Here are the facts (please see earlier posts for my most recent bloods):
Started on 2grains NDT (compounded chemist) 2 weeks ago. Seeing my endo in 7 weeks for bloods and dose adjustment. Was on 80mcg T3 after previous unsuccessful trials of T4 only and T4/T3 mixes. Had hyper/hypo all my life as far back as I can remember (59 now), just hypo for last 10 years, diagnosed Hashimoto’s 19 months ago. Am Coeliac too, diagnosed 15 years ago and totally gluten free diet since. .....Now, since joining and reading here I suspect malabsorption is my main issue. I’m on a cocktail of the best quality recommended vitamins and supplements I can afford, including sublingual B12. I no longer drink alcohol since 3 years, I’ve recently cut out sugar, I make my first batch of SCD yogurt this weekend... sigh... I have a low stress full-time job which I find exhausting some weeks, but it gets me out and about and takes my mind off all THIS. ...I’m meant to be transitioning from 80mcg T3 to zero T3 by end next week so my endo can have a clear 6 weeks of 2grains NDT-only before bloods. I’m down to 40mcg T3 and the 2grains NDT. ...I felt a-maz-ing the first 10 days, in that I felt the longest run of consistent improvement in energy and mental well-being, since being diagnosed. Instead of feeling 4-5 out of 10, I felt 5-even occasionally 6 out of 10! Now... at day 15 I’m back to 4-5 out of 10 and I feel miserable, like I’m dying from my agony-feet, up through my rigid calves. Uggghhgrrrrwaaa!!! I’m filled with dread at the thought of whittling further off my T3 (which lifted the fog and depression at my 14-month post diagnosis mark) and feeling like this and worse for 6 weeks. Over Christmas :-(( So.... my questions are:
1) What does this all mean?
2) How on earth do you lovely people keep going through these tough, painful times?
3) Am I on the right track? Is there hope?
Struggling today, Blue_Bee xxx
Transition from T4 and T3 to NDT
NDT equivalent to t3?
T4/T3 Combo Synthetic Vs NDT choice
Advise on Endo stopping T3 andgetting NDT
Hi BB
Sounds like you are low on NDT, just take another 1/2 grain and see if you feel better. Your Endo has you on a starter dose. This normally only lasts for 2 weeks prior to raising. But Endo’s are total muggles. I take 3-4 grains per day. Separate each grain by 4-5 hours, don't worry too much about when you eat, I just leave about 30-60 min prior to meals. But drink coffee etc over the top of my NDT dose. You need more NDT in Winter to keep warm, less in summer, more if you do something sporty. NDT is like insulin for a diabetic, must be tuned continuously. Find a side effect like tingling feet or temp and use that as your guide to dose. (you've had too much when you get tingly feet). VitB 12 is critical, get booster shots every 3 months (it deals with brain fog).
Don’t take NDT the morning of your blood tests, the T3 will turn your TSH down/off and Endo will have a panic attack.
I wouldn’t mix synthetic T3 and NDT, even mixing brands of NDT is dicky. Your T3 receptors get efficient at utilising a flavour of T3 and hate you for a while when you change.
James
Thanks James, it’s good to know you’re finding your way with NDT, that it’s working for you. Lots if good suggestions there... I’m a bit limited on the NDT cutting and timing doses etc as in Australia you can only get it on script via a compounding chemist and my current batch are 2grain capsules — nothing to cut really, messy. Not really practical. Interesting comment about not mixing T3 and NDT... I’ve not read that before. There is so much to read and understand and then there just seems to be a certain amount of self-experimenting so I hear you when you share what’s working for you. Thank you, it’s encouraging to hear you’re Hashimoto’s AND we’ll on NDT. BBX