Hi, felt good yesterday on increased dose of T3 and NDT combination. More clear headed than for a long time however, and I've noticed this before on an increased dosage, I'm waking frequently and have night sweats. All the posts on this topic seem to be about menopause symptoms and as I'm male I think I can safely rule that out.
Thanks in advance
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dashi2208
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I am not medically qualified but I think if we've been hypo, we've probably been for a long time before being diagnosed. The thyroid hormone replacements we take are to raise our metabolism (gradually) until we are relived of clinical symptoms and we feel good. Many have disturbed sleep and sweats initially and should gradually disappear as dose is raised.
Others will respond who have had similar effects.
I will give you a list of clinical symptoms which should resolve.
An often occurring theme on this sight seems to be Adrenal fatigue. I have had a cortisol blood test that came back normal however many people here advocate a sylia test. I'm considering this but it's expensive and possibly another in a long list of red herrings. Do you have any feelings either way about this please? The other concern I have is whether I'm constantly under medicating since everyone else on this forum seem to be taking 2 or 3 times as much NDT as I do. My bloods were in normal range with a 1 grain dosage through about 18 months, during which time I was constantly suffering with night sweats/interrupted sleep and not as clear headed as I am with half a grain and 20mcg T3 . . . . omg it's a minefield!
Hi, mind if I ask if you did the blood test followed by a saliva test and if you found the saliva test helpful? Did you get differing results and find adrenal support helpful?
P.S with regard to possibly under medicating I meant to add that my very first test, the one that Hypothyroidism was first picked up, was THS 26.4 range 0.35-4.94. I have no idea what degree of Hypo. this result indicates?
Your original TSH was 16 points above 10 which (if you are in the UK) people are diagnosed. In other countries, however, people get diagnosed if it is above 3, so we are quite old-fashioned with regard to blood tests. Before these were introduced we were diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and prescribed natural dessicated thyroid hormones but these are now no longer being prescribed so some members are sourcing their own.
Many on the forum are diagnosed eventually when TSH is 100 up to 200+ as their clinical symptoms were assumed to be the only problem and no thyroid ones were done . I myself had quite a few diagnoses but none were correct.
No doctor diagnosed me but a first-aider!
To get well it is a gradual process until patient is symptom-free but that isn't always the case with levothyroxine which does work in the majority of cases. Many doctors believe that when the TSH is 'anywhere' in the range - even top (around 5) that patient is on sufficient and stops increasing and patient suffers on. The aim is a TSH of 1 or below.
Thanks. So in other words, if people are often somewhere near a hundred, 26 is relatively mild and a 1 grain dose of NDT . . .give or take (what I was on for 18 month) makes sense?
Did you happen to notice my question re: Adrenal fatigue?
No matter what TSH we have, it seems that 50mcg is the usual starting starting dose.
I know a doctor, now deceased, who tried to have a Conference and invited every one of the Endocrinologist to discuss the 'parlous situation' of hypothyroid patients. He was a virologist and came into hypo by chance as he had been asked to see patients who had 'mysterious diseases. What he found was that these people were hypo due to symptoms alone and their TSH wouldn't have been high enough to be diagnosed and being given doses which were too low. The usual dose on NDT was around 200 to 400mcg.
One by one these Endos refused, the last the day before the Conference.
For so doing i.e. diagnosing those who were undiagnosed he was called before the GMC about 7 times because he treated patients on symptoms and each time he was found to be treating them properly. Unfortunately for us he died of a stroke and his staff and patients feel it was due to the immense strain. One of his patient's did a calculation of the 'odds' and it was about 4,000,000 to 1.
One doctor I know always treated adrenals and the doctor above, said that the adrenals would sort themselves out when meds were optimum.
I don't know too much about Adrenal Fatigue but other members will answer if they have info.
If my increased sweating doesn't eventually resolve,I conclude I am on too high a dose of T3.I am a 67 year old female,so know mine can't be menopausal.
Due to big hairloss,after 2 years on T3 only I reluctantly re-introduced T4.At present I am sweating again,as if going through the menopause!
