I posted a couple of days ago to say I've swapped to Thiroyd after 16 years on Thyroxine. The first day I took 1 grain in 2 half doses, the next morning I woke feeling awful. In the meantime I'd been advised that it's ok to go straight to the equivalent NDT dose rather than doing it gradually so yesterday I took 2.5 grains in 5 separate doses (previous Thyroxine dose was 150mg). It took ages for me to go to sleep, I'm guessing it wasn't a good idea to take the last dose at 8.30pm. I happened to comment on a Facebook post on a UK Thyroid page that I'd jumped straight to a dose of 2.5 grains per day and was told by several people that it's a really bad idea and that I will likely feel ill further down the line and need to start over again in a gradual way.
So the reason for this post is to ask what method you did and whether it worked for you?
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caroldavies1969
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I have always taken doses once daily of whatever I've been taken. That way it is easier to judge if you're taking too much or too little. Gradual is always best.
2.5 grains of NDT is equal, in effect, to 250mcg of levothyroxine (I know people get confused if it states 60mg or 65mg but thats not mcg.
I'd give yourself a rest today and start again tomorrow. Before beginning you should take your pulse temp several times a day for a few days. You then have a starting point as pulse/temp are good indicators on how our body is absorbing NDT.
I'd give yourself a couple of days rest and then begin on 1 gr - taking pulse/temp and if you feel not too bad raise the dose by 1/4 and then a 1/4 every two weeks until you feel better. Some raise by half but there's not need to rush. If pulse goes too fast or temp rises too much drop to the previous dose.
When we take any hormones our stomach has to be empty and that's quite difficult with splitting doses and the disease controls your life, instead of you feeling normal health and forgetting you're hypo.
Everything revolves on how we feel and getting to a good place with the hormones. Sometimes we may have to try a few to be content with one particular make.
I shall look to see if I can find some helpful advice. Many people believe T3 in NDT is 'too strong' but for me it calmed my whole body and am well due to T3.
(I am not medically qualified but have travelled a long road myself to get to the point I have today).
This is a link which is helpful and although it refers to one NDT, it applies to any. You can also print off the page at the bottom of the link too:
I took my temperature 3 times a week for just over a week just before starting the NDT, the lowest average daily temperature was 96.62 and the highest was 98.42. I've just taken my temperature now and it's bang on 98.4 which is surely good. I've not taken my pulse rate at all though, I'll start doing that from today. I'm afraid I've already taken half a grain this morning so I'll take another half grain this afternoon and try and keep doing the same for the next 10 days or so. I always get tired in the afternoon so I think it may help me to split the doses, at least in the early days.
Thank you for advising that 2.5 grains is equivalent to 250mg of thyroxine, yikes, no wonder I felt wide awake at midnight!! I'm feeling tired today but that's likely down to the littliest one waking me up at 5.30am...
I'll have a look at the link you've provided now. Thanks so much.
As Shaws says, 2.5 way too much. I also started at 1 (split doses, first on waking and 2nd mid-day) and then raised by 1/4 every week until I got to 2 1/2 where I felt over-medicated (although that is down to cortisol issues) so reduced back to 2 1/4.
I had been on thyroxine and liothyronine for several years and switched to ndt by starting at half a grain and working up. It made me feel absolutely awful, so much so, i abandoned it and went back to synthetics for a year.
I then tried again with ndt and started with 2 grains, in one go..... No need to split because the hormones are thought to be bound, not free and was much better. I went up to 4 grains.... Did a blood test and found my t3 was over range, so i dropped to 3grains and have done really well for the past few years.
Will add a link to an article explaining the difference between ndt and synthetics......
The other thing to consider though, is if you havent had any t3 before, you might be over taxing your adrenals by suddenly taking t3... Are your temperatures stable from day to day? Are you measuring them Several times a day and plottin the average? Well worth doing.
I took my temperature 3 times a day for just over a week before starting the NDT, the average daily temperatures were as follows:
96.62
97.29
97.83
97.29
97.88
98.42
97.88
98.24
So I guess you wouldn't call those temperatures stable. I've taken my temperature this morning and it's bang on 98.4, that was earlier than usual though as I was taking my temperature 3 hours after waking and 3 hourly thereafter when I took it over the 8 days above.
So you started with 2 grains rather than building up to 2 grains, but I guess your body was used to having the direct T3 whereas mine isn't.
well the temps are fluctuating by 0.6 of a degree which isnt so bad...... Did you see the chart of how mine were when i had adrenal problems? ( link was given earlier).
I was very used to having t3 having been on it for several years. If you arent used to t3, then you should start with a low dose and build up very slowly.... An increase of maybe half a grain every 6 weeks .....
Yes your temperatures were all over the place! I hope you've solved the adrenal problems now. I think I'll see how I go on the one split grain per day and then increase it when I feel I really need it, but will make sure it's at least 10 days away. Thanks so much for your help.
It all depends if you have medicated any T3 previously.
If you have had 16 years solely on thyroxine, it would be prudent to introduce NDT gradually so your body can acclimatise to the T3 within NDT. T3 is 3-4 times more powerful than thyroxine, hitting the spot within hours. Many experience inner heat, headache, etc when first introducing T3.
I split my doses as my body is sensitive to thyroid hormone and this reduces the rapidity of onset and prolongs the duration of its action.
DON'T do a direct swap. The doctor might advise it but then doctors cram books for an exam and never look at them again! Build up over a few weeks. Startig low and building up helps you get used to the T3 better.
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