I have hashimotos been dosing with NDT for two years. I hit 3 grains and felt very well. My labs came back and I felt I had room to go up a little and this is where it all goes wrong.
I went up 3 and a half grains. Initially don’t feel much difference then gradually symptoms come on like anxiety, jittery, heart palpitations and muscle aches. I realise thyroid must be the culprit and I go back down to 3 and a half grains. Symptoms begin to disappear and I think I’ve cracked it.
Then I have a few days of feeling very tired in the evenings and nodding off on the sofa again. Then shortly after the reverse. I’ve developed insomnia, very bad anxiety symptoms and feeling of overheating with the odd heart palpitation. My body temperature however remains around 36.5-36.8. Heart rate fluctuates when I’m having an anxiety episode it can shoot up to 100 when I had BP tested at GP last week it was 118 over 78 and ECG came back normal.
I was waiting around for my thyroid panel as 15 December marks 8 weeks since I adjusted back down. I’ve also ordered vitamins and cortisol. Feeling a bit lost. The not knowing what’s going on is giving me more anxiety and thus more symptoms!
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Littledancingtiger
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Maybe going up from 3 gr to 3 1/2 the 1/2 may have been just a little too much.
If on NDT (and I'm not medically qualified) it is suggested that increases be by a 1/4 of 1 grain at a time, every two weeks always being aware of body's signs/symptoms and are they improving.
If you felt well on 3 grains that may be your 'optimum dose'. If you have thyroid antibodies it could be these that are making you feel 'hyper' when they attack.
Thank you I suspect it probably was but I’ve been dropped back to 3 grains for about a month now and I’m having hyper symptoms still. Will it just take a while longer for them to stop or is it possible I’ve given myself other issues?
It's hardly likely that you've given yourself other issues. But, what exactly do you call 'hyper symptoms'? We have to be very careful with symptoms, because so many of them can be both 'hyper' and hypo. And, I've noticed that when I've over-dosed, I had the same symptoms as when I was under-dosed. So, just relax and wait for your lab results to come back. Even if you did slightly over-medicate for a short while, it's not a catastrophe.
Thank you the symptoms are heat intolerance, the odd palpitation, insomnia and anxiety mainly. The anxiety I find makes everything worse because I don’t know what’s going on and it feeds into my not sleeping.
Well, they can all be hypo/under-medicated symptoms. They do not necessarily indicate over-medicated. And, remember, with Hashi's, you can have over-medicated and hypo symptoms at the same time. So, you need to see your labs before deciding if you are adequately medicated - although it seems not - or which direction you need to go in.
Thanks. It’s so tricky to know what’s what. I don’t know whether I’m working myself up and perpetuating the symptoms and the anxiety is causing a vicious cycle.
Yes, but the thing is not to panic. Being a little over-medicated for a short time, is not life-threatening. You try it, and if it doesn't help after six weeks, you can always go down again. Or up again, according to your labs. But over-thinking it, doesn't help.
You’re so right. I’ve worked it up to a big deal in my head because it took me just under two months to realise I felt screwy. I’m now stuck in the whole well what if I’ve been overmedicated that whole time what problems have I caused what if I still am etc. The reality is I’ve stepped it down again and it’s not long to go until I can retest.
That’s all I really can do. I’m sure it’s unlikely I’ve done damage from a few months of being a little over? It’s not like I was on double or anything.
I’m sure if I’d done anything serious to myself I’d be in hospital rather than going about my daily life.
You're absolutely right. There's no reason to worry about it. You might have made yourself a bit uncomfortable, if you've over-medicated, but that's about it.
It is hard to say. Maybe if you get a blood test just to clarify and they include FT3 and FT3 to ensure they aren't too high. Remember when getting blood tests for thyroid hormones always to get the very earliest appointment, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose and test and take it afterwards. Your GP may not test all of these and the ones he doesn't do you can get privately. There are two private labs which will do these and they are home pin-prick tests.
At the same time get B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.
I’m happy to pay for my tests in order to have a proper full panel.
I was holding out because it’s only been a month since I reduced though and everything I’ve heard it needs to be 6-8 weeks with any med adjustments. Could I test this early or shall I hold out for 6 weeks instead of the 8?
Post your results on the forum with the ranges for advice. and it is Free T3 as well as Free T4. There are also T3 and T4 tests but these are not so informative as the Frees.
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