I read where calcitonin is harmful, please advise?
Calcitonin : I read where calcitonin is harmful... - Thyroid UK
Calcitonin
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Diana58
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Hi Diana, could you give us a bit more information, please? That's rather vague.
When you read this, did it say why? Did it, for example, say that high calcitonine was dangerous? Because at normal levels, it's necessary to control calcium levels.
Are you taking calcitonine in some form? It's very difficult to advise you with so little to go on. 
Last December I was diagnosed with hypo, by March I was so weak, and taking now 100mcg levo, dr said levels were fine, so went to a internest she took test, said I had autoimmune and antibody, I should see a endo, he said no I don't have autoimmune and gave me T3, then next time gave me calcitonin! I read that it can cause cancers and blood clots, oh he gave it to me because my bone density test said I had osteopenia! By the way I'm writing fast because husband is tired of me not believing doctors!
August T4 free was 1.4, T3free was 4.85, T3 1.38, TSH 0.10 this was before adding T3
Diana, how much T3 are you taking and is it instead of 100mcg Levothyroxine or instead of?
Salmon calcitonin certainly seems to be a problem google.com/search?q=calcito...
I'm taking 100mcg T4 and playing with the t3
5mcg at a time
Diana, FT3 4.85 is rather good so 5mcg - 10mcg T3 should be ample. Some people will feel hyper with FT3 top of the range. Try split dosing 6-8+ hours apart. Morning & bedtime works for me but T3 will keep some awake.
I was diagnosed with mild osteopenia a year ago and won't have another DEXA scan until summer 2017. Apart from 5,000iu vitD per week I take nothing for it.
If your antibody levels were over range you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). Most UK doctors call it thyroiditis or chronic thyroiditis.
OK! I understand.
Well, I'm no expert, and I haven't taken this myself, but, this is the way I see it.
Calcitonin is secreted by the parathyroids, which sit on top of your thyroid gland.
Calcitonin is necessary to control your calcium levels.
Calcium is ONE of the minerals necessary for strong bones.
So, your endo 'diagnosed' you with osteopina. Right. Do you know that there is some controversy about whether or not this is a real disease? Some think that is just another way of lowering ranges, just like they are lowering cholesterol levels, and blood pressure levels. All in the name of business. Because there's money in it!
Now, I Don't know your age, but it's perfectly normal for bones to thin a bit as we get older. At 60, you wouldn't expect to have the bones of a 20 year old, would you! So, that's where they cash in on the 'diagnosis' of osteopina.
But, before diagnosing and prescribing anything, your endo should have done certain tests : calcitonin itself, for one; also calcium; also all the thyroid tests : TSH, FT4 and FT3. Did he do all those? Did you have a bone-density scan? If not, they should all be done before you take anything.
You Don't say, but I take it that you still have your thyroid? And you haven't had cancer or your thyroid removed for any other reason? And you Don't have any type of tumour on your parathyroids, or anywhere else?
What I have read is that natural calcitionin, that your glands make, is not harmful, of course it isn't, it's necessary. But, the type of calcitonin they get from salmon, and put in a nasal spray, is suspect. And shouldn't be used long-term.
It seems to me, that if you are low in calcium - as shown by a blood test - then there are better ways of improving it. But, you would need to have all the above tests done. In the meantime, if the use of calcitonin bothers you, then Don't take it until you have thoroughly researched the subject. I'm sure it won't do any harm to hold off until the situation has been clarified to your complete satisfaction. You are not going to develope full-blown osteoporosis over-night!
But, I'm not medically trained, and the above is just my personal opinion. Let's be clear about that. And I'm so sorry that your husband isn't supportive, but you are perfectly correct to question everything you are told when it comes to thyroid, etc. Better to be safe than sorry, and a lot of doctors and endos just Don't know much about thyroid, I'm afraid. 
Still 100 levo, he said I could take up to 4 a day, and they are 5mcg, first he wanted me to take at night to see if it helped me sleep, he said he was using it as a diagnoses! I took one the first night and only slept 3 hours, I took two the next night and I slept less, I googled it and it said maybe take in the morning and afternoon so I did that! Then went back to him and he said sounds like my clocks off and said keep taking during the day and the first visit he wanted me to bring my bone density test I had done a year before, which my primary said take vitamin d! This endo looked at it and said, they don't know what vit d does so I shouldn't take it, and told me to take calcitonin at night and see him in a month! Well I have to say it's pitiful, I tried to find a doctor to give me wpthyroid and this is what I get! Now I don't know who's right, do I have autoimmune antibody, am I better off just taking T4 and supplementing with vit d and B12 like I was or do I let this nut continue to give me stuff! Part of me thinks maybe continue with a little of the T 3 but this calcitonin has me bugged! When I took 4 total T3 I did feel lorikeets maybe I was getting that T 4 reverse thing! Then I thought what if I take less T4 maybe 75 and some of the T3, but again, my husband wants to believe this doctor! I read where they don't give calcitonin to you with osteopenia? So tired of this, been wanting to ask you all, and so appreciate you getting back quick! Love you all! Advice please! Thanks Diana
OK, so it really doesn't seem like this endo knows anything about thyroid, does it.
