How do you take natural desiccated thyroid?

Hi, I'm new on here and haven't posted before, but have read some posts about T3 and it's potency and half-life. With that in mind I was wondering, as some people do with T3 treatment, is there any benefit to spreading the dose of NDT across the day versus a single dose, to get the best out of the T3 component.

I'd be really interested to see what other people do.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum,

Many people split their doses of T3 or NDT but I don't as it is much more convenient to take once a day as it is a lifetime's medication and it is much easier to have a normal life rather than be controlled by taking it throughout the day.

This is an explanation of Dr Lowe who treated many patients:-

Third, the leaflet on Cytomel pharmacies give patients when they fill their prescriptions states, "POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: NO COMMON SIDE EFFECTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED with proper use of this medication." This information is accurate—when plain, full-strength, one-time-per-day doses of T3 are used properly, there are no adverse effects. The only adverse effects occur when a patient takes a dosage that for her is excessive. With Cytomel, if overstimulation occurs, it can be stopped with one or two small doses of propranolol. Or the patient can simply reduce her dosage of Cytomel the next time she takes it. I want to emphasize, however, that when our protocol is used properly, there is no overstimulation to be avoided by using timed-release T3. The protocol has safeguards against adverse effects.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

and another excerpt

Dr. Lowe: Your best options are to reeducate your doctor or find one who’s more knowledgeable about thyroid hormone therapy. I suspect that your doctor has been mislead by two groundless beliefs promulgated by the endocrinology specialty—beliefs with disastrous consequences for hypothyroid patients such as you. The beliefs are about potential harm from using thyroid hormone products, such as Armour, that contain T3 as well as T4.

The endocrinology specialty first promotes the belief that only a steady blood level of T3 is normal and healthy; it follows through with a second, corollary belief: that is, if the T3 blood level peaks briefly, as after taking Armour, the patient is in peril. He’ll probably have troubling heart palpitations, but worse, he may drop dead from a heart attack. The way around these potential problems, says the specialty, is to use T4 alone, as in Synthroid.

and

Question: I’m hypothyroid and take Armour Thyroid twice a day. My question is about the right time to take it in relation to when I eat. Should I take it two, three, or four hours after I eat? I've read all those times in different places. Thank you very much for your time—and your great website!

Dr. Lowe: As a rule, our patients take thyroid hormone only once per day. An advantage of this one-per-day schedule is that it’s easier to find a window for good intestinal absorption—when the stomach or small intestine doesn’t contain food.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Thanks so much for this, that will make life so much easier! I was struggling to plan times to medicate, eat and take my supplements with the necessary gaps inbetween.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

I hope it works for you as it is great to feel well again. It is sometimes trial and error to finally get a dose/meds that suit.