I am at my wits end with doctors. Have been under medicated for hypo for a year now . And current Doctor won't prescribe NDT which I would like to try. According to my labs my body is screaming for t3. My t4 hasn't budged and is still low. She has referred me to an endocrinologist . In her words, she was trained to look at lab tests and not symptoms. Right now I am depressed, hair is continually falling out,insomnia, and I'm guessing adrenal stress. By the way, her idea of normal like most doctors is to within range. I'm desperate just to get a good night sleep but passed on all the sleeping aids in drugstore. Even warning on melatonin to not take if you have endocrine disorder. So all I could come up with was Aswagandha which I've seen good reports on.
Ashwagandha users?: I am at my wits end with... - Thyroid UK
Ashwagandha users?
Would you consider self-treating w ndt? No point suffering through this forever.
Yes I would we do have compounding pharmacies where I live in us ? Would that be the best place to start and the safest and probably the most expensive?
Although I was going to try and stick it out until I see the endo. I was thinking of just going off it until then but some people advise not.
Or just topping up your t4 if both free t's are down.
You need script for compounding pharmacy. There are some online ways to order dessicated thyroid- like Thyrovanz. Look it up.
But where can she get NDT without a prescription? <a USA pharmacy> will not sell to US residents.
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My endo recommended 1000 mugs
Of ashwanda 2 x daily
He's from India and I must say it makes a difference 😊
A difference in your hypothyroidism symptoms? I take it as well, but started at the same time as I started taking other supplements, so I don't know what made the difference....
I also take Ashwaganda but not at such a high dosage. It really helps with sleep and mood.
I have been taking Turmerric ( golden paste) and this has also helped.
Blimey, how big are your mugs?😀
Is this in addition to levo and T3? I was considering it for adrenal support but need some advice and feedback first.
Ashwagandha is ok as I take it for anxiety, but I think you need to see if endo will put you on t4/t3 combo or ndt as you are quite clearly undermedicated, also look into magnesium for sleep, and get all your vits tested i.e. Iron/ferritin,vit b, etc, it's a long battle but keep pushing, but do your home work so you know what you are asking for, took me 5 years but got it eventually, and always try all the docs or endos, if you don't get what you want with one try another as they all have different views, good luck
Trust me I have been doing the homework. It can make you crazy sometimes ,all the information , but this sight has a calming effect on me! I have realized that the doctors hate it when you know more than they do.
Hi Ayokor,
You're right in wondering about your adrenals, as adrenal fatigue seems to go hand in hand with hypothyroidism and insomnia is a symptom of unhappy adrenals. What tends to happen is our adrenal function is low starting out in the day and then struggles all day to get working and finally gets somewhere late in day, meaning we quite often show above range levels of cortisol in the evening - this then keeps us awake. It can also mean we are diagnosed with high cortisol when in fact it is low. The best thing is to know for sure what's going on with a 24 hour saliva cortisol test and then you can look at treatment from there. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which in theory is meant to lower cortisol when high and increase it when low, however from my experience it only works one way (as do many adaptogens) and lowers already low cortisol, making you feel worse. When cortisol is low it can also stop your thyroid hormones from working as they should, which could be why you are still hypo after so long. Have a read about the critical functions of cortisol on rt3-adrenals.org. Good luck and take care 
Thank you! I think part of the problem is is that I work at night from 3pm until 11 or 12 usually and that could be throwing me off. Am starting how different my life would be if I worked during the day. Right now I can't but I'm thinking about it.
Hi there jennygriggs, I'm also new I have underactive thyroid for the past 3 years.but I don't understand what is adrenals and how do u know u have fategue?
I also suffer with fibromyalgia neck and shoulders wicked as you know. Could this cause me to have fatigue.i would appreciate your help many thanks buma
Hi Buma,
I am new to the forum and can only advise based on my experiences in helping my daughter who still has a little way to go. I hope I can help you in some way Hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue quite often go together and it is difficult to tell the symptoms apart too. Symptoms can include salt cravings, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, an inability to tolerate thyroid hormones, feelings of doom/depression and the list goes on. A great resource is the rt3-adrenals.org website. Have a read of the info there, I am sure it will provide some insight into how to check your adrenal function (best way is through a 24hour saliva cortisol test) and then how to address your symptoms. Good luck and take care
Thanks for your reply and advice,I will chec that link. Hope u sort your daughter out good luck we need it .
I think the endorcinologist will be able to help you more. At least somewhat stable and then you can talk about options.
Hopefully the endocrinologist will prescribe you NDT it will be a private script though so works out expensive. Otherwise though most of us buy from abroad and medicate ourselves. Disgraceful that we have to.
At least you should get proper labs done though. Make sure they do a full thyroid count, thyroid antibodies to look got Hashimotos, folate, feretin,B12 and vitamin D
Thyroid UKhas a list of pharmacies where you can get it or I got mine on Amazon from Thailand.
If you buy Organic bananas, soak one in water for a couple of hours then drink the water apparently you'll get s good nights sleep. My son told me this as when he came back from Afghanistan he had terrible insomnia. Worth a shot.
