naturethroid v Levo dosing

[Shredder]

Hi could anyone on here possibly give me a definitive answer? I'm a man who had radio iodine treatment last September for Graves' disease. The treatment has made me hypo. I was put on Levo starting at 50mg last December but found the Levo has given me crippling insomnia. Despite telling my endo this my strength has been put up three monthly until I'm now on between 100mg or 125mg despite the quite debilitating insomnia (I now only sleep if I take sleeping tablets but they only work occasionally but if I don't take them I have very little sleep and then poor quality sleep) I found a GP in the UK would has prescribed me NDT (Naturethroid) as I thought the fillers in the Levo may be the problem. However the insomnia persists. I have read a huge amount of contradictory information regarding strengths so wondered if I am taking too much NDT? Some say 1 grain is 60mg of Levo others say that 1 grain is equivalent to 100mg of Levo. I was on 100mg of Levo and have been taking 1.5 grains of Naturethroid as according to the conversion website that is the equivalent of 100mg of Levo. I doing everything I can to normalise sleep. Any advice please?

[Clutter]

Shredder,

1 grain NatureThroid contains 38mcg T4 and 9mcg T3 which is equivalent to 65mcg T4. Manufacturers claim the bioequivalent effect of 1 grain NDT is equivalent to 100mcg Levothyroxine. Most find this overstated and from observation I would say it is probably nearer to 75mcg Levothyroxine.

You could increase dose by 1/4 grain at two week intervals until you are taking 2 grains then hold at 2 grains 6-8 weeks and retest including FT3 before increasing further.

I was prescribed 7 x sleeping tablets per month to cope with insomnia. The insomnia resolved when I was optimally dosed on Levothyroxine + T3.

[Shredder in reply to Clutter]

Thanks so much

[radd]

Shredder,

Good advice from Clutter re dosing but look at your adrenal glands.

The adrenals glands may become compromised after supporting consistently low thyroid hormone levels. The extra adrenaline/cortisol secreted may cause the adrenal glands to become impaired in their ability to respond appropriately and so sleep issues can develop.

This can also impair our adrenals’ ability to produce and balance other hormones which are important to our long-term health and well-being: DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

As thyroid hormones are replaced to optimal levels, all other hormones (including adrenal ones) will hopefully restabilise but supporting the adrenals glands can hurry things along.

I only started sleeping well when thyroid hormones and all adrenal/sex hormones were optimised.

.

Thyroid & Adrenal Gland Connection

chriskresser.com/5-ways-tha...

[Shredder]

Thanks but how and when did you know these were optimised?

[radd in reply to Shredder]

Shredder,

Blood test results and feeling well told me everything had become optimised.

For many, any form of thyroid hormone replacement will not work effectively until other deficiencies have been dealt with. These deficiencies may include other hormones or iron/nutrient deficiencies. Have you had Vit B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin tested ?

I found medicating NDT helped me sleep but many can't tolerate it when they are low in iron.

If you press the green "reply" button, the person you are posting to will be notified.