Want to fight hypothyroidism by natural remedies

[njose]

Hi, I am new here...

I am 47 year old, diagnosed with hypothyroidism and is taking levothyroxine .25 mgsince last 3 months.

Heard that once started medicine, then thyroid will not produce hormone by its own...?

I wish I could fight hypothyroidism by natural remedies...

I have an appointment with endocrinologist, still pending (Don't know when it's gonna be. Missed last one!)...

Kindly let me know any tips, anyone...

[shaws Administrator]

If we are hypothyroid, I don't think even doctors realise it is serious disease which can be fatal if untreated. Once diagnosed in the UK, you pay for no further prescriptions for whatever ailment.

Levothyroxine usually works well for many people as it is T4 (hormone) and it converts to T3 (liothyronine) the active hormone required in the billions of receptor cells in our body in order for our metabolism to work normally.

There is a 'natural' thyroid hormone replacement and it's called NDT (short) i.e. Natural Dessicated Thyroid Hormones which contains all of the hormones our healthy gland would have produced, i.e. T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.

In the UK it will not be prescribed on the NHS but can be sourced.

If you give levothyroxine a reasonable trial it might convert to sufficient T3 for you to feel well again. The usual doses are between 100mcg and 200mcg.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Njose.

You've been prescribed 25mcg Levothyroxine because your thyroid gland is under producing hormone. Your gland will still produce hormone, 25mcg will just top it up.

For maximum absorption Levothyroxine should be taken with water 1 hour before or 2 hours after food and drink, 2 hours away from other medication and supplements, and 4 hours away from calcium, iron, vitamin D supplements and oestrogen.

You should have a thyroid test 6-8 weeks after starting Levothyroxine to check that 25mcg is sufficient dose. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore euthyroid status and for most people this will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

The T4 and T3 hormone in Natural dessicated thyroid (NDT) is derived from pig thyroid but the other fillers in the tablet are synthetic. NDT isn't licensed for UK use and is rarely prescribed on NHS so most patients using it have private prescriptions or buy online and self medicate.

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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.

[greygoose]

"Heard that once started medicine, then thyroid will not produce hormone by its own...?"

I'm sorry, I fail to see what difference that makes. If you don't start the 'medicine' (thyroid hormone replacement), your gland will probably stop producing hormone, anyway.

You obviously have a sick gland, or you would not have been diagnosed as being hypothyroid. It's not easy to get a diagnosis, so there's little chance of a mis-diagnosis. You cannot cure a sick gland, and, one day, it's going to fail completely. Levo does not 'treat' anything in the usual sense of the word (nor does it kill the gland), it just replaces the hormone that your gland can no-long makes sufficiently. And, without which, you cannot live.

If, for whatever reason (and I wouldn't recommend it!) you were to come off your levo, the gland would just take up where it left off, and make what little hormone it could. Except if you have Hashimotos's thyroiditis - aka autoimmune thyroiditis - where your own immune system will kill the gland slowly over time.

If by 'natural means' you mean by diet and supplements, no, you cannot 'fight' hypothyroidism that way - it isn't even a fight, because you cannot win, you cannot get rid of it, it's a fait accompli. Nutrition is important but it cannot repair your gland.

To keep yourself as healthy as possible, you need to get your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested, and supplement any deficiencies. Hypos often have nutritional deficiencies because of low stomach acid. But, without the thyroid hormone replacement, you will die.

[LizzieAFib]

Hi Njose, as others have stated you cannot cure hypothyroidism however what you can do is look at dietary aspects to help yourself. From personal experience the medical personnel don't tell you this, and you only find out there are things you can do through your own research. Dietary supplements have been mentioned already, but you could also look at what you currently eat, e.g. avoid fluoride and soya; also removing wheat from your diet can help (wheat intolerance is often linked with hypo I've been told, and my energy levels increased significantly when I stopped eating it). Good luck.