best treatment for patients with Hashimoto's?

I would like to know how many of you did better or worse or NDT, compared to synthetic T3 and/or T4?

I am asking because I am not totally convinced NDT is the best treatment for me...although I cannot yet be sure. But I seem to recall reading or hearing that NDT may not be ideal for patients with Hashimoto's...which is why I'd like to hear especially from those of you with autoimmune disease.

Did you do better on T4 drugs only, on a T4/T3 combination (either by taking both synthetic T3 and T4 separately or as a combo drug), or on NDT?

I am curious because, if NDT is not the right treatment for me, then I should also avoid Thyrogold and Thai NDT...which is why I'd like to hear from as many members as possible, especially those with Hashimoto's...which drug(s) worked best for you...?!

[Marz]

I have Hashi's and am T3 only - plus a tray full of supplements Started on T4 - tried T4/T3 and have been T3 only for a few years now..... Have not tried NDT.

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

OK, thanks! I have read so much about people doing better on T3 alone, but I have never been able to figure out why that is...that is, why some do better on NDT or combination drugs, and others on T3 alone. I wish RT3 was discussed and tested more...

[Jaie]

I have Hashi's and have been on NDT since June 2014, feel much better than I did on T4 alone.

[Hidden in reply to Jaie]

Thanks, that is very good to know indeed!

[Brubru]

I've done well on NDT and trying t3 only for 10 days so cant report on that. Someone did post a video here and the doctor said that NDT was not good for hashimotos but I can not find it now. I would like to see it again actually. I did much better on NDT than on levo that's for sure. It all boils down to being unique, what works for one person wouldnt work for another. trial and error. hard way but what can we do?

[galathea]

I did reasonably ok on t4 for many years, then i stopped converting t4 into t3 when i lost weight on a diet. ( weight loss can do that apparantly).. So i took t3. Then t3/t4 for several years..... And was ok..... Then i decided to change to Ndt and have been taking it for about 5 years. I know i can survive on t4/t3 but i much prefer the ndt, its a more even keel, with no highs or lows, just calm.

I have Hashimotos.

G. X

[Daffidols in reply to galathea]

which ndt are you on? please

[galathea in reply to Daffidols]

Thai Thiroyd, was on Naturethroid but thai stuff is much cheaper.

g

[Hidden in reply to galathea]

And you are doing just fine on it?

[Jefner in reply to galathea]

Hi Galathea, very intrigued by your post because I seem to be a mirror image of what you went through and I have Hashi's. T4 was Ok for me for the last 10yrs and then suddenly out of the blue last summer I went hyper and my T4 went really high. I started with all the severe symptoms of palps/anxiety/panic/nausea and started losing weight because I felt too sick to eat properly. I was on 150mcg until at that time and kept reducing my 25mcg to the point where I am now on 75mcg, lost over a stone in weight. My T3 levels have never been in the upper range but my latest Blue Horizon Test last week read as follows, my T3 is continually dropping:-

CRP 0.4 <3.0

Ferritin 87.3 (20-150)

FT4 19.63 (12-22)

FT3 2.88 (3.1 - 6.8)

TSH 1.28 (0.27 - 4.20)

T4 Total 125.7 (64.5 - 142.0)

21st Jan FT3 4.44 (3.1 - 6.8)

2nd December FT3 4.50 (3.1 - 6.8)

Now my T4 levels are back within range after going up to 28.20, my T3 is getting lower and lower and I am now experiencing awful hypo symptoms. Had a cortisol saliva test done and because of all the anxiety I have been experiencing my readings were through the roof on every sample.

[puncturedbicycle]

I have Hashi's and was on levo for a few years w only maybe 20% improvement. Adding in a small amount of t3 really helped and I felt really well for about six months, then had another dip I've never really come out of.

For most of this time my bloods have looked great (not undertreated) except for one incident when I tried an otc ndt product - Thyro Gold - which tanked all my results and I lost a lot of hair. I can't blame the ndt - I was self-treating and I must have been on far too low a dose but I was getting some hyper symptoms and didn't know which way was up. After a couple of months of that I went back on t3/t4 combo and would try ndt again but with guidance.

My mum has done brilliantly well on ndt (Armour) and I wonder if there is some genetic component to what works best so I'm quite keen to try if I can get some help with it. I think she has had some issues since the reformulation but she still did much better than on levo alone.

[Hidden in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thank you, that is very interesting indeed...! I too wonder if there is a genetic reason some people do better on one treatment than the other...it never gets easy, does it?!

[JacquelineR]

I have Hashimoto's. I have tried synthetic T4/T3 combo and also various brands of NDT. I definitely do a lot better on NDT. Last year my doctor switched me from NDT to the T3/T4 combo because she was worried that because I have Hashimoto's the NDT was worsening the autoimmune attack (there are some doctors who believe this to be true and others who say that it is a myth). However, on the synthetic T3/T4 combo my levels tanked on my blood tests, I put on weight and generally my hypo symptoms increased, although she did also lower my dosage and only increased it very gradually over the course of many months. Although I was feeling awful she didn't want to switch me back to NDT so I changed doctors, went back on NDT and most of my symptoms got better, although they haven't gone away completely and I have been unable to lose the weight but that's no surprise as everyone knows how hard it is to lose weight with hypothyoidism or Hashimoto's! Hope that helps and that you can find what works best for you.

[Hidden in reply to JacquelineR]

Can I ask which brand of NDT you are taking?

[JacquelineR in reply to Hidden]

Currently I am taking WP Thyroid but I have tried Armour and NatureThroid also.

[Hidden in reply to JacquelineR]

Thanks. Can I ask you which one you prefer?