Bit of advice appreciated please: Hi After... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

141,182 members166,424 posts

Bit of advice appreciated please

Cup-cake7 profile image
9 Replies

Hi

After cortisol testing I'm not Cushing it seems as was beginning to wonder ( as you do ) as have had fear and anx at shoulder for years as a daily friend or fiend, started one or two phobias recently so unsure why that is, e.g. COuldnt get in lift, I made myself the next day, do also fear taking tablets and eg pig or cow in tabs, I do try to rationalise it that we eat pork etc ( it's a condition in itself and appreciate not understandable ) I'm ok at making myself do heights e.g. Cable car, but hate heights, I get vertigo feelings and panic )

Am relieved about this not being worse re the adrenals, but the night saliva is high so shows computering isn't what to do at bedtime for sure as we know really!

Iv just read in a post that ft3 needing to be as high or higher than ft 4. , which mine is not, as it's in the lower half......

Therefore AFter reading this recent post I saw advice to take t3, if this is the case, which makes sense as my t4 a good reading in range, although I know it doesn't address the 4.7 tsh level

I don't like idea of suppressing t4 when producing good amount anyway does anyone else feel this

Having purchased some n d t I now wonder if this is ok, or would you recommend the t3 on its own in preference As t4 is in good range, helpful member assures I will feel so much better

I know I'm not addressing the higher tsh reading, is this vital at the moment, My last test showed slight antibodies (the Th ones not the others ) I was told I hadn't antibodies before this, there is a problem getting hold of older bloods, I'm trying, (they think I'm 'trying' Also ! ) Iv said I'm entitled etc by law

Brain fuddled j xxx

Advice about tsh, T3 or n d t much appreciated

I have confused myself, again, and mainly the bottom line is I am a natural bod and don't like the thought of surpressing when I may be able to sort naturally,if get on top of the stress levels, if hashi appears in next tests I'm understanding better the implications

I'm taking cranberry, and seaweed to aid conversion, selenium b12 D B complex powder to heal gut , I am gluten free, nightshade free, Iv lost a stone in three months , my temperature flits fro a 36 to 37, my pulse has upped to 66 a min from 57

Patience is a virtue, hopefully on the right path, sorry can't help the tablet Surpression default (only those who have had this will understand I know )

Thanks be girly this wonderful lifesaving sight x

Written by
Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
9 Replies
Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

GIVEN nit girly!!!! Lol

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Well, you've certainly confused me! lol Why are you talking about 'suppressing'? Suppressing T4? Who suppresses T4?

Whether or not NDT is superior to T4+T3 depends entirely on the person. We're all different, and neither suit everybody.

Taking seaweed (to help with conversion???) is not a good idea because it is high in iodine. And, too much iodine, when you're hypo, is not good. Did you get tested before taking it, to see if you needed iodine? Have a look at this post :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

If your FT3 is low in range, and your FT4 is up the top of the range, then you are not converting well and need some T3. Quite how bad your conversion is, is difficult to tell at that point, but if it's really bad, then NDT might not be a good idea, because it might have too much T4 in it, for you.

I don't know if any of that is helpful, but I did my best! :)

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply togreygoose

Thankyou lots for reply grey goose

Yes, is it a bad idea taking n d t when you have an ok t4 level anyway? which is produced by yourself, not the tablet?

......My confusion lies that I have a raised tsh and what I have read on site is that low t4 (levo) is not good for the body anyway, and that I need to bring this tsh down to a one for wellness

with respect, the term of ' surpressed t4 ' is often used?

And that it brings wellness when surpressed down to a one,

So when you have had higher dose levo, has your own body stopped supplying it?

Is this the meaning of surpressed?

Does this mean you are stopping your own body t4 from working?

I know I am not alone with this thinking? Would be great to clear it up

and that I've read also that small levo i take which is t4, doesn't help the situation as taking low dose levo not good?

There is so much info to take on board in saggy tired brain, and obviously want to the right thing,

If there is a way back naturally it's a way to try to go,

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toCup-cake7

Well, with respect, I can't remember anyone talking about suppressed T4 - why would anyone want to suppress it? Normally, we talk about a suppressed TSH.

