Its took me some time to buck up courage to do this but if it can encourage just one person to not give up and there is hope. I'm sorry for the poor evidence of pictures but as a hypo sufferer I have avoided mirrors and photos like the plague. The constant reminder of how you look just knowing that it isnt you. You're really a skinny person trapped in a fat body. In the first picture from May 2015 I had just finished a 5k mud run and believe it or not was attending the gym 3 or 4 times per week and eating incredibly healthy although I look far from healthy. 2 years on the second pic I'd just celebrated my 50th (the top is actually baggy but you can't tell lol) and I'm 2.1/2 stone lighter still eating the same but I've ditched the gym and I self medicate NDT all thanks to this forum and its advice. Your selfless posting of advice and replies to 'I'm a newbie' deserves a medal. You are changing peoples lifes and I for one cannot thank you all enough.
There is hope : Its took me some time to buck up... - Thyroid UK
There is hope
I am hoping for the same. Great post and even better pics 👍. So glad your doing so well 👍. May I ask if your head feels a lot better ?
My depression anxiety and brain fog are my most prominent symptoms. That and the weight issue. Your pics really give me hope 😀
Hi Kitti1, the brain fog has completely disappeared unless Ive not taken my dose on time. Fortunately I have never had issues with depression or anxiety (which didnt stop the doctor trying to push them on me). I really feel for anyone who does suffer though as I am sure it is due to your poor treatment. At 1st I was a little bit worried by the weight loss as I know in the past ndt had been abused as a weight loss drug but for 3 days I had no probiotic due to a late delivery and I gained again. So i feel its not just the ndt its having everything else in place gut health being vital. Good luck.
It must be so incredible to have no brain fog. In away I can cope with the depression, I have done for the best part of 30 years. But to have a clear alert brain must be amazing. I'm starting on t3 soon. If that doesn't work I'll definitely give NDT a go.
May I ask what your probiotics were and apart from other nutrients being optimal. What other things would you say are important ?
Am interested that you are to go on T3.my doctor has withdrawn it due to the cost and what is NDT?
Ann Simpson
Hi Ann & welcome. I've just had quick read of your post from earlier and the replies.
As RedApple says please give us a little back ground. What dose of levo have you been on & what dose of t3. Do you know your recent blood test results. How long have you been hypo, are you hashi's ect.
I'm self medicating. But not started yet as I'm waiting for my private blood test results to give me my starting levels and show if / what supplements I need to add to give my meds the best chance / to be optimal.
I'd also recommend you having a good read of other threads. This is the most wonderful forum and a complete education. With many amazingly knowledgeable and generous people.
NDT is naturally dedicated thyroid, taken from pigs thyroids. It contains t4 and t3.
Congratulations on your perseverance, keeping the faith that things could be better, and your impressive results!
Spot on.
Brilliant, mtcorr . So pleased for you. And no one, surely, could possibly say that you're doing the wrong thing when you look so healthy now compared to how you did back in 2015.
You look fabulous, very well done 
and up yours to all those GPs and endos who like to keep us fat, fatigued and feeling lousy.
WoW!
You look fantastic, so pleased for you.
Wish I could sort myself out. Doc suspected hypothyroid problems but because my results were normal and in some cases above range (FT3), he has diagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome. I think I am going from low to high on a slow roller coaster. Fed up of the cold/heat intolerance, tinnitus, anxiety, weight gain, aches and pains. Any advice greatly appreciated. X
Hi Essja16, This is where it gets seriously frustrating. You can take on board this forums advice supplement, no gluten/grains sugar etc and you might improve in the meantime but you won't have a diagnosis to get you the medication you require as in the early days of diagnosis even Levo can be effective. Or you wait doing nothing until you are acutely unwell and the Drs take notice because your magic numbers add up or you have a goitre the size of a balloon. I too was in this position many moons ago but i knew no better and it was eventually the balloon size goitre that got me treatment then the bloods showed raised. In the 1st instance I would request thyroid antibodies, mine were only checked recently as i dont think it's ever routinely done. If there positive for hashi you get the treatment.
One option is to join a gym you will either become a fitness godess or finally push your tsh over the magic range for treatment., either way your quids in. I do hope all the clever people on here have a better response.
Mine were positive for hashis, and I've been refused treatment!
That is ridiculous!
Omg moldyoledoll (just love that name as often felt it myself). Can you get a second opinion? I will confess my ignorance to hashi I only discovered it when my levo was reduced and I returned to my dr saying I felt my body was attacking itself. I hadnt a clue what was going on. I thought positive antibodies meant defo diagnosis. I could cry for you. X
Thankyou 😁
No, my endo wants to watch and wait, I've waited long enough, I will self treat if GP won't trial me on levo
Moldyoledoll, watch and wait until you fall apart. If you feel strong enough and know its hard work lining up all the ducks as the say I personally would say go for it. We are all intelligent people who know our bodies far better than the doctors. When I took the plunge I just thought it cant get any worse.
Great post and pic, and well done for finding the courage to 'go it alone' and to post - very inspiring
Newbie. What's n d t please?
Naturally dedicated thyroid, form pigs thyroid, better than it sounds ! Contains t4 - levothyroxine and t3 liothyronine. 😀
Gingergirl1948 Kitti1
NDT = Natural Desiccated Thyroid
For more abbreviation and acronyms you might see in connection with thyroid, helvella has created an excellent list :
dropbox.com/sh/3waycnbzhywi...
Sorry humanbean it was a typing error. I'm dyslexic and if get one letter or more wrong my clever tablet decides to put up another word ! I usually proof read repeatly to avoid embarrassing errors but obviously didn't on that occasion. Perhaps because I'm under medicated at the moment.
Thank you for the list
That's fantastic, thank you for posting such positive encouragement! I'm a relative Newby on the site in terms of posting and have found all the advice and encouragement given here invaluable. Well done on your progress, you look great and have given me hope!
Brilliant, well done.
Hi mtcorr, so pleased for you - it gives me hope! Having suffered 13 years of Levo with all its side effects, including currently being 3 and half stone heavier, I wondered if you would be willing to let me know your brand and source of NDT. I desperately want to see if it makes a difference but there seem to be so many different brands and world outlets that I'm not sure where to source it from for the best. Thank you.
Well done, mtcorr , you look fabulous!
Fabulous, inspiring post, you look great now, thanks for cheering us up
Its so great to see before and after pictures giving proof of positive results. I've been on Levo since 11 Jan 2017, the doctor confirmed the night before that I am a under active thyroid sufferer. Now the old me is coming back! So far I've lost over a stone and I feel that I haven't even dieted. It's amazing the changes that have happened in the last nearly 4 months. My energy has returned, hair's thicker, face no longer swollen, no full blown hay fever which would start early March and stop end of October. Last September I was the worst I'd ever been, looking as if I was pregnant a round ball. Now I am completely different. I've been going to the gym since October, husband knew something was wrong and that was the start of the road to recovery. But of course we didn't know what my condition was then, not till my blood test results in January. I had been ill for a very long time, no matter what I did I couldn't lose weight. A battle is the word. I wish you could see the old me compared to now, it's shocking. But at least with your excellent results there is hope. I'm having another blood test next week due to the T4 result, bit iffy. Hopefully that can be sorted.I have noticed I become somewhat tired late afternoon and my bones have started aching a little. Results should put some light on what the problem is. But compared to last year? I feel fantastic. 😄 thanks for reading this long drawn out reply. There's hope for us all.
Glove that you lost so much weight it's amazing, I have lost 5lb I changed to NDT 1 1/2 years ago I look better and lost few lb going on AIP diet too x
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