I was taking levothyroxine 50mg, don't agree with me and I want to take a natural remedy instead of prescribed medication? I have stopped levothyroxine.
My recent results
Serum Tsh level 5.63 mIUL 0.27 -4.20mIU/L
Serum Free T4 Level 13.9 pmoI/L 12.00-22.00pmoI/L
Levo is just about as 'natural' as you're going to get. There are no natural remedies for an under-active thyroid. In fact, there are no remedies. If your thyroid can no-longer make enough hormone to keep you well, the only solution it so take thyroid hormone replacement. Levo is thyroid hormone replacement. You can only replace a hormone with a hormone, and levo is the thyroid hormone T4 - levothyroxine. Hypothyroidism is not curable, I'm afraid. 
Having said that, there are alternatives. There is NDT - Natural Dessicated Thyroid - which, by the way, isn't as 'natural' as all that. It's made form pig thyroid. Or, there is the synthetic T3.
Levo probably doesn't agree with you because you're not taking enough of it. 50 mcg is only a starter dose, and starter doses often make people feel worse. It should be increase to 75 mcg six weeks after you start taking it. How long have you been taking it?
Thank you for reply. I was only taking the 50 mg for about 2 weeks and stopped a month ago, before that I was on 25mg.
Well, your doctor started you on too low a dose, so not surprising if it made you worse. 2 weeks is not long enough to feel any improvements from the increase. It takes six weeks for the levo to be fully synthesised. You would still have been under-medicated, anyway.
Anything with hormones takes a long time to sort out. We really can't expect miracles. But, with patience, we can slowly build up our dose until we feel well.
Have you had your nutrients and antibodies tested? Do you usually get a copy of your blood test results? If not, time to start asking for them and keep your own records.
My advise would be to go back on the 50 mcg levo, and take it for six weeks, and then get retested. And, at the retest, ask for nutrients - vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin - and antibodies to be tested, if they haven't already been done.
No antibodies or nutrients tested. Yes I always get copies of my results. Thank you I will go back on 50mg, I'm speaking with Dr on Monday.
As GG says balancing hormones is not quick or easy. To give it some perspective - it took me 18 months of increases every 8 - 12 weeks to get to my final dosage (and not where the GP would hav stopped either!!!). The only decent nutrient level I had was iron. Some symptoms of hypo and nutrient deficiency are the same, most notably fatigue, joint and muscular pain so although it is easy to blame everything just on your thyroid levels you need to get your nutrient levels right for the best chance of symptom relief. We also need optimal levels of these nutrients in order to process and use thyroid hormone effectively, whether our own or what we take.
It is worth persevering with levo, it is free and easily sourced. I now take NDT as even with good levels of levo replacement and nutrient levels I couldnt quite kick the fatigue, but it is a pain to source reliably plus even NDT or T3 need good nutrient levels and take time to titrate.
Try and insist on 6-8 weekly retests as otherwise GPs will try to leave it 3 months and that just prolongs titration and can cause a rollercoaster effect on symptoms between raises. If like mine yours is an ‘anywhere in range is fine’ type, try suggesting that as you have tried the bottom end so there is no reason for not seeing if higher in range relieves symptoms. (I take an Ipad full of research with me to counter the usual arguements they come up with)
Thank you Phoenix.
When I had my thyroxine increased it took 2 months for me to notice any difference. I thought it wasn’t working then after 2 months I started to feel so much better.
I've also gone the 'natural healing' way, and biggest help has been cutting out all gluten, all soya, and acting on health videos of Dr Bergman on YouTube - here's the link to one of his thyroid ones. Haven't felt this well for 22 years - youtu.be/F1rxW9IzYrA
Dr. Bergman does have a lot of good things to say about how to "cure" thyroid problems naturally. What he says matches up with what many others say - like Dr. Izabella Wentz, Dr.Oz, and many other's. The gut, the gut, the gut. What he says about the halides, and their close chemical make-up to iodine - all repetitious of what many in the natural health industry say. So many things to try and keep up with if we are going to try and heal the gut / thyroid problems naturally. And even after we have accomplished these things, it can all come back again. For we continue to take anti-biotics, and eat things with pesticides, and halides - most of the time unaware. I have tried these avenues and failed - landed in the hospital with unbelievably high blood pressure, and a TSH of over 40. Not to say that it is impossible, but for me? I must take NDT - and continue with the gut balancing, and who knows? I'm fermenting my own vegetables in my latest attempt to introduce gut balancing bacteria. But I did learn my lesson about discontinuing the medication. For me - so far it has been impossible to cure naturally.
How long were you on 50mcg?
Dose should be increased slowly in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range
Bloods retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase
Are these results from on 50mcg or before starting?
Low vitamin levels are extremely common and need regular testing and supplementing
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money
All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH and lowest FT4. (Patient to patient tip, not to be mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...
Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
List of hypothyroid symptoms
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients
Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take early morning, on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime.
verywell.com/should-i-take-...
Other medication at least 2 hours away, some like HRT, iron, calcium, vitamin D or magnesium at least four hours away from Levothyroxine
I was only on for a month bit on general tablet does not agree with me. Thank you for information.
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