Can anyone offer feedback on how they changed from NDT. to levothyroxine only, or to a combination of levo. and T3.

[lucylocks]

Hi

I am looking for information on how members changed from NDT. to levo. only, or to a combination of levo. and T3

If you changed over to levo. only did you gradually reduce your NDT and gradually add in levo.

Or did you just stop NDT. one day and go back on levo. the next, if so what dose did you go onto.

If you changed to a combination of levo. and T3, did you just changed over to the equivalent of T4 and T3.

How did you feel with the change over? Did it go smoothly or did you run into problems.

All replies are really appreciated.

Many thanks.

[Wolfiesmom08]

I can provide some feedback although I'm terrible with math I'm sure another member can help you if you post what your doses were. So I was on NDT only and I was still feeling very fatigued so I added some T4 to that and I felt better but eventually I decided just to switch to 100% synthetic. I made this change about three weeks ago I went straight to the next morning stopping the NDT plus T4 to taking the levo only. Then I waited two days and added in half my dose of the T3. Then I try adding more T3 but for me it bothered my heart so I'm still adjusting to this new dose and I think I need to add more T4 but I'm waiting to the six week mark. Honestly the first week I switched I felt really good lots of energy but as my old medication wore off because I was under medicated I feel I started feeling kind of sluggish again.

It really just takes time for your body to adjust to a different hormone.

[lucylocks in reply to Wolfiesmom08]

Many thanks for your reply,

do you mind me asking how NDT your were taking and how much T4 you added before switching to T4 only.

I was taking 125 mcg. levo. but Doctor reduced because of TSH, so I started to self treat with NDT, I am taking 1.75 grains NDT. I have not found much improvement with it.

My Doctor has now said he will treat by symptoms and not TSH, this was after speaking to an endocrinologist. All he said was to switch straight back to 125 mcg. levo. but I am not sure if this is the right way to go about it.

When you say you added half T3 after two days, do you mean half of the T3 that was in you NDT?

Thank you.

[Wolfiesmom08 in reply to lucylocks]

I was taking one and a half grains of Nature thyroid. Whenever I went to 2 grains my heart hurt and I had chest pains. So I added 13 mg of T4 and waited six weeks and then added another 13 and then added more NDT if I felt fatigued like a quarter grain.

[lucylocks in reply to Wolfiesmom08]

I got a reaction when I went up to 2 grains. of W.P. Thyroid.

Are you now on levothyroxine only?

[dashi2208]

Hi, I'm on 2 grains of NDT and am considering going back to Levo and maybe a bit of T3. Mind if I ask how you faired with your changes?

Thx. Richard

[lucylocks in reply to dashi2208]

Hi

I gradually reduced my NDT whilst adding in some levo. and kept doing this until I was back to the 125mcg. levo. I was taking before changing to NDT.

I have remained on that dose for a few months but have just increased to 150mcg. and have not adding T3 in yet. It is something I am still considering though as I an still not as good as I would like to be.

I did get some sort of a virus whilst I was changing over and felt right off with it. Not sure if I got the virus because the change over made my immune system low or I would have got it anyway, and it was coincidental, I don't know.

Are you not doing well on NDT?

[dashi2208]

that's the big question! I've been taking it for about 3yrs and initially it was much better than Levo. I was on 1.5 grains but was nervous about increasing . . .which recently I have to 2 Grains. Possibly I have been under-medicating so might just keep increasing. It's so hard with all the various opinions and med options out there but it seems that most people on NDT consider 2 to be a low dose, including Dr. Lowe. I'm getting a bit desperate hence thought T4 plus T3 might be worth a go. My initial TSH was 24 when diagnosed but I have no idea how Hypo that signifies.

And you?

[dashi2208]

p.s. stuck to 1.5Grains because bloods were in normal range but advice on this site seems to be ignore bloods and self medicate!?

[lucylocks]

Yes I also stayed on 1.5 grains for quite a while, as my bloods were good, but then I took a dip in health and also levels, so increased to two.

I was taking W.P. Thyroid and there was problems with getting it last year so I initially thought I would go back to levo. and add T3. I do have some T3 in the cupboard but thought I would try the increase in levo. before trying it.

My TSH was 8.9 when diagnosed so yours was quite high compared to mine although I have seen on the forum some people have much higher than yours.

My daughter's was 4.5 but her symptoms were far worse than mine when I was first diagnosed. I have read on the forum some people can have a very high TSH but not have many symptoms and vice versa, lower TSH with bad symptoms.

What are your levels like on 2 grains?