Natural reduction of goiter and nodules

[lindajrst]

Has anyone had any success with reducing or eliminating goiter and nodules with supplements or NDT? I have a slight goiter on one side and a small nodule on the other (confirmed by ultrasound). I'm not on any medication at the moment (stopped T4 due to side effects) though I have an underactive thyroid - TSH is just out of normal range. Thanks in advance, Linda.

[Clutter]

Lindajrst,

Being optimally medicated with Levothyroxine, T3 or NDT will sometimes shrink nodules and goitres. 200mcg selenium is good thyroid support but I doubt it will shrink nodules or goitres.

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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.

[lindajrst in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for your reply. Hopefully they won't get worse... I'm considering getting myself on NDT sometime soon and looking into helpful supplements.

[Clutter in reply to lindajrst]

Lindajrst,

If you have stopped taking Levothyroxine you really need to start taking NDT quickly otherwise you will become very hypothyroid. 200mcg Selenium daily is good thyroid support but is not a substitute for thyroid replacement.

_________________________________________________________

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.

[lindajrst in reply to Clutter]

Thank you very much for your reply. I was on Levothyroxine for about 8 years and weaned off it after making dietary changes - I was off for about 2.5 years and stayed just inside the normal range the whole time. Then my blood test crept outside the normal range so I went back on for 6 months. I have been off it (again) for about 5 months now and just had a test showing I'm just outside the normal range. My endo wasn't too worried by it. I felt so poorly whilst taking T4 that I couldn't continue - I feel much better without it but hope to start something else soon. Hope this makes sense... it's quite complicated.

[Clutter in reply to lindajrst]

Lindajrst,

I understand, I also had adverse reactions to Levothyroxine although I'm fine on Levothyroxine + T3.

Just warning that the longer your thyroid levels remain low before you medicate the longer it will take to relieve symptoms.

[lindajrst in reply to Clutter]

I was hoping for some T3 but my endo wouldn't prescribe it - he said it's very potent and I am only slightly underactive! Not sure whether or not that's true but I couldn't really argue with him! I am to have another blood test in about 6 months (or earlier if I start to feel bad) so we should be able to keep an eye on things. I may try self medicating NDT as I'm sure I could do with something (I have underactive symptoms but not feeling too bad), I'm just researching things at the moment. Thanks again!

[Clutter in reply to lindajrst]

Lindajrst,

T3 is 3 x more potent than Levothyroxine. If you are underactive enough for Levothyroxine you are underactive enough for T3. Sounds like your endo is reluctant to prescribe anything other than Levothyroxine. Not exactly in his patient's best interest.

[lindajrst in reply to Clutter]

You are absolutely right. It's strange though - at my first appt with him I told him I'd come off the T4 due to the side effects - he said yes some people don't get on with T4 only, give it 3 months to settle down then we'll test again and try you with some T3 as well as T4 (but at smaller doses). I was really hopeful for that but when I went back he seemed to have completely changed his tune. He wanted me back on T4 only and wouldn't give me any T3 for the reasons I mentioned above. I declined the T4 only and he said well you're only slightly underactive, give it another 6 months and we'll test again. I must have got him on a bad day the second time! Grrrr...