Due to stiff,weak aching muscles,hoping to replace thyroxine with NDT & keep on with T3,too.Very interested to hear you are on that combo.
yes, I'm inclined to believe that my night sweats are due to too much T3 but I have to say that recently at times since introducing T3 I have felt more alive, present and calm than I can remember being for many years. On just T3 I seemed to be a bit hot and chemical, for want of a better way to describe, so introduced a small amount of NDT in the hope of calming things down a little while hopefully keeping T3 levels up. Magic wand anybody?
Have you tried taking your temperatures?(It shows what's happening at a cellular level ) If higher than 37 degrees you may be taking too much..if lower not enough ...also if they are erratic (rather than more on a level)then adrenals may be struggling and the increased dose may be highlighting this and you could benefit by supporting them.I'm currently trying to battle this out (rgds adrenals)as I can't seem to raise my ndt (self medicating )above 1.75 grain.I'm wondering whether to add t3 to my cocktail as you are.If you do come across that magic wand please can I borrow it?I think Sooty and Sweep might have one lol!
What dose of T3 & NDT do you take?After 18 years on T4,my 2 years on T3 were the best I had felt,both mentally & physically,for so long.Unfortunately,due to significant hair-thinning,I have re-introduced thyroxine,but intend to replace it with NDT due to a return of symptoms.
Sooty and Sweep . . .you're showing your age . . . oh . ..so am I
Yes I have been trying to be more scientific in approach and my temperature is up and down more than Weed in the Flowerpot men 35.1 to 36.5 and only once 36.9 over about a week at all times of the day. Adrenal fatigue seems to be something of a battle cry on this site so I am intrigued both hesitant to spend lots of money on another potential red herring. Perhaps I should try though what do you think.
I have to say that apart from feeling a little hot and chemically I seem to be feeling clearer headed and more alive/present with some T3 in the mix. this is the fastest that I've typed ever! I sat in a park for 3 hours yesterday eve marvelling at my new found cognisance. It made me wonder just for how long I've had a thyroid issue!?
dashi2208 I did reply to you yesterday but I don't know where it's gone..? ..So replying again..Yes that does sound like adrenal...very erratic changing throughout the day and every day.Mine have been similar. .sometimes they were in the 34's but more recently they seem to be from 35.8 - 36.4 but an odd time 36.9....I take adrenavive lll (250mg) at the moment I used to take adrenavive ll which is 125mg but was taking 2 of them so it works out cheaper with the lll .I did drop ndt at first whist I added it as I was taking 3 grain with no success. Currently I'm on 1.75 and feel better than when on 3 grain. As soon as I started taking the adrenal glandular I started sleeping better as previously I would be awake half the night.Also my hot flushes miraculously stopped !Sometimes if we have been hypo/hashi for a long time and not medicated and^or poorly medicated our temperatures may not totally recover up to where we are trying to get but imo if we at least get them levelled out we know adrenals are in a good place.It may be worth a shot ?!..Like you I have tried many a red herring over last few years since diagnosis and spent a fortune on them...I would raise my hopes up thinking this was the answer but it would come to nothing.I've been self medicating ndt for a yr now but it's only since taking the adrenal glandular and adressing my vitamins that I think I may be finally getting somewhere with it all(touches wood!)All the best,Lozzer
No I didn't do any adrenal testing .cortisol at gps was 'good'...but a synacthen test at endocrineologists showed a slight disfunction although I believe the synacthen test is only reliable at indicating Addisons disease. I just went with the assumption seeing as it pretty much goes with the territory with thyroid ..and the temperature test/pupil test/blood pressure test also indicated it. .
Hi Lozzer can you explain the effects of adrenal disfunction on Blood pressure & pupils please - I would like to monitor myself. Thank you in anticipation EveP
dashi, I have struggled with night sweats, and what resolved mine was saving a dose of T3 to take as you get into bed. I think mine were because I had " run out" of thyroid hormones. I take NDT on waking before getting out of bed, then I take T3 approximately 4 hours later, then another T3 dose 4 hours after that. I tend to feel much better early to late evening anyway, but that last dose of T3 as I get into bed has helped the sweating which was so bad it kept waking me in the night. I tend to have a Summer duvet on all year round, and during this Summer I have had a floor mounted fan on all night, and it has been bliss to feel the air movement. Make sure your room is cool before you go to bed. If it's dry I leave my windows open all day, but put them on the crack when it gets dark as we have bats flying around!! I leave the windows like this all night.
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