Waah... I know it’s Christmas and I should feel happy, and I do, I’m grateful for all the good things in my life... but all of it turns to dust with how consistently unwell I feel. It’s been 2 years now of trying to find the right meds and dose. Although I improved markedly within a week of starting 2 grains of NDT and continuing with 60mcg T3 (9th week now)... I can’t seem to get above feeling 40% well. A few odd days at 45% well, which was bliss. Bloods 10 days ago:
TSH 0.005 (0.40 - 4.00)
Free T4 7.6 (9.0 - 19.0)
Free T3 5.3 (2.6 - 6.0)
I feel like my body’s cells are starved of oxygen, I’m tired in the morning, exhausted by mid-afternoon and a zombie by 6pm. Feeling 40% is way better than where I was 6 months ago at about 20% we’ll... but improvement feels soooo slow. I find it hard to keep my spirits up some days. I’m trying to be a good soldier... taking the supplements, healthy diet, sleep etc etc. is progress meant to be This slow???
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It might take a while for your adrenal glands to level out. Most of us suffer from adrenal fatigue due to hypothyroidism. It takes a bit for it to right itself after finding a good dose.
Thanks for your reply scottbnk. Do you mean that First I have to get on the right dose for me, and Then over time the rest of my system will kick back into gear including my adrenals? And when you say “a bit” do you mean weeks, months or years?
That's my theory. I'm thinking weeks to a few months. Based on all the reading I've done and personal experience, but it is a pretty individual thing. Stress of all kinds affects your adrenals, so there you have it. Though hypothyroidism is a major stress. Once you eliminate that, you have a better chance
Feeling as if your cells are starved of oxygen could be due to low Iron. Sorry have not read your previous posts .... How are your other levels now of B12 - VitD & Folate ?
Hi Marz, I’ll get back to you tomorrow with my iron levels, B12, not sure about D... just off to sleep now after Christmas Eve with family. PS. Is it you who told me about the SCD homemade yogurt? If so, thank you. I’m sure it’s doing me good.
Oww Marx, I don’t have my numbers handy, but I do remember that my ferritin is 52 (30-300). It’s up from 30 from about 6 months ago. I’m taking supplements, eating iron-rich food... except for liver... gah! My scalp, hair-roots feel tender and hair falling out now, nails flakey soft and ridged. My B12 is above the >range, I’ve been taking B12 Methyl sublingual 5,000 mcg daily. Ferritin has always skipped along in the lowest range, and previously horrible bouts of anemia before I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease.
Thanks for your observation Mars; I hadn’t thought of possible ferritin connection.
Your Ferritin would be better around 70 so keep on supplementing - with VitC to aid absorption. B12 - pointless testing whilst supplementing as results are skewed. You need to take a good B Complex to keep all the B's in balance. VitD result ? - supplementing ??
I would ask GP for a full Iron Profile and FBC - Full Blood Count.
Thanks Mars, ferritin 70 here we come then!! Time to make some pâte!! I just doubled my iron dose (it’s meant to be low constipating so fingers crossed) and yes I take it with 1,000mcg Vitamin C; and am taking it 12 hours apart from my NDT and T3 which I take all in one go when I first wake up, sometime between 4-5:30am. Yep, taking all my Bs together with the B12 just before bed (along with a few things like zinc and magnesium). Yep, taking 3,000mcg of D in liquid form (if that makes sense?) along with some calcium and vitamin K2; I take that with my lunch. From memory my D is “in range” but not yet in the optimum top 1/3 of the normal range. Lordy me it’s a lot isn’t it? Let me know if I’m missing something though, or could tweak something. My motto this year is “determined to get well” :- )
VitD needs to be around 100 in the UK. Taking a VitD supplement means your body has an improved ability to absorb calcium from foods so there really isn't any need to take additional calcium. Taking VitK2-MK7 is good as it directs calcium away from the arteries and soft tissues and into the bones and teeth. I recently did a post about VitK2 - you can click onto my name in blue above and then click posts - scroll down until you come to it - very interesting.
You also need Magnesium as another co-factor.
Being determined to be well is a good mantra - so lots and lots of reading
9 weeks is a very short time, so yes, it does take a long time! I've been self medicating for two years, and have still not reached my ideal dose.
The funny thing is that I'm celebrating this Christmas because I've reached perhaps 15% energy levels. It means I can wash and dress myself, prepare meals and get drinks for myself, and am starting to be able to leave the house and go for walks. It's amazing!
It sounds like you're trying to soldier on and live as you did before, not spending any part of the day in bed or resting. I think spending some time in bed, and drastically reducing daily activity levels were you can makes overall energy much higher.
Thanks for your thoughts SilverAvocado. I agree, rest and plenty of sleep is essential to recovery. I take life super-easy to what I did 3 years ago. That said, I’ve been wrestling with this Hashimoto’s for 2 years now (since diagnosis) and when I can, as soon as I can, I try to get active. Just whatever I think I can do at the time, just gentle steady activity. I think it’s part of me healing, coming back into life. Don’t worry, I rested 24 hours a day for about 6 months, completely zombied out, zero energy.
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling important 15%. One step at a time. We’re all different and take our own time to heal.
I have hashimotos, and it took a long time for my body to feel well, despite the meds. In addition, it is really, really important to check your supplementary thyroxine requirement frequently. The amount you need may well increase, but it can go down too. I rose from 50 to 170 units over a period of years, and then went down gradually to 100 units. If you are with the UK NHS, they prefer to test annually, but sometimes that is not enough as I found out.
Iron deficiciency - Yes that was a complicating factor for me too. The menopause too.
Blue Bee - Don't be gloomy. Hashimoto's fluctuations usually settle down after a time, and then you will find a comfortable dose of meds that makes you feel much more "normal" again.
Thanks 1Chicken, I really appreciate your kind thoughts. I’ve come back to this thread after getting through a few tough days and am feeling better today, almost pain-free all day, amazing!
It’s so lovely to read your kindness. It’s encouraging
Hi I’m not an expert and I’m sure others will advise you better but it might be an idea to get a full blood count test done - you might be iron deficient. I would also get doctor to check Vitamin D levels. You would be shocked at how much impact they can have. Hope you get sorted Jacqui
Hi Jacqui, I’ve just answered Mars above about my various mineral and vitamin levels and yes I agree, full blood panel is helpful and my GP’s right onto that. With the Hashimoto’s recovery taking sooo very long (plus the decades of being up and down unwell Before diagnosis two years ago) I’m aMazed I’ve got any blood left to test, I’ve had that many blood panels and tests. Thanks for your concern and kindness Jacqui. I swear it helps so much to know there is this community of kind people Who Understand and share experiences, give hope. I’m definitely upping the effort on iron! BBX
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should T3 make you feel worse?
Can levels be improved without drugs?
Is my dose too low?
Hashimoto's "flare" feel fluish on and off