Dumping 20 mcg T3 on someone all in one go, is just wrong. You have to start very low and build up. Your body isn't used to having T3 and can react strongly to it. But whether or not you should have lowered your T4 is difficult to say without seeing your test results. Would it be possible to post them, please? Whether or not you take it in the day time or at night dépends entirely on what's best for you. You have to experiment. But for now, just take half a tablet at the same time as your Levo.
He should not be using you as a guinea pig! I can't stress that too strongly. If your vit D3 was low, you should be supplementing that, with a little magnesium and zinc, plus vit K2 to make sure that increasing levels of calcium go to the bones and not the tissues. He should know that. He's wrong saying that we Don't know what vit D does. HE doesn't know, but most of us do.
It's very doubtful that you will ever get NDT (WPthyroid) prescribed on the NHS. They just Don't do it. You were very Lucky to get T3, so hang on to it! Just lower the dose. Start of with half a tablet for the first week or two, then increase by half, and go up slowly like that.
If you had raised antibodies, then you do have autoimmune thyroiditis. And he should know that. And sometimes NDT doesn't suit people with Hashi's. So, Don't worry too much about not getting it.
Reverse T4 doesn't exist. Did you mean reverse T3? You wouldn't get that with taking T3. That happens when you can't convert T4 very well. But we'd have to see the blood test results to know that.
I do understand your husband wanting to believe the endo. We would all like to be able to believe our doctors. Unfortunatley, we can't always do that, and have to question everything. I'm sure he just wants you to be well again, and is worried about your safety. But I really Don't think this weirdo endo is going to make you well again. However, he's giving you T3! And that's not to be sniffed at. Just take the T3, and ignore the rest.
My T4 free was 1.47
Do you have a range for that? Looks very low. Did they not do the FT3, then? Both have to be done together to be able to see if you're converting or not. But if your FT4 is very low, you might not even have enough to convert.
T4free range 0.78-2.19
Well, it's just about mid-range. So, could do with being higher. But was this test done when taking the T3 or before you started the T3?
Before the T 3
OK, so the 100 mcg wasn't too much for you. I think maybe you ought to leave it where it is, at 100, and add the half T3 pill. You can always lower the T4 later if you start to feel over-dosed.
How will I know if I'm overdosed
You'll know! lol You might start to feel anxious, have loose stools, lose weight, feel wired. So, then you have a blood test to see where your levels are. But that's not going to happen in a hurry, your levels are too low.
Thank you so much! God has truly brought you all here to help us! God bless you all! Diana
I read somewhere, you didn't know I was from the USA, just wondering if your recommendations are different now? Thank you Diana
Not really, no. Just that we need the ranges on the blood tests, because they are different from here. You vit d may not be as low as I thought it was.
What really changes with you being in the US is that NDT is more widely available, I believe. It's very very difficult to get in the UK. So, if the Levo + T3 doesn't do it for you, it might be Worth trying again to get the WPThyroid.
Ok, but my blood work is good?
Well, I wouldn't go that far! Your FT4 is very low, which probably means that your FT3 is very low, but you didn't give me the range, so I really Don't know about that.
And I can't tell about the vit D until you give me the range.
And T3 free was 4.85 and T3 1.38 and TSH 0.10 vit D 20.7
Well, that vit D was very low. You really should be supplementing it. TSH is ok. But we really need the ranges for that FT3 and FT4 because they vary from lab to lab.
I think we need more info about the vitamin D level - if Diana is in the US, as I'm guessing she is from one of her other answers, then it isn't quite as low as it looks to European eyes. It's the problem of different units of measurement cropping up again.
Grey goose -great answer. Can I say though that I do get WP Thyroid on the NHS. People do get it but it is at the GPs discretion & in my experience you need a specialist to recommend before a GP will prescribe. It's usually done on what is called 'a named patients basis'
Generally GPs won't prescribe unless it's shown levothyroxine or levothyroxine and T3 is not fully effective. You may need to find a willing practise to take you on but it can be done.
