you know, this series is designed to help you understand the most basic concepts about thyroid function so you can be a better advocate for your own health.

Today is all about T4 to T3 conversion.

This is the process by which your body creates and activates thyroid hormone.

It's important because there are steps that you can take to actively enhance this conversion process and help reduce (or improve) your symptoms.

Let's jump in:

(Thyroid Beginner Series #4) T3 Basics: The Test, The Medication, The Hormone

August 23, 2019June 30, 2018 by Dr. Westin Childs

This is lesson #4 in my thyroid beginner series and today it's all about the hormone T3.

The last lesson we discussed the value of T4, how it is produced, what it does and how it influences your body.

We're going to do the same thing in this lesson but discuss the other (more active) thyroid hormone: