Just started Nature Thyroid advice needed please !

[Val-55]

After 10 years of Levo I've decided to try Nature thyroid and am on day 3 .The advice seems to be 1 grain split in 2 for a month 6 weeks .i only ever took a max of 75 t4 /50 alternate days or got hypo symptoms due to high T4 levels not converting . i thought 1 grain of NDT was the equivalent of 100 t4 so is this likely to be too much for me and should I perhaps only take half a grain for a month and see ? I so don't want to get it wrong ..Thanks

[Geniler]

I've was advised by my fantastic dr I want to when I lived in Hong Kong to start with 1/2 grain and go up by 1/2 grain every 2-4 weeks until I feel I'm optimal.

I also split my dose by taking 1/2 at 5am, another 1/2 at 11am and 1/2 no later than 3pm.

[radd]

Val,

One grain (60-65mg) NDT is roughly equivalent to 75mcg Levothyroxine or 25mcg T3.

Your initial dose is a balance between allowing your body to tolerate the T3 in NDT that it won't have benefited from on Levo alone but raising the dose quickly enough to keep thyroid antibodies suppressed if you have Hashimotos.

Also ensure Vit B12, Vit D, ferritin and folate are optimum and cortisol is balanced..

.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/m...

[Val-55 in reply to radd]

Thankyou , what I'm thinking is if 1 grain might well be all I need ! Yes I do have hashimotos ,my ferritin is quite high other vits ok . Not sure about cortisol! I'll have a blood test in 4/6 so stay on 1 grain till then ? Thanks Val

[phoenix23002 in reply to Val-55]

I found that I only required 90 mgs (1.5 grains) and that has held true and steady for me for twenty years now. So, yes.... 1 grain may be all you need but only time and your symptoms will tell over the long haul.

You might want to take your body temp and heart rate each day and keep a log/journal. Nothing fancy... just jot down the figures, your NDT dosage and how you are feeling that day. They recommend mid-late afternoon for taking temps. Just be consistent with the timing if possible.

A continued low body temp tells you you need to raise the NDT by 1/4 - 1/2 grain or so every 10 days - 2 weeks. If that body temp/heart rate gets too high, you need to back down to a lower dose of NDT. Then get your labs done at 6 - 8 weeks and see what the blood tests tell you. By monitoring your temp/heart rate, you are trying to find your 'sweet spot' without over dosing.

Remember.... years ago, before the advent of the cursed TSH test, doctors prescribed NDT by body temp/heart rate/blood pressure and the relief/resolution of hypo symptoms.

[Val-55 in reply to phoenix23002]

Thankyou for your reply ,it is so helpful .I was almost swaying back to Levo this morning because it all feels 'unknown ' ! After 4 days my heart rate feels ok still 60 in the morning and I havnt had any palpitations fingers crossed .Im taking 1/2 grain at about 6 am and the other around 11am . I must admit I don't feel as exhausted as I have been used to feeling around 4pm . Does the effect of NDT build up or is it fairly instant ? Meaning the effects I am getting from the I grain would be constant . I'll start my temp today .Thankyou again

[phoenix23002 in reply to Val-55]

Val... the effects of NDT are as varied, person to person, as there are people taking NDT. So much of it depends on the state of a person's adrenals and where their B 12, D3, iron levels are etc. I know... not a simple answer.

If all your other ducks are in a row, you should see continued improvements in symptom relief and a settling down of your heart rate and blood pressure and body temp. T 3 is active and you will feel it's effects pretty quickly. In my case, after all these years, I can miss a day's dosage and not even realize it so maybe it builds up a little in the body? But I remember that within a week of my first dose of NDT, I was bouncing off the walls in pure joy at the relief of depression, exhaustion, leg muscle pains etc.

I was on synthroid for a year... my year from hell. I read up on natural thyroid, requested it from my doc and he was willing to help me transition. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to go from synthroid (levo - T 4 only) to the 'old' Armour with no problem.

It seems my only problem is an inability to convert T 4 to T 3 in my liver. So supplying the missing T 3 has been a simple solution.