Though I've just realised that this is a posting from the USA so can't comment on its availability there.....sorry!!
Well, you're one ahead of me! I didn't realise that. It would be so helpful if people put their country of origin on their profiles.
If there is actually any calcitonin in NDT. Rod doesn't think there is. And we Don't have any proof.
That's what they say. But where's the proof? We just take it on trust. But we could be wrong. And, as Rod says, the calcitonin would be damaged in the gut. That's why they developed the nasal spray...
Is osteopeania really a disease? That is the discussion that I was having above with Diana. Some doctors think it isn't. And there could have been other factors that improved it... I Don't think that is proof of calcitonin in NDT. Too many unknown variables. But I'm very glad your husband is so much better on NDT.
Greygoose. I've never heard Osteopeania being referred to as a disease -more a description of the state of bones - same for Osteoporosis. Interesting discussion!! I think condition and disease sometimes gets collapsed and I guess there must be a grey area -when does a condition become a disease? Doctors will often refer to Osteoporosis as if it's a disease as it does progress. The same arguement can be put for Osteomalcia. I guess it comes down to the underlying cause causing the change in the bones?
Oh and on that note, in women Osteporosis it is often linked to post menopause. And blocking the production of Estrogen is linked to Osteoporosis and the decline of bone health. So clearly there are far more factors that have a major effect then Cacitronin. I guess this is how HRT came into play....
Yes, you're right, I only used 'disease' for want of a better word. But, it's true, these days they try to turn everything into a disease so that they can make money out of treating it. But if we look at osteopenia as being 'pre' osteoporosis, then it's like talking about 'pre' diabètes. Is that really a thing? Or is it just a means of pushing us all into the money-making machine that is Big Pharma these days? Is it really something to worry about, or just natural progression? That's the question.
My endo told me the same thing and advised against Armour at the time.
Well it certainly is in my NDT -WP Thyroid (& the hotly debated T1 & T2!)
Quote:
"Thyroid Cofactors (T1, T2, Calcitonin & Iodine) occur in trace amounts"
getrealthyroid.com/wp-conte...
Think you might have copied the wrong thing there - I just see a picture of a pot of WP Thyroid.
Trouble with calcitonin (in addition to the indeterminate trace amount) is that it is destroyed by enzymes. Whether any gets through into the bloodstream seems not to have been determined.
Oops sorry -am using an IPad and it won't let me copy the link properly and neither does it show it in full depth so can't type in by hand.
.Yes I agree who knows what gets into the blood stream and how much is destroyed in the gut. I take mine sublingual.... However in the past a question has been raised whether there is any of those components actually in the NDT so good to clear that one up.
As far as the system is concerned as yet no one has truly found a way of testing for any of the medications properly beyond the blood stream- as you know current tests do not tell us about how much gets into the cells.
Anyway have tried again re the link!!
getrealthyroid.com/why-get-...
Thanks for doing the link.
It is good to see that statement.
On the basis that T3 is converted to T3 throughout the body, could it be that similarly low trace amounts are present in most meat?
Interesting thought. Well I guess so. Maybe that's why Dr Kinner used to advocate being a meat eater and said he found people who were vegetarians tended to not do so well.
Now am thinking about raw liver - am I right in saying they used to eat that to get the B12.... Memories a bit hazy....haha!!
Yes, you are right! I had a friend who used to have to eat raw liver. Not sure it did her any good!
And I heartily agree with Dr Skinner about meat. We were designed to be meat eaters, we are omnivores, which means we eat meat and vegetation. But, of course, that doesn't always mean we fancy it! Quite apart from any ethical consideration. It's a thorny subject!
As for the calcitonin, just becasue they say it's there, doesn't actually mean it is - not in any useful quantity, anyway. But there is a blood test to see if any is getting into your blood, so might be helpful to test.
Am sure if they say it is there it is indeed otherwise some body would clobber them and or sue them! Whether it's at a useful level and can be absorbed or is destroyed by the gut is another matter all together -they don't allege it will do anything.
Still there is much to learn around not only calcitonin but also T1 & T2 -am afraid I have long since dropped the thinking that if the docs haven't found a use it isn't needed. The body produces it in its natural state so there is probably a good reason -just not yet discovered by the medical profession.....
Absolutely agree with you! But then, doctors Don't believe T3 has a use, so they're not very trustworthy, really...
Arggh wretched predictive text! Dr Kinner= Dr Skinner!!
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