Have to be organic though.
Is this with skin on or off?
Skin off!
The banana is left whole or cut up? Then what do you do with the banana after it's been soaking?
Whole I think.
Guess you throw away or could eat it!
My son says it works, personally I haven't tried as its being awake I have the problem with!
Hi !
I cover a nonpealed banana with water and boiled for 3 - 4 min. I drink the tea and after I eat the boiled banana. It put me to sleep.
Recently I take magnesium before going to bed; I think is better. Few days ago I found in Vitamine store, Magnesium Soft Chews from Healthy Delights Naturals. Very tasty, just as caramels. I sleep as never after I take one.
Good sleep !
I have been boiling organic bananas at night and drinking it as sort of a tea with a little cinnamon. It seems to work. I have been sleeping longer . Thanks!
good info
Totally agree with Katepots advice.. I ended up self treating too otherwise I would still be ill now. Endocrinologists in the Uk in my opinion are a waste of time, In fact so are most Doctors.. I had Insomnia until I sorted out my Thyroid by taking Natural Thyroid tabs from abroad. Now I sleep like a log. Wish you the best as many of us have been there and its awful.. x Never heard about the banana thing before though... : )
It may work for others but Ashwagandha seems to have totally messed me up. I was taking it in the morning and it made me incredibly weary and my pulse rate slowed right down. The bottle said they could be used as a sleep aid (only read this later of course!) so I took one on Sunday and though I did get some sleep, I have felt like crap ever since. I thought it was going to be a magic bullet but sadly it's been the opposite.
Stop wasting time on GP's and endos and find a good integrated doctor. I have one in London who prescribes NDT and he understands thyroid disfunction. I had one in Hong Kong who first prescribed NDT and it made a huge difference but I also ditched grains, dairy, sugar and alcohol. You have to change diet to get optimal efficacy from NDT and check all your vitamin and mineral levels.
Could you pm me the doctor in London you use please . I'm on ndt already and would be willing to go private if they would prescribe it.
Hi geniler
I'm in London. Who is your integrated dr? Can u pm me their name and rates please?
Please, can you pm me Drs name and clinic name? Many thanks and best wishes.
I would appreciate knowing who you are using too please, I live in London and would welcome a recommendation.
Please could you PM me the details of the dr as well?
Please add me to the list of Londoners who would like to know the name of your doctor. Thank you!
He was a marine but got hearing damaged in Afghan so had a medical discharge.
He's doing good now though
Marshmallow root tea is good for sleeping and leaky gut
Ooo not heard of that one. Thanks
It is a good idea not to take ndt until your adrenals are properly supported or you can put enormous stress on them and make them worse. Have a read of Dr. Peatfield's book, Your Thyroid and how to Treat It. Get hold of an adrenal support supplement. There are a few out there, I am on nutriadrenal extra. It will help your sleep, though you have to start slow and build up to the right dose. My sleep is improving. I haven't got to the next stage yet!
Also, ashwagandha has helped me so much. But i have seen some people say it may not be good if you have these problems, so i guess test the water and if it suits you, great! I also take melatonin at night too. And magnesium glycinate.
Google Th1 and Th2 dominance... in theory they should be in balanced but Th1 dominance favours taking Ashwaganda and Th2 dominance favours Echinacea. Hashis sufferers could be either/or...maybe just try it and see - 50/50 chance and all that!!!
Ashwaganda supports healthy adrenals I was told...may make you feel worse if your adrenals a poorly. You probably need an adrenal rebuilder product...lots around.
Ashwaganda helped me but at the moment I'm on the AIP diet and nightshades are out so I'm following that protocol to see if I can get the awful feeling of inflammation down that I suffer. Hopefully loose shed loads of weight too! Good luck!
Look into Magnesium, most of us are Mag deficient. The GPs test is hopeless as it only shows Mag in the blood not in the cells. Cells is where it makes a difference.
Mag supplements - Theonate is supposed to help with sleep
Epsom salt baths
Mag lotion on bottom of feet
Mag rich foods.
We use up Mag in out bodies really fast, we have to keep putting it back in.
Read - Dr Carolyn Dean - The Magnesium Miracle.
best
JLT
Looks a very interesting book.
Dr P told me back in 2010 that I needed to take Vit C to bowel tolerance and Magnesium with Armour T and Nutri Adrenal Extra. Thanks for info. x
And did it make a difference for you?
I still have thyroid issues [or more significantly unresolved multiple issues going way back in my family] but I do still take these with other supplements and have felt much better than the physical wreck I was before finally being diagnosed by Dr S and Dr P.
I am going through the same thing right now I have complained to her about insomnia since she upped my dose and I don't know if it has anything to do with it but my hair hair is falling out also a lot and I have no energy and the only thing that helps me is coffee and sometimes that don't even work I also have dark circles under my eyes I just don't know what to do anymore sometimes I wish I could just get off it completely because it seems like no doctor can really help you
Life Extension has a supplement that contains Ashawagandha, Guggul & Korean Ginseng. It's called Triple Action Thyroid Support. Also vitamin B12, iodine, tyrosine, & vitamin A.