[Val-55 in reply to phoenix23002]

Thankyou for your reply ,, my last blood test showed all vits and iron good levels , never checked adrenals .fairly high antibodies ,, now gluten free ! Always had very high T4 levels about 4 over too of range , Dr not worried as TSH in range !!! Hmm mind you they have never tested more than TSH ,I have had a private blood test myself and showed th Dr , they said no prob , my T3 always bottom end of range ...always had joint pains sweating and exhaustion on and off over the years ,hence why I have decided to try NDT ...Dr does not know , would not entertain it ,, even told no point seeing an endo , they would not entertain it .. If it makes no improvement then back to Levo aaaaarghhh ! Fingers crossed ..

[phoenix23002 in reply to Val-55]

Yes... my fingers are crossed for you also. High antibodies... not good. Going gluten free should be very helpful in dropping the numbers. Selenium is also helpful in dropping antibody numbers and is supportive and protective of our thyroid glands. 200 - 400 mcgs (that is micrograms.. not milligrams) per day is suggested. Here is a good article explaining the relationship between our thyroid and selenium and hashis. jeffreydachmd.com/hashimoto...

[Val-55 in reply to phoenix23002]

Thankyou I have recently started taking 200 selenium ug it says on the bottle ,bit confusing all the different measures .and eat Brazil nuts too !

[phoenix23002 in reply to Val-55]

Val.. the 200 mcgs is just fine. Some folks who don't care for meds/supplements just eat 3 - 4 brazil nuts per day. That is a very inexact dosage since the selenium content in brazil nuts can vary tremendously from nut to nut depending on variety and freshness. But you are doing good things for yourself and there should be a good drop in antibody numbers if you are also gluten free. It will be interesting to find out the numbers when you retest in 2 - 3 mons.

[Maryh1 in reply to phoenix23002]

Do you have a gall bladder? If not take a gall bladder digestive aid with each meal. A missing gall bladder disallows you from converting T4 to T3.

[phoenix23002 in reply to Maryh1]

Thanks for the information, Maryh1. I do have a gall bladder.

[Maryh1 in reply to phoenix23002]

😁

[shaws Administrator]

These are a couple of links from the manufacturer of Nature-throid.

getrealthyroid.com/why-get-...

This link states that Nature-throid and WP Thyroid:-

A: Both medications were formulated to be swallowed whole on an empty stomach with an 8oz glass of water. Use as directed by your doctor.

getrealthyroid.com/the-real...

[shaws Administrator]

This is another link and go to the date January 30, 2002 to read the whole q/answer. Food interferes with the uptake of thyroid hormones.

[Val-55 in reply to shaws]

Thankyou , very helpful

[TupennyRush]

I was on 100 levo and ended up on 1.5 grains naturethroid so 1 grain for you sounds like it may do the trick....

[Val-55 in reply to TupennyRush]

Thankyou ,I hope so ,,, has it improved your health ? Val

[TupennyRush in reply to Val-55]

Like everything with thyroid it's not a quick fix but after 6 months on it the differences were dramatic:

On the levo I had a couple of nights a week cold (even in summer), was having 2-4 day hormonal migraines every fortnight (ovulation and period), had sudden tiredness and I didn't realise it but a significant amount of brain fog

After 6 months of ndt I had a bit of a headache with my period, had lost 4 lbs (I lost a stone in the first year), had cold and tiredness for the day or so just before my period and my brain worked. My full personality came back and my hubby said 'i thought you'd mellowed as you got older but I've now realised that you were too ill to be your normal stroppy self as you're back to how you were when I met you, fighting on several fronts' which may not be a ringing endorsement of my basic personality type but hopefully illustrates that I got my personality back.

I can quite honestly say that ndt changed me from existing to actually having a life as I could book in social and work stuff without worrying I'd have to cancel/dope myself up on painkillers to actually do it

Hope that helps

Good luck

[Val-55]

That is so encouraging ,, but as you say not quick fix ... I so relate to you saying dreading social events . So glad it has been positive for you ,I'm at the beginning of what will hopefully improve my health too .Thanks again Val