Does this sound safe to you?

[Kitten-whiskers]

Hello everyone, would really appreciate your thoughts on this please

I have seen an endo today, as you maybe aware I have real trouble taking Thyroid medication - any form (natural does seem to be slightly better for me) at present I take quarter of a tablet of Westhyroid pure every Five days - so a very tiny amount, anymore and I get all sorts of really nasty problems (I do have adrenal fatique)

The endo had suggested that I take betablockers everyday to calm the heart down then take a daily dose of T4 ( I did ask for the liquid version and she has agreed due to my stomach problems). - I did take Thyroid medication for three days in a row once and felt like I was dying, it isn't just the palpitation and burning up, I get loads of horrible symptoms, so is masking the racing heart going to help take the thyroid medication? surely it is still going to build up in the body?

I am really worried over this, I don't want Toxicous or Thyroid storm. She said she can not prescribe natural thyroid.

Am I worrying for nothing???

Thank you xxx

[Clutter]

Kitten,

I'd give it a go. Liquid thyroxine won't have any fillers to cause an allergic reaction so it is worth trying. Thyroxine has to build up in the body to correct what your own thyroid gland isn't able to provide but it doesn't mean that you will produce reverse T3, if that's what you meant. If you do have an adverse reaction then skip the next dose and see whether you can tolerate a dose the day after. I imagine the endo has prescribed a low starting dose?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Clutter]

Good afternnon Clutter,

Thank you for your reply. I haven't been prescibed anything yet so not sure what the dose will be, she done blood tests and said she would write to my doc with her recommendations - she said the Doc can refuse but normally they don't. I take a quarter of a tablet once every 5 days, how can I then have it every day. I can understand what she is saying that if we can get the medication in even if it is just to get the thyroid up to a normal level - but if I can't tolerate it and some of the symptoms are being masked - how will I know when to stop or what level to go to. Dr P said that I may have the conversion problem as well as struggling adrenals - I am not trying to overcomplicate things but I am scared, Thyroid meds has been horrible for me

[Clutter in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Kitten,

Perhaps you could try one dose and see how that affects you and delay the second dose for 2/3 days and try to build up a tolerance in that way?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Clutter]

I like your Optimism Clutter

Best wishes

[vienna2010]

I have the same problem as you and can't tolerate more than a tiny dose. I did try liquid but it didn't suit me as it's very fast absorbing and caused me more palpitations, insomnia, etc.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to vienna2010]

Thank you Vienna, can I ask what Thyroid medication you take? I have had levo (whihc was the worst for me) then T3 (done some good but far too strong and caused lots of Issues) Nutri Thyroid (done no good and caused problems) and the lasted one is Westhroid pure - This has been a bit better but still lots of horrible symptoms and cant take much.

[vienna2010 in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

The best one for me seems to be Natur-Throid. I tried Erfa but my body did not react too well to it. I take 1/16 of a grain per day! This is the most that I can manage for now but still I seem to be better off than I was on levo. I prefer to take a small dose each to give my body a routine. I also tried synthetic T3 but it's too potent for my body and I do feel that I need a combination of T3 and T4. I do have very low cortisol and also plan to have a full range of testing done e.g. amino acids, vits, minerals, candida, metabolic panel, etc. to check whether there is some other hidden issue that our conventional doctors cannot pick up.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to vienna2010]

Hello Vienna2010,

Thank you for your reply. Their were hidden causes for me - I know low cortisone, leaky gut & Candida play a part, these are things docs are not very good with - so I am self treating. I must admit I am concerned about taking the Liquid T4 - after all it is Levo, and like you I feel T3 needs to be part of it. I did get the 2.5mg of T3 capules and had tiny bits of power throughout the day & for me that was equally as bad.

I haven't tried Natur-Throid by I am guessing that is simiallar to Westhroid pure.

Best wishes

[vienna2010 in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

The other suggestion that I've been given is to crush the tablet into a powder, combine with water, and sip throughout the day. It seems that this might stress the adrenals less as it's a small but steady feed of hormone throughout the day.

[sip1]

What are you doing to resolve your adrenal fatigue? It might be the reason for the racing heart if it's not being dealt with.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to sip1]

Hello Sip1,

I do take Hydrocortisone, can't have much of it and not for to long but it does help. I will be following a special diet plan and I am concious to keep stress to a minimum and try to keep my thoughts positive & helpful. I also take lots of vitamins etc and do yoga and gentle exercise when I am able.

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to sip1]

And it will affect your system's ability to use the thyroid meds.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

What the Hydrocortisone?

