Help do I need an increase??

[lindsey1987]

I started nAturethroid about 3.5 weeks ago I was at 1 grain for 2 weeks then switched to 1.5 grains 9 days ago. I felt less tires and less sad then it seemed as if my sadness and fatigue came back today worse than ever does that mean I need an increase and if so how do I do it? 3in morning and 1 in afternoon or 2 in am and 2 in pm and how will I know if an increase is too much?

[shaws Administrator]

Just take one dose a day and I believe you can increase it every two weeks. Until you feel well.

Whatever thyroid hormone I've taken it has always been one daily dose.

1.5 isn't very high but before the blood tests were introduced patients took sufficient NDT until they felt well again. If you increase gradually and then feel it's a bit too much, you drop back to the previous dose.

Some people feel well on Armour. Some take other NDTs and we can all have a different experience i.e. the fillers/binders in some might affect us.

[lindsey1987 in reply to shaws]

I've been splitting it that's what my doc told me to do

[shaws Administrator in reply to lindsey1987]

I don't see the point of splitting doses otherwise the rest of your life (for a lifetime) is taken up with finding a 'window' in which to take thyroid hormones if splitting. i.e. you have to have an empty stomach as food can interfere with the uptake of hormones, you'd have to carry your pills around: remember to take them with a glass of water.

You'd have to have at least 2 hours gap between food and NDT plus 1 hour after. This doctor, who was an Advisor to Thyroiduk.org before his death dealt with hundreds of patients and all his patients took one daily dose (it is so much more convenient) and if you go to the date January 30, 2002 on this link you will see his answer:-

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[Clutter]

Lindsey1987, dose increases of 1/2 grain should be no sooner than 2 weeks intervals. Most people split their NDT into 2 or 3 daily doses taking the largest dose in the morning.

thyrophoenix.com/adjusting_...

If you get palpitations, diarrhoea, jitteriness and feel too hot chances are you're overmedicated. You can be overmedicated without symptoms and should have periodic thyroid tests to check FT3 is within range.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[lindsey1987 in reply to Clutter]

But I thought it was OR every 10-14 days as symptoms return? My symptoms are returning

[Clutter in reply to lindsey1987]

Lindsey1987, not sooner than 14 days as far as I'm aware.