Hello everybody, I have only been on here for a few months and the one thing I have noticed is there is a lot of people that feel pretty poorly. I won't go into a big long mail as they never get read. I had my thyroid taken out in 1999 and have felt awful ever since, other than over dosing on Thyroxin to function.my big complaint is waking up in the morning with a feeling of a hang over they has not headache and leg cramps and feeling cold. I am currently going through the wilson protocol and feel a lot better although my first cycle has failed.
Now here is the important bit, for a healthy function of the thyroid, DHEA , testosterone in men and oestrogen in women plus the thyroxin. I do not seem to see this mentioned in any of the posts other then over dosing of thyroxin.
I saw a Dr In Joburg and it was all explained to me, these three things are needed to make a person feel well.
If you have a thyroid then I would assume that you only need T4 look at these other things before you start over dosing on thyroxin.I am also a great believer is NDP, NHS thyroxin only has T4 your thyroid makes a lot more than just t4. but this is for people that do not have a thyroid.
Good luck to you all and keep well
John
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stockman27
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Long posts do get read because brevity doesn't always get across the complexities that people experience.
What medication are you taking? Your symptoms suggest you are under medicated. TT people often need some T3, either synthetic Liothyronine or NDT. Can you discuss with your GP or endo?
I had TT in 2012 and became very ill while being over replaced on Levothyroxine. I think a toxic dose built up and I stopped all thyroid meds for 4 weeks last year to clear my system. Things are much better now and the addition of 25mcg T3 to 100mcg T4 has helped a lot.
I was also very deficient in vitaminD and folate, and B12 was low in range. I supplemented to right the deficiences and this made me feel much better. Low vitD can cause muscle cramps, bone and joint pain.
Can you also request ferritin, vitD, B12 and folate tests?
I haven't explored sex hormones or DHEA but many here understand them.
The problem is that you need a doc who will listen and test to find out what your hormone levels look like, and although our thyroid symptoms are often being fobbed off as related to sex hormones (perimenopause is a popular theory), I see very little testing going on.
I was tested (private doc) and put on dhea, pregenenolone and transdermal hormones (progesterone and testosterone) and just never saw any difference. It wasn't until some t3 was added to my levo that I began to feel well again, at least for a while. I had huge hopes for testosterone (I have completely lost my libido and low energy is also an issue) so I was very disappointed.
I agree that this is an area where doctors could potentially help people. For some reason it seems it is more often used as an excuse for ill health than a treatable condition.
Trouble is a lot of us have had cancer and oestrogen is a no-no even post menopause and even if doc or endo thinks we should try it (most have no idea )
I bought some DHEA the other day and progesterone oil but won't be trialling it until I get my T3 dose right (yeah for those who know my story I've just had a blood test today and will now reintroduce, carefully the T3).
It's all so individual...for some like me oestrogen is contraindicated with cardiolipin antibodies ..,not even sure the progesterone is a good idea so doing my research and will ask doc tomorrow.
Isn't this what a 'specialist' is supposed to do for us? However they are not properly trained and informed across specialities so we are at the mercy of what the drug companies pay medical schools to teach.
It's appalling! Doesn't matter where you are in the world.....
I mentioned to my doctor many years ago and recently to his replacement after he retired that my Hormone levels ( as in womens hormones ) were included in the 6 month thyroid blood tests when I lived in S Africa and were then balanced accordingly, so is there some reason why that's not done here. Neither of them had ever heard of this and had no idea what I was talking about.
I wasnt diagnosed in UK , but it was noticed straight away at a gyne appointment in S Africa ... I was under the care of a gynacologist for my thyroid thereafter.
Just to say while I am on here that after an horrific two years and many declining years before that since coming to live here 13 years ago.
During those years Eltroxin has had many changes regarding drug companies ( originally made and licenced by Glaxo Smith Kline ) .. then Gold Shield and Mercury Pharma.
During October I changed from '' Eltroxin '' now manufactured by '' Mercury Pharma '' to ....... '' Activis '' ...
The improvement in my health is so remarkable my doctor can't believe it , the rise in my T3 levels were remarkable .. now it just needs adjusting as in the last month I feel like everything is going full speed.
We shouldn't have to put up with inferior treatment ( its against out human rights ) but then said NHS / Government have always been penny wise and pound foolish.
Just stay where you are , I now have extended family in Australia and New Zealand .... S Africa's decline has resulted in Highly Qualified Medical Personel / Other Proffesionals leaving for other Countries.
I read an artical that said there has also been problems in NZ and Oz regarding eltroxin / thyroxin after a change in drug company manufacturing as everyone was becoming ill .. the government stopped using it.
My opinion now regarding thyroxin ... after having had no choice but to change brands owing to the fact I couldnt get Eltroxin is ..
If your not well and health is declining to a state where you can no longer walk or function and no medical person seems to care don't carry on, try a different brand ... wish I had had the courage to change it years earlier .... I also go went to an holistic health professional. I had a Vega test done found I was sensative to lots of things which I now don't eat or use and I was short of b6, b2 ,chromium , zinc , vit c . ..... Vit C was a bit of a shock as I take Vit C everyday but I was sensative to oranges and my Vit C came from oranges.
Hi thanks for all the replies. Here in the Uk most if not all doctors will only look at your TSH if that is in limits they your ok. They don't look at your sex hormones or DHEA , these are crucial in carrying around the thyroxin to your cells. If you do find a dr that does this , then they are looking over their shoulders worrying about getting struck off the medical register.
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) but then said NHS / Government have always been penny wise and pound foolish.
T3 only and low dose NDT
Feeling awful
Are you feeling extremely fatigued? Ask your GP to check your DHEA / Testosterone & Free Androgen Index!
ATA document on Thyroid Hormone Treatment
How long to recover from over-medication if quit cold turkey
