Nature-throid

[Zipit]

Have a holistic doctor who took me off levothyroxine and put me on Nature-throid. My labs show TSH at 27.26(very high) T4 3.8 (low) ) T3 Free 3.8 (normal) T3 Total 139 (normal), T3 Reverse 9 (normal) ! He kept me on 2 grain nature-thyroid. (Sent me for another blood draw). He suspects something else going on! I’ve never had a tsh this high. Also my B/p is sky high for first time!! Any ideas! (Live in US)

[MaisieGray]

Even without the reference ranges it's easy to see you are under medicated for whatever reason - high TSH: below range FT4: low in range FT3. It may be due to you being dosed at too low a level and/or you are being affected by apparent changes in Naturethroid that have similarly affected a number of other users of that brand of NDT in recent months.

[Zipit in reply to MaisieGray]

Interesting! Also, naturethroid always in short supply for some reason.

[greygoose]

How do you take your NDT? Do you always take it on an empty stomach, etc. just like levo?

Do you have any labs from when you were taking levo, for comparison? How much levo were you taking?

[Zipit in reply to greygoose]

Yes 112mcg Levo for a couple of years with good levels. I do take first thing in am. TSH Level on Levo was 4.73 and he put me on 2 grain of nature thyroid. He sells it in his office!

[greygoose in reply to Zipit]

You take it first thing, on an empty stomach, ok. But how long do you leave before eating or drinking anything other than water? Do you take any other medication or supplements within two hours of taking your NDT?

Going from 112 mcg levo to 2 grains of NDT is quite an increase in dose. Your levels should have improved, not got worse. Even so, You were very under-medicated on levo! TSH should come down to 1 or under, on the right dose. But to go up to 27 is incredible.

Do you take any other supplements? What do you take?

[Zipit in reply to greygoose]

I do have blackcoffee within 10 mins. No food till after my morning jog. Anyway I was thrilled when I moved to this town that had holistic dr that is covered by medicare(visits not supplements). He’s got me on so many supplements I’m embarrassed. He sells them! I thought proof would be in follow up lab tests but I’m a mess. I’m on 4 supplements for bone health. 2 for cholesterol, 3 for cardio, etc.

also he tells me I’m in stage 3 kidney disease, my bp was 193/95 hr 53. He put me on toprol which didn’t help so he increased it ...hr to 40’s now. He them put me on Amlodopine after I suggested it(nurse practitioner at church suggested). He thinks I have something else going on maybe a pituitary Tumor! Crikes!

[greygoose in reply to Zipit]

Oh oh! Alarm bells ringing!

I do have blackcoffee within 10 mins

That's why you're not absorbing it! You should wait at least an hour for your coffee.

I’m on 4 supplements for bone health

What are you taking. Some doctors have weird ideas about bone health and put you on things more likely to hinder than to help - or even do more damage! Do you have problems with your bones?

2 for cholesterol

Why would you need supplements for cholesterol? If your cholesterol is high it's because your T3 is low. Raise the T3 and the cholesterol will decrease. You don't need to reduce cholesterol anyway, it isn't a problem. It does not cause heart attacks or strokes.

And your high blood pressure is probably due to your low T3, as well. If your blood pressure med is not working, it's a sure sign that it's caused by your hypothyroidism.

Like cholesterol, high blood pressure is not a disease, it's a symptom of something else going wrong in the body. And, as you are hypo, no prizes for guessing what is going wrong!

And, why would he suspect a pituitary tumour? What is his evidence for that? I think this doctor saw you coming and is taking you for every penny he can get.

[Zipit in reply to greygoose]

I agree with the money pit bit! I need to find a good endocrinologist! I will start taking thyroid earlier when I get up to pee! I’m on stronium (every other month), k2, calcium. I’m doing this from memory. I had tumors on my parathyroid that for some reason causes brittle arm bones. Broke both wrists 2016 at same time playing pickle ball. So only osteoarthritis in arms. I lifted weights for a year, took supplements, and Backpacked for 2 weeks’ my osteoporosis is worse, Very discouraging!

[greygoose in reply to Zipit]

I think you ought to do some research into the subject of osteoporosis. Very few doctor know how to treat it. Calcium is only one of the many nutrients needed for strong bones. There is an osteoporosis forum on HealthUnlocked. You could do worse than have a look on there.

[Zipit in reply to greygoose]

Will do! Thankyou you have been very helpful! I’m ready to try and help myself more!

[greygoose in reply to Zipit]

Well, that's good! And, remember, if you have any questions, there will always be someone here to help you.

[Zipit]

Ok thanks

[Jazzw]

I’m finding that Nature Throid is varying in potency from pot to pot. Which is incredibly frustrating (I really ought to move to another brand).

So - before concluding it’s something else, your Endo (who really does sound like he’s fleecing you!) ought to try you on another brand of NDT first.

[Zipit in reply to Jazzw]

I think you are right!

[Michael2018]

Hi Zipit. Sorry to hear that you’re going through such a mess, but I have a small suggestion that my shed some light on the osteoporosis issue. Actually is a book recommendation for you and anyone who might be interested in learning about the cause of that and similar diseases. The book is called “Grain Brain” by David Perlmutter. Good Luck with everything!!!

[Zipit]

Will look at that thanks!