t4 levels rising again

[freckles2]

Hi I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the end of Jan when I was prescribed 3 x 40mg propranolol and 2 x 20mg carbimazole per day. My initial test result for my t4 was 77.9, every 3/4 weeks after I was tested again where the levels lowered i.e. 40.9, 37.4, 35.6, 33.9. however my test last week was 39.9. I have been feeling more shakey, faster heart rate, itch etc over last few weeks along with the usual tiredness etc. I saw my consultant yest who said the only reason she knew for levels rising was not taking meds. I take my meds religiously and regularly at same times etc. The only change to my meds was reducing propranolol to 2 x 40mg per day as directed by consultant. I hadn't had diahorrea or vomiting so it's not like the meds haven't had time to absorb. I had to repeatedly tell her I take my meds as she kept saying that could be the only reason! Does anyone know any other reason why my t4 levels would be rising again? My consultant has upped my carbimazole to 50mg per day and propranolol back up to 3 x 40mg per day. Thanks in advance for any replies

[silverfox7]

Have you been retested after meds put back up? That could well have been the problem. I've no experience with this but logic says that could be the case. Again I don't know if the drug levels should only be that over a limited time but I'd have thought get your thyroid levels down to a more 'normal' level before trying to reduce the meds.

[Sedum]

I am 60, with long term thyroid problems and a goitre, but had, until recently, 'normal' thyroid levels, but I had high levels of T4 last year with low TSH. 38 in Aug, 32 in Dec and normal (21) in February this year. I valued getting blood tests and knowing about it, but I didnt want to go on meds. I read that it just controlled symptoms not cure it.

When the consultant told me that a side effect of Carbimazole could be a lowered immune system I was more determined to use nutrition as I feared a cascade of problems that would end up with me feeling less well, and with more life threatening problems. That's how it seemed to me.

My GP was great and gave me some time to try nutrition, especially as I didnt seem to have the symptoms she thought I would have.

I started juicing and had at least a litre of carrot/veg/ (with ginger) juice a day, drank more water and I got much more serious about the supplementation i took each day to make sure I had good levels of a very good broad spectrum trace mineral supplement, good antioxidants including resveratrol in a liquid, a telomere supplement, and other specific nutrients i read about that may help. I ate basically organic veg, salad and protein; eggs, meat, poultry,cheese, yoghurt and butter, plus other fats like coconut oil and olive oil, and several times a week had half a pot of organic cottage cheese blended with flaxseed oil as a salad dressing, which is meant to be a good way to get omega 3 into the system. For the first part i was gluten free, only going back onto it for a few weeks to get some tests they asked me to do. (i wish I hadn't restarted as it is taking a long time to normalise the jittery effects of having it again). I have cut out potentially harmful chemicals from personal care etc for a long time.

When I saw the consultant he said he didnt know how I had done it and he hadn't seen it before without drugs, but I didnt need his help.

I couldn't pick out one thing that helped most. But it was nutrition so I couldn't overdose, and I felt good at the end. It was satisfying to get good results.

Now I am trying to get blood calcium levels to normalise too using nutrition.

[Rosy_Holly in reply to Sedum]

What an amazing achievement and commitment. It's not easy but oh so worth it. I have been reading that USA are importing organic corn from Romania. It is the younger generation who are waking up to good nuitrician. Hope for the world yet.

[Sedum]

Thank you.

Yes, I think with access to so much information now, we don't always have to depend on the drug companies and put up with side effects, without trying and learning about alternatives. My GP is great, but like most doctors she doesn't know about nutrition.. she has been trained to administer drugs.

In case anyone wants to know which supplements I use most, and find best..

I use SISEL supplements (stands for science,innovation,success,energy and longevity) as a mainstay, and they are manufactured in the USA, but are also here in Europe and are really state of the art science. The SpectraMaxx supplement is amazing. One mouthful is the equivalent of getting the essential nutrition (trace elements and antioxidants) from 40 different fruit and veg. Their resveratrol, theirTSX telomere supplement is amazing too, and also Inner Chi. I buy them and recommend them after such good results. They are not 'cheap' but very good value for the power they pack.

I did find that being 60 and 6 ft tall I needed more than a younger/smaller person to make up the deficiencies, at least for a few months, so I took 2x or 3x the recommended dose each day. When people say nutrition doesn't work it is often because they haven't had enough of it, or they use a synthetic form which will never work. It isn't possible to get all we need from food now, especially when we have something that goes wrong that we want our body to put right.

For single vitamins like D3 with K2 or selenium I use credence.org. Both companies have integrity so i know that what I am getting is the best formulas in an absorbable, useable form.

zest.mysisel.com or credence.org if you want to find out more.

[Clutter]

Freckles, It's reasonable to check a patient is compliant with taking medication but having been assured of compliance it's not reasonable to persist. The reason your TSH has risen is the original dose of Carbimazole was no longer sufficient to block your thyroid production.

[faith63]

i would find a new doctor who knows how to treat this and doesn't think you are lying about your meds.

[freckles2]

thanx for the info. I didn't mind that I was asked about takin my meds, but because I was repeatedly told the only reason she could think of for t4 levels rising was not takin meds and was I sure I was taking them, it didn't really make me feel too good. I just wanted to know why the levels would go back up. mayb is as Cluster said just that carbimazole dose isn't high enough to lower levels. will just have to see now that meds have been increased if that works. Thanx again everyone