NDT

[kathy1029]

Hi,

third post this morning, but all different situations, i am currently on i'd say a full tablet of NDT 60mg, but not all at the same time, im not good with math and i dont understand the ratio for t4 conversions and t3 conversion vs mg or mcg's, and so on, but im not feeling good, last night i decided to skip my levo for the first time (for me, this is a big step, i was afraid) and this morning, i just dont feel good, i guess its because i have yet to take a full tablet at once, and thats because im afraid of strange symptoms, i have to work today and i cant imagine feeling strange or sick at work, i dont know how other people just take something and wait and see what happens to them medically, but with this disease, as im understanding, there is just no other way. does anyone else get scared to take a whole pill at once? is it just me? what about stopping their levo, i am just afraid to. is something wrong with me because of this fear? its not like i have never popped pills or even taken drugs in my past, i have, which is why i cannot understand this fear.

[shaws Administrator]

Are you taking levothyroxine and NDT at 60mcg. What dose of levo?

Usually when switching from levothyroxine to NDT it's usually just a straight swop-over, i.e. the dose of levothyroxine to NDT in an equal conversion.

I don't like taking tablets either as I've had some bad experiences too. What we are taking are hormones which human bodies cannot live without so they as long as we don't take too much or too little for us it should be relatively trouble-free.

[kathy1029 in reply to shaws]

i took the plunge last night and didnt take any levo. for two weeks i was taking a half of my levo and half of an NDT tab., out of fear of who knows what, but im starting to come around, and feel i should just stop the levo and take the desiccated thyroid only.

[shaws Administrator in reply to kathy1029]

Dependent on your dose of levo - 60mcg is equal in effect to around 100mcg of levo. You don't want to take too low a dose of NDT but at least equal to the dose of levo you were taking. You can wait two weeks and then add a small increase of NDT about every 2 weeks and stop when you feel much better. If you take too many hormones you would get a very fast pulse and heart rate so reduce back down to the previous dose.

[kathy1029]

i just read the article on STTM its easy to understand, thank you, i'll stop the levo, (which i did last night) and take a full NDT tonight. one thing stood out to me in the article and that was i was being undertreated for WAY too long on a dose that should have been increased, what does this mean for me? does it mean it will take me longer than someone else before i see an improvement in symptoms?

[kathy1029]

so, after reading the entire article on STTM i see that, i cannot take my prempro together with my NDT, and i should completely stop the levo, also, if i increase my dose, do it every two weeks at only 1/2 a grain, is there anything i might be missing? this is going to be my new starting point since i am stopping the levo. so, ill take a full grain once a day, or should i take a grain and a half? im not sure, but since ive been already taking NDT for a couple of weeks now, i should think i can take a grain and a half a day.

[Clutter in reply to kathy1029]

Arugala, if you've been taking 1/2 grain it's fine to increase to 1 grain but you may feel overmedicated if you go straight to 1.5 grains. Stick with 1 grain for 2 weeks before increasing to 1.5 grains.

[kathy1029]

ok, youre right