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

K-W - is this directed at me? If so, I'm sorry to say I don't understand what you mean Do expand, please.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Hello Humphrey, I was just checking what you meant when you said "it will affect your system's abiltiy to use Thyroid meds". I Presume you mean the adrenal fatique, the Hydrocortisone should help improve that (I hope)

[Kitten-whiskers]

I completely agree, she was full of things they can't do. She said until the Thyroid was sorted out they can not do other tests because the Thyroid causes so many problems. She has checked B12 but can only offer levo, or T3 - she said she didn't know if she could help. I do have adrenal Fatique (this was picked up privately by Dr P). I don't think was is being suggested is a good Idea because of the problems Thyroid meds cause me, even tiny amounts. I took little amounts of T3 for Three days in a row and then spent the next few weeks feeling like I was dying, my pulse was very high, I was burning up, struggling to breath, full of pain, and could barely move - my energy had been drained. For experts they seem quite limited in their approach

[sip1]

I think what Humphrey was meaning, was that the low cortisol will affect the thyroid medication. I think cortisol issues block t4 - t3 conversion, and can cause problems like shakiness, nausea, feeling hot, anxiety etc.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to sip1]

Thank you Sip1, thats what I thought Humphrey meant - I was just checking, I didn't want to get the wrong end of the stick

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

That was it exactly - thanks, folks. When I moved over to NDT I had to attend to my Adrenal health before I could tolerate any helpful quantity of medication.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Hello Humphrey,

Now that your adrenals are up and running, can you take enough to make & keep you well? Is NDT easier on the adrenals?

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Yes. It took a long time to get to where I am now - but I definitely feel better on NDT now than I ever did on Levo. I still feel that my relationship with NDT is a work in progress. I am up to 3 x 60 mcg tabs a day now, dose split 2 in the morning and 1 at teatime. Remembering the 2nd dose is a problem. Any suggestions on how to improve that welcomed.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Hello Humphrey,

The only thing that springs to mind, is maybe getting the 2.5mcg capsules of T3 (the capsule splits easy - so easy to take small amounts of powder). I know that it is synthetic but while still using your other stuff it may help just to give you an extra boost.

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

I tried T3. but it gives me palpitations, It's memory that is the problem now, rather than the NDT. :o)

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Maybe certain supplements/vitamins might help their - I will have a look in my nutrient book tonight when I get home.

Very impressed that you have worked up to taking all that medication - that must have taken years.

I have along way to go :<

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

It has taken a bit less than 2 years, with the false starts before I improved my adrenal health, and with a course of B12 and various other vits and minerals (can't remember now - I've got a list somewhere). I'm still taking Vitamin D.

If your adrenal health is good it shouldn't take too long to get up to a helpful dose. Someone I corresponded with suggested upping the dose by half a grain (which is what the 60 mcg tab is, more or less) every fortnight. In the early stages I went up by a quarter grain a month. And even then had some set-backs. (my old nemesis Mr Palpitations). When I feel better I leave the dose alone for a month or so. When I feel worse I reduce it. Now I am working up again by a half every fortnight. I anticipate finding my optimal dose somewhere between 3 and 5 grains p.d. It's like searching for the bally holy grail!

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Hello Humphrey,

It sounds like you are near to finding your optimum dose - that's great, it must be nice to be on the road to recovery.

My adrenal health is better than it was a year ago but I still no improvement on the medication front. I take a quarter of a 1/4 grain tablet once every five to six days, but on Saturday I increased it to half a tablet - all hell let lose - it was horrendous, just unbelievable. I do not understand why this happens, I am concentrating at sorting my stomach probs out in the hope that will help.

What a nightmare

[Hidden in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Weird. And frightening for you.

Why not try upping your dose by having a quarter more often - say twice a week - rather than doubling the dose?

Do you have problems with gluten?

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Hidden]

Hello Humphery,

I think I will try that, a quarter twice a week.

Gluten is being checked through a blood test, but I do have stomach issues - thats why I am going to try the exclusion diet for 30 days, after that I don't know what else to try. When I was first given Thyroxine for the first six weeks it was great, then everything went wrong.

[Heloise]

Hi kitten, it must be your adrenals causing this. This article was helpful to me. medical-library.net/adrenal...

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Heloise]

Hello Heloise,

Thank you for the link, I will have a proper read of that tomorrow. I was hoping it was the adrenals, but how does giving me betablockers and pileing me with liquid T4 help? I do take Hydrocortisone but I can't take much before problems start arisng.

Is it possible to be intolerant of Thyroid meds, that doesn't make sense, mind you the whole condtion doesn't make any sense.

Best wishes

[Heloise in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

That is a good question. I can't see how you would be allergic to thyroid meds from a common sense view. The only thing that makes sense is that the hormone is being blocked for some reason and is pooling in your blood and causing the reaction or building up reverse T3. I wish I understood it better. When you read the article...you may need to see an orthomolecular doctor. This is when the adrenals are really off.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Heloise]

Thank you Heloise - I will have to mention these things when I next see the endo.

best wishes