Now, TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone - is produced by the pituitary, to stimulate the thyroid when the pituitary senses that there isn't enough thyroid hormone in the blood. In healthy people, the thyroid then makes more hormone, and the pituitary reduces the TSH. Until the next time it senses that there's not enough thyroid hormone, and the cycle begins again.

When you are hypo, your TSH will be high - and get higher and higher, because the thyroid is too sick (for whatever reason) to respond. So, you take thyroid hormone replacement (levo, etc.) and the TSH goes down. The TSH itself, is not important. It only does one thing, stimulate the gland. So it doesn't matter if it becomes suppressed. It will usually become suppressed when you take T3 or NDT, because you do not need it anymore. The pituitary has more sense than to put out a hormone that is no-longer needed!

The normal form of thyroid hormone replacement, is levo (T4, a storage hormone). Which, it is supposed by doctors, will be converted into the active hormone, T3. But, we aren't all very good at converting T4 to T3, which is why we need to take T3 - or NDT. Very often, you can have a good level of T4, but if it's not converted to T3, your FT3 will be low, which will cause the TSH to be high - because the pituitary senses the low T3.

So, if that is your case - high T4 and high TSH, low T3 - it means you're not converting well and need to add some T3 to a reduced dose of T4.

Also, when taking T3+T4, the body will only hang on to as much T4 as it needs. So, the FT4 will often be low - the more T3 you take, the lower the FT4. But, it will not become suppressed unless you take a very high dose of T3!

I don't know what level would be considered suppressed when talking about T4, but when talking about TSH, suppressed is 0.04, or something like that.

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

😊. understand about overdosing with iodine, although I'm sure I don't eat nearly as much as the Japanese ladies I know,

Answer to this was on an earlier post, you or somebody pointed out that if your ft3 is lower percentage in the range than your ft4 , then you aren't converting well

Thanks for links il have a read

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toCup-cake7

SORRY GG

The term used has been Suroressed TSH not t4

But the thinking is , that it's been surpressed by the levo which is the t4, correct?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toCup-cake7

And, in Japan, they have a very high rate of Hashi's! Excess iodine can trigger Hashi's.

If you are taking 100 mcg levo, you are getting 65 mcg iodine just from that. And, I've never heard that iodine helps with conversion. Iodine is one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone, that's all.

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

.....really helpful. My gut feeling was I needed t3 not n d t ,

Where am I to get this, help 😘😊

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

Ah thankyou getting there

Yes, I am low t3 higher t4 raised tsh to five

I have taken levo 25 a few weeks, I stopped as I truely felt depressed, and more anx and had reaction I think from fillers as had hay fever type symptoms, and when stopped it I had (excuse me) phlegm cough for two weeks. Now gone away

doctors bloods showed in June that my t4 level had dropped from my private May bloods, not a lot but definately lowered

I have bought n d t so unsure if it will help me at this point,

it's half grains and kindly advised the t4 will help me to wellness , I have no reason to doubt, but wanting to see the bigger picture, if i need to get tsh down to low level is this possible with the n d t , Even though my t4 level quite high anyway

May I ask, if you, would you be trying n d t. now I have it here?

What would be your thoughts if you had this set of results pls

Thankyou gg for patience x

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Blood results, expertise advice appreciated please

Hi there I'm still plodding!! although energy much better now for sure (done the adrenal support...
Cup-cake7 profile image

Test advice appreciated please, it's the dodgy D!?

Hi Quite pleased with results ( I think) I'm now splitting levo dose and it's making a lot of...
Cup-cake7 profile image

Pregnant daughter high antibodies advice please

Hi everyone. I have had tremendous support and advice in the past when I was first diagnosed with...
maro profile image

advice please

so after 3 x TSH (low but in range) and 2 x T4 (low but in range) and 1 T3 and normal antibodies...
Carsey2411 profile image

Starting T3 - Advice Appreciated!

Hello, I'm new on here and hoping there are some more experienced people who can help me with some...
LJG84 profile image

Moderation team

See all
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.