Thyroid S. Some advice please.

[princess20]

I am now self-medicating and read from some of you that your are on this particular NDT and feel well. Can you tell me what would be the ideal/best dose to start off with as there were no details enclosed with the meds. I don't even know how strong or indeed all that is contained in each tablet. I intend to come of T4 for a week and then start. Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Clutter]

Princess, there's no need to stop Levothyroxine for a week. Just switch over to Thyroid-S.

I grain contains 38mcg T4 and 9mcg T3 which is roughly equivalent to 75mcg Levothyroxine.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

[princess20 in reply to Clutter]

Wow!!! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Clutter. When you say 1 grain do you mean 1 tablet??

[Clutter in reply to princess20]

Princess, yes. NDT is usually described in grains. 1 grain is usually 60mcg/65mcg comprising 38mcg T4 + 9mcg T3. Other brands offer 1/4 grain through to 3 grains, I believe, but Thyroid-S only does 1 grain.

[princess20]

That's great. I am on 150mcg of levo at mo. Should I take 1 grain a day to start off with (may be splitting it?) then increase it to 2 grains after a couple of weeks? I know it's impossible to be precise but I guess it would depend on how I feel and if it's working for me?. Do you know of any adverse side effects?

[Glynisrose]

Start on about 25 mcg and build up over a couple of months, believe me its the best way!! My endo told me to just swap the levo for the NDT, I would have been in a mess if I had! They do it deliberately I'm sure, so they can say NDT doesn't work!

[princess20 in reply to Glynisrose]

Hi Glynisrose. Thanks for replying. So you say I should try 1 grain a day to start off with, but should I split it and take one half in the morning and another in the afternoon. Would it be best to take on an empty stomach too and are there some foods that I should avoid? Sorry I'm asking so many questions but I am a bit of a newbee to NDT.

[Glynisrose in reply to princess20]

Personally I take mine last thing at night on an empty stomach and all in one go, but try it and find which is best for you.

[Hidden]

Yes: split the dose. Do chew the tabs (they taste nice). Make sure your Adrenal glands are in tip top condition before you start the switch. That mine weren't held me back for months. Start on half a tab and go up in half tabs every couple of weeks. Take it slower if your body seems to find a fortnightly increase too much. Or even go up in quarters. Thyroid S tabs cut quite well.

Thyroid S is, actually, supplied in 60 mcg tabs, which is a bit less than a grain (which is 67 or 68 mcg I think). Or so it says on the bottle. It may be they're just rounding down, but you'd think they'd round up to 70 mcg, as being a closer analogue. You're probably aiming at 2 tabs per day on a straight swop. However, see how you go. I find I seem to be best on 2 and a half tabs p.d. (1 and a half in the morning, chewed; 1 around 4 in the afternoon, also chewed) and I was only prescribed 100 mcgs Levo max. Of course - whether the Levo you were prescibed was enough, too little, or too much is something nobody knows, so there is an element of trial and error here.

Good luck!

[princess20 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Humphrey that's great info. Yes it would have made sense to round it up but I will be aware of that now. l had an adrenal test like months ago and it was a high in the mornings and at night. I went to my GP with the result but said it was within NHS normal paras so nothing was done. Some Drs say that the adrenals, as you say, need to be in excellent condition before embarking on NDT while others say they will be corrected with the right meds. So it's a little confusing to say the least. What did you take?? I took holy basil for a while but didn't see much difference. While again reading on this website, talking to others and reading books there is no consensus and that's what makes it so difficult to treat! Tough isn't it?

Many thanks

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

When the world converted grains to milligrams, some went to 60 others to 65. A more accurate conversion is one grain = 64.79891 milligrams. Obviously 60 makes the arithmetic simpler but 65 is closer.

This is actually why we have 300mg aspirin in the UK but 325mg in the USA (as a rule - really don't know if there are exceptions - there probably are). Both are five grains. Sort of.

Rod

[Hidden]

There's another current thread on here, Princess, which is discussing the Adrenals issue (whether to supplement first or take alongside thyroid meds). I wish I knew how to re-find it for you! I'll have a look when I've posted this and if I can turn it up I'll edit. If I leave here now I'll have to refind this thread AND start again with the post! Nope - the only posts I could find were years old and not what I remembered from earlier today. Sorry. Perhaps someone else may remember which thread it was in?

I got Adrenal supplement from Amazon. There are vege and animal extract versions; something for everyone, hopefully! I took animal extract and it made a big difference to my tolerance of NDT - although I don't think my Adrenals were rock bottom to start with.

While we're topping you up with info on 'what to do with NDT' there's a school of thought that you should take it an hour or preferably two before food (although I have tea with milk - what can you do?) and 4 hours away from supplements (which would include Adrenal supplements). One does one's best with these rules of thumb. Basically if I remember to take my meds I reckon I've done good!

[princess20]

Hey. That's like pretty good info Humphrey!!! I shall do that although I'll have the vegi option. So my instructions are: start on 1/2 tab, chew enthusiastically for they taste yummy and take adrenal support after 4 hours. Excellent!!!!

Thanks again.

[vavthyroid in reply to princess20]

Hey Princess, my Thyroid S arrived yesterday and I started today. I hadn't read this thread first and I took one tablet this morning thinking it would be fine but felt wired all morning. I'll go back down to 1/2 tomorrow. How have you found it all? How much are you taking now?

[Hidden]

Hi guys

Where can I get Thyroid S from? Have been advised to get some.

Thanks

[silverfox7 in reply to Hidden]

I’m struggling to source it at the moment and I’ve almost run out so I’m asking the same question.

[Hashimotosucks]

I've been taking it for years. I started with one a day and stuck to that for many years ,as my blood test results showed it was doing its job. When I started the menopause I had to supplement with a T4 as that was low. menopause serms to disrupts everything so if you are not there yet, be prepared for some medication adjustments when it comes. Oh and did I mention the hot flushes and mood swings.....