Going it alone

[1piglet]

Hi again, just looking for someone to point me in the right direction! After another two futile appointments with my GP and my one and only appointment with my endocrinologist I have decided the only way forward is to try and help myself!

I live in Spain, where it is not easy with regard to being hypothyroid. I have Hashimotos.

I try to eat well and exercise and have been gluten free for many years – should I cut out sugar and dairy as well, as I hear many here do?

I have tested homozygous for the faulty gene DIO2.

I have just started taking Dr John C Lowe’s NDT, Thyro-Gold, 150 mg, which I believe is 50mg T4 and 12.5mg T3. I have been taking it now for two weeks, but I am disappointed to say that I can’t say I have improved – is this too soon to expect improvement? The list is long, but my worse symptoms are tiredness, tingly feet and hands, hair loss, dry straw like hair, constipation, and brain fog (although that may be my age!). But none of these have improved. In fact since I have been taking them I now have a dry mouth and throat and seem particularly joyless. My question here is: do I go on to the next phase and take two of the pills each morning as Tammy (the late Dr Lowe’s wife) suggested? and take the three month course before I am tested again.

These blood results came just before I started on the course of Thyro-Gold (at that time I was on just 25mg of thyroxine) and I must say these results look pretty good to my untrained eye, but I would like to know what you think.

TSH:2.31 uU/ml 0.465-4.680

Free T4: 1.15ng/dl 0.78-2.19

Free T3: 4.24pg/ml 2.77-5.27

Reverse T3: 0.15ng/ml 0.1-0.35 ng/ml

Anticuerpos anti-TP0: 5.70Ul/ml 0.25-9.00

Anticuerpos Antitiroglobulina:17.22Ul/ml 0.90-4.00

These are my latest vitamin tests:

Iron:108ug/dl 60 - 180

Ferritin:80.4ng/ml 10 – 120

Magnesium: 2.60mg/dl 1.80 – 2.60

Vitamin B12:320pg/ml 180 – 850

Vitamin D:37ng/ml DeficientLess than 10

Insufficient: 10 – 29

Sufficient: 30 – 100

Toxic:Over 100

Thank you.

[Carlosdoug]

Tingly hands and feet, symptom of low b12. 320 far too low, should be up there at the 850 for best health

[1piglet in reply to Carlosdoug]

Thank you for that Carlos, I did mention to the doctor at the time that it was on the low side, but she said it was fine. Would you know of a good brand I could supplement with?

[Carlosdoug in reply to 1piglet]

My first reading was 142 and was given a series of loading dose injections over two weeks.Then doc recommended Solgar methylcobalamin b12 @ 1000 mcg plus two extra days a week at 2000 mcg

I had tingling feet and hands, exhaustion, brain fog. Injections made a big difference very quickly. Also hypothyroid.

Also live in Spain!

[1piglet in reply to Carlosdoug]

Whereabouts in Spain - do you have a good endo that you could recommend?

[Carlosdoug in reply to 1piglet]

Sorry, do not have an Endo , live in Xabia, Costa Blanca.

Nice day today.

[1piglet in reply to Carlosdoug]

Thanks again for your help.