NDT for impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone? - Thyroid UK

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NDT for impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone?

B0896 profile image
25 Replies

I've been diagnosed with Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone. But rather than t3 only I was prescribed NDT. I've read that you need large singular doses of t3 to override the resistance so Im very panicked about starting NDT.

Does anyone know if i can still get better on NDT?

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B0896 profile image
B0896
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25 Replies
puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle

I see here there are people who have recovered on t3/t4 therapy, which ndt is more or less. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

What was the reasoning for prescribing ndt as opposed to t3?

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to puncturedbicycle

Ah that's relieving then!

I think it was because it contains all the natural thyroid hormones in the body. Yet I thought since it is a resistance problem only t3 was needed in order to bypass the resistance?

I get confused by how much t3 is in 1 grain of NDT including the t4 which is converted. Some people say it is 25mcg but im not sure?

As long as Im better I don't really care haha

puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle in reply to B0896

Conversion chart: centraldrugsrx.com/pdf/Thyr... But it won't help if you're trying to figure out how much t4 is converted, I believe it just tells you what is contained in each unit.

I'm confused by this rationale as treating hormone resistance isn't about supplementing every thyroid hormone. They might just as well have added t3 but as you say in the end if you feel better no one cares. :-)

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to puncturedbicycle

I guess NDT has alot of t3 once converted. But then again i think i read that John Lowe recommends flooding the cells at once when it comes to resistance. I might end up buying t3 online. My doctor said it is trial and error with t3 anyway :P Just a bit panicked as i have got a warning to be kicked off my uni course as this ordeal is affecting my attendance. Strange how he mentioned using t3 for resistance as well, but then ends up giving me NDT for it.

puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle in reply to B0896

Well, name something that isn't trial and error! :-) I read that you can take too much t3 and somehow your body steps in (something to do w your liver? I wish I had made a note of the link) and inactivates it so it doesn't all kick in at once and hurt you. So the fact that it may or may not immediately solve your problem is neither here nor there.

Tbh I think a lot of them regard t3 as if it's plutonium.

Well as you say you can always go for t3 later. A lot of people get on w ndt, maybe you'll be one of them. Good luck!

B0896 profile image
B0896

That is what I thought- don;t you have to flood the cells with t3 all at once. Whereas NDT still has to be converted.. Maybe should i buy t3 online at least I have a diagnosis?

B0896 profile image
B0896

I also feel that he gave me NDT because he only had slow release t3, not because it was the best treatment for me which makes me feel uneasy.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to B0896

What country are you in?

Slow release T3 is unusual. I am not aware of any marketed products from north America or Europe - other than specially compounded. Which seems to undermine the "he only had slow release T3" phrase.

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to helvella

Im in England, but it stated that slow-release t3 was used which is strange.

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to B0896

B0896, Who diagnosed you with impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone? Was it a private doctor?

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to RedApple

Yes that's right

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to B0896

As it was a private doctor, presumably someone is paying a fee for the consultation. I would expect a private doctor to discuss your treatment with you more fully so that you understand exactly why s/he has prescribed NDT when you were expecting to be prescribed T3.

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to RedApple

He didnt really give a reasonable answer to be honest. He just said that NDT contains all the natural thyroid hormones in the body even though i already have the hormones but have cellular resistance which from my knowledge requires t3 only

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to B0896

Sounds as if he has no clue what he's doing! In which case, you cannot even rely on the diagnosis he's given you.

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to RedApple

i know it has to be a thyroid issue. I have full body myxedema, chronic fatigue, breathlessness etc. But I am on a tipping point and need to start on treatment soon. My results also indicate resistance so i might start on t3 and see how it goes.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to B0896

How do your results indicate resistance? I didn't know you could test for that.

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to greygoose

High tsh with high freet4/t3

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to B0896

No, I don't think that indicates resistance, because the TSH only recognises what is in the blood, not what gets into the cell. It should be high if there's not enough hormone in the blood, but has no idea what gets into the cells. If the Frees are high, then the TSH should be low, so there's something odd going on, but it doesn't indicate cellular resistance, as far as I know.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to B0896

I'm a bit confused.

Are you saying the doctor who diagnosed you has prescribed desiccated thyroid because his alternative was slow-release T3?

B0896 profile image
B0896 in reply to helvella

Thats what i gather. It is odd as he discussed with me at my inital consultation that resistance is treated with t3 only...

B0896 profile image
B0896

Maybe I should buy t3 online instead then if it's the correct treatment? I really need to start treatment soon but i want to start the right one haha

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to B0896

I don't think self treating is a good idea if you really do have impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone. You need to see someone who truly understands this and can properly diagnose you, and then guide you with the T3 treatment.

There's a lot of information about it in Thyroid Manager. Here's the link. thyroidmanager.org/chapter/...

Farahnaz9 profile image
Farahnaz9

What is NDT?

Hillwoman profile image
Hillwoman in reply to Farahnaz9

Natural desiccated thyroid, usually prepared from porcine thyroid gland.

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to Farahnaz9

Farahnaz9,

For more info, go here and scroll down the page until you get to Treatment Options thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

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