I have recently been wondering whether it is advisable to take Bovine Glandular support to help with T4 to T3 conversion now that I am proceeding with NDT after confirming through trial and error that I have allergic reactions to synthetic T4 and T3. I have finally had a hashimoto diagnosis confirmed after years of being hypo without full medical support following paying for a semi full blood panel test and presenting it to my GP. The results showed that they can no longer deny that I do not convert T4 to T3 very well, and I also have high antibodies, therefore, my symptoms aren't just a "sign of getting older" or "hypochondria" as I was so often made to feel. After reading that to absorb T3 optimally, glandulars are often recommended, I purchased a bovine glandular supplement from the U.S and started taking it,however, since starting on NDT, I am no longer sure whether taking a bovine supplement with the porcine thyroid meds is advisable or not.
Any advice or experience from anybody in the know on such things would be gratefully received... Thanks!
How much NDT are you taking each day and for how long, how do you feel?
First things first OK?
in reply to
Hi Bunnyjean,
I am now up to one and a half grains split between two doses. This will be my almost third week. I was prescribed 100mcg Levo with the GP. I am feeling OK and the wonderful thing is my post nasal drip and constant sneezing as though I have a heavy cold all the time has gone. This alone is heavenly as I feel better in myself just for that reason. I am hoping now I can loose the weight I gained since being on Levo. I am taking pretty much all the vits and minerals recommended plus Myoinisitol and Berberine. I don't take the bovine glandular everday due to my uncertainty on whether I should take it.
in reply to
Hi I am glad that your feeling better it took me two years to feel better after my TT back in October 2015 before this I knew nothing about the thyroid but have learnt a lot on this helpful site.
I have taken 2, 2.5, and 3 grains per fay of thyroid s NDT over 18 months but I never felt 100% of either dose.
I now take 1 NDT + 1/2 x 25mcg T3 at 6.30am and 1/2 of T3 in the afternoon.
The difference has been nothing but amazing.
When I started on NDT I soon lost the weight that I put on when on Levo for 7 months. It was only 10 lbs but I had never been overweight in my life.
I think that it's a good idea for you to be more consistent and take your medication every day, what do you think? Have you posted your blood test results?
in reply to
Thank you for your thoughts. I do take all meds and supplements everyday apart from the glandular support which I have stopped for now because on reading about glandular support there are fors and against them and so I can't seem to find a clear answer on it's use with NDT, there is no point asking my GP. Do you use probiotics? I have heard those can beneficial, although I am starting to feel like a mobile pharmacy and spending a fortunate on all this stuff in the hope of getting well. I have posted my blood results very recently. I am just starting out on NDT as a result of my last blood results in order to try and get some t3 in a natural form, synthetic meds don't seem to work for me. After Christmas I am going to try and go gluten free as well.
in reply to
Hi I have never had gut problems or hashimotos. I don't use probiotics either.
I think that it depends on the individual. You should be getting better on NDT and T3 lets hope before too long.
in reply to
Bunnyjean, Hi, how much Levo were you prescribed previous to taking NDT? I was on 100mcg Levo and now up to 2 grains but I am not starting to loose the weight I had hoped by switching over to NDT. I am thinking maybe adding some T3 to the NDT as I don't want to rise my T4 too high, my results showed just over normal range and my T3 was borderline normal on the low end so I think the T3 is more important to level out. Why did you reduce to just one 1 grain when on T3 and not stay on the 2 grains. It all seems like we have to medicate by trial and error quite often.
The thing is that I was only on Levo for around 7/8 months after my TT. I was not on any medication before that and I was never overweight. I put on approx 10 lbs in the 7/8 months but it went when starting NDT. I was on 100mcg and then 150mcg Levo.
It depends, but if I were you I would just wait a while and see how you feel. If you were very overweight it may take sometime before your body responds.
Yes I agree by trial and error theory. My main reason was that I had a reading of 8.3 when taking 3 grains i.e. at least 1/3rd over the top limit. So, therefore, I was going to reduce to 2 grains anyway. I was always tired on 2 , 2.5 and 3 so hence the addition of T3.
My idea was trying to balance to around 2 grains by taking 1x NDT and 1 T3 per day and it works. I will not be having another blood test for a while but I feel great.
in reply to
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I am not too overweight, but I have been gaining slowly since being on Levo. I actually weighed less before I was diagnosed with hypo and so I desperately want to get back to my ideal weight pre-levo days. The last two days I have had lumbar back ache, nauseous and full on diarrhoea. I am hoping it's due to something icky I ate or a bug and not because I have increased the NDT (Thyroid S), I am desperate to be suitably medicated.
When you have diarrhoea it can be too much NDT? I hope that you feel better soon.
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