I'd value your opinion. I'm now taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid (NDT) from Thailand. I've been taking it for just over a year and I've never felt better but my endocrinologist wants me to stop taking it. My endocrinologist does not like me taking NDT. He says it's not consistent. He also says that me and my partner should stop trying for a baby and that if we're trying for a baby I should only take T4 but I can't function on T4 only. He also says that my T3 levels are too high and that my TSH is supressed. He says that I'm at risk of a stroke.
I've asked for a copy of my blood test results which are as follows:
TSH <0.05 Range (0.27 - 4.20)
FT4 13.4 Range (12.0 - 22.0)
Free T3 7.1 Range (3.1 - 6.8)
At the time of these tests I was taking 4 grains and 3 grains on alternate days. I have now reduced that to 3 grains per day on the Dr's advice.
So, I have two questions:
1) Is it okay to take NDT while trying for a baby?
2) Am I on the right dose?
I would be grateful for your advice. Many thanks in advance.
Written by
samybrook
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Those results do show very slight overmedication, because FT3 is slightly over range. You don't have to worry about TSH, when taking NDT (or T3) it tends to lower, even suppress TSH, it's the FT3 result that is important.
You can't take different doses of NDT on alternate days, it doesn't work like that. The T3 element is quick acting and dose needs to be consistent, so you need to take the same dose every day.
Now you've reduced your dose, you'll need to see how you are in a few weeks' time as it takes about 6 weeks for the full effect of a dose change. I would retest in 6 weeks, I expect your FT4 will have fallen back into range, but you need to take into account how you feel.
Those results are v close to my own, I would say the stroke risk is over-doing it as is saying not to conceive. I think you might check RT3 levels as whilst your approach of reducing NDT is the same as mine, you might have ‘pooling’ as T4 is low. Also check your full iron profile and adrenal function.
First of all, at one time only NDT was prescribed (from 1892 and before that we died) by all doctors worldwide as levothyroxine had not been invented.
There was no hue and cry then because it was all based upon diagnosing through clinical symptoms( no blood tests) and dose was gradually increased until the person felt well again with relief of all symptoms.
Before 1892 people died of myxema coma which was an awful way to die. Then 'natural dessicated thyroid hormones' were found to resolve the patients' clinical symptoms and the first woman survived after 1892 and from then on up to the present day NDT is still prescribed and is preferrred by many who don't feel too well on levothyroxine (T4 alone).
NDT is made from pigs' thyroid glands and is still today. NDT contains all of the hormones a healthy gland would produce and as it isn't synthetic is more conducive to the human body.
Your Endocrinologist believes 'tall stories' but they are not made by members who have recovered their health on NDT.
Blood tests can be disregarded if we take NDT and T3 added to T4 because they were introduced along with T4 only. Therefore results will not correlate.
The following is by one of our Advisers who was also a scientist/researcher and sent the following to the BTA et al and requested a response every three years before he died. They never did respond - why? Probably couldn't provide the evidence.
Hi Sammy, something that needs to be considered is the time you took your last dose of NDT. If it was less than 12 hours before the blood draw then the ft3 result may be higher than is truely representative.
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