Life Extensions was recommended to me by my gynecologist. She was the only one that diagnosed my hypothyroidism after 8 years of doctors telling me my blood work was fine. Wishing you well.
When I think what they did to Dr S... and several good doctors they hound!
My father died at 54 y/o, being ill for 20 years... when it started off, docs couldn't decide what was wrong; something like asthma they said; steroids - blood clots = warfarin = stroke at 35 y/o - he still got up and went back to work again; Slow K for fluid retention... lots of ailments and by late 40's too ill for anything. He died of Motor Neurone Disease at 54... how much further down in the mitochondria do you have to go? Skinny when young but there were hypothyroid issues in the whole of one side of family - even one that stayed very skinny was the only one diagnosed as hypo. My father USED TO SAY: "Quacks the lot of them... many just scraped through their exams and we're the one's dumped with the rubbish".
Sadly, I never imagined that in 2016 his words would be reverberating still now - well, more than ever 
Oops, my mother was accused of malingering at 71 y/o - malingering from WHAT... helping raise my sisters' children, having looked after my father during his long - 4 year - illness: she died of pancreatic cancer, having been repeatedly told there was nothing wrong with her... yeah, difficult to diagnose BUT it's the snotty, arrogant, vile manner that's as much the problem.
I am very sorry to hear that and for your losses. My Father, God rest his soul, was a doctor back in the day when they actually cared about their patients and did house calls!
Oh thank you - it was a long time ago - and yes, we had a great GP for many years who was Czechoslovakian - saw me from birth to 18 years old and was way ahead of his time. But yes, doctors did seem to care a lot more in those times... they saved my life re meningococcal meningitis in my early 40's too! There are very good doctors and researchers out there; shame so many spoil the reputation of medicine by their sloppy, arrogant and sneering ways. Best wishes!
I got nothing from adaptogens like siberian ginseng, ashwagandha, etc. I suggest that those who are attended by idiot docs, treat themselves. If the endo also turns out to be a bust, PM me if you want to try websites that sell T3/T4/NDT.
May I also have a PM recommendation to your London doctor please? Many thanks.
With Melatonin, less is more. Taking too much has a negative effect.
Edited - Errr that answer was meant to be further up!!
It's a bad idea to take anything without knowing where your base line is. Too high cortisol can cause problems as can too low. You need a four point saliva test to determine your highs and lows so you know what to take when.
You are probably right because I took the ashwagandha yesterday. During the day I felt out of it. Took it before bed and I woke up 3 hours later feeling a little panic. Probably shelf it for now .
Am reading now on Hashimoto's. If one is, then no idodine at first, maybe never. Ashwaghanda is usually all right though it is a nightshade, considered one. The Vitamin D needs to be high, B complex for all Bs and a folate your body can use. Also the glutathione, sublingual or cream. I am learning. Thereis hope, but I have learned and almost w my life, do not wait for a doctor to fix you. Find THE doctor and know your stuff so you know that hat doctor knows their stuff. Then you stand a chance of improvement. Recommending Kharrazian's book and Rasa's, both DCs.
Yes I have Hashimoto's and I currently take 137.5mcg levothyroxine. My GP reduced my dose from 150mcg a few months ago because my TSH was almost suppressed. As I had symptoms of brain fog and fatigue I wanted to try T3 or LDN. The GP would not prescribe either of these so he referred me to a herbalist who prescribed a tincture containing Ashwagandha, cinnamon and something else in brandy. The bottle (about I/2 a litre) cost £40. I took some every day and I did feel clearer and brighter . I ran out a few weeks ago and am now feeling very cold and sleepy in the afternoons. These for me are low thyroid symptoms and also the onset of cold weather probably amplifies it. I need new blood tests clearly and possibly some more Ashwagandha. Meanwhile I thought you might find this interesting :naturalendocrinesolutions.c...
If your hypothyroid then odds are your Zinc is low, what helped me was takin 30mg of Zinc 3hrs before bed, for about 2 weeks then you might be able to drop it down to 15mg a night. I say take it at night because Zinc helps lower Cortisol, so it could help you sleep as it did me. Hope it helps...
Ayorkor, since viewing your original post 2m ago and subsequent replies, Im unclear if youve been using Ashwaganda. If you have has it been good or bad experience?. Please advise. Im also considering as a natural thyroid boost eg to increase T4 (and maybe T3 when tested), instead of drugs and before considering NDT. Ive also done some research and it seems safe and can be helpful for thyroid (and other things).
Any other user's comments also appreciated.
I have not been consistent with it. It is supposed to be for adrenal support as I was having a severe bout of insomnia and 3 am awakenings. So far the only thing that is helping somewhat is melatonin.
Help me decide.
Here We Go
Update on 30 year old neice who has high tsh results twice now , 2nd results worse . But 25 mg thyroxine starting dose ! Low iron too
